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QLD GPS 2024

Zoomer1

Bob McCowan (2)
Been a staunch GT man that you are whacko. I would love to get your take on the GT first 15 and the school as a whole performance this year. I know that internally (at GT) the first 15 was been spruiked as title contenders. Instead they finished with 2 wins (one against the team below on the ladder and the other against the team above them on the ladder).

As a school, in all age groups across 35 teams ranging from As to Es etc. they didn’t win one premiership. Now this is a trend that’s happened for a long period of time now. So it’s not a one off. Please also take into account that the GT f/a was - 110 for the season, with only BGS worse at - 183.

Surpely you can’t be happy with this? As many current parents I speak too, are unimpressed with the school. Would love to hear your views on what’s going on there?
 

WHACKO_JACKO.GT

Larry Dwyer (12)
Been a staunch GT man that you are whacko. I would love to get your take on the GT first 15 and the school as a whole performance this year. I know that internally (at GT) the first 15 was been spruiked as title contenders. Instead they finished with 2 wins (one against the team below on the ladder and the other against the team above them on the ladder).

As a school, in all age groups across 35 teams ranging from As to Es etc. they didn’t win one premiership. Now this is a trend that’s happened for a long period of time now. So it’s not a one off. Please also take into account that the GT f/a was - 110 for the season, with only BGS worse at - 183.

Surpely you can’t be happy with this? As many current parents I speak too, are unimpressed with the school. Would love to hear your views on what’s going on there?
Look @Zoomer1 i am not happy at all with GT's season. However, i have two arguments to discuss:

1. INJURIES
GT were extremely unlucky with injuries in key positions this year in the 1stXV. Now i know other schools had injuries too, but GT had the most by far. And with little depth in the opens program, GT cannot afford to have so many players missing time on the field. Walking around Tennyson last Saturday was like being in the middle of the Gallipoli landing.
McGahan (captain) missed round 6-9 with a fractured scapula and then tore his meniscus in the first 20 minutes when he returned in round 8 against BSHS.
Clifford (vice captain) missed rounds 5-9 with a major leg injury.
Nasser (vice captain) missed round 3 for personal reasons, and about 60 minutes of round 9 after injuring his ankle.
McGrath (second row) missed over half the season with a disc injury in his back.
Weir (prop) missed the final two rounds with a wrist injury.
Wines missed round 1 with a re-occurring shoulder injury.
That's 6 starters who were in and out of the team all year long, and the entire captaincy group had to be replaced. When injuries struck, GT were sitting at 2 wins and 1 loss, and finished the year with 5 straight losses. A team like NC could deal with this many injuries due to their amazing depth in the program.

2. NOT HAVING BOARDERS
GT are also at a great disadvantage as they do not have a boarding program at the school. Boys from the hunter valley and far NQ cannot go to Terrace unless the entire family wants to move down as well. Schools like NC, ACGS, TSS, TGS have a large boarder population and have the ability to recruit boys from these remote places that seem to be rugby breeding grounds.
BGS, GT, AND BSHS are the three schools without a boarding program in the GPS and you can see how they struggle to import players on scholarships. State high are a public school, so everyone can afford to go there. GT however, are not a public school and school fees are not affordable for everyone.

So, for a school that experienced a whole bunch of injuries in key positions, and without a boarding program to house players from regional areas, i think GT are doing alright. The amount of kids playing at the school, and the history of the school are the only things keeping GT rugby alive. But next year i expect better things from a team who has over half of their starters back for either a second or third year of 1stXV footy. I see them coming no lower than 3rd next year. MARK MY WORDS.

Cheers, WJ.
 

Newitonga

Larry Dwyer (12)
I respect and understand that this forum is for the QLD GPS competition, but for the sake of the schoolboy Rugby Union enthusiasts on here, let me clarify a few things.

The last and only time Barker 1st XV was the best schoolboy rugby team in NSW was in 2018. They beat Joeys by 1 point and King's by 4 points (those two schools were the AAGPS co-premiers in 2018) both in trial matches, beat Waverley by 2 in the CAS, and went the season undefeated beating both AAGPS winners and going undefeated in the CAS. However, that Barker 2018 team being as good as it was was a one off for the school in being the best rugby school in NSW, and is subsequently the epidemy of the great extent of how importing can impact schoolboy rugby success.

I don't blame schoolboy rugby supporters from the QLD GPS to think that Barker is the best rugby school in NSW, which can be assumed is the reason why they're playing the best rugby school in QLD (Nudgee) in an annual match from 2022 onwards. The only reason why Barker is playing Nudgee is quite frankly because they were the school from Sydney that initiated and organised to play against the top school in Brisbane, as when that annual Barker v Nudgee fixture started in 2022, Barker won the CAS, and still were not the best team in Sydney that year. However in Sydney, there is minimal affiliation between the CAS competition teams and AAGPS competition teams besides 1 or 2 trial fixtures at the start of the season. There is nothing at the end of the season that clearly determines what team each year is the best in NSW, although, it is always evident who it is. Thinking that Barker is the best rugby school in NSW is simply incorrect. Every year there is a combined AAGPS 1st XV team selected of the best players from each of the 6 AAGPS schools, who play against a combined CAS 1st XV that groups together the best players in the CAS competition into one representative team. This is a very coveted match every year, in which AAGPS often wins, and in recent years, won very convincingly against CAS (it was a blowout in favour of AAGPS in 2022 and 2023). The last time CAS combined 1st XV beat the combined AAGPS 1st XV was 2018, the one and only year Barker were the best in NSW. So given that information regarding the GPS v CAS game and the results of when AAGPS schools play against CAS schools (and other knowledge/information), it is practically undeniable that the AAGPS is the best competition in NSW (hence why CAS school Knox was trying to join the AAGPS back in 2010 and St Augustine's wants to join as well in recent times - neither will happen - history is integral to the AAGPS), and the best rugby school in the AAGPS is Joeys, without a doubt. Given that Joeys is the best rugby school in NSW, I would say they're the best in Australia (no I do not go there nor went there), so really if the best rugby school of NSW was to play the best rugby school in QLD every year, it would be St Joseph's College Hunters Hill v St Joseph's College Nudgee. Just to clarify, Joeys in NSW is like Nudgee in QLD, they're the juggernaut of the competition, are very strong each year, and have the most success in the competition.

Furthermore, Barker is likely not even the best rugby school in the CAS, it would be Waverley, then Barker, then Knox, then Trinity, then Cranbrook, then St Aloysius. Barker has evidently given the impression in recent years that they're the best school in NSW due to winning the (lesser) CAS competition, in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024. However Barker is extremely notorious for importing for their 1sts (not sure if that word is banned on this thread), which is why Barker rugby struggles in the lower opens teams and younger years immensely, and only have 4 opens teams each year, as there isn't even a major rugby culture at the school, because they're success is reliant on bringing in talent, rather than building it among their students using coaches and their rugby program, which is what each AAGPS schools do, which is why the AAGPS has more depth and is more competitive. I know a member of Barker staff and they tell me about the kids they bring in during year 10 of schooling. There are quite literally coaches at Barker whose job it is to scout out players from other schools (that are not at a CAS level rugby school, and so those scouted/talented players want to promote themselves into a a more coveted competition - those scouts don't target AAGPS players, as they wouldn't drop down to the CAS competition) or from club rugby programs. For example, the current Australian U18s fullback Charlie Poynton from Barker, was at St Augustine's (which is in the ISA competition) till year 9, then got imported to Barker in year 10, and played in the Barker 1sts from 2022 to 2024. There are much looser restrictions on importing in the CAS competition than the AAGPS competition (it's banned and strictly policed in AAGPS), hence why AAGPS schools each have better rugby culture and subsequent depth in their rugby programs compared to CAS, which is why the AAGPS competition is so competitive and close each year, whereas imports plague the CAS and QLD GPS, which is why for those two school sporting associations there are only 3 schools every year that are the only ones ever really to be in contention for the premiership (Waverley, Barker, Knox and Nudgee, TSS, Churchie)

Just so you know, here is my list of the best rugby school in NSW from 2015. This may help to inform your knowledge regarding the Australian U18 selections recently and clarify your knowledge regarding your comments on NSW rugby. I could expand this list and do from many years before 2015, but have already written a lot in this post, and you specifically in your comment referred to recent years.

2015. Scots
2016. Scots
2017. Scots and Waverley
2018. Barker
2019. Joeys
2020. King's/Waverley
2021. Riverview / Waverly
2022. Joeys
2023. King's
2024. Shore/St Augustine's

I find it quite humorous that you say Nudgee are too good for Joeys. I know NSW schoolboy rugby quite well (not sure how I can say that in a humble manner over keyboard/technology), and comparatively a bit less knowledgeable on QLD schoolboy rugby, as I reside with the NSW competitions, but am connected to Churchie. To put it numerically, if Joeys was to play Nudgee every year from 2000, Joeys would likely win about 18 of those games. It's a hard pill to swallow (for me included) but they are the top rugby school in Australia, hence why they've produced the most Wallabies out of any school in the nation (Nudgee has produced 26 and Joeys 48). I sense that you interpret that Joeys is no longer (due to their performance in the past two years) good enough to play against Nudgee. Joeys has always remained at the top of the AAGPS rugby competition, and considering that the past two years Joeys did not win, does not infer that Joeys has fallen off (at all) to where they wouldn't be good enough to play Nudgee. It just goes to show that there is more depth in the NSW AAGPS, as the competition has more potential winners as it's a lot closer and more competitive than the QLD GPS, which seems to be the same couple of schools winning the competition each year. Joeys rugby always remains at a high level every year and is practically in premiership contention each year, but every once in a while each school builds a team that knocks off Joeys, and vice versa Joeys every few years builds a team that is simply too strong. And just so you know, more than half of Joeys 1st XV in 2024 was boys younger than year 12, and they came a close second in the AAGPS this year against boys older than them, so I predict that there will be a lot of Joeys boys in the Australian U18s next year, as some were unfortunate not to make it this year (I already elaborated this on the NSW 2025 AAGPS thread).

Your comment regarding the Joeys v Riverview rivalry saying that it is not as significant as a 'premiership decider on Ross oval', I think I can assume is affected by the fact that when Riverview hosts the game against Joeys, they have to move it to an NRL ground, because it gets so many people in attendance that the last time it was held at Riverview was 2018, there was 10,000 people there, and things got out of hand because of the number of people there. Look that game up on youtube, that is probably one of the best schoolboy rugby games in Australia of all time and is so significant it is dubbed 'Joeys premiership at the death' as they won the Premiership from that game in the final plays of the final game of the season. It is definitely fair to say that the Joeys v Riverview rivalry is probably unmatched in Australia, this year Riverview got the two NRL Footy Show presenters Fletch and Hindy to be part of their promotional video for the game, and got Gus Gould to go to the Riverview campus in 2016 for the promotional video. Those games when held at Riverview would get consistently around 10,000 each game (there's footage proof of that all over the internet - I think there is snippets of old games and crowds in Riverview's 2024 View v Joeys 'hype up' video). Whether or not you think which competition has had more significant and coveted games in the past depends on which competition each person follows more, but here are two other such games from NSW AAGPS. The 1997 premiership decider of Kings v Shore had 17,000 people in attendance, and there was about just under 10,000 at the Shore v Joeys game this year. The reason for the decline of attendance of spectators to schoolboy rugby union is due to league popularity surging in recent years, and plus in that 1997 game an abundance of AAGPS supporters (old boys and parents) went to that premiership decider, instead of going to their specific school that they support's game, due to how coveted the AAGPS premiership is and how popular schoolboy rugby and union was at the time (I have an extremely credible and well known source who told me this regarding the decline in popularity of schoolboy rugby union, but I cannot expose who they are - and just so you know, NSW schoolboy rugby union is similar to QLD schoolboy rugby union in that it's not rock bottom like how the Wallabies and there fanbase is).


Here is an explanation regarding your comments about the Shore and Joeys stands/playing fields. There are two words as to why Shore's main field is also used for cricket, distancing the grand stand away from the field, and why the Joeys stand is not being rebuilt even though you perceive it to be 'past its use by date'; history and tradition. Shore makes up for having the grand stand distanced from the field, as it's practically like a chunk/section of a stadium was placed on the side of their main oval (which is also used for cricket), which no other school in Australia besides Knox has a grandstand to that extent. Joeys keeps their traditional stand and applies the principle 'if it's not broken, don't fix it', as it fits the entire school, and because it is named after Brother Henry; The Brother Henry Pavilion, who was integral to rugby at Joeys and was fundamental to their long standing rugby heritage, tradition and success.


Apologies for my rant, your statements to my initial message were extremely broad and required a lot of explanation in order to help those foreign to the NSW competitions to understand them better and clarify things which needed such clarifications, and remove any incorrect assumptions about NSW schoolboy rugby. Anyways, well done to Nudgee for winning the premiership this year, they deserve it after the great season they've had. If you would like to respond to this, it would likely be better to do so by private messaging me, so that this forum can remain on the topics of QLD GPS rugby, unless you perceive it to be so important it must appear on here.

If Nudgee wants to declare themselves as the best rugby school in Australia, they should be looking more-so to play the winner of the AAGPS each year.
 

Sofit

Herbert Moran (7)
All good and solid response and I was of course being a bit provocative to bring out some good banter, as well as the fact I am still retaining the positive glow after the amazing finish to the GPS rugby Premiership. What an event that was.

I used to go to a lot of the Sydney GPS matches, particularly at Scots but also at Shore, Joeys and Riverview. I liked the atmosphere at Scots the most and the setting up on the hill overlooking the harbour on a rainy, windy Sydney day. It felt a bit like being in Scotland and the new castle they are building on their main rugby pitch will add to that atmosphere. Yes...I said castle they are building...google it, its amazing.

I need some time to properly run through all of these well thought our paragraphs before I respond properly.
 

rugby.jacko

Ward Prentice (10)
Love the AAGPS getting some voice in the forum. I attended View up until G10 before transferring to GT in 89.

The idea of the all-star games in the AAGPS is tremendous to me. I would love to see an All-Star GPS vs AAGPS game in the future. I know that it's unlikely to happen but still, what a cracker that would be.

I also believe a St Joseph's Cup should be held between Nudgee College and Joeys. Crowds would be enormous no matter the location. And would undoubtedly be a consistent game year to year, unlike Nudgee vs Barker which predominately doesn't bring as much traction to the sport as it could. With the Australian rugby Union culture slowly dying, improving schoolboy competitions and popularity is key for the future of Australian Rugby Union...
 

WHACKO_JACKO.GT

Larry Dwyer (12)
I’m sorry but I don’t think you can blame the GT program being mediocre cause they don’t have boarders.
I think you can.
Of the NC team, the boarders are: Rauluni, Grenfell, Hart, Graham, Welfare, Johnson. Nearly 50% of the playing group.
Of BBC, the boarders are: Clifford, Howarth, Jione, Taka, Kennedy, Eagle. All key players for BBC
Of ACGS, the boarders are: Blanch, Ward, Gordon, prop (unaware of name)

So GT miss out on having another 4 or 5 quality players due to no boarding. Maybe that would fill the void of the injuries.
 

Zoomer1

Bob McCowan (2)
Firstly whose “Graham”? Secondly I am lost with these remote places you speak of that make better footballers? Jacob Jonson lives in Ascot, Hugo hart is another local boy, Carter is from a tiny town called emu park, raulini is from yeppon. Are these the places that produce better footballers than anywhere else in Australia?
 

Oracle83

Bill McLean (32)
Whacko I have abstained thus far but all I hear are excuses re a school you claim have the finest of Rugby histories and there’s some merit in that.

Injuries - every school has them, some years worse than others

Boarding - tell the school to buy a hotel -they buy everything else in Spring Hill. If they are committed to it and it’s a big operation to run then do it for regional Australia. State High does not have boarders FYI. Terrace is located in the heart of Brisbane which presents a huge advantage to attract the best students of Brisbane - Tarrace to its merits focuses on academic and credit to it for that but that is a choice.

also terrace has historically had some scholarship programs where other parents go collect and deliver kids to school training and games to counter for the lack of boarding.

Terrace is a great school but I reckon you just need to suck it up and accept what they are and that’s a highly regarded and well balanced school with nowhere for kids to run wild at lunchtime.
 

Zoomer1

Bob McCowan (2)
Yeah I agree whole heartedly with what you say. What I keep hearing though is this balanced school? I don’t understand that? In terms of sport (which like it or not is an integral part of a school program). They come closer to last than first in so many aspects: I will give you an example, and I will use Nudgee as the barometer. But this year Nudgee beat GT in the following:

Rugby
Tennis
Swimming
Soccer
Cricket
Volleyball
basketball
DEBATING
CHESS
And which all due respect you will probably finish second last in Athletics

now I am not hating on terrace but I can’t see the wholistic reference that these people speak of. If it’s academia your after why not go to BGS, because your certainly not getting your other needs met.
 

LawsonCreightonFan

Stan Wickham (3)
Ok mate, you are quite obviously either a big Nudgee supporter or a huge GT hater and I think this has become quite obvious to all other users on this forum. I'd have to agree with @WHACKO_JACKO.GT I feel that the GT have had significant injuries throughout the season all of which I feel definitely had a major impact on their season. Honestly a bit sad to see that the hose has obviously become detached at Ross again and the Nudgee boys seem to be leaking their nonsense all over this forum, with the season over now I had hoped we could have some in depth and reasonable conversation about the end of the season and look to the 2025 season but its obvious @Zoomer1 simply wants to come on here and have a crack at a GT side plagued by injuries. Get back to numeracy champ the Maccas down the road from me needs a few new fry cooks soon. With externals so close I'd hope this nonsensical chirp stops getting thrown from Nudgee around the GPS, the boys should start focussing on their upcoming 13th year of education to achieve a prestigious 55 ATAR helping them achieve the Colts 2 and business management degree at Griffith.
Cheers,
LCF
 

John_Pork.Official

Frank Row (1)
No Depth in their Program. Do NOT Disrespect the GT 2nd XV! :mad: (Boy I am so mad RN....)

You want to to complain about injuries - 29 different boys had to wear the 2nd XV jumper this year due to injuries, yet the team was still able to finish with a 5-3 record. During rounds 4-6, there were 7 players simultaneously injured, yet you don't hear any of the seconds boys complaining. Why? Because these men embrace a winning "One Team, One Goal" mentality.

The 2nd XV comp better watch out for the likes of Harry Jackson, Will Dennis and WHITE LIGHTNING

#Lombardi, Lombardi, Lombardi!!!!!!!!!!

Kind Regards
John Pork
 

iloverugby020

Frank Row (1)
Joey's aren't a match for Nudgee these days...
I disagree with the statement "joeys aren't a match up for Nudgee". Yes Joeys haven't won the last 2 years which is unusual as joeys are well known as the "power house" of Australian schoolboy rugby, 2023 for joeys was a bizarre year some might say, as many boys born in '05 were in the class of 22 leaving some of the power houses from younger age groups to graduate early, which lead to fresh faces putting the famous cerise and blue 'triple bar', throughout the season joeys lost 4 games by 2 points or less, drew 2, and won 3. In the 2024 season 8 out of the 15 Joeboys were in year 10 or 11, through the 24 season joeys had a very good start to the season by leading the ladder 5 wins and 1 loss (to a kick on the bell against kings). After the break the Joeboys had an unfortunate second half going winning 1 out of 3. I strongly think it would be awesome to see the battle of St Josephs happen, St Josephs college Hunters Hill (joeys) v St Joesphs Nudgee college (Nudgee) I really feel this matchup would be one of the century as both teams are the schoolboy power houses of each state, Nudgee winning 45 prems and joeys with 57. I also feel that it would be a strong match up as both schools have a rich history, fostering a competitive spirit that will create an awesome atmosphere, Both schools have such a strong rugby program with incredible depth and coaching, both schools are renowned for having world class skill level, and the community support as both schools draw significant crowds as its compulsory for all joeys students to attend and "if you play you stay" at Nudgee.

Everyone's opinion is different I just wanted to voice my point of view.

Signing out iloverugby020.
 

Devilsinthedetail

Frank Row (1)
Zoomer apparently is a big man. He spills more than everyone makes according to one of his posts earlier. He along with the old Dcarter have been nothing but arrogant towards anyone who says anything negative towards Nudgee. Have been peeved with these guys (or perhaps they are the same guy) most of the year with their blatent dripple and putting down of others opinions. Have called them out before buy alas my posts have been deemed wrong and were deleted. Good to see someone else call them/him out. This one will surely also been gone shortly...
 

John_Pork.Official

Frank Row (1)
Couldn't Agree more mate. I too have had my fair share of criticisms against Zoomer and Dcarter, but they must be friends with the people who run the forum because my messages have also be deleted. Glad I am not the only one who recognises their shortcomings.
 

Wicked Left Foot

Frank Nicholson (4)
Courier Team of the Year

1. Kingsley Uys (TSS)
2. John Grenfell (NC)
3. Charlie Hollyman (GT)
4. Ed Kasperwicz (NC)
5. Eli Langi (BSHS)
6. Hugo Hart (NC)
7. Trent Picot (BSHS)
8. Roman Siulepa (BSHS)
9. Sam Watson (NC)
10. Tom Siganto (BGS)
11. Amaziah Murgha (IGS)
12. Frank Howarth (BBC)
13. Kilarney Lavender (TSS)
14. Nick Conway (NC)
15. Jacob Johnson (NC)

16. Blaze Moana (TSS)
17. Tyler Maybery (BBC)
18. George Ward (ACGS)
19. Oli Nasser (GT)
20. Gray O'Neill (BBC)
21. Isaac Kefu (BBC)
22. Max Blanch (ACGS)
23. Myles Rosemond (TGS)

NC - 6, BSHS - 3, BBC - 4, TSS - 3, IGS - 1, TGS - 1, ACGS - 2, GT - 2, BGS - 1
 
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