QLD Premier Rugby 2011

[spectator]

From the QRU website:
Country
1. Tom Kearney (Sunshine Coast)
2. Shon Simonek (Sunshine Coast)
3. Hadyn Hirsimaki (Sunshine Coast)
4. Mike MacDonald (Gold Coast)
5. Jono Bradbury (Central Queensland)
6. Mitch King (Sunshine Coast)
7. Will Campbell (Darling Downs)
8. Jay Halevu (Gold Coast)
9. Matt Langmack (Gold Coast)
10. Ross Morrissey (Gold Coast)
11. John Monu (Gold Coast)
12. Elliott Hagen (Sunshine Coast)
13. Stephan Van Der Walt (Sunshine Coast)
14. Joel Sykes (Gold Coast)
15. Dan Nethery (Gold Coast)

16. Brendan Bunyan (Townsville)
17. Jodi Danagher (Gold Coast)
18. Ben Bartlett (Gold Coast)
19. Gareth Clouston (Sunshine Coast)
20. Tom Slipper (Gold Coast)
21. Matthew Howse (Darling Downs)
22. Kele Degi (C)
23. Andy Hollis (Gold Coast)

City
1. Kevin Davis (UQ)
2. Andrew Coady (Brothers)
3. Sam Denny (Souths)
4. James Kriukelis (Sunnybank)
5. Matt Dews (Brothers)
6. Luke Bertini (Easts)
7. Ben Coridas (GPS)
8. Tim Buchanan (UQ)
9. Sam Grasso (Brothers)
10. Dallan Murphy (Brothers)
11. Rota Setu (Sunnybank)
12. Nathanuel Gendle (Brothers)
13. Toby White (Easts)
14. Tom Cox (UQ)
15. Jason Hofmeyr (Sunnybank)

16. Sean Fell (Easts)
17. John-Piere Smith (GPS)
18. Kesomi Lolotonga (Norths)
19. Jono Ellis (GPS)
20. Charlie Freney (Brothers)
21. Brent Hamlin (Souths)
22. David Skelton (Easts)
23. Semiti Tela (Sunnybank

 

[ikaletahi]

Sean Fell? Kesomi Lolotonga? Really???

I think Fell is a great footballer but I don't think he deserves that spot. He was playing reserve grade 3 weeks ago.
Lolotonga...refer to my Norths post.
If he is playing better than Campbell-Mcbride or Ruan Smith than something is wrong with the way we identify talent in our props.

 

[leakytap]

City Vs Country

The players also had to nominate to be considered, so maybe the better players did not nominate and hence were not considered for selection. Thoughts?

 

[Woopsie]

If he is playing better than Campbell-Mcbride or Ruan Smith than something is wrong with the way we identify talent in our props.[/QUOTE]

I believe Ruan was originally selected but has an injury that may have ruled him out

 

[tigerland12]

I'm going to assume Matt Brandons injury kept him out of selection.

City Colts:
1. Elijah Palupe
2. Andrew Ready
3. Michael Bermingham
4. Mitch Carpenter
5. Sam Reiser
6. Gerard O’Hare
7. Michael Richards
8. Luke Beauchamp ©
9. Nick Frisby
10. Jake Milne
11. James Klassen
12. Steven Hunt
13. Con Foley
14. Walter Petaia
15. Mitch Felsman

16. Jack Shatz
17. Jack Straker
18. Josef Horomia
19. Jack Bridges
20. Elisha Palupe
21. Bryson Rukuwai
22. Nicklas Boney
23. Elijah Moli

Quite a few Premier grade boys in there

 

[RugbyInterest]

Now that is an impressive team

 

[League Legend]

I believe many players were picked but became unavailable due to injury or personal committments. for example I do not think Sam Grasso is the best halfback in the premier comp over players like fuller(easts) and Hamlin (souths). Also where is Damon Murphy. Well done to Rota Setu who played very well last week. City should romp it home easy against a combined gold coast/ Sunshine Coast team.

 

[spectator]

So apparently Country beat City, that's a surprise. Anyone watch the game?

 

[twenty seven]

Yep. Selection unavailability took it's toll for the city. They worked hard and it came down to the wire, but Country held on.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Does anybody else think the Country team is a bit of a joke considering that most of the players, play in the premier comp, not country comps?

 

[TOCC]

My point is that if some of the other clubs invested their money into improving their club and implementing sound financial practices then they wouldn't be "struggling" as much as they are. I think that paying players isn't the wisest investment for the long term viability of a rugby club.

building on this, im pretty dissapointed that a certain premier rugby club has been offering big money to a few Reds players to join there clubs in the Super Rugby post season.

The money on offer is ridiculous considering the limited number of games they will play.

 

[Dan54]

I agree TOCC, and I hear what Jets is saying, but it worries me what will happen in the long run if rugby clubs gets strong through financial power. Already Junior rugby in Brisbane tends to answer to one club, and we have the situation of clubs in juniors having the ability to get people as coaches for rep teams which certainly allows them to sway kids where they play. I not sure what answer is, but I have heard (from school players) that if they didn't play for club x they couldn't play in first 15. That is not good for rugby, in a few years the danger is Brisbane will have about 4 Prem clubs, at most , all playing in NSW comp.

 

[leakytap]

I agree TOCC, and I hear what Jets is saying, but it worries me what will happen in the long run if rugby clubs gets strong through financial power. Already Junior rugby in Brisbane tends to answer to one club, and we have the situation of clubs in juniors having the ability to get people as coaches for rep teams which certainly allows them to sway kids where they play. I not sure what answer is, but I have heard (from school players) that if they didn't play for club x they couldn't play in first 15. That is not good for rugby, in a few years the danger is Brisbane will have about 4 Prem clubs, at most , all playing in NSW comp.

Well playing Devil's advocate here, what do some clubs need to do to survive,
1. find a rich benefactor,
2. amalgamate with clubs say within 5 klms e.g. Wests /Uni:Brothers /Nths :Sunnybank/Souths,
3. Move from their inner city base to a growth area which will provide a stronger junior base.
4. Or affiliate themselves with a club in a growth area e.g GPS and Albany Creek.
5. Mobilise the old boys club, get a member on the ARU board with the specific agenda of getting funding for Premier reinstated.

Would be interested to hear people's comments.

 

[en_force_er]

So I take it QLD aren't doing a NSW for this fixture and evening the playing field by allowing country to select City-based blokes with country routes?

 

[tigerland12]

2. amalgamate with clubs say within 5 klms e.g. Wests /Uni:Brothers /Nths :Sunnybank/Souths

I think that has happened in recent times, but hasn't worked too well. I remember junior satellite clubs like Easts Riverside and Taylor Bridge among others (whose names escape me currently), and I'm not sure how many of them are still operating.

 

[Dan54]

Well playing Devil's advocate here, what do some clubs need to do to survive,
1. find a rich benefactor,
2. amalgamate with clubs say within 5 klms e.g. Wests /Uni:Brothers /Nths :Sunnybank/Souths,
3. Move from their inner city base to a growth area which will provide a stronger junior base.
4. Or affiliate themselves with a club in a growth area e.g GPS and Albany Creek.
5. Mobilise the old boys club, get a member on the ARU board with the specific agenda of getting funding for Premier reinstated.

Would be interested to hear people's comments.

If it keeps on going clubs will have to amalgamate and play in NSW as I said, if enough clubs did join there would not be enough teams to have a comp.
Unfortunately if clubs moved to growth areas like say Springfield Lakes etc, would be like starting new club as generally they would move away from their supporter base.
I believe most are trying to gat old boys involved in a financial way now.

 

[spectator]

So I take it QLD aren't doing a NSW for this fixture and evening the playing field by allowing country to select City-based blokes with country routes?

Probably no need to Enforcer, as Sunny Coast and Gold Coast are in the Brisbane Comp and supply most of the players to the Country side. As it is they won anyway.

 

[spectator]

Couple of early starts for Prems today, given the S15 final tonight. Easts are at Bottomley to Suncoast and hopefully have a couple back from injury, or it could be a long day. I hear Quirk went under the knife for his shoulder during the week so he wont be featuring this year if that is the case.

Given timing I might wander down to the Filth and have a gander although they should comfortably put Norths away.

 

[Refabit]

Got down to see GPS play this arvo. Looked like a semi-finalist leading 30 - 12 with about 14 to go. Then they ran out of gas, Breakers got desperate & scored a few to put themselves ahead 31-30 with 3 minutes to go. From the kick-off instead of kicking down to the corner, Breakers tried to kill time playing pick-and-go. They turned the ball over and after about 12 phases the Gallopers scored beside the posts.
Of course the Breakers coach blew up & had a go at the ref.
Yeah blame the ref - thats why your team is running 2nd last.

 

[spectator]

I didn't go down to Crosby Park in the end but am told that Brothers took the bikkies 30-11. Norths must have been competitive as i expected a bigger blowout score than that.

Couldn't help myself and made my way down to Bottomley to watch the Tigers take on Suncoast. The guys on the sideline for the Tigers was the most noticeable thing. Bertini, Brandon, Toua, Faulkner and Walker were first picks that I saw spectating, and throw in Quirk, McBride, Stolberg, and two hookers, and you can see the extent of the hospital bill! There was a young Tasmanian kid playing in the second row who only recently was in the 4th's. He was blowing hard at times but as with everyone else who has been asked to step up he gave a good account of himself.

Nonetheless, a Dom Fuller led Easts were quite inspirational and took the match 44-22. Fuller was excellent, as were the usual suspects of Skelton, White and Wilder. Wilder showed great skill to set up a try and score a beauty of his own. The forwards were again tough and Gorey and Simcock and the tough Irish prop were amongst the best afield. Fell, the hooker, also seems to have lifted his game a notch or two as well. The fill in 10 (Jack Mullins) was excellent until he came off with what looked like a knee injury, but Andrew Krelle slooted in really well at 10 after starting at the back. Kicked really well for goal as well.

Gutsy win to the Tigers!

Don't know much about Sunny Coast but their 7 is an excellent player. They also had the biggest guy on the field wearing a 12 jersey... Scary thing is someone said he is only 18! Sunny Coast were in the game for the major part of it but playing catchup all game proved to be too much in the end.