The Norths Devils have taken up the lease on Warburton Park and will move there from Bishop Park in Nundah. The move assures that Warburton Park will remain dedicated to rugby league, after it faced the risk of being claimed for use by Aussie rules and soccer interest.
The use of Warburton Park had faced the risk of changing hands to Aussie rules and soccer interest, after the Brisbane Rugby League told previous long-time tenant Norths St Joseph’s Club that it would not be able to register for the upcoming season due to a decline in player numbers.
The historic park has been an ertswhile stronghold for rugby league, particularly for Norths St Joseph’s Club which had been its tenant for nearly six decades.
The Norths Devils’ lease will not only preserve the history and connection that the facility has with the local rugby community but will also help alleviate the congestion the Devils experiences, having outgrown Bishop Park in Nundah.
The club now boasts seven senior teams which includes three women’s teams. And now must accommodate the needs for space of a junior club that has over 30 teams now.
A Norths Devils spokesperson said that the club is saddened by St Joseph’s loss. The assumed lease, however, will help the Devils in growing the rugby league base at Bishop Park as well as continue to provide a venue for the northside’s young rugby league players.
The acquisition also came at a time when BCC decided to allocate the new Nudgee Recreation Reserve to Football Queensland, a decision that has sparked competition between codes. Just a stone’s throw away from Warburton Park, the new reserve is expected to be completed this year.
North Devils plans to field teams in the women’s statewide premiership competition as well as teams in the women’s Under-19 and Under-17 competitions.
Published 25-September-2023