What is it about country rugby league that gets the blood pumping?
Is it the people? The smell of those burning fires in winter? The landscape? Could it be the tight knit rugby league community?
The Dayboro Cowboys, who compete in the Intech Rugby League Brisbane senior competitions, tick all the boxes.
They are real "grassroots rugby league" and have a proud history stretching back more than three decades.
The Cowboys were formed in late 1984 and started with three junior teams in 1985.
The club’s first permanent structures were two galvanised iron sheds; one for the canteen and one for the sale of alcohol.
Premiership success was first experienced by their Under 16s team in 1987, with their inaugural senior team taking the field the following year.
It would take more than a decade for the Cowboys to reach the top of the mountain in seniors, but in 2000 they broke through and won the Northside 1 premiership.
The locals refer to Dayboro as ‘God’s country” and visiting the area can feel like taking a step back in time.
As you pass the historical shops, the traditional Queenslander homes and the beautiful Crown Hotel that stands on the main drag, it doesn’t take long to realise the action is at Pete Albrow Park - the home of the Cowboys.
Off the field, the club has worked tirelessly within the community and with fundraising efforts to keep the club alive.
Surviving in these economic times can be daunting, however, the Cowboys seem to have a knack of rolling up the sleeves like any good country club and getting on with the job.
Year after year, the club and its many volunteers have worked tirelessly to fundraise and engage the local community to keep the Cowboys alive.
This author has seen many games involving the Cowboys, and while the local competition may not scale the lofty heights of professionals - it is vigorous, hard and just plain real.
There, grafting away as they do, you will find the true believers. Those believers reside in Dayboro at the mighty Cowboys club.
Currently, the Cowboys share the lead in the Northside 1 competition and are unbeaten through the first three rounds.
Their last appearance was a 24-6 win over the Gators in front of the faithful at home and they will return to Pete Albrow Oval on April 27 to take on Mitchelton Panthers.
All RLB senior competitions will have a bye this weekend due to the Easter holidays before contesting Round 4 on Saturday, April 27.
Dayboro share the Northside 1 competition lead with North Lakes, while Bulimba Valleys is on top of the Southside 1 ladder.
Full results, standings and upcoming fixtures for the RLB senior competitions is available here.
