By Terry Wilson
Palm Beach Currumbin will join an elite group of clubs should they beat Surfers Paradise in the QAFL grand final at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
After beating Labrador in the 2017 premiership decider at Fankhauser Reserve, then Broadbeach in the 2018 decider at Leyshon Park, the Lions are chasing a hat-trick of titles.
Not many clubs have accomplished this feat.
Records that go back to the 1920s indicate that only Brisbane (1922-23-24); Windsor (five in a row from 1936-1940) and again between 1949-51; and Southport (four between 1997-2000) have won three or more in a row.
Morningside can claim to have won three QAFL titles in a row but theirs were in 2009, 2010 and 2014.
The gap between years was because the Panthers were in the NEAFL from 2011 to 2013 before they were back in the QAFL in 2014. So technically they could claim to have won three QAFL titles in succession.
PBC’s weekend opponents Surfers Paradise completed the hat-trick of flags in 1967, 1968 and 1969 in the old GCAFL.
Another target for PBC at Metricon this weekend is to win grand finals in seniors, reserves and colts.
The Lions are playing Surfers Paradise in seniors and reserves and take on Wilston Grange in the colts decider.
It was in 1996, when Jason Cotter was player coach at Broadbeach in the GCAFL, that the Cats won all three grades.
Southport completed the treble in the QAFL in 1985.
As it is, PBC have built a tremendous record of success since the club was formed by the local Rotary club in 1961.
Saturday’s engagement will be the 30th time the Lions have appeared in a Grand Final. Not many Queensland clubs can boast of such a record.
Overall, the Lions have won 13 flags and been runner-up another 16 times.
But it is interesting to note the number of different venues they have played premiership deciders at, including the Sunshine Coast in the north and Peak Oval at Kirra, right on the NSW border, in the south.
PBC have played in Grand Finals at Salk Oval, Leyshon Park, Fankhauser Reserve, Fisherman’s Road, Hickey Park, the Gabba, Gold Coast Stadium (now Metricon), Merrimac Oval, Giffin Park, Sir Bruce Small Park and Len Peak Oval.
And, what is more, they have won flags in five different competitions – the Gold Coast AFL (seven), AFLSQ (one), AFLQ Division 2 (two), SEQAFL Division 1 (one), and now, the QAFL (two).
It is worth remembering that PBC beat Surfers Paradise at the old Carrara ground, now Metricon Park, in the 1985 Grand Final.
PBC’s premiership years have been: 1965, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1995, 1997, 1999 (GCAFL); 2000 (AFLSQ); 2007, 2009 (AFLQ Division 2); 2013 (SEQAFL Division 1); and 2017, 2018 (QAFL).
PBC were unbeaten premiers under Craig O’Brien in 2007 after they beat Western Magpies in the grand final – at Carrara.
PALM BEACH CURRUMBINAND SURFERS PARADISE HEAD-TO-HEAD IN GRAND FINALS
1965: Palm Beach Currumbin 10.13 (73) d Surfers Paradise 7.11 (53) at Salk Oval.
1985: Palm Beach Currumbin 8.13 (61) d Surfers Paradise 8.8 (54) at Carrara.
1997: Palm Beach Currumbin 10.15 (75) d Surfers Paradise 7.7 (49) at Merrimac Oval.
1998: Surfers Paradise 9.10 (64) d Palm Beach Currumbin 8.14 (62) at Sir Bruce Small Park.
1999: Palm Beach Currumbin 16.9 (105) d Surfers Paradise 7.8 (50) at Merrimac Oval.
