Southport is a club of eras. Of beginnings and rebirths. Of Magpies and Sharks.
And today, we honour not just three premierships, but three defining moments that changed the course of our history.
In 1975, 1985 and 2005, Southport didn’t just win premierships. We made statements.
This heritage round we revisit those the players, the moments and the grit that made them possible.
1975
The black and white of the Magpies was bold. Simple. And in 1975, unstoppable.
Fourteen years on from the clubs first premiership in ’61, with the late Dr Alan ‘Doc’ Mackenzie a year into his storied 49-year tenure as Club President, the team stormed through the season with confidence and class.
They won 22 consecutive games, including a 197-point demolition of Broadbeach in Round 19. Seven of those wins were by 100 points or more. Fifteen by at least ten goals. This was a team that refused to lose; a side that didn’t just win but dominated.
1985
Ten years later, the team name had changed, but the hunger hadn’t.
In just their third season in the QAFL, the Sharks were out to prove they belonged, not just as competitors, but repeat contenders.
After falling short in the ’84 decider, they weren’t going to relive that fate.
In the dying seconds of the Grand Final against Mayne, with the Sharks trailing, a pass from Brett Thompson found Glen Middlemiss. And his kick, straight through the middle, put Southport three points ahead with moments to go. The game was sealed.
That year saw individuals triumph too, with Zane Taylor claiming the Grogan Medal and Trevor Surman was awarded best on ground in the Grand Final. It was a season of resilience, reward, and rising to the occasion.
2005
The scars of 2004 were still fresh. Minor premiers, but no premiership cup.
With club legend Norm Dare back in the coaching seat, the Sharks returned in 2005 with one goal: redemption. And they didn’t miss.
They won 18 games, losing just two. A dominant, focused side with a clear mission and when the final siren blew in the Grand Final, they had well and truly delivered.
Five players from that team went on to AFL lists. But more than individual success, it was a collective victory. A year built on hunger, hard lessons, and a shared determination to finish what they’d started. They’d earned every sip from that premiership cup.
Success is in our DNA. Today’s team runs out with that legacy on their backs and that same fire in their hearts.
Because clubs like ours are built on more than premierships. They’re built on moments, memories, and the people who made them matter.
Here’s to the past and to the chapters still to come.
