Brisbane Premier League

Brisbane Premier League (BPL)
Country  Australia
Founded 1983
Number of teams 12
Level on pyramid 3
Relegation to Capital League 1
Domestic cup(s) Canale Cup
FFA Cup
Current premiers Lions FC (2015)
Website www.FootballBrisbane.com.au
2016 Brisbane Premier League

The Brisbane Premier League (BPL) is the first tier of senior soccer in Brisbane, Queensland (third overall in Australia). It is run and administered by Football Brisbane. Twelve teams play a twenty-two match regular season. The top four teams qualify for the finals series. There is currently no promotion and relegation between the BPL and the National Premier Leagues Queensland, the second tier league in Queensland.

A major restructuring occurred for the 2013 season of Brisbane soccer with promotion and relegation to and from Capital League 1 removed for that season.[1] Promotion and relegation between the Brisbane Premier League and Capital League 1 was reintroduced in the 2014 season.

Current clubs

The teams for Season 2015 are shown in the table below.

Team Home Ground Location Founded
Albany Creek Wolter Park Albany Creek1963
Capalaba John Fredericks Park Capalaba1972
Eastern Suburbs Heath Park East Brisbane1922
Ipswich Knights Eric Evans Oval Bundamba 1998
Logan Lightning Cornubia ParkLoganholme1979
Mitchelton Teralba Park Mitchelton 1920
Lions FC Lions Stadium Richlands 1957
Peninsula Power A.J. Kelly Park Kippa-Ring 2000
Rochedale Rovers Underwood Park Underwood 1973
Taringa Rovers Jack Speare Park Indooroopilly 1949
UQ FC Oval 5, University of Qld St Lucia 1955
Wolves FC Carmichael Park Tingalpa1921

Honours

Governing Body Competition and Year Premiers
Anglo-Qld
Football Association
1884 Rangers
1885 St. Andrews
1886 St. Andrews
1887 Challenge Cup St. Andrews
1888 Challenge Cup Thistles
Qld British
Football Association
1889 Not known
1890 Not known
1891 Not known
1892 Challenge Cup Withheld
1893 Challenge Cup Rosebank
1894 Challenge Cup Normans
1895 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1896 Challenge Cup Ipswich Rovers
1897 Challenge Cup Rosebank
1898 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1899 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1900 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1901 No fixture competition 1,2
1902 No fixture competition 1,2
1903 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1904 Challenge Cup Blackstone Rovers B
1905 Challenge Cup Wellington
1906 Challenge Cup Wellington
1907 Challenge Cup Dinmore
1908 Not known
1909 Challenge Cup Wellington
1910 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1911 Challenge Cup Bulimba Rangers
1912 Challenge Cup Blackstone Rovers
1913 Challenge Cup Bulimba Rangers
1914 Challenge Cup Toowong Caledonians
1915 Challenge Cup Corinthians
1916 No competition due to World War 1
1917 No First Division competition due to World War 13
1918 No First Division competition due to World War 13
1919 Challenge Cup Pineapple Rovers
Queensland
Football Association
1920 Challenge Cup Corinthians
1921 Challenge Cup Dinmore Bush Rats
1922 Challenge Cup Bundamba Rangers
1923 Challenge Cup Thistle
1924 Challenge Cup Pineapple Rovers
1925 Challenge Cup Pineapple Rovers
1926 Challenge Cup Blackstone Rovers
1927 Challenge Cup Bundamba Rangers
Brisbane & District
Football Association
1928 Challenge Cup Bundamba Rangers
1929 Challenge Cup Latrobe
1930 1st Division Latrobe
1931 1st Division Latrobe
1932 1st Division Latrobe
1933 1st Division Latrobe
1934 First Division YMCA
1935 First Division Latrobe
1936 First Division YMCA
1937 First Division Bundamba Rangers
1938 First Division Bundamba Rangers
1939 First Division Bundamba Rangers
Queensland
Soccer Football
Association
1940 First Division Corinthians
1941 First Division Blackstone Rovers
1942 - 1943 No competition due to World War 2
1944 First Division St. Helens
1945 First Division St. Helens
Brisbane & Ipswich
Soccer Football
Association
1946 First Division YMCA
1947 First Division St. Helens
1948 First Division St. Helens
1949 First Division Corinthians
1950 First Division Dinmore Bush Rats
1951 First Division Eastern Suburbs
1952 First Division Corinthians
1953 First Division Blackstone Rovers
1954 First Division Dinmore Bush Rats
1955 First Division Bundamba Rangers
1956 First Division St. Helens
1957 First Division Bundamba Rangers
1958 First Division Oxley United

Governing Body Competition and Year Premiers Champions
Brisbane & Ipswich
Soccer Football
Association
1959 First Division Annerley Annerley
1960 First Division Hellenic Hellenic
1961 First Division Hellenic Azzurri
Queensland
Soccer Federation
1962 Division 1 Hellenic Merton Rovers
1963 Division 1 Hellenic Hellenic
1964 Division 1 Latrobe Merton Rovers
1965 Division 1 Hellenic Latrobe
1966 Division 1 Latrobe Latrobe
1967 Division 1 Latrobe Hollandia-Inala
1968 Division 1 Hollandia-Inala Merton Rovers
1969 Division 1 Hellenic Hollandia-Inala
1970 Division 1 Azzurri Azzurri
1971 Division 1 Azzurri Azzurri
1972 Division 1 Hellenic Merton-East
1973 Division 1 Brisbane Lions Brisbane City
1974 Division 1 Brisbane Lions Brisbane City
1975 Division 1 Brisbane Lions Brisbane City
1976 Division 1 Brisbane City Brisbane City
1977 Division 1 St.George-Souths Redlands United
1978 Division 1 Southside Eagles Southside Eagles
1979 State League Grange Thistle Grange Thistle
1980 State League Mount Gravatt Grange Thistle
1981 State League Mount Gravatt Mount Gravatt
1982 State League Townsville United Ipswich United
1983 Premier League Mount Gravatt Olympic United
1984 Premier League Mount Gravatt Ipswich United
1985 Premier League Ipswich United Ipswich United
1986 Premier League North Star Coalstars
1987 Premier League Brisbane Lions Brisbane Lions
1988 Premier League Brisbane City North Star
1989 Premier League North Star Eastern Suburbs
1990 Premier League Brisbane Lions Brisbane City
1991 Premier League Brisbane Lions Brisbane Lions
1992 Premier League North Star North Star
1993 Premier League Taringa Rovers Rochedale Rovers
1994 Premier League North Star North Star
1995 Premier League Brisbane City Rochedale Rovers
1996 Premier League Brisbane Lions Brisbane Lions
1997 Premier League Brisbane City Brisbane City
1998 Premier League Brisbane City Brisbane Lions
1999 Premier League Rochedale Rovers Brisbane City
2000 Premier League Brisbane City not held
2001 Premier League Wynnum District Brisbane City
2002 Premier League Queensland Lions Queensland Lions
Brisbane
Men's Soccer
2003 Premier League Queensland Lions Queensland Lions
2004 Premier League Queensland Lions Queensland Lions
2005 Premier League Palm Beach Pine Rivers United
Brisbane
Men's Football
2006 Premier League Brisbane Strikers Brisbane Strikers
Football Brisbane 2007 Premier League Rochedale Rovers Rochedale Rovers
2008 Premier League Rochedale Rovers Brisbane City
2009 Premier League Peninsula Power Brisbane Wolves
2010 Premier League Rochedale Rovers Brisbane Wolves
2011 Premier League Wolves FC Rochedale Rovers
2012 Premier League Redlands United Wolves FC
2013 Premier League Lions FC Peninsula Power
2014 Premier League Wolves FC Peninsula Power
2015 Premier League Lions FC Peninsula Power

1 Challenge Cup held as a knockout competition (see section on Charity Cup competition).
2 Ipswich and West Moreton Association competition continued during these seasons.
3 Competition restricted to Second and Third Divisions and Junior competitions.

References :[2] [3] [4]

Notable Players

In 2012, several former Hyundai A-League and NSL players will play and coach throughout the league. Former Brisbane Roar, Wellington Phoenix and Swindon Town striker Royce Brownlie is a player/coach at North Star. Former Northern Spirit and Central Coast Mariners forward Russell Woodruffe completed a switch from Redlands United to Eastern Suburbs in 2012.

Eastern Suburbs are currently coached by Alan Hunter, who won the Joe Marston Medal in 1997 for player of the match in the Brisbane Strikers National Soccer League Grand Final winning team.

Rochedale Rovers have several individual talents in their side, including former Brisbane Roar striker Tim Smits. The same can be said of Wolves FC who have had several foreign players come into the club in recent years. In 2012, they signed Chris Knowles from Bashley in England. Knowles is most famous for being fouled after 3 seconds by Chippenham Town striker David Pratt, resulting in potentially the fastest red card in soccer history. In 2015 central defender Jefferson Woodward signed from Bedford Town FC.

Meanwhile Peninsula Power also signed from the UK, capturing Lewis Bonar from Scottish side Stirling Albion. Elsewhere Redlands United signed George Barbarouses (brother of Kosta) from New Zealand. A handful of players from Fox8 reality show Football Superstar also currently ply their trade in the division, including Jared Austin, Chris Roulston and Zachary Tung (Brisbane City) and Matthew Heath (North Star).

Lions FC have signed Matthew Osman from A-League side Gold Coast United.

Media

The league and its lower divisions are covered by several local newspapers throughout the city, suburbs and surrounding areas including Ipswich and Toowoomba. Highlights of matches, often at least 2 matches per round, in the league are put together by FB Media (the Media arm of Football Brisbane). Live scores and updates from all Brisbane Premier League matches can be found on The Washing Line Facebook page. The Washing Line website also publishes reports, previews and newspaper articles from around the city. The website built upon the Unofficial site YourBPL.com which began media coverage of the league in 2007. From 2012, the newly founded 'FB Media' has been producing weekly podcasts which can be downloaded from The Washing Line website featuring prominent guests including James Meyer, Miron Bleiberg, Matt Mundy and a wide variety of coaches and players from the Brisbane Premier League. Some games are covered by PaulyTV and FBTV .

Media Milestones

Sponsors

From 2014 to 2015 the Brisbane Premier League was known as the Trophy Superstore Premier League.

2014 - 2015 Trophy Superstore Premier League Logo

This changed in 2016 when Flight Centre became the league sponsors, thus known as the Flight Centre Premier League.


Recent Seasons

2010 season

Rochedale Rovers were Premiers in the 2010 regular season, after a fantastic start to the season that saw them go 21 games undefeated. Beenleigh and Pine Rivers United were relegated.

For the Finals Series, Rochedale Rovers were favourites despite a poor run of form through the final few rounds. Unfortunately for Rovers their slump continued, going down 1–3 to Brisbane Wolves in the Qualifying Final. In the other games, Olympic FC defeated Eastern Suburbs while Capalaba came back from 2 goals down to force a penalty shoot out with 2009 Premiers Peninsula Power, and went on to win the game.

This set up another home finals match for Capalaba, who despite a taxing schedule managed to defeat Olympic after another 120 minutes of soccer. They then travelled to Rochedale to try to join Wolves in the grand final, but lost 3–0 after a string of first half goals. Rochedale, who had lost the Canale Cup final to Capalaba a week before their preliminary final clash, faced Wolves in a rematch of the QF at Perry Park. The grand final was scoreless at half time, but Wolves took the lead in the 2nd and held their nerve despite going down to 9 men to claim back to back finals series victories. Rochedale also had a man sent off in a thrilling final.

2011 season

The 14 clubs and their locations within Brisbane

The season began 2 weeks later than usual after the 2011 Brisbane floods. Many Premier League teams found their home grounds underwater, including Taringa Rovers, University of Queensland, Olympic FC and Eastern Suburbs. A new website was released for the 2011 season, named The Washing Line. The season finally got underway on Friday 4 March, with Peninsula Power drawing 1–1 at home to newcomers North Pine.

Wolves FC (renamed from Brisbane Wolves in 2011) have been the stand out team of the 2011 season, winning 7–3 over Olympic, 5–0 over Brisbane City, 6–1 over Redlands United and an unbelievable 11–1 over Taringa Rovers within their first 8 games of the season. 2010 champions Rochedale Rovers struggled to keep pace with Wolves but remained in the hunt, along with Olympic and much to some peoples surprise, Eastern Suburbs. North Pine also surprised with some solid performances, however Pine Hills were less impressive, without a win and bottom of the league in May. Peninsula Power also started the season slowly, managing their first win against the University of Queensland on 14 May. They backed that win up with a 7–1 battering over Pine Hills to kick start their season.

Wolves trashed Mount Gravatt 9–1 on 21 May, to increase their season goal tally to 50 – after only 10 games. They followed this up with a 3–0 away victory at unbeaten Rochedale Rovers, to go 9 points clear at the top heading into June. On 25 June, Capalaba became the first team to take any points off Wolves all season with a 3–2 victory. The following week, Souths United lost 8–1 to Wolves, leaving them currently locked in a relegation battle with Mount Gravatt. The gap closed to only one point after Mt Gravatt claimed a 2–1 victory against 12th placed Souths on 23 July.

On Tuesday 16 August, Wolves FC secured the Veto Brisbane Premier League title with a 5–2 away win at relegated Pine Hills. Meanwhile stunning wins for North Pine over Rochedale Rovers and Olympic FC lifted the promoted side into 5th position with only 3 weeks remaining, and a 4–1 final day victory over Brisbane City was enough to see them into the finals series. A 3–0 win for Souths United against Eastern Suburbs lifted them 4 points clear of Mount Gravatt with only two matches to play. Mount Gravatt were then relegated following a 2–5 defeat to Wolves. Remarkably, Wolves finishes the regular season having scored 102 goals.

In the Finals Series, and in a repeat of the 2010 Qualifying Final, Wolves faced Rochedale Rovers however this time the match was played at Carmichael Park. Two late 1st half goals from Americans Patrick Hopkins and Steffen Vroom took Wolves into a 2–0 lead that proved to be enough as they held out for a 2–1 victory. Elsewhere, Peninsula Power knocked out Eastern Suburbs with a 2–1 home win, while Olympic FC defeated North Pine 3–1. Olympic would go on to defeat Peninsula in Extra Time before facing Rochedale for a place in the 2011 Grand Final. But as Rochedale had done to Capalaba the previous year, they defeated their opposition 3–0 to set up a rematch with Wolves FC. The Grand Final was at Perry Park on Sunday 25 September, but with Wolves leading 1-0 at Half Time, a floodlight failure forced an abandonment, and Rochedale would run out winners in the rematch at Luxury Paints Stadium.

2012 season

On Saturday 1 September, Redlands United defeated Eastern Suburbs 3-1 at Cleveland Showgrounds, in the process finishing top of the table by one point from Wolves FC and winning the Premiership for the first time in their 94 year history. The Devils also captured the Golden Boot with Graham Fyfe scoring more goals than anyone else in the league.

The remaining top six teams, Peninsula Power, Rochedale Rovers, Lions FC and Eastern Suburbs, were also confirmed and these teams will take part in the post-season series culminating in the Grand Final on 23 September 2012.

The season started on Friday 17 February. In the first kick off at Cleveland, Redlands United came from 3-1 down to defeat Peninsula Power 4-3. Elsewhere, Rochedale Rovers drew 2-2 with Eastern Suburbs, and the newly renamed Lions FC were hammered 6-1 in their first game back in the Veto League by former NSL rivals Brisbane City in front of almost 1000 fans at Spencer Park. City followed up this result with another amazing 6-0 win at University of Queensland, but came unstuck the following weekend with a 3-0 defeat against 2011 Premiers Wolves FC. Another crowd of around 1000 spectators turned out to see Eastern Suburbs defeat Capalaba 3-1, in a game that doubled up as the 'Salvation Saturday Shield' celebrating the home club's recovery from the 2011 Brisbane floods. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk was on hand to officially open Easts' new clubhouse.

See also

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, February 22, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.