Gold Coast Chargers
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| Full name | Gold Coast Chargers |
| Colours | Jade, black, purple and gold |
| Entered 1st grade | 1988 |
| Departed 1st grade | 1998 |
| Sport | Rugby league |
| League | NSWRL/ARL, NRL |
| 1998 | 19th of 20 |
| Premierships | Nil |
| Runners-up | Nil |
| Minor premiers | Nil |
| Wooden spoons | 3 - 1991, 1992, 1993 |
| Biggest win | 52 - 4 vs. South Queensland, July 21, 1996 |
| Worst defeat | 6 - 62 vs. Melbourne, May 31, 1998 |
Gold Coast were a rugby league team which played in the NSWRL competition from 1988-1994, the ARL from 1995-1997, and the NRL in 1998.
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[edit] Gold Coast-Tweed Giants
The Gold Coast Tweed Giants were admitted to the New South Wales Rugby League for the 1988 season, along with the Brisbane Broncos and Newcastle Knights. Due to a clause in Brisbane's licence, only one team (the Broncos) could play in South-East Queensland, the Giants played out of the now demolished Seagulls Stadium in Tweed Heads, which was home to the Tweed Heads Seagulls. The Giants colours were black, silver and white. They were the least successful of the three expansion teams, and in 1990 were bought out by the Seagulls Leagues Club.
 Gold Coast-Tweed Giants jersey |
 logo used by the Giants |
[edit] Major Sponsor
- Seagulls Leagues Club
[edit] Gold Coast Seagulls
The Giants changed their name to Gold Coast Seagulls, but although the Tweed reference was dropped from the name, they continued to play out of Seagulls Stadium. Along with a change of name came a change of colours to black, white, and red. They signed Wally Lewis, one of Queensland's greatest rugby league players, but were unsuccessful. When the Super League war broke out, Seagulls Leagues pulled out their support and the club was closed.
[edit] Major Sponsors
- Seagulls Leagues Club
- Tooheys
[edit] Gold Coast Chargers
The Club licence was bought out, and the club name changed to the Chargers. After 8 seasons the club moved to its namesake, the Gold Coast, and were based at Carrara Stadium. It was during this phase that the club made its only finals appearance in the ARL half of 1997's split competition. They were one of a few clubs who actually made a financial profit during Super League, and made the National Rugby League in 1998. The Hunter Mariners, who were owned by News Limited, were offered as merger partners, but the Gold Coast turned down the offer. If they had merged to form the Gold Coast Mariners, they would have had a strong chance of getting players like Richard Swain, Brett Kimmorley and Willie Mason, along with now-successful coaches Graham Murray and Michael Hagan. When they were closed at the end of 1998 by the NRL, probably to keep a Sydney team in the NRL, they had $3.1 million in the bank.
[edit] Major Sponsors
- Chandlers
- Home Timber and Hardware
[edit] Gold Coast Titans
Main article: Gold Coast Titans
The new Gold Coast rugby league team, the Titans, will play their first season in the 2007 NRL competition. They have no ties to the former Gold Coast teams, like the three listed here, except for the fact they play out of the same city and for a time will share the same ground as the Chargers.
[edit] Noted former players
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Australia
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New Zealand
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