For the first time since the early 2000s, a club bearing the name Logan will compete in the Brisbane Rugby League (BRL), marking a significant moment for rugby league in the region.
Logan Pride, formerly known as Beenleigh Pride, which won back-to-back reserve grade titles in 2018 and 2019, has rebranded to better represent the entire Logan area as they compete in their fifth season of BRL out of their new home ground in Meakin Park, Slacks Creek.
The last time a Logan-named team competed in the BRL was before the 2002 merger of the Logan City Scorpions and Southern Suburb Districts Magpies, which led to the formation of Souths Logan Magpies.
The Scorpions, who played out of Meakin Park and debuted in third grade BRL in 1987, were promoted to first grade in 1988 but struggled to maintain competitiveness due to financial difficulties.
They never made the semi-finals in either BRL First Grade or the Queensland Cup, with their best performances coming in 1999 and 2000 when they finished seventh in the league.
The club failed to win a single game in their final season in 2002 before merging with Souths.
Now, more than 20 years later, Logan Pride is stepping up to carry the city’s name in the BRL once again.
Club President Anthony Friend believes the name change is an important step in uniting the region’s rugby league community.
“When we started this club 11 years ago, we thought we probably should have been called Logan back then, but we weren’t able to,” Mr Friend said.
“Now, we just want to bring all of Logan’s clubs together as one. We’ve already seen more people supporting us just because we are Logan now.”
Mr Friend said that the club remains committed to its roots while embracing its new identity.
“We haven’t changed colours because we want to respect the people who built this club, but we do want to be a club for all of Logan,” he said.
“Down the track, we might look at changing to Logan colours, but we don’t want to take away what Logan City Scorpions were either.”
Competing in the BRL against well-established clubs such as Valleys and West Brisbane Panthers presents challenges, particularly in terms of resources.
Many rival teams benefit from Queensland Cup affiliations and financial backing from leagues clubs.
Logan Pride, however, is determined to succeed on its own.
“It’s massive for us to be in this competition as a standalone club,” Mr Friend said.
“Competing against these historic teams without a leagues club backing us is tough, but we’re grateful to be here and hopeful that in the future, we can secure that kind of support.”
Logan Pride Vice Chairman Luke Shepard echoed these sentiments, saying that the move to BRL was always part of the club’s vision.
“The goal for the Pride was always to play the highest level of football possible,” Mr Shepard said.
“When we started, we played in the lower grades and worked our way up. In 2020, we became affiliated with Wynnum Manly Seagulls, but when the BRL changed its structure, we had to decide whether to go back to open’s footy or compete as a standalone club. We chose the latter.”
Looking ahead, the club is focused on building pathways for young players and strengthening its ties to the local community.
“Premierships are great, but for us, it’s about getting backing from the community, working with schools and junior clubs, and giving Logan kids a chance to play high-level footy without having to leave the area,” Mr Friend said.
“We’ve got former NRL player and Logan born Brenko Lee working with us now, helping develop young talent in Logan. We’re laying the foundation for something bigger.”
