A very good afternoon to my suddenly growing audience out there in the wilds of the interwebs.
I have noticed an uptick in traffic over the past week or so, which could be a good thing, or possibly mean I’m about to get some angry letters. Perhaps both. Whatever the case, as a small niche-interest site which has had a steady but small stream of traffic since its inception in early 2025, it’s nice to have some more company.
Given the site’s name, there have been a few Americans wander by, albeit briefly. And yes, I do know why some folk would see the name ‘Redcap’ and perhaps associate it with a certain political movement.
In case you’re wondering, ‘Redcap’ refers to the pen name of a former journalist for the Brisbane Courier called Michael Fihelly, who did some excellent work during the 1920s and is an underrated figure in the early development of rugby league in Queensland.
So, with that out of the way, I thought I’d share some thoughts and seek a little reader feedback on some matters recently arisen.
Alan of many names
Misspelled names have been very common along the way so far, but mostly just a minor irritation.
Then there’s the case of a former Redcliffe halfback who has been variously referred to as:
- Allan Hendricks
- Alan Hendricks
- Alan Hendrick
- Alan Henricks
- Alan Henrick
I’ve tentatively settled on Alan Henrick as I assume he has some connection to Ross Henrick, who also played at Redcliffe.
If anybody knows the correct spelling, please drop me a line here or in the comments field below.
A remarkable Jeff
Jeff Callaghan was a forward for Valleys and Brothers in the 1960s and ’70s, though I knew nothing about him outside of his on-field exploits until I recently stumbled across some very interesting reports.
No spoilers yet – I hope to write something about him in my 1972 season review.
If you’re out there Jeff, I’d love to hear more of your story. The contact page has a few ways of getting in touch if you wish.
A Gold Coast pioneer
Rugby league on the Gold Coast has a long and proud tradition going all the way back to the earliest days of the code in Australia.
The history of its teams in top-tier competitions, especially since the late 1980s is, well, a little mixed.
I grew up in northern NSW and spent a few afternoons at Seagulls stadium watching the eponymous Gold Coast team of Peter Gill, Ray Herring, Clinton Mohr, Et Al. They usually lost but I still liked ’em, and still have a soft spot for the Titans, even if their name and jerseys leave a lot to be desired.
A lesser-known part of Gold Coast rugby league history is the South Coast team. They competed in the old Geraghty Cup competition which ran from the 1930s until the mid-50s and were invited to compete in the Brisbane Rugby League in 1952.
They were based at Southport, wore royal blue and white hoops and had a few handy players in their brief stint in the league, including Norm McFadden who would go on to play with distinction for Valleys, and New Zealand international Maurie Robertson who was captain-coach in ’53.
And they managed to knock-off a few of the big boys along the way, like in round three of the ’52 season when they surprised Valleys at the Gabba. A chap called Vince Healy kicked a goal for South Coast that day and a reader with a family connection to Mr Healy recently got in touch wondering if anybody has photos of Vince Healy and/or the 1952 South Coast team.
Alas, I don’t – the only photo I have involving a South Coast player is the one displayed above. If any readers can help, again, please do get in touch through the contact page.
As for what happened to the South Coast BRL team – beats me. Like most expansion teams, they struggled, but they weren’t doing too badly. Reading updates from club officials during the 1953 season gave no hint that they were about to suddenly disappear from the scene.
Perhaps driving up to Brisbane most weekends was just too much of a hassle and they preferred to play in their own local league.
Would the recent history of rugby league on the Gold Coast have been different if South Coast had established themselves in the BRL? Probably not, but it’s an interesting point to ponder…
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