QLD GPS Rugby 2018

[Realist]

Come on. You do need size in your forwards. That is foolish to say otherwise. Your backs not so much. Size, strength, hit rate with tackles and ball running skills are are necessity in you forwards when competing against the likes of NZ. EVERY BACK NEEDS TO KNOW HOW TO TACKLE AND DEFEND.

Size dose not necessarily mean good

 

[Cancelled Account]

It maybe the case but all I will say if you currently look at Australia's record as compared to the Kiwi's when identifying talent I think I know who I would be taking more notice of. Also I doubt the Kiwi's would have seen much or anything of Herbert before he went over there and has obviously made a big impression in a very short period to time especially in a place that knows how to turn out flankers.

I must say that I was expecting more from the NZ Schoolboys side last Saturday at Ballymore. I know NZ got the W but the point difference was minimal in considering the wet game. The skill level other the the NZ 15 was not too different to the Aus team. The forwards were bigger and taller. The scrum was no contest. I would have liked to see the match played on a dry ground. I only watched it on the reply and noticed that the Aus team were fitter and the backs got back into position quicker. Just my opinion.

 

[Realist]

I must say that I was expecting more from the NZ Schoolboys side last Saturday at Ballymore. I know NZ got the W but the point difference was minimal in considering the wet game. The skill level other the the NZ 15 was not too different to the Aus team. The forwards were bigger and taller. The scrum was no contest. I would have liked to see the match played on a dry ground. I only watched it on the reply and noticed that the Aus team were fitter and the backs got back into position quicker. Just my opinion.

Yes I certainly agree with what you are saying in regards to Saturdays game and I thought the Kiwi's may have been a bit more dominate but they still came through with the win, but we are talking school boys. I think U20's is a different game again and I don't think you can always say, in a lot of cases, what you see at school boy level will be replicated again when it comes to U20's.
I get the impression in this country with our pathways system (correct me if I am wrong) it seems to more about trying to pick winners in a lot of cases then actually picking on current form.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Interesting changes for the 2019 Aus Schoolboys selection. Switch over to the Australian Schoolboys & National Championships 2018 thread for updates and discussion. Can anyone tell me who are the Queensland rep Year 12 leavers from each GPS school who will be eligible for next years selection?

 

[The Nomad]

To the best of my knowledge here's a list of boys finishing this year as 17 year olds who played QLD 1 or 2 , prior apologies if not completely accurate.....

Carter Gordon BBC
Zac Crothers Churchie
Matt Engelbrecht NC
Josh Flook NC
Cayle Manu NC
Zeph Tuinona BSHS
Francis Pona BSHS
Will Roach GT
Will Kirk GT
Dan Condon GT

Throw in AIC boys

Brad Kuhn SPC
John Downes MCA
Ben Gerraghty MCA
Sam Finocchiaro Iona
Bruce Tevaga Padua

Could be more ?

 

[Cancelled Account]

Well that is certainly going to change the Aus team strength next year. Essentially providing an equal balance with the NSW position placements in the team and the strength against NZ. Curious regarding TSS boys, Spencer, Zane and Tom??
I do know that Carter (Reds) and Zeph (Brumbies) have contracts, and question whether they will be released for a U18 Aus team. I also heard Spencer was in the U20 Red’s academy. In assuming that these boys are eligible and able to be selected, then the upcoming Year 12 boys will need to prove themselves early in the trials to have any chance.

 

[The Nomad]

^ Zane still has a year to go at school, only year 11 currently, still can't believe he won't be on the plane to the UK . Both Tom and Spencer are 18 this year.

It will be very interesting how selection of 18 year olds will be handled next year. First year this year with 3 academy boys into the touring squad to UK. Might be there to cover certain positions and depth. The NSW fella is a line out gun and we definitely struggled there against NZ Schools, the lad from WA is a very good flanker and both first choice flankers from this current squad ended up ruled out due to injury. Would imagine if you all of a sudden dropped a large number into the squad there would be some serious noise.

 

[Oracle83]

Anyone know the detail on Jangala Bennet signing with Cronulla shark ?? Ie when he finishes school or next year??

 

[SOSJBW]

He finishes school next year

 

[Oracle83]

He finishes school next year

Roger that - another big loss to RU

 

[SOSJBW]

He finishes school next year

Meant to say, finishes this year

 

[Cancelled Account]

Rumour mill for 2019 in full flight. TSS have 2 year 11 boys to play First Xv coming over from NZ. A 10 and 4. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Ali Barber]

Thanks Nomad

That is disappointing to hear, but more so for the other lads whose spot he took in the State team and the Australian Team. Those lads that would have given their left nut for an opportunity to play Rugby Union for their State and their Country.


What are we doing here folks, this process is getting more ridiculous as more information comes to light.

The program that this lad took part in, is a 'National Rugby Union Development Pathway Program", why are we spending time and effort developing players who have contracts in place for league?
Different story if a player has not made up their mind but with a contract in place - why was he selected in the first place.

Again - 2 words - transparency and integrity.

As my lad and his mates rose through grades 11 & 12 and missed playing Club footy because of school rugby, I ended up gravitating to a lot of games they wanted to watch and as a dad who sees the day he won't even ask me to come along, i decided in the last two years with a couple of dads to watch a lot of footy - of course GPS trials etc, but earlier in Term 2 they wanted to watch the match of the weekend in the AIC comp as well - we did about 5 AIC. We also watched early season Rugby League as former school mates from Ex Nudgee and rep mates from Marist , Padua, Iona & St Pats played in the Mal Maninga Series U18. All these boys were either previously or currently playing 1st XV for their schools. Talking to a few of the dads I knew of these Leagies as they became known and the whispers of Contracts, I can assure you what Contracts that were going around were more of what I would class as expressions of Interest EOI. So the notion of the QRU or Schoolboys RU not supporting these player because they were under contract is the real BS . To make it worse, AIC schools have completely lost their way at the bargaining table to GPS schools, with our huge influx of scholarship based players there's a automatic expectation these players must make and dominate the Rep teams. That could be rightly so financially speaking, GPS invest a lot of money with deep promises to get their recruits (and that is what they are for no other reason) into Rep Teams. Long term, for the number and investment during school, it's not a great return for the numbers. Future Rugby without a strong AIC will be a blow to Rugby Union in Qld. What we are doing in the long run is ensuring any good prospect from the AIC and especially an AIC player with any League connections are driven out of the game through non selection.

Rugby League Clubs have a gentleman's agreement between clubs, if a player and his parents agree, the are called under Contract (EOI), and the other League Clubs leave them alone and move on to the next prospect. Rugby league don't care how much Rugby union they play and are just happy that if the lad decides to play League, they have the first option of discussions. A great pathway and Reds Rugby could take note. There were a few lads from the AIC who should have been a walk up start in the QLD Schoolboys and even as a strong backer of GPS I can see rugby being weaker for it. Everybody including the GPS Selectors knew who they were. GPS selectors even mentioned these players in their own selections where they thought the AIC players would slot into the Qld Team. The QLD AIC Team was a complete mess. Players missing and probably their best couple of players playing out of position. They were soundly beaten and rightly so and their coaches and selectors should take all the blame. The GPS selectors were licking their lips before a whistle was blown. Rugby Union needs to be proactive and keep these lads involved in on going Training Squads regardless of the whispers of Contracts. One thing I will say in favor of all the boys who dabbled in league in the last couple of years from both AIC and GPS is that they are much tougher and much better defenders for it and this is exactly what Rugby Union is missing. I'm sure a lot of lads who move from schoolboy football hero's into Rugby Union elite training squads must think how easy this is, They've never been hungry for selection since Grade 10. This is a huge problem in Qld Rugby Union and Australian Rugby Union in general and it shows. NZ and Poly footballers are hungry and tough and would play whatever game is going to test them just to make a team which migh spring them a chance to make a higher team. So as we GPS cheer at the demise of quality AIC strength rugby, with all our imports and scholarships and paid education from old boys with old school ties hanging out of our Ar..., take note it's at the cost of the game we love further down the track. We are letting really good lads slip from our grasp again this year who either didn't make the GPS scholarship freight train or just happened to be playing AIC.

 

[The Nomad]

Don't think any real rugby supporter would be cheering the demise of AIC rugby. Agree the divide between GPS and AIC is not good for rugby and the non selection of a couple of AIC boys ( who I guess you are eluding to above) this year is a complete mystery to me.

Probably just as worrying was the two AIC lads who played U16 Qld Red last year decided not to trial for Qld Schoolboys this year so they could play in a league carnival instead. Both would have been in the mix for Qld selection , but chose school RL.

At least nationally , RU is picking players aligned with RL at a schoolboy level. I guess hoping higher rep honours might convince them to stay with RU . Big issue though is money . Very few 18/19 year olds are getting money to stay in RU. Most of the U20 state and national teams in RU are made up of lads not on a monetary contract. Players like Isaac Lucas aren't getting paid to play rugby, look at the Reds' team announcement for next year and you see places for two contracted 10s. League kills it when it comes to this , many options with a lot more cash to throw around. Can't blame the kids and their families for going with RL.

Guess the question is does a rep rugby pathway make any difference to where they end up?

 

[Blue & white]

quote="Roberts Rugby, post: 1036565, member: 75729"]Rumour mill for 2019 in full flight. TSS have 2 year 11 boys to play First Xv coming over from NZ. A 10 and 4. Can anyone confirm?[/quote]


Correct as do NC

 

[Blue & white]

Good to see some sizzling times by rugby boys at GPS athletics:
-X Savage of BBC a sizzling 10.5 in under 16 one hundred;
-T Banjo of NC 10.7 in same race;
-S Stevens of BBC 10.6 to win open 100

Savage & Banjo are back next year-hope they mark each other.

 

[Cancelled Account]

quote="Roberts Rugby, post: 1036565, member: 75729"]Rumour mill for 2019 in full flight. TSS have 2 year 11 boys to play First Xv coming over from NZ. A 10 and 4. Can anyone confirm?

Correct as do NC[/quote]
Exciting times for GPS rugby. Where are the boys coming from for our Nudge team? I did hear a possible 10 from another GPS school but I doubt that rumour to be true.

 

[GingerBreadCrab]

NC have a very stacked squad heading into next year, many boys returning from Opens premiership duty or QLD 16's. I don't think they are looking too far or wide.

 

[Dean Moriarty]

I only hear their Captain , also their Prop , and their #10 from Opens Firsts Players and 3 guys from their 2nd XV that are repeating . A back 3 player , a Centre and a Flanker

Then there is their star U16 winger and an U16 forward who is good that are returnees

Nudgee are always strong and are always going to be right there top of people's answers when they are asked who they like to take it out every year

Having said that with what I've been told with what is returning it isn't exactly time to break into a rendition of roll out the barrell

Probably why they are looking across the ditch to try and stack it up a bit more

 

[Getwithme]

Well NC's 10 is not repeating. He was in year 11 this year and is coming back for his final year of school. 'Repeating' indicates they are coming back to do year 12 again.