The untold story of 2009 grand final after-party

The Daily has taken a trip down memory lane to revisit the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles’ grand final win, and after-party featuring the great Billy Moore.

Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles celebrate the grand final win.

RUGBY LEAGUE: It's been 11 long years since the Sunshine Coast was the toast of the Queensland Cup, with the class of 2009 still the sole side to taste premiership success.

The drought looked over with the mighty Falcons of 2017, and again last year, but the both years the club fell short.

It was under coach Brandon Costin and captain Cameron Joyce, with the help of Manly Warringah, when the club toppled Northern Pride 32-18 at Stockland Park on September 12 that year.

With all rugby league on pause, the Daily has taken a trip down memory lane to relive that final, and the slightly infamous activities that followed.

Warhorse lock forward Jono Muir struggled to recall much of the big dance when put on the spot this morning, bar the "unstoppable" Tony Williams and control of Trent Hodkinson.

"Dennis (Sandow) had a good game at the back, and Michael Chapman defused three bombs which really changed the game, but I think I've had too many head knocks I think," Muir said.

Fullback Dennis Sandow was at his dynamic best in the 2009 season and instrumental in the grand final.

Steve McPhee was bitterly named as 18th man and looked set to miss out on a grand final appearance in front of his home crowd.

But the Thursday night prior, boom forward Adam Cuthbertson was called into Manly's semi-final and McPhee got the welcome tap on the shoulder.

"Costo just came up to me after training and said 'you're in'," McPhee, who now dwells in Sydney, said.

"I was disappointed at the time but it's a team sport, so I took it on the chin. But I wasn't expecting it.

Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles kicking off the 2009 grand final celebrations in style.

"Playing in front of that crowd, the atmosphere was huge, it was just awesome.

"The game itself is a bit of a blur though. I was full of nerves before I came on but once the first hit up was laid it felt like another game."

What Muir does remember is the week-long after-party which started back at Caloundra RSL with a sea of supporters.

"We were a really tight knit group back then, we had a ball," he said.

"The morning after we were still going and ended up drinking beers in a park at Mooloolaba. We were waiting to get into Alex Bar and Grill to go again and we ran into Billy Moore doing fitness drills.

"There would have been seven or eight of us left standing. I think he came up and joined us for one actually."

Kawana boy Steve McPhee celebrates the grand final win of 2009. He said the afterparty was just as good.

Kawana junior and bench forward McPhee was also among the thick of it.

"None of us had slept, it was a fair kick on," McPhee laughed.

"I doubt Billy understood anything we were saying. We were in form."

Moore's recollection of that morning was far better.

"I was running passed and recognised them, so quickly did a U-turn and stopped to congratulate them," Moore said.

"Obviously I had retired a bit by then, so it had been a while since I'd had a Mad Monday.

"They were well behaved, very chirpy. They had just won the premiership so were still running on adrenaline.

"You could see the pride was there too. It's a special feeling to break new ground for the region's first premiership. I was a bit jealous."

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