About us

Jack Holland was the first President of Centrals and his strong and steady drive of the club helped to build the progressive development of the club. The first season saw the senior team come runners up to North Cairns in 1959 and then to Aloomba the following year in the 1960 grand final. Then, after merging with the Aloomba Football Club in 1963 to become Centrals Aloomba, they enjoyed limited success under the tough coaching of Keith Wilkie (1963-1965 Coach), who was also a great clubman and assisted with player recruitment and welfare.

Over the years the club was fortunate in having committees that worked hard to drive the administration and social sides of the club.  People such as Neville and Esther Wheeler, Wally Gray, Bryant Wheeler and Mike Dowdle worked tirelessly to develop the club. In 1966, promising player Kel Luscombe became the playing coach and in 1967 won the Webb Medal for the league best and fairest and became the first player to kick 100 goals in a season. Through his great communication and tactical skills, Kel led the Doggies senior team to premierships in 1967 and 1969.

In the 1970’s, the club positioned itself as a powerhouse club within the Cairns Australian Football League. The foundation of this success was through the hard work undertaken by the administrative leadership of Tom Blackburn (1963/1964 President, 1966/1969 Secretary, 1966/1967 & 1969/1970 Treasurer), Keith Wilkie (1970 President), Mike Dowdle (1973-1975 President),  Bryant Wheeler (1965-1969/1971-1972 Centrals President) and Neville Wheeler (1959/1961/1963/1966 Centrals Best and Fairest, 1961 player coach and 1959 Cairns Representative Team, 1972-1975 & 1982-1983 Centrals Treasurer) to support the on-field strength that saw Kel once again lead the Doggies to premierships in 1973, 1974 and 1975 harnessing the strength of Alan Jones, Keith Morton (1972 Webb Medallist), Jeff Rimmer (1973 Webb Medallist, 1971 and 1973 CAFL Leading Goal Kicker), Wally Gray (1959 Cairns Representative Team), Peter Amesbury (1971 Coach, 1968 & 1971 Centrals Best and Fairest) and Glenn Evans (Centrals stalwart).

Centrals Aloomba curtailed the Tiger Juggernaut of 1976 & 1977 with a tough but well fought win in 1978 through the on-field leadership of player coach Bruce Bolton along with Brian Lovell, Tom Jones, Leon O’Dwyer, Jeff Rimmer and Sunshine Coast superbly skilled utility player Bill Magin who won two Centrals best and fairest medals before returning to the coast.

In 1979 every Centrals junior and senior team appeared in the Grand Final, the senior premiership included the youngest player Craig Brittain who played his debut game earlier that year in the seniors. Craig also played in the under 15 premiership team, the only other Centrals team that was successful that year after starting the year with 6 players, coached by Kevin he charged the players with recruiting their friends to play and they finished the year with a full team and premiership. Craig went on to win the Centrals best and fairest in 1980 as a 16-year-old and then progressed to the QAFL state league competition.

The late 1970’s and early 1980’s Centrals leadership group including Kevin Crathern, Ken Baker (1979-1981 President), Kerry Johnstone (1982 President & 1983 Secretary), Neville Wheeler and Peter Conway (Centrals stalwart) negotiated with the Mulgrave Shire Council to secure a home for Centrals at the old cane farm that was to be the location of the proposed Trinity Beach Sporting Complex. A building fund was established for the new senior and junior ovals and clubhouse, coach Bruce Bolton donated his coaching fee to kick off the fundraising and other initiatives were held including a bikeathon to raise more funds.  The lease was signed in 1984 and the Clubhouse was built mainly by players and supporters who volunteered their time and labour under the supervision of builders Dave Dickson and Glenn Kelb, who worked passionately to finish the project. Club President Peter Crathern sought assistance from sponsors who donated building materials, professional services, and trades expertise.

The club held many clean ups, working bees, emu parades and competitions to encourage senior and junior players to remove the rocks and sensitive weed so grass could be planted and the playing fields mapped out.  The senior field was to have the same dimensions as the MCG, however when it was established, Kev used metric measures instead of imperial, so the Trinity Beach Oval became known as the paddock as it was 10% larger than the original scope, this was later rectified. The Clubhouse which included a social room and toilets that converted into player change rooms on game days was officially opened by Councillor Tom Pyne, Mayor of Mulgrave Shire Council on 2nd  December 1984. The bar was named “Dicko’s Bar” in dedication to the hard work and leadership of David Dickson, the builder who brought the clubhouse to fruition. The first games were played on the ground 4th August 1985 where the Under 12, 14 and 16 teams played Souths and the Seniors and Reserve teams against Cities.

Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs became a powerhouse of the league from the mid-1980’s and played in 12 of the next 15 grand finals during that time winning five premierships.  The Centrals committee led by Daryl O’Reilly (President 1993-1998, Secretary 1986/87 & 1989-1991, Player Manager, Sponsorship Manager and Life Member), Mick Telley (President 1985-1987), John & Val Hollander (Centrals Juniors Founders, Juniors President & Secretary 1985-1996 & Junior and Senior Life Members, John was Senior President 1999 & 2019-2022) and Tom Jones played a significant role in stabilising and developing the club after its move to Trinity Beach.  During this time Daryl and committee led Centrals to launch its pokies room “Zillions” which was opened by Councillor Tom Pyne, (then Mayor of the Mulgrave Shire Council and Club Patron) in 1993. Kevin and Norma Crathern remained heavily involved at the Bulldogs and Kevin stepped up as club president again in 1988 and finally in 1992 at the age of 70.

In 1989 Michael Brittain coached the Centrals seniors who convincingly defeated North Cairns for the Premiership. The following year, Wayne Brittain returned to Cairns to assume the coaching role from his brother Michael. Renowned for his intensity, Wayne had the Bulldogs training and preparing like a professional team, and they defeated Port Douglas by 100 points for the 1990 premiership. The Centrals team of 1990 was one of the strongest in the history of Cairns football.  The team included all three Brittain brothers Wayne, Michael and Craig, Phil Callard, Michael Purcell, Andrew Martyn, Wayne Jackson and John Van Rooye (1994 Crathern Medallist, 1994/1995 Centrals Coach and 1994 Centrals Best and Fairest).

Centrals regained its form in 1992 under new coach Peter Ivanoff and won both the 1992 and 1993 premierships harnessing the skills of Craig Horwood (1992 Crathern Medalist and 1992/1993 Centrals Best & Fairest), Brian Morby (1992 CAFL Leading Goalkicker), Geoff Donnelly, Michael Seymour, and Wayne Jackson.  Ivanoff coached Centrals in 1992/1993/1996 and 1999 and the Cairns Representative team from 1992 to 1995, he was also Centrals Trinity Beach President in 2002. On 30 June 1997 the new 150 seat EJ’s Bistro was officially opened by Councillor Tom Pyne (then Mayor of Cairns City Council) with further development occurring due to the increased popularity of the club. After being runners up in 1995/1996, a stellar season in 1997 saw an undefeated Centrals seniors win the premiership over Port Douglas by fifteen goals.  Centrals captain Warren Trewin (Club Best & Fairest 1995/1996) and coach Marc Roberts (1997 CAFL leading goalkicker) led a team including Anthony Hoban (1997 Crathern Medallist), Michael Purcell, and Chris Lovell (Club Best & Fairest 1997/1998).

Centrals reserve grade also won the 1997 Premiership coached by Michael Purcell and led by captain Rob Brunt, Gavin O’Kane (Centrals 1997 Best & Fairest) and Frazer Rigby (200 Games). Over the next decade, the reserves played in eight out of the ten Grand Finals winning six premierships for the club.  A key playing group from the 1997 era including Frazer Rigby, Andrew Tulloch, Michael Smith, Peter Murphy, Michael Seymour, and Gavin O’Kane continued playing throughout this period to 2007, led by coaches Lyndon Oats, Derek Williamson, Gary Davidson, Tim Smales, Marc O’Keeffe, and John Thompson.

In 2009, Centrals experienced financial difficulties and the senior team had not played in a Grand Final in nine years, the Committee sought assistance from AFL Cairns who invested in the club’s infrastructure. Over the next decade the club experienced more troubled times with an exodus of players, the senior coach and club officials mid-season in 2012.  A new committee led by John Burrell (President 2012-2017) and some prudent management by the Cazalys team provided the club with stability and it soon began recording substantial profits and the performances on field also improved with the Reserves winning the 2015 premiership and Damian Roe awarded the 2016 Crathern Medal.

Most recently, Hugh Nicholson was the 2017 Crathern Medallist, and in 2021, every Centrals team were in the finals, Centrals former junior player and Reserve grade captain Jack Anderson was the 2021 Reg Dean Medallist, and club 2020/21 Reserves Best and Fairest, Mark Horne was awarded the 2021 Crathern Medal and the 2020 Club Best and Fairest and Michael Griechen became the 2022 Crathern Medallist. In 2022, the Reserves won the premiership under the leadership of coach Nick Thacker and Captain Jack Anderson.  The current Senior coach Luke Morgan has been a great leader on and off the field growing the skills and achievements of the team during the 2021 and 2022  seasons and will continue as the playing coach in 2023.

From 2019 to 2022 the club has emerged as the leading club within the region financially and administratively as well as building the club’s professionalism and skills on the field.  This transition has been guided by John Hollander and the Senior Board who have updated the club’s constitution to reflect the current legislative requirements, prepared a 5-year Strategic Plan in collaboration with the other Centrals clubs to form “One Club”.  The current Board led by President Aaron Finn will deliver the operational plan and have undertaken the football review and implemented all 13 recommendations  as we head into 2023 to continue to build the success of the club.