The 2006 carnival in Bundaberg was the catalyst for rationalisation of the Association into the boundaries of Police Regions for representing teams. The formation of the new Country Coast Crows for this carnival, was a clear indication of the interest the State Championship has amongst Qld’s Police Officers, but it also posed some difficult problems for the Association in regards team strengths and locations.
2006 Country Coast Crows
The Crows grew out of a surge in interest in the Gympie Police District, which covers the Gympie/Cooloola Shire and the South Burnett towns such as Kingaroy, Murgon and Cherbourg. Traditionally, these areas would fill the ever reliable Wide Bay club, but due to the Championships being held in Bundaberg and the sheer weight of player numbers at Wide Bay’s disposal, the Country Coast Crows came into existance. The problem was that the Gympie District lies smack bang in the middle of the North Coast Region, which is represented by the Wide Bay Crocs, splintering the mighty Crocs into two.
The side was made up of experienced heads with a wealth of Police Rugby League involvement and also drew some new names into the landscape. Although competitive, they did not enjoy any real impact at the Cranival. At the completion of this carnival, it was clear that the Wide Bay Crocs had many more capable Police rugby league players at their disposal than they had previously utilised.
In their only appearance, the Crows can boast the unearthing of the brilliant Jon Munro who gained selection in the Qld State Squad and the Australian Police side that travelled to Adelaide for the ARL’s Affiliated States National Championships in 2006.
