QLD Colts 2014

[Jets]

Feel free to discuss all things Colts for the 2014 season here.

Who will be coaching the different teams and where players will be heading.

 

[Jets]

Changes at Sunnybank with Damon Virtue taking over the Colts.

I think they will challenge the top teams in 2014 and have better depth across the board.

 

[FilthRugby]

Who's willing to throw out an early prediction on top 4?

Mine in no particular order -

UQ
Souths
Brothers
GPS

Breakers to drop down after a great run due to Grant Anderson's coaching coming to an end/ reduced capacity.

Agree Breakdown, that is my Top 4. However, Brothers have lost a lot of their players due to being 19 (this year) and going up to the grades. However, I'm sure a few of the GPS (schools) boys will come down to Crosby, especially from Terrace.

 

[Jets]

Advantage of having the Colts coach also coach at the school.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

From what i have heard on the grapevine Wests are expected to have a plethora of junior rep stars heading down to colts. Apparently the fact that there is some openings in the Premier Grade XV and some coaches doing some serious recruiting have changed things around.

I am not going to say top 4 material but top 6 is probably not beyond them

 

[TheBigDog]

Not saying it can't be done but a team who had so little success in 2013 to make the top 6 in 2014 would be a pretty big ask, I would love to see Wests colts do well but I dont think getting a whole bunch of stars is the answer to their problems.

I may be wrong but haven't their Colts 1 sides folded mid season the last 2 years? Its all well and good getting some young guns in, they probably recruited the best colt in Sam Greene this year but it didnt help them win any games (I know he played prem grade), whos to say the same wont happen in 2014 if they just focus on recruiting the stars. The key to any clubs success is depth and until Wests can field at least 2 or 3 colts teams I cant see them going too well, they just run out of troops.

 

[Jets]

It's not too hard to turn around a Colts program. It's the advantage of having a 2 year window. The issue will always be numbers. No matter what talent you have involved you need close to 90 players to run 3 teams for the entire season. Once you have the numbers then the talent will have maximum effect.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

I guess it's one of those things if they pull good players people want to come be apart of something.

Apparently West's colt problem with numbers can be put down to the 1994 year age group. From what i have been told in 2012 they got no colts of that age. Hence when it cam to this year they got a 30 something lads in, all of 1995 age. Hence to years in a row the operated on a squad just over 30.

(whether this is true remains to be seen)

If they can keep the majority of those players and then get at least another 25 in, then things automatically look better. As they have numbers and all those bottom age kids will be battle hardened from a rough year.

Wests will never truly succeed unless they pull it together at colt level.

 

[TheBigDog]

I can understand their recruiting problems when they have the Colts juggernaught that is University Rugby just 5mins up the road from them with the superior facilities etc.

Also, and I think i've mentioned this in another thread, over the past 5yrs or so there have been a suprisingly large number of BBC boys playing at GPS, whom being the closest school to Wests i'd imagine they'd rely quite heavily on numbers for.

 

[FilthRugby]

All these posts above are correct. In my opinion, Wests have great juniors, the problem is that they don't go back to Wests for Colts program. Honestly having the two biggest clubs in arms reach doesn't help Wests at all, but I can still see them improving.

 

[Breakdown]

All these posts above are correct. In my opinion, Wests have great juniors, the problem is that they don't go back to Wests for Colts program. Honestly having the two biggest clubs in arms reach doesn't help Wests at all, but I can still see them improving.

Filth - Have Brothers picked up many from the title winning Nudgee side?

 

[TheBigDog]

Here is something to consider, and I know its a bit out there.

Over the past couple of years Uni and sometimes GPS have managed to field 4 colts teams each, with two teams for the club(s) playing in the Colts 2 competition. I don't have a problem with it, if clubs get a strong recruitment drive and more players then good on them (take note though for the purpose of my proposal to come that one only team in each grade qualifies for Doherty Shield points)

In the case where either of those two clubs have such a massive surplus of players maybe an arrangement could be made between Wests, Uni and GPS to offer some kind of deal to players who wish to move to Wests in order to get more guaranteed playing time, play for a higher team etc. I realise in the end players play the game to be with mates etc so it would be their decision but maybe if Wests could offer incentives to these blokes e.g. reduced playing fees. It would only take a couple of years of this type of thing before Wests had a stronger base of blokes to start with. I think Wests has a great club culture so once blokes got there they'd hopefully tell their mates and get the ball rolling.

Just an idea, I realise its a bit logistically hard and players go to a specific club because they want to play there but still, might work getting at least a couple of blokes across. I think it would be beneficial to Uni and GPS also as I know logistically fielding so many teams can sometimes get hard. At GPS last year for example there were enough grades fellas to field a couple of 5th grade sides so they added a second one halfway through the season, within three weeks of the second side being added it had to fold because lack of numbers and organisation, just the way these things go.

 

[Waradog]

It's not too hard to turn around a Colts program. It's the advantage of having a 2 year window. The issue will always be numbers. No matter what talent you have involved you need close to 90 players to run 3 teams for the entire season. Once you have the numbers then the talent will have maximum effect.

Jets, I am sorry but I disagree. Turning around a Colts program is never easy it needs multiple people, predominantly volunteers, putting in hours and effort to not only attract players but also to improve them as players so you can start getting the wins that will attract the next group.

Hopefully all that work that has been put in, and is being put in now and in the future, will see some results. A stronger Colt's program at Wests should be good for rugby in Brisbane as a whole and also for the club - coming off the back of being good for the players.

 

[Jets]

Jets, I am sorry but I disagree. Turning around a Colts program is never easy it needs multiple people, predominantly volunteers, putting in hours and effort to not only attract players but also to improve them as players so you can start getting the wins that will attract the next group.

Hopefully all that work that has been put in, and is being put in now and in the future, will see some results. A stronger Colt's program at Wests should be good for rugby in Brisbane as a whole and also for the club - coming off the back of being good for the players.

I did it at Sunnybank in 2007. We had 2 teams in 2006 who finished mid-bottom of the table. After chasing players in 2006 we had 3 teams in the finals and won the Colts 1 (Prem Colts now) premiership.

It takes a lot of time and effort and the club has to realise that it's an issue that needs to be fixed. We started work as soon as the season started in 2006 for the 2007 group.

 

[SouthernX]

I did it at Sunnybank in 2007. We had 2 teams in 2006 who finished mid-bottom of the table. After chasing players in 2006 we had 3 teams in the finals and won the Colts 1 (Prem Colts now) premiership.

It takes a lot of time and effort and the club has to realise that it's an issue that needs to be fixed. We started work as soon as the season started in 2006 for the 2007 group.

So when are you trading in your green white & black for the mighty green & gold?

 

[SouthernX]

Ithere have been a suprisingly large number of BBC boys playing at GPS,

GPS isn't the only club targeting BBC heavily.

I saw Sunnybank getting their sticky fingers on a few highly touted collegians by posting a Facebook advertisement asking to host some BBC boarders over the school holidays so that they could participate in the Dragons Schoolboys sevens team.

A ea

 

[Jets]

Benroy Sala was a Sunnybank Junior who went to BBC. Conrad Quick is currently in Singapore with our 7's team. Both have done school-based traineeships in the Sunnybank gym.

 

[happyjack]

Hayes is playing for Uni (high OP).
Guttenbiel is playing Rugby.
Uni will get most.
Brothers are back in at NC and GT.
Let's see what happens . The best boys don't play Colts and anyone who makes Australia 20s won't play a single game of club Rugby with the GF on the last weekend in July due to national comp.

 

[TheBigDog]

Look like GPS will be starting up a colts academy in late November this year, they held a special presentation yesterday to invited players. Not sure of specifics but from what I understand its going to focus on 20-30 players across all three colts teams whom they believe show potential and provide them with extra gym sessions, nutrition plans and specialist coaching etc. From what I understand its purely an extra pre-season type program at the moment.

I believe Uni have had a similar system in place for a few years now.

 

[TheBigDog]

Yeah Norths have the same thing too.

Any feedback if these are beneficial for the lads? I can see the merit in doing it but at the same time seems like a bit of a glorified pre-season for a select few boys who can hold their heads higher than everyone else when the season starts.