QLD GPS Rugby 2013

[Dark Shark]

And while the headmasters are at it, a bit more navel gazing would see a good decision being changing the playing groups back to year levels rather than age levels, so that boys can play with their mates. With the new cohort of kids coming through with a June 30 year entry cut-off, they may as well make the change now before the playing groups are all over the place like a mad woman's breakfast !!

Have to disagree with you on this Vegas. Playing in year levels at this point would lead to a very big imbalance in ages across the schools if played at Year level. At the moment, most schools have a calendar year intake for their students. However, there are a couple of schools who either have as policy or encourage students to defer starting school a year. TSS has been aligned to the NSW system with a later age intake and which is also the upcoming QLD system which was changed a couple of years ago. In QLD, the first cohort with this change hits the schools for year 8 in 2015 and do Senior in 2019 I believe.

In this year at the QLD GPS rowing (which is Year level based) TSS fielded a Year 10 Firsts crew where they had all turned 16 by the beginning of March. Most of the other schools had either 14 or just turned 15 year olds in their Year 10 crews. That's the rules for rowing and no problems with that. But if Rugby was based on Year level, one or two schools would have an advantage because of their differing intake polices. The disparity would be too great and dangerous through the younger levels and no doubt the "two year" window policy by the ARU may be compromised.

I say, the safest thing is to keep the age based levels with a "power" / contact sport such as rugby. Some kids and parents just have to realise that sometimes you cannot play with your mates and to go out and make new mates.

 

[Dark Shark]

Couple of observations about the GT/NC match yesterday. Terrace had a number of injuries that disrupted patterns by the look of them. I understand NC also were down a number.
Quite tight for the first half with both teams well matched. Around 17-3 at half
Nudgee started slowly but ultimately were far stronger. Lost #12 with a nasty looking ankle injury, unsure who it was. Ultimately they scored a number of tries in the second half from hard fast straight running mostly down the left wing. The pack were good but not dominant.

The Fowler/Horan combination were better than i had seem for a while particularly Fowlers service was a meter or two quicker than last year.

Jenkins scored two well taken tries on the left wing, walters filling in for Larosa had a great game and on a couple of occasions the Terrace pack dominated in the scrum, which was surprising. Terrace will win a few this year and I suspect Nudgee may lose a couple.

I heard Rodwell played in the front row. Has played all his high school and rep rugby at flanker or No. 8, so do not know if this was a permanent move, which seems very strange or just the ability to trial boys in new positions before the season proper commenced next week. Maybe why NC were unusally dominated in the front row.

Also heard that IGS had the better of the three way game with BGS and BBC and that BGS then had it over BBC yesterday. But don't know the composition of teams and who did or did not play.

 

[Dark Shark]

GT 10. Terrible game. GT missing Leofa, Grace, Larosa, Laxon. I'd imagine NC were missing some too.

I think Grace will be starting in the 16's for the time being and Leofa will miss most of the season with inury.

 

[Knockers]

Went out to watch the BBC game yesterday as I was interested to see all of their talented new players. I think they will be pretty good this year but expect to see them mid table. Were missing a few key players by the looks of it.

BGS were missing Aiono (not sure if they are still playing him in the front row). BGS will also be good this year and will be looking at a 3rd/4th finish. Will be interesting to see how they front up against Nudgee in Round 1 at Northgate. Their line out is dominant with really tall locks (Laud, Cox). Trey Kemp seems to have adapted well to number 8.

 

[Refabit]

BBC will only be mid-table if another 5 or 6 AIC schools join the GPS comp. Or Sommerville House.
Mind you I suppose GT and BSHS are in the comp too so a couple of wins aren't outside the realms of possibilities.
Can't imagine lightning striking 2 years in a row for BGS either. I think they will be reset to factory defaults (bottom half).
Nudgee are favourites ... every year they are in it.

 

[The Guru]

Vegas - spot on here. I have to say how the QRFSU teams go at the Nationals is probably not something the GPS Heads worry too much about. An irrefutable fact is that in the GPS schools, rugby is the biggest participation sport. With Term 3 rugby, the most important exams for senior boys plus the QCS test falls in the last third of the season, making things quite difficult for boys focused on their studies. Meanwhile soccer gets term 2 billing which is a farce because the A level soccer teams owe allegiance to their clubs before their schools as their rep pathway is club based. There may be a smattering of teams out on ovals but nothing like rugby season. I know because I have picked up sons and nephews after trainings for other sports and seen it for myself. Any boy thinking he can successfully play A level soccer and then rugby simply can't do both because the rugby season effectively begins by halfway through Term 2. By the way, I heard today that IGS is flat out forming a 16A rugby side this year. With virtually only a firsts and seconds in Open and the 16's the only other area the school can draw on, depth may be a significant issue by the second half of the season. A sorry scene at a former rugby powerhouse.

ME I agree with you/.The list out last week shows IGS & BSHS only fielding 13 teams.

 

[ruggasXV]

Okay lads, first round of fixtures are this weekend so we have plenty of time to discuss tips and key players. I know some of my tips have changed after watching some of the trial matches. Home teams are on the left.


ROUND 1 (20 / 07 / 13)

GT v TSS
BGS v NC
TGS v BBC
BSHS v ACGS

TSS
NC
TGS
ACGS

Going to try and head out to Northgate to see how last year's premiers shape up against one of this year's favourites.

 

[Refabit]

TSS by 40
Nudgee by 30
TGS by 20
Churchie by 40

 

[SeaEagles]

Okay lads, first round of fixtures are this weekend so we have plenty of time to discuss tips and key players. I know some of my tips have changed after watching some of the trial matches. Home teams are on the left.


ROUND 1 (20 / 07 / 13)

GT v TSS
BGS v NC
TGS v BBC
BSHS v ACGS

TSS
NC
TGS
ACGS

Going to try and head out to Northgate to see how last year's premiers shape up against one of this year's favourites.

Agree - looks like a pretty straight forward round.
With the exception of the game up on the range. Have not seen anything of TGS and it will depend on exactly what team BBC put on the park. This could go either way by at least 15 points.
TSS look the goods and should do GT by 20.
NC might get a tougher game than they think against BGS. NC by less than 7. (go the light blue though!)
ACGS should account for the High School by 15+

 

[Dark Shark]

After watching a couple of the interschool trials and performances by individuals at the State Trials, I think this year could see some very close results through out the comp. I sincerely believe that any team on its day can win their respective matches and we may see some upsets / close competition this season.
Only last year, one of the cellar dwellers, BBC, went within a whisker of knocking off the eventual premiers, BGS.

Rather than rank them in order of finishing, I have grouped them as Favourites, Challengers and Teams that can cause an Upset.

As always for some schools, depth of talent will be an issue. If there are some injuries to key players, it will turn the team's chances on top of its head. Last year we saw some predictions go out the window very quickly because of injury tolls and key player unavailability for some teams.

While there is definitely some hedging below, I think that the efforts put in by all the schools and players into their rugby programmes to ensure competitiveness has put away some of the score blowouts that occurred two or more years ago. It is also why, it is difficult to say with certainty which team is a mile in from of all the others.

Favourites
TSS, NC

The potential premiership decider will be in Round 4 on 10 Aug down at Southport. I am leaning towards TSS because of their physicality, skills and having the comps best playmaker in Mitch Third. However, Nudgee know how to win. Over the last four years, NC in this age group were undefeated for three years and only dropped a couple of games last year when over half of their 16's were playing in Firsts.

Challengers
IGS, ACGS

IGS are the smokey. With no real fan fare or build up they have assembled quite a good playing group. With Anderson having come from seemingly nowhere to be one of the flyhalves in the Aust A team, he will play a key role. But as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, a few injuries and they will struggle.

ACGS, coming off a disappointing season last year, and with reduced expectations, a new (experienced) coach, one of QLD's leading flyhalves (Mason) in this age group and a few young guns they are looking stronger as a unit, rather than a team of individuals who can win a match.

Teams that can cause an Upset
BBC, BGS, BSHS, GT, TGS

I believe that all these teams could beat any of the above teams. However, a lack of consistency across the season due to many different factors including depth and coaching will hamper these teams from putting seven or eight wins together that are necessary to win the premiership. But if any of the other teams take these teams lightly, particularly when these teams are at home and a little later in the season when the "freshness" is lost, they will have that one extra loss that will cost them the premiership.

May it be a great and safe season for the boys and I hope they enjoy the ups and learn from the downs.

 

[Lee Grant]

Mind if I turn that post into a blog with your name on it Dark Shark?

Anybody got a couple of GPS photos to go with it?

 

[Jordan Ayton]

hey Lee Grant

Mind if I turn that post into a blog with your name on it Dark Shark?

Anybody got a couple of photos to go with it?

Hey Lee Grant me armatt and jenkins are working on a preview

 

[Lee Grant]

Okey doke - I should have contacted armatt first anyway, but didn't think.

My bad.

 

[light]

Should be a cracking season. Might head to the ACGS v BSHS this weekend for a look at the boys in blue & grey and check out State High's development.

Tipping:
TSS by 20+
NC by 10
TGS by 5
ACGS by 20+


Not surprised to see IGS thrown around as contenders, their program has taken a turn for the better in recent years and they might be due. Should be plenty of upsets this season.

 

[Knockers]

I agree with Light's prediction. I don't think Nudgee will beat BGS by any more than 10 points. I think Grammar now have an instilled winning culture which will help them challenge some of the better teams.

TSS will be all over GT. Have hear GT no longer have Daniel Sitanlie and Kyle Leofa is out with injury.

ACGS to beat BSHS by around 15 IMO. Looking forward to seeing how Mason goes in the GPS competition, as well as new players Perese and Fox. Scott-Young has apparently been playing good rugby as well.

 

[Taipan168]

My Premiership predictions 2013 (revised)

1. TSS / NC (co-premiers)

3.BBC

4.ACGS

5.GT

6.BSHS

7.BGS (too many injuries)

8.IGS

9.TGS

 

[Taipan168]

Went out to watch the BBC game yesterday as I was interested to see all of their talented new players. I think they will be pretty good this year but expect to see them mid table. Were missing a few key players by the looks of it.

BGS were missing Aiono (not sure if they are still playing him in the front row). BGS will also be good this year and will be looking at a 3rd/4th finish. Will be interesting to see how they front up against Nudgee in Round 1 at Northgate. Their line out is dominant with really tall locks (Laud, Cox). Trey Kemp seems to have adapted well to number 8.

Rumour is Aiono and Laud will be playing in the centres for Round1.
Matt Marsden flyhalf

 

[light]

I agree with Light's prediction. I don't think Nudgee will beat BGS by any more than 10 points. I think Grammar now have an instilled winning culture which will help them challenge some of the better teams.
.

Agre with this in theory. This year could be dangerous for BGS rugby, often in GPS we see success followed by disappointment the following year. They played champagne rugby last year, lets hope there are no hangovers. I see them finishing 5th or 6th and being a bogey side for the top 3.

Nudgee are always a class rugby side, they won't let Grammar get too close this time around but I can't see it being a boilover either.

 

[idaknow]

Round 1 Tipping

TSS over GT by 20
NC over BGS by 10
BBC over TGS by 3
ACGS over BSHS by 20

 

[The Guru]

BBC will only be mid-table if another 5 or 6 AIC schools join the GPS comp. Or Sommerville House.
Mind you I suppose GT and BSHS are in the comp too so a couple of wins aren't outside the realms of possibilities.
Can't imagine lightning striking 2 years in a row for BGS either. I think they will be reset to factory defaults (bottom half).
Nudgee are favourites . every year they are in it.

Mate- you have only posted 2 comments. One is unintelligible and the shows you to be. Goose- hence you have been ignored.