AIC Rugby 2017

[Galloper]

If this year's AIC team does nothing else they should easily set a record for the heaviest-ever front row - those boys would collectively approach 370kg. Fitness and mobility would be a concern with them though.

I don't know the second rows, but 7 and 8 are top quality backrowers.

The 6 from MCA, Brosnan, is a real goer but like his mate Law at 7 is not particularly big, so AIC might struggle to contain the stronger, heavier back 5's for the GPS teams. Having said that, Law's performance will be very interesting, he's built like the schoolboy 7's used to be in the 70's and 80's (probably no more than 85kg) but he's one of the most impressive MCA flankers I've ever seen.

I'm not super-impressed with the backline, I'd have liked to see a more dominant 10 (if there was one), and Cheer would have been a big addition at 13. Knop was ordinary at 12 v MCA and I've never seen him do much in the games I've watched, but I know he was the AIC 12 last year so he's obviously got more going for him than I'm giving him credit for.

Bucknell is due for a big game, if he's 100% fit he's certainly capable of matching it with anyone form GPS, both physically and talent-wise, but for whatever reason he's been pretty subdued this year so far.

 

[JR2]

Good points Galloper.Bucknell has been fairly well contained this year.Kicking game has been average at best,I think he would be better suited in the centres with Steer at fullback.He is a very talented all round player.No.7 Law has been outstanding all season,it will be interesting to see his progress in future years.

 

[ThisOlThing]

Agreed. Was interesting to see them choose Bucknell over Steer at fullback. I too thought he would have been in the centres with Steer at fullback. I would be inclined to think that a wing position limits the the attacking abilities of Steer which have been outstanding this year. Also agree with the halves comment. I think that boils down to no one being dominent there this year. Should be a good few games coming up.


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[AliBarber]

The Padua Centre Heenan would be a certainty in AIC - best attacking and best defender in the AIC by a large margin in my views. According to my sons gossip at a gps school, and the kids know more gossip than us, he won't play Conraternity either but will play SEQ 16's League instead at Five-eight. Heenan and fellow Padua Harry Taylor along with MCA Lachy Tennison Woodsy are Centres in the Broncos ETP. I'm sure all 3 are still grade 11 and only 16 yr olds. That's a big loss to Rugby. Heenan and Tennison Woodsy played Reds u15 last year. All 3 left Club Rugby and play for Valleys in the Prem comp, along with a string of Padua MCA and St Pats boys making up 3/4 of Valleys prems. Whats happening here ? I coached the Padua & pats boys in club Rugby and they were very, very good, I coached against Woodsy & Rozka and they were bench mark kids at Centre and 6 that broke my heart each round. My lad and a couple of his school buddies took me for a driving lesson to watch these kids play league and hoped to influence me to let them cross to the dark side. The speed and toughness of these converts was staggering. They were playing for Brisbane, Heenan, Taylor, Woodsy and Rozka were the best on the day. Heenan and Woods putting opposition twice their size back on the bench just like they did in club rugby. We need to sit down with these kids and ask what is the thing that drew them away from club rugby, a game they were already very good at ? I spoke to a Rep Coach recently who told me the stats show the vast majority of Schoolboy rugby players on scholarships and in the Reds youth squads won't even make Premier grade in club rugby for a very simple reason - they won't be good enough or tough enough. The game doesn't start here with first XV and AIC and GPS Teams, it starts after this or we lose it all. All those scholarship dollars at BBC, NC, GT, BGS, TSS, Churchie and all the class spots given up at SH. Much of it left in the lockers. Wait until the GPS comp kicks off next term and we'll see the real banter and jockeying for talking up teams and selection, you've seen nothing yet. The old school tie will be alive and well. At the end of the competition there will be one winner and we'll go into overdrive on who will be the next red or wallaby. Very likely it maybe none, maybe a red or two because they'll playing in the club comp by then, or perhaps the possibles will go to university or back to their home towns or the better ones will play rugby league. Some will go into one of the many Reds training squads and bide their time. It all starts at grass roots school rugby, don't spoil it.

There should have been more Paduans in the AIC 1 team.

 

[Hands like feet]

Anyone know which of these lads started in AIC? I know Isaac Crone started at Lauries. Any others?

Crone (BSHS), Whiteside (IGS), Keepa (IGS), Oyelodi (GT). There'd be a few more who will play 1st XV over the next 2 years too. Add this to coaching ranks - Scotney (NC), Bos (TSS), Attoe (TSS), White (BBC), Ritchie (BSHS), Mandrusiak (GT), Thompson (GT), Carroll (GT Boss and avid Rugby man) - all ex Lauries in some capacity. Imagine having those players in the 1st XV and being coached by any one of those names...different ball game. Senior Admin, how could you let them go?

 

[BlindSide6]

Anyone know which of these lads started in AIC? I know Isaac Crone started at Lauries. Any others?

Crone (BSHS), Whiteside (IGS), Keepa (IGS), Oyelodi (GT). There'd be a few more who will play 1st XV over the next 2 years too. Add this to coaching ranks - Scotney (NC), Bos (TSS), Attoe (TSS), White (BBC), Ritchie (BSHS), Mandrusiak (GT), Thompson (GT), Carroll (GT Boss and avid Rugby man) - all ex Lauries in some capacity. Imagine having those players in the 1st XV and being coached by any one of those names.different ball game. Senior Admin, how could you let them go?

Throw in Rutherford and Steer and that would have been a hell of a backline.


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[AliBarber]

Heenan grade 11, Taylor grade 10. Luckily for Padua, GPS seem to think only giants can play football and haven't poached them. My observation is that rugby has become a game that is all above size and power. A daunting prospect for a skinny white boy leaving school and hoping to compete. Rugby league seems to accomodate smaller bodies. Compare second/back rowers in league and union. There are still some big boys in league but nowhere near the same as rugby. In league a smaller bloke can bring down a big bloke and not have to worry about a 120kg unit cleaning them out. No doubt there are many other factors stopping lads from continuing in rugby. Club rugby in Brisbane also falls away badly from u15 - u17 which is no doubt due to schedule clashes with GPS and AIC but it doesn't seem to negatively impact league as much as it does rugby.


Well if anyone thinks the League players are smaller in this age group, go out to Emerson park on Sunday and watch Logan Brothers play Redcliffe in what i think they call the chairmans cup, No. 1 & 2 teams after round 1. They will be bigger than any AIC team you saw run out this year and they're u16. Won't be any small forwards or backs. If heenan, taylor and woods are all u16 and playing 1stXV then hats off to their schools although Taylor and Woods should have been in the centres whether they're 16 or not. I was a bit worried about Pats, Padua and MCA for next year, but i know Heenan and Taylor are going o/seas with Padua so i'm guessing they'll go around another year in the AIC. I also hear the St Pats winger will return to club league again at Valleys after this weekend. I believe he is also u16. Louis Moritz. I'm told MCA U16's are undefeated as well, so there's obviously some talent to push for XV's spot there. Padua, Lawries, Iona and Pats also have some talent there in 16's. Don't know much about SPLC, Edies or Villa.
Something that interested me at a recent trial with BGS, BSHS & BBC was a dad from Downlands said they had tried for years to get into the AIC comp and offered to play all their games as away games and were still turned away. At lst call they played the GPS schools on their bye each week and usually ended up playing a combined U16/2nds/1sts Team. They were once a really powerful rugby school with lots of bigger stronger country boys playing. We need more teams in the AIC competition.
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[Garry Owens]

Well as mentioned in an earlier post within a few years of each other you had Brett Johnstone , Tim Horan and Garrick Morgan passing through Downlands

Anyway .....as I understand it there has been plenty of interest in Padua's boys but , to their credit , their hearts seem to be in league and see no need to play the two bob each way bet in a Dog and Pony Show

And for that they have my respect

There is a actually a lot of a young Tim Horan in Danny Heenan

He , Cayle Manu ( now at Nudgee via SPC ) and FNQ's Hamiso Tabau Fidow ( now at BGS ) were the absolute standouts in last year's JGC.

Hamiso is already a stand out in BGS's backline in trial season , Manu is challenging strongly for a First XV spot in his first year at Nudgee with an insanely deep back row pool and Heenan stood out as a class above in this year's AIC season

Louis Maritz ( SPC ) also performed creditably this season for Pats , and for mine , had the wood on MCA's LTW ....another oft talked about League / Rugby lad from this 16's age group

 

[Royalderry]

AIC 1 team.
This is what I'm lead to believe. May be mistakes (Not sure on 20)

1. Emosi Tuqiri (MCA)
2. Zach Smith (SPC)
3. Torah (SEC)
4. SLC
5. SLC 8
6. MCA (Brosnan?)
7. Braydon Law (MCA)
8. Conners (SPC)
9. Billy Rutherford (SLC)
10. MCA
11. Zac Steer (SLC)
12. Morne Knop (SPC)
13. MCA
14. MCA
15. Bucknell (MCA)
16. MCA (hooker)
17. Romeo- SEC (prop)
18. SPC - Prop
19. Bruce (PAD) (Second- Back Row)
20.?
21. Jaz day (MCA) - halfback
22. Matt Weir SPC - fullback/fly half
23. Twist (SPLC) -outside back

Three SLC forwards selected? The same forwards that conceded 3 "drive-over" tries by a smallish Padua forward pack - this doesn't sound right.
TBH I didn't even notice the SLC locks (their 7 stood out actually) - I'm surprised the Padua 6 isn't there too - he was the best forward in a dominant PAD pack that ran over SLC last weekend. That said, congrats to the Lauries boys and hope they play out of their skins against GPS.
SLC 15 waaaay stronger than the ASH 15 - weird selection. Don't be surprised to see the AIC coaches "tinker with" these selections.

There might still be a stigma that PAD is a "league" school - this is unfortunate when PAD has been neck and neck with the established Rugby nurseries like ASH and SLC for some time now - I feel this stigma also colours the judgment of the referees in Padua games at times too.
Re: Heenan - plays hooker in league - makes a great hard-hitting centre in Rugby though (maybe a 10 if he can kick?). QRU needs to retain kids like these - Cheer off to Parramatta but still injured. from what I've heard.

 

[JR2]

Well as mentioned in an earlier post within a few years of each other you had Brett Johnstone , Tim Horan and Garrick Morgan passing through Downlands

Anyway ...as I understand it there has been plenty of interest in Padua's boys but , to their credit , their hearts seem to be in league and see no need to play the two bob each way bet in a Dog and Pony Show

And for that they have my respect

There is a actually a lot of a young Tim Horan in Danny Heenan

He , Cayle Manu ( now at Nudgee via SPC ) and FNQ's Hamiso Tabau Fidow ( now at BGS ) were the absolute standouts in last year's JGC.

Hamiso is already a stand out in BGS's backline in trial season , Manu is challenging strongly for a First XV spot in his first year at Nudgee with an insanely deep back row pool and Heenan stood out as a class above in this year's AIC season

Louis Maritz ( SPC ) also performed creditably this season for Pats , and for mine , had the wood on MCA's LTW ..another oft talked about League / Rugby lad from this 16's age group

Tim Horan,Brett Johnstone and Garrick Morgan werae all in the same year at Downlands finishing in 1988.Peter Ryan ex Bronco and QLD player was also at Downlands at the same time,pretty handy group of players.

 

[JR2]

Tips for the final round

VILLA vs ASH ASH to remain undefeated
SEC vs SPLC SPLC
IONA vs SLC SLC
SPC vs PAD PAD

 

[Happyman]

Tips for the final round

VILLA vs ASH ASH to remain undefeated
SEC vs SPLC SPLC
IONA vs SLC SLC
SPC vs PAD PAD

Looks about right to me congratulations to all boys in all grades and schools for your season.

 

[Jizztini]

First opens game of the day at wynnum, the mighty SLC 4th XV, despite struggling with results throughout the season, had a brilliant win 22-19 against the undefeated up to that game Iona. Standouts were Mullins (9), Wickham (23), McNicol (15). Despite not cracking AIC 1 this year, these three I feel are still massive potential for QLD schoolboys. Watch this space

 

[Echidna]

Any scores??

 

[Bledisloe]

HT at Curled park Pad 5 SPC 0 Padua no 12 has a yellow card

 

[Lolinski]

Just saw this on YouTube. I guess they got up.

 

[Bledisloe]

FT SPC 14 PAD 10

 

[Prince Henry]

71-7 to Ashgrove at Villanova Park

 

[Josh P]

Any news on how the Ash V Villa 9A's went??

 

[Prince Henry]

Ash defeated Villa 9As by 19-14. Congrats to both teams for an epic game