QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[Ruckingooday]

What do you mean?

I think it's a valid question, it's strange for someone to sign up to be a major sponsor and then leave after only one season. I believe it's fairly common practice for most clubs to have their top tier sponsors commit to a number of seasons to ensure they can forecast cash. And this happens to be a situation where the head coach is also stepping down.

Sorry mate, should have been clearer. I agree with sponsors ideal commitment, circumstances can change. There is no connection with Morgan initiating succession plan and sponsor leaving.

 

[Ruckingooday]

The Club was in struggling way before Morgan and current Committee arrived. Too many people doing their own thing or people not doing their thing at all.

I should also have said like so many Clubs. there are also a bucket load of the people doing the right thing for the right reasons and just trying to focus on rugby.

 

[Ruckingooday]

Brothers are the defending champions. Let’s start the conversation about season 2025.

Bring it on. Easy these days to resist the urge to pull on the boots again. In the stands or on the lounge, but our sport needs more media coverage to push profile of sport, Stan coverage was really good, this year with competition at top and teams like Brothers there should be highly competitive games to showcase.

 

[Ruckingooday]

Seems like we've got two posters from opposite ends of whatever is going on at Souths.

Right in the middle of the ruck - that third party independent like Switzerland but they don't play rugby. Only interested in facts, beer and our sport not killing itself when it's already dying in places.

 

[Ruckingooday]

The sad predicament Souths find them in with not having the numbers to fill a 3rd & 4th Grade teams is disappointing. The reality is that this was avoidable, but the club has been extremely divided for a number of years now. Since Morgan arrived originally as head coach of Prems then shimmed himself into the development of Rugby roll, more pay for him?? The colts program over the last 3 years was nothing short of excellent Colts teams in finals and won colts 1 last year. Morgan would not & could not fathom that a far superior coach was in the club and extremely well received by players in both colts and senior grades. In a nut shell Morgan was threatened and and advised the colts coaches mid 2024 there services were not required. Hence they the Colts went on to win the GF. The fact that Morgan fired Colts coaches and the board endorsed the decision shows how much control Morgan has and the lack of direction from the front office at Souths. Apart from colts the other grades were all well down the pecking order last year as the rot was setting in during 2024.

As soon as players knew the Colts coaches had chosen a new club the writing was on the wall for a mass player exit, Morgan underestimated how popular the colts coaches were and Morgan's popularity is a touch on the nose for both players and supporters.

Morgan has surrounded himself with a bunch of puppets there only job is to ensure he gets what he wants at all costs, person strategically placed on the board to block or report on unfavourable decisions. Souths missed a unique opportunity in 2024 when a group high profile, successful businessmen who were Souths people wanted to implement change across the whole club. Morgan manoeuvred his puppets to get this opportunity blocked. Short sighted from him as the changes and governance would of made his job a lot easier and had a lot more resource's at his disposal.
Morgan has certainly polarised the Souths community some of his antics have been nothing short of bitterly disappointing for and ex Wallaby and player at the club.

Before you all start throwing assumptions, I've done my research, I've been at the club seen one ugly incident the board swept under the carpet, and aware of many more. I was also a life long supporter of the club, with several family members and relatives who played for the club. The joint is Broken!!

Maybe the club should of asked for references from his previous employer word is they were happy to see him go, not just for the rugby but the baggage that comes with having him on your books.

Souths in pain for a few years now, had finally got the Colts program is order with great coaches....... but that one person who felt threatened has destroyed it for everyone.

Everyone entitled to a view. a little knowledge is dangerous and not representative of the truth. Be careful mate, this post has defamatory comments and clearly a personal vendatta. Again rugby in Australia is dying it doesn't need our boots to do the job.

 

[SouthernX]

I really hope Souths shuts up its critics. There’s still a nice nucleus of talent in that premier grade team to be a factor at end of year (king, Bryant, reubens etc)

Out of all the compass teams - Souths is the one with the most success. If they are entering their battlers era it will be short lived in my eyes! They’ll be back!

 

[warhorse]

I really hope Souths shuts up its critics. There’s still a nice nucleus of talent in that premier grade team to be a factor at end of year (king, Bryant, reubens etc)

Out of all the compass teams - Souths is the one with the most success. If they are entering their battlers era it will be short lived in my eyes! They’ll be back!

Nobody is saying that there isn't a lot of talent in the Premier Grade squad and they may well perform to the same level or better than 2024. All true supporters, hope so.
What many stalwarts and general supporters of Souths are most concerned with is the fact that it appears that the lower grades and Colts structure has been treated as an afterthought. There must be some reason that a Club goes from fielding 11 teams in 2024(6 senior Men's teams, a Women's team and 4 Colts teams) to maybe fielding at most seven teams in 2025 and are calling for players, 10 days out from the first competition games, so they field two of their Senior Men's teams.
Maybe the Club board/committee could make a statement to Club members addressing the issues being raised rather than having the issues tossed about on this and other forums.

 

[SouthernX]

Nobody is saying that there isn't a lot of talent in the Premier Grade squad and they may well perform to the same level or better than 2024. All true supporters, hope so.
What many stalwarts and general supporters of Souths are most concerned with is the fact that it appears that the lower grades and Colts structure has been treated as an afterthought. There must be some reason that a Club goes from fielding 11 teams in 2024(6 senior Men's teams, a Women's team and 4 Colts teams) to maybe fielding at most seven teams in 2025 and are calling for players, 10 days out from the first competition games, so they field two of their Senior Men's teams.
Maybe the Club board/committee could make a statement to Club members addressing the issues being raised rather than having the issues tossed about on this and other forums.

I think it’s important to have a good premier grade squad. souths has that… they didn’t have it under the previous head coach because players were specifically asking to play reserve grade because the previous coach was using premier grade as a “blooding/baptism of fire” team.

I’ve said it before but Todd left Garrick an awesome blueprint already having developed the next gen of magpies.

I do agree. Depth is important and a Todd vs Garrick coach comparison proves that with their different styles and different results in club rugby grades

 

[LevitatingSocks]

I think it’s important to have a good premier grade squad. souths has that… they didn’t have it under the previous head coach because players were specifically asking to play reserve grade because the previous coach was using premier grade as a “blooding/baptism of fire” team.

I’ve said it before but Todd left Garrick an awesome blueprint already having developed the next gen of magpies.

I do agree. Depth is important and a Todd vs Garrick coach comparison proves that with their different styles and different results in club rugby grades

Would you mind expanding on "using prem grade as a blooding/baptism of fire team"?

Were players being asked to play roles they weren't familiar with? Or were people without the physical development you'd expect being thrown into the first 15?

 

[SouthernX]

Would you mind expanding on "using prem grade as a blooding/baptism of fire team"?

Were players being asked to play roles they weren't familiar with? Or were people without the physical development you'd expect being thrown into the first 15?

I thought former coach TD started a lot of colts players in premier grade at the expense of Souths reserve grade team (which was littered with premier grade talent playing down a grade)

It was just an observation unsure if it was fact.

 

[Sully]

https://www.facebook.com/100063608379033/posts/1162488032548132

 

[baldwid]

I thought former coach TD started a lot of colts players in premier grade at the expense of Souths reserve grade team (which was littered with premier grade talent playing down a grade)

It was just an observation unsure if it was fact.

I don't think its fact - in fact I know it isn't.

As the coach of that Reserve Grade side that actually won the comp in Todd's second last season (2021), I dont think that was the case. The Reggies team we won the comp with was full of long time club men who were super talented and had played 3rd and even 4th grade for a number of years or some blokes like Cal Lauder, who came out of Colts at the same time as Theo Fourie and was stuck behind him.

Sure, there was the odd player that was a Premier Grade player, (Jack Farrell came off the bench in the GF as an example) but the rest were just excellent players who we managed to motivate and were finally playing to their potential.

 

[baldwid]

Todd did pick some colts in Prems during his time there but In fairness to him, he won a comp with them, so you have that connection and it makes sense you trust those players.

 

[PhilClinton]

That’s a good point Baldwin.

I was still heavily involved at GPS during Dammers stint there and also had some involvement with him at schoolboy level over the years.

I think his biggest strength is his ability to connect with the raw talent of those Colts and schoolboy players and he can get the best out of them even when stepping up to 1sts. It is also his weakness as that same style hasn’t necessarily translated well to coaching the older guys, which is partially why he’s lacked success at that level in a few of his roles.

 

[PhilClinton]

Ruckingooday mate you are either the social media manager for South’s or that person has been reading the forum because the ‘press release’ pretty much reads exactly as you’ve posted on this forum.

 

[PPRugby]

That’s a good point Baldwin.

I was still heavily involved at GPS during Dammers stint there and also had some involvement with him at schoolboy level over the years.

I think his biggest strength is his ability to connect with the raw talent of those Colts and schoolboy players and he can get the best out of them even when stepping up to 1sts. It is also his weakness as that same style hasn’t necessarily translated well to coaching the older guys, which is partially why he’s lacked success at that level in a few of his roles.

I do find it odd that the guy is now 3 years removed from coaching Prems in Brisbane and people still want to have a say about him.

I like him, I consider him a mate so I can say this & that is all I will say. Souths & GPS he was in charge of were in need of rebuilds & to be honest did a decent job in rebuilding both clubs… Not sure what else there is to say.

Has had success everywhere else he went & is currently coaching in the MLR & the team he is coaching is winning currently.

Let’s focus on 2025 QPR

 

[PhilClinton]

I do find it odd that the guy is now 3 years removed from coaching Prems in Brisbane and people still want to have a say about him.

I like him, I consider him a mate so I can say this & that is all I will say. Souths & GPS he was in charge of were in need of rebuilds & to be honest did a decent job in rebuilding both clubs… Not sure what else there is to say.

Has had success everywhere else he went & is currently coaching in the MLR & the team he is coaching is winning currently.

Let’s focus on 2025 QPR

The reality is, he was a coaching mainstay in the Brisbane rugby scene across a number of really great clubs and schools for 10+ years at a high level. His name is always going to pop up on these forums from time to time because there was an aura of expectation associated with him in all of his roles. Honestly it shows the caliber of coach he is because people expected success.

He has got a much better reputation and resume than a dozen other premier grade level coaches I’ve come across in my time. In his last year at GPS, when Finals came, he spent more time helping prepare the lower grades and colts teams for their games than any other 1st grade coach I’ve known. He is a good bloke.

 

[Ruckingooday]

Ruckingooday mate you are either the social media manager for South’s or that person has been reading the forum because the ‘press release’ pretty much reads exactly as you’ve posted on this forum.

No. Just been around the traps with them over decades, know/heard the presentations to players and club in recent years. Been in the game a long time. In Club bars even longer probably. Best source of rumour and fact! Seen many come and go. Just think we need to be pull together as a sport not pull each other apart. Seriously bored of that.

Ruckingooday mate you are either the social media manager for South’s or that person has been reading the forum because the ‘press release’ pretty much reads exactly as you’ve posted on this forum.

 

[Bulldog]

I think it’s important to have a good premier grade squad. souths has that… they didn’t have it under the previous head coach because players were specifically asking to play reserve grade because the previous coach was using premier grade as a “blooding/baptism of fire” team.

I’ve said it before but Todd left Garrick an awesome blueprint already having developed the next gen of magpies.

I do agree. Depth is important and a Todd vs Garrick coach comparison proves that with their different styles and different results in club rugby grades

Absolutely. Dammers approach was to blood kids who he took to Colts success and bare short term pain for long term gain. When he got the chop they were on the verge of becoming a top 4 side and this is where they sat under Morgan’s reign.
From a total outsider with no vision - I think it is wrong to pile this all on Garrick where is a strong & considered board in all of this?
Souths still live in their golden era which was created by Phil White when he brought in the Downlands boys(including GM), Jason Little & then came along a few years behind them Kef - they all come together at the one time - a golden breed of players at the one club - coincidentally these are the guys at the heart of the Wallabies greatest era.
The position it finds itself is a product of decades of the board living in the past. Unfortunately the club yields what they have sowed.
I do know one thing for certain is that in about 2005 they outsourced the canteen - again I am not certain as to how the financial arrangements worked but hindsight might question that one decision.
We can all be experts in hindsight but let’s hope that the Souths RC gets back on its feet sooner rather than later.

 

[Ruckingooday]

Absolutely. Dammers approach was to blood kids who he took to Colts success and bare short term gain for long term gain. When he got the chop they were on the verge of becoming a top 4 side and this is where they sat under Morgan’s reign.
From a total outsider with no vision - I think it is wrong to pile this all on Garrick where is a strong & considered board all of this?
Souths still live in their golden era which was created by Phil White bring the Downlands boys, Jason Little & Kef all coming together at the one time - coincidentally these are the guys at the heart of the Wallabies greatest era.
The position it finds itself is a product of decades of the board living in the past. Unfortunately the club yields what they have sowed.
I do know one thing for certain is that in about 2005 they outsourced the canteen - again I am not certain as to how the financial arrangements worked but hindsight might question that one decision.
We can all be experts in hindsight but let’s hope that the Souths RC get back on its feet sooner rather than later.

Consistent problem for rugby clubs - to survive we all need strong boards and financial sustainability. Too many don't have what it takes. Some. clubs getting there quicker than others. And. some sports. getting there quicker than others. V'landys has done an outstanding job for NRL, where's our sport going?