QLD Premier Rugby 2015

[TheBigDog]

I'm not in 'the loop' so to speak down at Yoku so everything I've heard/seen are my own observations and talking with blokes. From what I understand they had appointed a coach pre-xmas and then he since jumped over to coach at UQ. Not sure if this waiting process is due to lack of applications or simply trying to come up with the decision.

Agreed the position is a good one due to the players that are usually in that team, however, some may also be dissuaded after looking at the Fogarty situation where he was coaching the same team for a number of years and then passed over for a promotion. Maybe its seen as a one stop gig, especially considering the quality of coaches in the Premier Grade team, moving up may be unlikely for a while.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Wasn't there a big clean out of lower grade coaches at GPS at the start of 2014?

Surely the failure to appoint someone to this post is not through lack of interest in taking on this (recently) historically successful side.

Are politics at GPS playing a part?

BigDog & GPSMick what are your thoughts on the prospects of Souths & Norths given that both clubs will take on a Gallopers mentality of sorts in 2015?

 

[TheBigDog]

TT a part from the loss of the coaches, the player leak hasn't been as bad as first feared to either of those clubs. My understanding is only about 5 or 6 genuine Prem/Prem Reserve players have left.

There was a bit of a changing of the guard in the lower grades over the past few years which left a sour taste in some cases. I don't think the situation was dealt with well by any of the parties. I doubt fallback from that situation would be affecting coaching allocations this year though.

 

[legaleagle]

From what I'm hearing numbers down at Jeeps are still pretty low which is causing a few concerns. Big Dog has there been a bit of an exodus on the committee as well? I agree with Matty T, last years Jeeps Reserve Grade side would have handled themselves pretty well in the top grade, I know a few of the senior players would have loved the chance to play their Prems side. I tend to disagree with the Reserve Grade gig being a plum job for an up and coming coach. Would be hard to emulate the success of the past number years with a few of the senior players stepping down and from what I've heard a number of the clubs young guns not returning for 2015, could be a bit of a poison challis. I would think Uni would be the front runners this year in Reserve Grade with maybe a couple of real surprises from a few other clubs. I have heard a few of the boys are still a bit dirty with how some of the appointments went down and how a few of the long term coaches were treated. Only time will tell. I tend to think Uni will be hard to beat in the two top grades with some of the off season signings- too much depth.

 

[FilthRugby]

I'm tipping Brothers in Reserve Grade this year.

 

[legaleagle]

Fair call Filthrugby, they did get on a bit of a roll at the end of the season and correct me if I'm wrong were the only side to beat the Jeeps team during the season. Probably missed a bit of an opportunity to make the GF in the prelim against UQ. Both Brothers and Uni will be right in the mix.

 

[TheBigDog]

legaleagle I'm not so sure the numbers are down, but lots of players are going to be unavailable for large portions of the season or have moved on. For example Kite has moved interstate and Kerevi, Magnay and Tuttle are all involved with representative teams for the start of the season. Fred Burke is injured for a couple of weeks and Nate Nicol has gone to coach at Souths which leaves the front row stocks short, for the time being.

If your comment about the coaches is directed at GPS (can't tell as you mention UQ in the previous sentence) then I would say all those issues have been moved past and from memory no players actually left the club when the lower grades coaches were moved on. Unless you count the Slades heading to Norths but there had been talk about that happening for a while.

 

[Red Heavy]

I don't think uni have won a reserve grade premiership is 30 years so I can only hope that they are due. Good coaching staff and a lot of depth so they should be up there.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Is the "A" series that they played at the start of last season happening this year?

The one with all the Aust'n Franchises, Arg, Japan, Fiji, Samoa.

When is the Aust U20s carnival?

 

[Tigers Tale]

Who will be the Qld U20 captain - Tuttle, Gunn or another?

Will the Thor be selected in the Qld U20?

If Placid is available for the U20RWC would they make him captain given it will be his 3rd year at the tournament.

 

[Student of the Game]

Who will be the Qld U20 captain - Tuttle, Gunn or another?

Will the Thor be selected in the Qld U20?

If Placid is available for the U20RWC would they make him captain given it will be his 3rd year at the tournament.

It's not often you see fullbacks as captains TT, especially when there's bound to be leadership types across the park. I think it's a lot more likely that someone closer to the action will get the gig.

 

[TJP]

It's not often you see fullbacks as captains TT, especially when there's bound to be leadership types across the park. I think it's a lot more likely that someone closer to the action will get the gig.

Aaron Pleash was Captain of the North side during the first trial & has reportedly been very impressive. Phil Potgieter captained the UQ Prem Colts team & would be in with a chance & Gunny would be the other obvious candidate. While I'm sure Gilly will pick his own Captain, Carozza typically likes to pick players in their final year of U20's over first year U20's players. Based on this, I'd be surprised if Tuttle was selected as Captain.
Thor is not eligible for selection as it's essentially a trial team for Aus selection.

 

[TJP]

I don't think uni have won a reserve grade premiership is 30 years so I can only hope that they are due. Good coaching staff and a lot of depth so they should be up there.

Who's taking the reins this year Red Heavy?

 

[Student of the Game]

Aaron Pleash was Captain of the North side during the first trial & has reportedly been very impressive. Phil Potgieter captained the UQ Prem Colts team & would be in with a chance & Gunny would be the other obvious candidate. While I'm sure Gilly will pick his own Captain, Carozza typically likes to pick players in their final year of U20's over first year U20's players. Based on this, I'd be surprised if Tuttle was selected as Captain.
Thor is not eligible for selection as it's essentially a trial team for Aus selection.

TJP I was of the impression that Thor never actually played any rep footy for New Zealand and in snubbing their efforts to keep him in NZ last year made himself eligible for Australian rep sides?

 

[TJP]

TJP I was of the impression that Thor never actually played any rep footy for New Zealand and in snubbing their efforts to keep him in NZ last year made himself eligible i for Australian rep sides?

I think you're 100% correct that he didn't play rep footy in NZ but my understanding is that he is a Tongan citizen on a Tongan passport & until he has Permanent Residency (I imagine there would a period of time he would need to live here to qualify) he is ineligible.

 

[TJP]

A similar situation to Henry Speight

 

[Red Heavy]

Who's taking the reins this year Red Heavy?

John slater has come over from GPS reserve grade to join up with club boss Cam Chater and heavies favourite Herman Hunt.

 

[Tigers Tale]

John slater has come over from GPS reserve grade to join up with club boss Cam Chater and heavies favourite Herman Hunt.

What's Mick Heenan doing?

 

[Red Heavy]

What's Mick Heenan doing?

That was in reference to reserve grade TT. Same coaching team plus former reds Center Andrew Brown in premier grade.

For anyone interested in getting a few answers out of bill pulver Re kurtley and Ewan he will be guest speaker at a UQ rugby breakfast on the 14th of March.

 

[Scrubber2050]

That was in reference to reserve grade TT. Same coaching team plus former reds Center Andrew Brown in premier grade.

For anyone interested in getting a few answers out of bill pulver Re kurtley and Ewan he will be guest speaker at a UQ rugby breakfast on the 14th of March.

AS IF HE WILL SPILL HIS GUTS ON THAT TOPIC