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unusual facts about South Queensland Crushers


New South Wales Rugby League premiership

In 1995, some seven years later, the competition expanded further into Queensland, with the inception of the South Queensland Crushers and the North Queensland Cowboys.


Barry Maranta

However the Maranta-Morgan group did not please everybody, especially Australian Rugby League chairman Ken Arthurson, who decided to add other (now defunct) Queensland-based teams, Gold Coast for the 1988 season and the South Queensland Crushers in 1995 season.

Ron McAuliffe, had the support of the NSWRL over the Maranta-Morgan group, other groups included 'International Syndicate' led by John Sattler and Bob Hagan, and one by Darryl van der Velde (who would later be CEO of the South Queensland Crushers).

Darryl van der Velde

Van de Velde then became the Chief Executive Officer of the new South Queensland Crushers club of the ARL premership.

History of the National Rugby League

News decided to close the Hunter Mariners and the financially ruined Western Reds, who were $10million in debt at the end of 1997, while the ARL decided to close down the South Queensland Crushers, who were also in severe financial trouble.


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