The Foley Shield competition involved two zones - "Northern" - involving Cairns, Babinda, Tully and Eacham - and "Southern" with Mackay, Ayr, and Townsville. In 1949 the "Central" zone was included involving Herbert River, Charters Towers and Home Hill. With the region's prosperity derived predominantly from sugar cane, mining and cattle, rugby league prospered. Most towns had club competitions involving three or more clubs, and gaining selection in a Foley Shield side to represent these towns was a great honour. The Foley Shield final played in Townsville became a highlight of the rugby league calendar, with many southern talent scouts and coaches attending to see the North's players in action. Despite the game's success in North Queensland, it was still generally harder for a North or Central Queensland player to be selected for higher honours simply because of the "out of Sight, out of mind" scenario. This was especially the case prior to the 1950s. Apart from 1915 when seven North Queensland based players (all from Townsville) made the Queensland side, most Queensland sides up until the 1948 involved players from Toowoomba, Brisbane or Ipswich.
