QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[hughjardon69]

This guy

you got him Tonnnyyy

 

[Interested Viewer]

No my 10 wins theory is based on about 20 years of stats in QPR - Prem & Reserve grades.
All I am saying is that if you put yourself behind in the first half the season with only 2/3 wins it makes things very difficult in the second half and despite best efforts you come up short. Clearly if both GPS & Wests get themselves to 4 wins at the turn then they are both in serious contention. I haven’t written Wests off but I think we can put a line through Norths and the rest - the top four teams will come out of the current top 5.

your ten-game theory is correct but given the nature of the ladder this year I can see 4th or even third having 9 this year. Even the top two who have kicked clear have had some very close calls. Any team can win on any given day this year it is a great comp.

 

[PhilClinton]

the mighty gallopers are rebuilding, have a little faith brev.

Always have the faith!

QPR isn't a great comp for rebuilding generally. Being 'amateur' it means by the time some of the young guys have earned their stripes, they end up barely playing club footy.

Perfect example is GPS being very good for a couple of seasons with Samu Kerevi and a few others playing regularly but they couldn't capitalise on that and win the big one. Then they lost the gun young players to professional teams and had to wait another couple of years to do it again.

It really comes down to depth at the club and attracting and retaining players from 1sts through to Colts 4. The 1st grade coaches need to be bringing in older proven talent alongside the young guys in that same cycle. Or have retained a bunch of blokes who sit firmly at 1st grade level and nothing more ala what Brothers have been doing with the addition of some firepower for finals.

 

[Watchingrugby]

This guy

So how do you know it is a guy?………it is 2025 my friend!

 

[Watchingrugby]

GPS walked into the perfect storm yesterday - Elwee grudge match and Wests Ladies day. The boys form Yoku were lucky it wasn’t 100-0.

Really not a fan of GPS recruitment (or lack of) this season. Have leaked a couple of blokes to other clubs or retirement and haven’t filled in the gaps.

Sio is a great bloke and clubman but I think GPS will need a higher caliber coach going forward to make an impact. Maybe Joe Schmidt wants a new job.

I though bringing in the Super Coach Kelevi was going to turn the ship form them?

 

[Watchingrugby]

I'm a wests supporter and I don't know the bloke but never really warmed to him being quality based on the teams he has had and his usual f*ck around with players positions in the backline.

Rugby can be over complicated by coaches and (for me) it seems he is in that category

So no doubt you have been present at everyone of Elwee’s coaching sessions or is it that a friend’s cousin,
who knows a player has told you?

 

[MoneyBill685]

So how do you know it is a guy?………it is 2025 my friend!

My apologies for calling you a him, Mrs Watchingrugby.

 

[PhilClinton]

I though bringing in the Super Coach Kelevi was going to turn the ship form them?

the Super Coach was around in 2024 and GPS weren't winning a title then either!

 

[Bulldog]

your ten-game theory is correct but given the nature of the ladder this year I can see 4th or even third having 9 this year. Even the top two who have kicked clear have had some very close calls. Any team can win on any given day this year it is a great comp.

Yes I readjusted my finals qualification number on Saturday night after wests thumped GPS leaving Souths(played 7), Wests(7) & GPS(6) all with 3 wins and the fact that Uni who are not in contention have beaten Wests & Souths now. Some years the number is 9 and that looks like being the number in 2025.
Are Brothers and Wests now equal favourites? Or can Easts tilt out one of the last two years grand finalists? Easts were good but fulltime score not truly indicative of how close it was - but take nothing away from the tigers they are a vastly improved outfit in 2025 - credit to them as they haven’t thrown cash at the depth issues they had. Admittedly they were lucky to get the Uni connections and Swerling as walk ins. But they are certainly singing off the same game sheet.

 

[MoneyBill685]

Yes I readjusted my finals qualification number on Saturday night after wests thumped GPS leaving Souths(played 7), Wests(7) & GPS(6) all with 3 wins and the fact that Uni who are not in contention have beaten Wests & Souths now. Some years the number is 9 and that looks like being the number in 2025.
Are Brothers and Wests now equal favourites? Or can Easts tilt out one of the last two years grand finalists? Easts were good but fulltime score not truly indicative of how close it was - but take nothing away from the tigers they are a vastly improved outfit in 2025 - credit to them as they haven’t thrown cash at the depth issues they had. Admittedly they were lucky to get the Uni connections and Swerling as walk ins. But they are certainly singing off the same game sheet.

after 4 losses (more losses then wins) you still think that wests are equal favs??? make that make sense.

you literally said a week ago "the Bulldogs need 8 wins from 10 games - it is possible but not probable" to now thinking they are equal favs?

easts are undefeated and brothers have lost 1. if anything it'd be those two.

judging by your profile pic, there's a bit of doggies bias there.

 

[SouthernX]

after 4 losses (more losses then wins) you still think that wests are equal favs??? make that make sense.

easts and undefeated and brothers have lost 1. if anything it'd be those two.

judging by your profile pic, there's a bit of doggies bias there.

who does easts have coming back to clubland?

Liam is done for the season and Richie asiata may well find himself in the wallabies mix.

I suspect losses for the tigers in the back half of season when the rep cattle comes back to clubland

 

[MoneyBill685]

who does easts have coming back to clubland?

Liam is done for the season and Richie asiata may well find himself in the wallabies mix.

I suspect losses for the tigers in the back half of season when the rep cattle comes back to clubland

dont think Richie plays for easts anymore. he switched to sunnybank last year. Tbh though not sure they need him. Easts already have Ready and Max Craig playing a half each every game.

Only person i can think of would be Frankie Goldsborough. Again not sure where he would fit in again. Its hard to drop players from a team that is undefeated.

 

[Interested Viewer]

after 4 losses (more losses then wins) you still think that wests are equal favs??? make that make sense.

you literally said a week ago "the Bulldogs need 8 wins from 10 games - it is possible but not probable" to now thinking they are equal favs?

easts are undefeated and brothers have lost 1. if anything it'd be those two.

judging by your profile pic, there's a bit of doggies bias there.

Doggies probably have the highest ceiling of players who play for the reds and wont make Wallabies.

 

[MoneyBill685]

In my unpopular opinion, it would mean more to win a premiership with a steady team then a bunch of ring ins for the last few games that takeover from the players that have toiled away and played the majority of the season to get them in the position to even play finals.

*Cough cough* brothers and wests.

Some of those finals teams looked completely different from the regular season team lists last year.

 

[Interested Viewer]

In my unpopular opinion, it would mean more to win a premiership with a steady team then a bunch of ring ins for the last few games that takeover from the players that have toiled away and played the majority of the season to get them in the position to even play finals.

*Cough cough* brothers and wests.

Some of those finals teams looked completely different from the regular season team lists last year.

Fair play to Brothers though they generally are at the top of the table or close when they get the troops back. As much as I hate the filth they are a well run program.

Wests are interesting they are poaching like crazy ATM but also putting plenty into colts. Many players they poach are not necessarily getting first team games. It must be an interesting dynamic with a couple of reserve graders defecting to Uni. It does put pressure in A Grade to win when reggies are on top of the table.

 

[SouthernX]

In my unpopular opinion, it would mean more to win a premiership with a steady team then a bunch of ring ins for the last few games that takeover from the players that have toiled away and played the majority of the season to get them in the position to even play finals.

*Cough cough* brothers and wests.

Some of those finals teams looked completely different from the regular season team lists last year.

I am just giving you the devils advocate argument why they may struggle in back half or season.

My easts logic is good in odd numbered years, bad in even number years… as 2025 is a odd year I have them making the top 4

also easts has a pretty good reserve grade team.

 

[Elwee's Loo]

Fair play to Brothers though they generally are at the top of the table or close when they get the troops back. As much as I hate the filth they are a well run program.

Wests are interesting they are poaching like crazy ATM but also putting plenty into colts. Many players they poach are not necessarily getting first team games. It must be an interesting dynamic with a couple of reserve graders defecting to Uni. It does put pressure in A Grade to win when reggies are on top of the table.

I think the key to Brothers sustained success is their players want to play for the club. Happy to be corrected but are there many club hopping mercenaries in their Premier / Reserve Grade Program?

Easts are looking very dangerous but what holds that fabric together. Wests the same. Uni is a bit of revolving door and Souths lack of depth starting to emerge. GPS and Bond too inconsistent.

Brothers know how to win finals and with Ryan, Dre, JYD to come back, likely not to be in Wallabies squad - that’s the team I’d be looking at. Love em or hate em - Brothers generally have their house in order.

 

[PhilClinton]

I think the key to Brothers sustained success is their players want to play for the club. Happy to be corrected but are there many club hopping mercenaries in their Premier / Reserve Grade Program?

Easts are looking very dangerous but what holds that fabric together. Wests the same. Uni is a bit of revolving door and Souths lack of depth starting to emerge. GPS and Bond too inconsistent.

Brothers know how to win finals and with Ryan, Dre, JYD to come back, likely not to be in Wallabies squad - that’s the team I’d be looking at. Love em or hate em - Brothers generally have their house in order.

Yeh Brothers do a great job of nurturing talent through their juniors, colts and into grades. I agree it is a huge reason for their success.

Interestingly that mindset have actually caused a few potential recruits to look at other clubs recently.

Chatting to a couple blokes at the club and they're concerned they're missing out on a few key players at the Colts level. Apparently, some of the feedback they've received is that the pathways and depth is almost too strong in some positions so blokes don't reckon they'll get a run in a high enough grade.

Specifically, there seems to be some concerns that the optics of the Rohrig Development Program (which must be working because it has seen a number of recent Wallabies go through) is causing good players to go elsewhere if they don't make that squad or the squad is already stacked with a couple of players in their position.

Not a bad problem to have and it does mean player depth should be spreading around.

 

[MoneyBill685]

Brothers' depth is truly impressive. Their juniors are always strong, and they've recently started recruiting more players from New Zealand in the Colts. I've seen a number of Colts boys come from New Zealand after finishing school to try their hand, with Brothers assisting by housing and finding them jobs etc

Not only are they the main club for GPS students (predominantly from Nudgee), but they now also have a New Zealand connection through the appointment of former manu samoa player Junior Polu as the pacific islander coordinator. His guidance has led to a steady influx of Polynesians who wouldn’t typically choose Brothers as their club, given its location in Albion/Ascot, a predominantly upper-class, Caucasian suburb. I can name a couple of boys in the colts program atm who went to school at Mabel Park State high last year and still live in the area who travel there

Alright that's the first and last time I give brothers a wrap, I feel gross

 

[SouthernX]

Brothers trash (loose term) has been wests treasures

A couple of fringe premier grade players who followed Carl Marshall over in 2020 was a big reason for our hospital cup win in 2022.

if I was a qpr club director of rugby and I needed to hit with my first premier grade coach hire I’d be looking at former brothers or Nudgee coaches to tap into the talent pool who have come thru those two rugby institutions.