RANKED: Northern Pride’s best players, #1-5

The Cairns Post’s rugby league writer Rowan Sparkes is taking a stroll down memory lane to rank the top 50 footballers to play for the Northern Pride since they entered the competition.

Rowan Sparkesrowan.sparkes@news.com.au

4 min read

May 8, 2020 - 5:21PM

The Cairns Post

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The Northern Pride will not strap on the boots again in 2020 after the cancellation of the Intrust Super Cup.

With that competition on hold, the Cairns Post is taking a stroll down memory lane to rank the top 50 footballers to play for the Northern Pride.

The players are ranked primarily on what they did in a Northern Pride jersey.

PART 1: NORTHERN PRIDE’S BEST PLAYERS, #50-41

PART 2: NORTHERN PRIDE’S BEST PLAYERS, #40-31

PART 3: NORTHERN PRIDE’S BEST PLAYERS, #30-21

PART 4: NORTHERN PRIDE’S BEST PLAYERS, #11-20

PART 5: NORTHERN PRIDE’S BEST PLAYERS, #6-10

COMMENT: HOW I DECIDED ON PRIDE’S NO.1 PLAYER

Ben Spina. Photo: Warren Lynam / Sunshine Coast Daily

5. Ben Spina

The son of North Queensland Cowboys’ inaugural captain Laurie, Spina played his junior footy for Herbert River Crushers before signing with the Pride for the 2010 season.

He made his debut in Round 8 and would keep his spot in the side for the rest of the season, including coming off the bench in the club’s inaugural Queensland Cup premiership win.

After another strong season in 2011, in which Spina was named the club’s Most Improved Player, he enjoyed a breakout 2012, starting 22 games in the second row and taking out the club’s Best Forward, Players’ Player and Player of the Year awards.

Spina was signed by the Cowboys in 2012 and made his NRL debut in 2014. He played 16 games in four seasons, but spent most of his time with the Pride in the Queensland Cup.

In 2014, Spina was a member of the Pride’s Queensland Cup and NRL State Championship winning sides.

He played more than 140 games over eight years at the Pride and was named in the second row in the club’s Team of the Decade (2008-2017).

Brett Anderson. Picture: Stewart McLean

4. Brett Anderson

The Innisfail junior had stints with the Parramatta Eels and the Cowboys before joining the Pride for their Queensland Cup debut in 2008.

He scored four tries in the club’s inaugural match but would play only another four games before an immediate switch to the Melbourne Storm, where he made his NRL debut a month later.

After 12 games with the Storm, Anderson returned to the Pride for 2010 and played more than 120 games for the club over the next six seasons, retiring at the end of 2015.

Anderson took out three consecutive Best Back awards from 2010-12 and was named co-captain, alongside Jason Roos, in 2014 – when the club won the Queensland Cup and NRL State Championship.

In 2018, Anderson came out of retirement to play another season with the Pride, helping to guide a side lacking experience to the finals.

He took out another Best Back gong, as well as the club’s Player of the Year award.

Anderson was named at centre in the Northern Pride’s Team of the Decade.

Chey Bird.

3. Chey Bird

A stalwart for Townsville Brothers and a Queensland Rangers representative, Bird was sought out by the Pride to be the club’s foundation fullback for their Queensland Cup debut in 2008.

He was named Best Back in their inaugural season, playing 19 games and scoring 150 points (five tries, 65 goals).

Bird played 19 games in 2009 and 22 games in 2010, starting at fullback in the Pride’s 30-20 grand final win over Norths Devils to claim their first title.

He played 17 games in 2011 before 12 appearances in an injury-hampered final season with the club in 2012.

During his five seasons with the Pride, he etched his name in club history as a prolific points scorer.

Bird still holds the club records for most points scored in a season – 216 points (five tries, 97 goals) in 2011 – and most point scored for the club – 574 points (23 tries, 226 goals) from 2008-12.

He played 96 matches for the club and was named at fullback in the Pride’s Team of the Decade.

Jason Roos. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE.

2. Jason Roos

The Mareeba junior made a name for himself as a young hooker in the CDRL, earning Cairns Foley Shield honours and winning the league’s Gold Medal in 2005, before a man-of-the-match performance in the Gladiators’ 2007 grand final win.

On the back of his performances in the local competition, Roos was among the handful of CDRL players selected to join the Pride as they entered the Queensland Cup in 2008.

He played 21 games as the starting hooker in the club’s inaugural season and would cement himself in the Pride’s No.9 jersey for years to come, racking up 164 appearances in eight seasons with the club.

He was the starting hooker in the Pride’s 2010 grand final win and first premiership and, in 2011, was named the club’s Player of the Year.

In 2014, he co-captained the club, alongside Brett Anderson, to another Queensland Cup title and an inaugural NRL State Championship.

Roos retired at the end of the 2015 season as the club’s most-capped player, a record Ryan Ghietti has since taken from him, and was named at hooker in the Pride’s Team of the Decade.

Chris Sheppard.

1. Chris Sheppard

Sheppard was a seasoned rugby league veteran by the time he joined the Pride, notching up 60 games for the Cowboys and spending two seasons with St George Illawarra before he became the Pride’s foundation captain in 2008.

After guiding hometown club Mareeba to a CDRL premiership in 2007, Sheppard was the first man signed by the Pride.

He was named the club’s Player of the Year in their inaugural season and, in 2009, captained the club to finish runner-up, after their 32-18 grand final defeat to Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles.

In 2010, he would take the Pride all the way, delivering the club their first premiership in a 30-20 grand final victory over Norths Devils.

He claimed the Duncan Hall Medal for his man-of-the-match performance in the historic win, which was his last game before retirement.

Sheppard’s influence extended off the field. He was the club’s operations manager since its inception in 2007 and was appointed chief executive for the 2011 season following his retirement. He stood down from the role in April 2013.

Sheppard played 60 games in three seasons with the Pride and was named at five-eighth in the club’s Team of the Decade.