QLD GPS Rugby 2015

[Breakdown]

The Churchie premiership was built on an exceptionally talented 15A side which won their competition back in 2012. Into this team Churchie parachuted about 8 boys who were either NRL contracted players ( Mason, Croft, Su'a, Ponga) or recruited players from other competitions (Fox, Webb, Perese, Asiata) then hired a coach who did nothing at all except concentrate on 1st XV rugby. That all of these players were at state or national level in either RL or RU was the single most important factor tipping the scales Churchie's way. They had a simple game plan. Scott Young or Asiata did the alternate hit ups and the rest cleaned out and worked play towards the centre of the field in the opposition 25m then Mason looked for a numbers imbalance or unleashed Ponga or Perese against a tight forward caught out defensively in the back line. If there is any coaching astuteness , it was keeping it simple and letting the talent do the work. I've said before, Dame Edna could have coached this premiership. From what I am hearing, the interesting point at Churchie is that their new Rugby Director Moloney and the new 1st XV coach Lucas are so much more hands on in the coaching across all school teams, not just the 1st XV that it is drastically showing up how little was done to develop this aspect of the "program" under the previous regime. As 15As back in 2013, the 2015 Churchie boys came second in their competition and have Croft and Sua added to this as recruited Year 11s from 2014, plus regulars Wallis and Kuchel plus Williams, MacMillan and Hockings who saw some cameo roles in 2014. I'd tip them for a top 3 spot from what I have seen of a few matches over the past few years.

Fairly certain Mason was at Downlands in 2012.

 

[Gungenia]

Out of interest how many of those U15 A's are expected to start in 2015 and how many played more than half the games in 2014??

we are not allowed to say for fear that ME will accuse of "hyping it up " but around 8 of that team played at least 4 matches in first xv and around 5 played every match.

 

[Justmum]

B&G
It appears you are correct. Good reports from GT about new players:
-2 in grade 11 from Cav rd;
-massive number 8 in grade 9 from sunnybank;
- 2 in grade 8 from Camp Hill SS that both made Qld rugby league team.

good job GT-bring them in early so they adapt to the culture.
There are either 8 or 9 from players from last years Qld under 12 RL team (described as the best in a decade) that have gone to BSHS.!!!

Interested to find out who the number 8 from Sunnybank is....there were 2 Sunnybank boys came in last year. One (from the tight 5)was injured for most of the season, and the other played #8, do you mean one of them? There has been one other newbie come in I believe, but he is an Outside Centre. Do we know a name at all??

 

[Tashara]

A quick look at last year's u12's Schools Rugby State Championship 'Program Guide' tells me there is one boy from Camp Hill SS who played for Met East. I believe he was also a State League Rep. No mention of any other Campers in the Union Met East Team.

If that is true about the 8 or 9 players from the Qld u12 RL team playing for BSHS, you would expect them to do very well this year in the u13's. It'll be interesting to see how that goes for them.

 

[Garry Owens]

Nothing like a bit of exaggeration

BSHS has 4 players from last year's U12 SL team - 2 backs and 2 forwards

Ipswich Grammar have one of the forwards

Terrace have one of the backs

With the exception of the shorncliffe lad the rest I am told are at Rugby League schools

Insofar as JustMum's post I am assuming you were talking about the U14 team at Terrace ?

 

[Garry Owens]

Dont forget IGS have about 8 from Met West union & League teams and swamped everyone in grade 7 last year.

I am still backing BBC to go back to back in 14 A s this year (unless the blue /whites have brought in the cavalry )

And I wouldn't read much into the Met thing ...especially Met West when you consider the cupcakes that were in Ipswich's pool

The other pool had Greenbank and Central with the Silvertails of Taylor Bridge
And despite dismantling both of these teams there were only 6 boys picked for possibles team from Taylor Bridge to play a stacked probables team from IGS that you know.....knew how to play Rugny and had some coaching in that regard

2 x Taylor Bridge kid was picked in entire Met West team

A kid got selected to Met West that didn't even trial just because he had played Met West Rugby League

The Met thing really means very little ....certainly in judging young forwards ...however the State League boys do seem to shine as backs if you have a Pack that has been coached how to play breakdown .....like the ultimate winners of the State Champs Met East

 

[GSP]

dropped the young fellow off at under 8s at Yoku rd and doubled back to watch BBC v Ashgrove

in particular wanted to watch the much vaunted BBC backline with 3 in Aussie 7 squad and the 15 Ngamu that the King says may be the next Kalen Ponga
match played in 3 x 25 min thirds
BBC parent confirmed no new boys at school in squad
game 1 -BBC ran its top team minus Gunter. suprised to see 11 and 14 from last year playing 13 and 9(yes-halfback)
BBC won 26 nil
15 was good and strong in tackle but no where near as fast as Ponga.
Captain and Qld1 lock Darcy was BOF.BBC 10 very dangerous. but the wingers lacked a bit of pace and were run down 2x . dilemma for BBC if they break up back 3 from last year as they did today is lack of pace on wings.
Game 2
mainly 16A players with Gunter who got sin binned straight away
BBC won 12-7 but got dished up in scrums
Huge huge gap between BBc teams 1 and 2
Game 3
BBCwon 21 nil
team 1 back on except Darcy off Gunter on and 15 and 10 swapped positions
Gunter scored a barnstorming try as did the big number 3
Can I mention the 3 words again that haunt BBC " lack of depth"
they better hope Darcy and number 10 stay fit .

TG
Agree with most of what you say.
I was impressed with Ashgrove-great technique and brilliant tackling out wide.
But Einstein was correct"size and speed usually overcomes".
No real surprises:
1) BBC have an over abundance of backline stars but a problem of where to put them.I though 15 in game 2 (Cotton-ARU Gold) should be in team 1;
2) BBC lack depth in key positions in the forwards. If 4 & 5 get injured then trouble;
3) they clearly look happy and playing a more expansive game under Phillpotts off loads in the tackle being a highlight.

I still cant see them troubling NC in the forward battle.

 

[Rugby Spirit]

Interested to find out who the number 8 from Sunnybank is..there were 2 Sunnybank boys came in last year. One (from the tight 5)was injured for most of the season, and the other played #8, do you mean one of them? There has been one other newbie come in I believe, but he is an Outside Centre. Do we know a name at all??

I believe last years 13s (This years 14s) at GT had 2 boys from Sunnybank a front rower and a #8 and this year they picked up another boy in the Centres from Sunnybank -
Finally, I don't believe anyone should be posting names of 13 and 14 year old boys on this forum.

 

[Quakezone]

I believe last years 13s (This years 14s) at GT had 2 boys from Sunnybank a front rower and a #8 and this year they picked up another boy in the Centres from Sunnybank -
Finally, I don't believe anyone should be posting names of 13 and 14 year old boys on this forum.

Lots of movement from all schools in this age group in terms of recruitment, Ippy and BBC and BSHS from last year have new boys in the ranks adding to already strong squads

 

[Galloper]

Hewat is 17 turning 18 at the end of the year and is not doing 3 year senior, just regular old year 11 and 12.. so what are you saying now... that if the boys are turning 18 in their last school year legitimately they shouldn't be playing 1st XV?

Nope, I'm not saying that now, and if you check my posts you'll note that I haven't said it previously either.
I didn't originally mention Hewat, as I wasn't thinking about him.
My comments related to the practice of completing Years 11 and 12 over three years specifically for rugby purposes. If, unlike me, you think that's a good thing you are welcome to articulate your reasoning.

 

[Blindside391]

^^^^^

What makes you think that some of these boys do it for rugby purposes? There are other things I can think of like maybe a balance between school-work-footy? I wouldnt be too quick to judge without knowing their situation. Some of these boys made first when 15 turning 16 so I don't see anything wrong with them playing a third season 17 to 18.

 

[Galloper]

^^^^^
To answer your question, mainly because the boys I'm talking about have specifically been brought to the school to play rugby.
I don't know the answer to this, and I guess it could vary from school to school, but are all boys given the option of completing their senior education, or just elite sportsmen?

 

[Spirax]

I agree Blindside, each individual boy has very different circumstances, which must be taken into consideration. Just because they are doing 3 year senior does not mean it is specifically for rugby purposes, and just because Nudgee has one or two boys doing 3 year senior does not mean that the practice is prolific and/or unfair. Maybe if the whole team was doing it it would be a different story....

Gavin Luca is doing 3 year senior first and foremost to ensure that he gets the best marks he possibly can; and by all accounts he is doing very well and is a very good student.

 

[William Wallace]

^^^^
THIS SOUNDS LIKE FUN:
Is this forum, "Schoolboy Rugby"? Well then, if you become an adult in your last year of schooling then perhaps you no longer qualify for "schoolboy" teams!

 

[Spirax]

But they are a school boy.... and many are not adults until the end of the school year, or at least after the school rugby season finishes....

 

[Spirax]

Would also make it interesting for Australian School Boy Rugby where most other states boys finish school in their 18th year.....

 

[William Wallace]

But they are a school boy.. and many are not adults until the end of the school year, or at least after the school rugby season finishes..

Truly, is it fair though? Let's say a boy doing schooling the traditional way turns 16 late in year 12. In Qld, that is highly possible. Then, let's say that a another "boy" does senior over 3 years and turns 18 early in his second year of Yr 12. This creates a two year age gap between the 16 year old and 18 year old. This is massive considering the changes in physical growth, strength and aggression. Should we encourage this by allowing schools to stack their teams with 2nd year, year 12 players who are turning 18?

 

[Garry Owens]

I don't see the big deal

The reality is School Rugby ( and all School Sports at an elite level ) has become a lot more elevated in the demands that are placed on the student.

It just makes sense for some who aren't geniuses or ruthlessly efficient at the age of 16 to spread the load over a longer period of time

All schools have kids that are doing it

And beyond the Sport thing ....I was surprised to attend my niece's 18th birthday party recently and talk to a large number of these young people who have already either dropped out of what they got into or are taking a year off etc ..... A lot of them don't really know what they want or are doing something for the sake of doing something . All hail Doogy Howser ...if Doogs has shit together at 16 and knows what he wants and is going for it as soon as he can get there . But the kid that needs longer to make sure he can take some measure in his approach ...well....awesome I say

So what if they've already got the body of a fully grown man and can play Rugby at a ( comparatively ) elite level ? I know that there is the right vocational guidance at some points and trust it is the same at other points I am not as familiar with

Play on

 

[Spirax]

Truly, is it fair though? Let's say a boy doing schooling the traditional way turns 16 late in year 12. In Qld, that is highly possible. Then, let's say that a another "boy" does senior over 3 years and turns 18 early in his second year of Yr 12. This creates a two year age gap between the 16 year old and 18 year old. This is massive considering the changes in physical growth, strength and aggression. Should we encourage this by allowing schools to stack their teams with 2nd year, year 12 players who are turning 18?

Who is "stacking" their teams with these men?

And what about my point about Australian School Boy Rugby where most other states boys finish school in their 18th year...

 

[Garry Owens]

So Tom Barker coaching the 13A's at Terrace huh ?