Normanby Old Boys

14/09/2026

10/09/2026

2007 - Year in Review
The year 2007 marked a historic milestone for the Normanby Rugby League Club, celebrating their 60th anniversary in the ultimate fashion: a hard-fought, legendary premiership victory. The Hounds’ season culminated in a thrilling 34-22 grand final win against their fierce rivals, the Deception Bay Bombers. This triumph was not just a testament to the Hounds' skill, but a classic rugby league story of passion, commitment, and dismantling an opponent's perceived invincibility.
To the wider rugby league community, the narrative surrounding Deception Bay could have evoked a sense of sympathy. The Bombers were the undisputed front-runners of the 2007 season, charging through the premiership rounds completely undefeated. To dominate the fixtures so comprehensively, only to fall at the final hurdles, is a heartbreak few teams recover from.
However, from the perspective of the Normanby faithful, sympathy was the last emotion on display. The Hounds and their supporters viewed the Bombers not as tragic heroes, but as an arrogant outfit that had imported high-profile players to essentially buy a premiership guarantee. The rivalry reached a boiling point during the final round of the regular season. Confident in their unblemished record, Deception Bay supporters openly boasted that while they were destined for the Grand Final, Normanby—who were sitting comfortably in second place—would fail to even qualify for the "Big Dance." The taunting only ceased when a group of Normanby Old Boys challenged the braggarts directly, flashing fifty-dollar notes and demanding they put their money where their mouths were.
Behind this unwavering club grit was a dedicated leadership group and a roster of standout individuals who steered the Hounds to glory. Serving in his third term as President, Tony Casey successfully led the club to this historic premiership in its milestone 60th anniversary year. On the field, the team was masterfully guided by Coach Dean Mulhall and fiercely led from the front by Captain Ryan Dwyer. The squad's exceptional culture and talent were further highlighted by individual accolades that season, with Joe Comben taking home the Sportsman of the Year award and Mitchell Chambers earning the prestigious Best & Fairest honours.
The ultimate turning point of the season arrived at Arana Hills during the Major Semi-Final, setting the stage for the Hounds' eventual glory. It was a highly entertaining, high-stakes encounter where Deception Bay dominated the lead for most of the match. Yet, Normanby refused to crack, staying within striking distance. A massive, vocal contingent of Hounds supporters packed the ground, anchoring themselves at both ends of the field, inside the can bar, and across the outdoor area of the Leagues Club behind the goalposts.
It was in this exact corner, in the dying seconds of the game, that the season's defining drama unfolded. With the clock ticking down and the Hounds facing the prospect of a gruelling Preliminary Final route, Normanby launched a magnificent attacking raid. Tearing into the Deception Bay red zone, they crossed the line for a spectacular try directly in front of the raucous Leagues Club crowd. The dramatic touchdown sealed a 30-26 victory for Normanby, leaving the previously unbeaten Bombers looking completely shattered, as if they had lost the Grand Final right then and there.
Having broken the Bombers' psychological armour in the semi-final, the Hounds carried that exact momentum into the Grand Final. Inspired by the weight of their 60th year, Normanby played with an unmatched passion and commitment. By defeating the powerhouse Bombers twice when it mattered most, the 2007 Normanby Hounds proved that championship DNA is forged through club culture, grit, and peaking at the perfect moment.

09/09/2026

1986 Preliminary-finalists
The 1986 season for the Normanby Rugby League Club was a year defined by significant administrative transitions, robust on-field performances, and a heartbreaking finish that broke a long-standing premiership streak.
Off the field, the club experienced a major changing of the guard. Neville Lang, a dedicated committee member and former player who had retired from playing in 1965, stepped into the role of President, taking over from Jack Bastin. In another crucial administrative shift, Lang also assumed the Treasurer's responsibilities from Jack Cooper. Cooper, who had become Senior Vice-President in 1968 and served as Treasurer on and off for two decades, was widely regarded as the best Treasurer in the club’s history, having successfully guided Normanby's finances on a steady upward trajectory.
Based at Gilbert Park, the Hounds entered the 1986 Public Service League competition under the leadership of captain/coach Chris Farley. Farley introduced a rigorous training regimen heavily featuring road runs, which paid immediate dividends. The exceptionally fit squad stringed together a succession of victories early in the season, carrying high expectations into the winter.
However, the team’s momentum faced a major hurdle during the representative season. Star player Ian Dobbs suffered a severe rib injury while playing for the representative side in Sydney. The injury required a lengthy six-week recovery period. Despite losing Dobbs, the resilient Normanby squad held their own against all opponents, maintaining their form to secure a third-place finish and a spot in the Finals Series.
Individual excellence was highly prominent throughout the year. Harry Donnelly was honoured as the club's 1986 Sportsman of the Year, while captain/coach Chris Farley claimed the Best and Fairest Award. Additionally, despite his mid-season injury layout, Ian Dobbs's performances earned him the runner-up spot for the Public Service League’s Player of the Year.
The Finals Series brought immense drama. While Brisbane City Council defeated Mines in the Major Semi-final, Normanby kept their premiership hopes alive by winning the Knockout Semi-final. This set up a high-stakes Preliminary Final against Mines, bolstered by the timely return of Ian Dobbs to the lineup.
The Preliminary Final initially looked like a comprehensive victory for the Hounds. Dominating the early exchanges, Normanby established a commanding 13-4 lead by halftime. However, after the break, the Hounds relaxed their intensity. Capitalising on this lapse, Mines launched a fierce comeback, ultimately snatching a 16-13 victory. The single-point defeat was devastating for Normanby, eliminating them from Grand Final contention for the first time in six years. Mines went on to claim the premiership, defeating Brisbane City Council by an identical one-point margin in the Grand Final.
The season concluded on an unusual note. The Hounds were introduced to a lesser-known Public Service League tradition requiring a playoff for third position to properly allocate prize money. Although the mandatory playoff was met with strong internal resistance from leadership—who argued that they were not competing for Olympic medals—the Normanby squad upheld their club discipline, kept training, and fulfilled their final obligation of the 1986 campaign.