Establishment

 

Chapters on this page:

 

The Era of Union                    Rugby League                   1932

 

 

The Era of Union

 

Tweed Heads Seagulls was established in 1908. The first team was formed in 1909 and entered in the Tweed District Rugby Union competition, until rugby league was later introduced into the Tweed Region. The team coach at the time, Mick McGrath decided they would be the Tweed Heads Seagulls.

 

The First Tweed Heads Seagulls Team 1909

 

 

Along with the official establishment of the club, came the birth of players that would later go on to shape the history of the game. The club's first 3 years saw the likes of Tom Flannigan and forward Frank Bray named in the team, as well as key founding member G.E. 'Bluey Gray' and life long member Chris Cunningham.

 

As members of the Seagulls first team in 1909, both Bluey and Cunningham's talent and commitment to the club, laid the foundation for the Tweed Heads Seagulls. Cunningham has since gone on to play a significant role in the development of a strong, successful Australian football club. In 1922 he captained the club to their first premiership win in the league competition.

 

When playing in the Union competition Tweed Heads Seagulls won their first premiership in 1912. This impressive win was mirrored in 1913, when the Gulls again took home the trophy.

 

Tweed Heads Seagulls Team 19th November 1912

 

 

Tweed Heads Seagulls Team 1913

 

 

1910-1920 ERA

 

 

There were seven teams in total within in the Tweed Union comp, including:

 

• Tweed Head Seagulls

• Pirates

• The Buccaneers

• Tumbulgum

• The Murwillumbah Blues

 

Players were expected to pay for their own sporting gear and find their own way to each match. Many of the men used to walk, ride their bikes or hitch a lift on the back of a truck. The Seagulls used the Tweed Heads Recreation grounds as a home ground.

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Rugby League

 

1914 was a year of great influence and change for the Seagulls club. A meeting was held to discuss the introduction of Rugby League into the Tweed region and a motion was moved by Frank Burke, secretary for the Pirates. Many of the clubs were open and happy to accept the idea, and their recent dis-satisfaction with union resulted in the change from union to league.

 

Tweed Heads Seagulls Premiership Team 1920

 

 

The year 1922 marked the date of the Tweed Head Seagulls' first premiership win in the Rugby League competition.

 

Tweed Heads Seagulls Premiership Team 1922

 

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1932 saw a new captain- coach for the Seagulls, with Henry Horace Hinds stepping up to the job. For the role, he received board at the local hotel and $4 a week. 'Horrie' as he was known went on to play for the Seagulls for many more years. He took over the coaching role again in the 1947 season.

 

The Seagulls' teams have not been the only things to have changed over the years. Today's way of life is, expectedly considerably different to that of the early 1900's. In 1939 Seagulls signed a new player by the name of Henry Kafoa. Born in 1915 in Chinderah, Henry started playing football at the age of 18 with the Chinderah 'All Blacks' (pictured right). The team used to train on the sand between the Wall and Fingal, and would play home games behind Albert Ahrens butcher shop at Chinderah. The boys would use the local hall as a dressing shed, and would be payed 2 bottles of beer per man, after each game. The sand, as opposed to freshly mowed lawn proved to strengthen the players legs, with the team winning the 1938 premiership.

 

In 1939 Kafoa left the team and came to play for the Seagulls. Over the next 2 years (1939 &1940), Kafoa was a part of the Seagulls' premiership teams. Also a part of the team was the great, Jock Smith. Many of Henry Kafoa's descendants have gone on to play with Seagulls, including his grandson and great grandsons, David Kafoa and Brian Shipman.

 

The Tweed Heads recreation ground was used as the Seagulls' home ground (pictured below).

 

 

Teams Seagulls played against:

 

• Bilambil

• Muwillumbah Kangaroos

• Chinderah All Blacks

• Cudgen

 

Seagulls were the premiership winners for 2 consecutive years, in 1939 and 1940, however it was then 11 years before the club won again.

 

Tweed Heads Seagulls Teams

1947                                                         1948

 

 

 

 

 

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