QLD Premier Rugby 2015

[Breakdown]

Great post nenenoah

Would like to add:
Ed Gibson (played colts at souths last year) to the list. He will most likely be the starting 10 for uni in the aussie champs game in a few weeks. Looked very impressive in pre season. Himself, dalglish and nick Russell (still a colt) will all be fighting it out for the 10/12 jersey through out the year
Aaron Pleash - is a very good player and depending on under 20's selections will be in and around the premier squad at loose head or hooker

Is Nick Russell & Hayden Russell (quoted previously) meant to be Nathan Russell? Or is there another emerging player with the same last name?

 

[Tigers Tale]

That Tanuvasa news whilst not good news for the Magpies is great news for the Tigers.

Maybe Tim Sampson's Tigers might just surprise a few this year!!!

Red Heavy - I suppose Ed Gibson just decided to go to a club where he would be stuck behind an NRC product in Dagleish. Sounds like Gibson will be playing with Matt Randell in Prem Reserves at Uni.

As for youngsters graduating into Premier Grade in 2015 - Easts will be looking for Harley Fox and Izaia Perese to make the transition from schoolboy star to premier grade contributor in their first year out of school as Paraka, Gunn, Placid, & Wilkin did successfully over the previous few years at the Tigers.

They may not be there from the start but if Sampson takes the Richards approach they will be firing in the second half of the season for the Tigers.

 

[Red Heavy]

Ed goes to college at Uq so decicded to join all his mates at the club and cut down on travel time. I assume it's a similar reason for tanuvasa going to easts.

Matt Randell is training really well and a very good chance of starting for us down in syd in 2 weeks. Despite your obvious belief that there are better players at Uq we are pretty are pretty happy with him.

I have only ever seen fox play a couple of times but he would want to improve a lot to be starting for a premier side that want to be contenders. Not saying he won't be a great player in the future though. He has a lot of potential

 

[nenenoah]

Absolutely love the responses to my post, thanks !


Thank you for clearing up player movement and also mentioning a few worthy names I left out.

It does appear Easts are going for their strategy of recruiting a few Australian Schoolboys and giving them a crack straight out of school with the men. Best of luck to these boys,

Now a grand final prediction would be very bold of me, but.. I'll take it a step further my overall ladder predictions come end of year:
1. UQ
2. Sunnybank
3. Souths
4. Brothers
5. Norths
6. Bond
7. GPS
8. Easts
9. Wests

Would justify, but I don't want to make an idiot of myself in 6 months anything can happen

 

[Crusher]

I suggest that GPS supporters need to keep a lid on expectations - granted they do seem to be getting a good core together but Uni & Sunnybank have pretty fair playing stocks as well.

Would be fair to say that these 3 teams would be favourites to finish in the top 3.

Putting aside my bias I predict that Bond will get there quicker than we think and finish 4th in QPR15.

Could be tough for Easts, Bros & Souths - I think they will have some success against the top 4 but they will lack the consistency to finish in top 3.

I hope that Norths & Wests will improve but despite changes in coaching set-ups at. Norths they both appear to have pretty much have the same players as 2014.

TT I dont think top 4 is realistic for Bond this year but they will be far more formidable this year and will definitely give the comp a shake up. From all accounts the new coach Hedger has really been working them hard and implementing some new ideas down at Bond to great effect. I have heard he has cleared the decks with regards to the remaining Premier coaching staff from previous regime and brought in his own people which although will ruffle feathers will see he is working with people he trusts to get the job done.
The biggest sticking point for Bond is although they seem to have good numbers it also appears that they lack numbers and therefore depth in key positions. I am picking them to finish top 6 but they wont be in the 4 - sadly for us supporters.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

People really seem to be writing off my beloved Bulldogs and touting Norths yet I haven't heard recruitment buzz form either. So I can't see why one would stray stagnant and the other will flourish

 

[Tigers Tale]

People really seem to be writing off my beloved Bulldogs and touting Norths yet I haven't heard recruitment buzz form either. So I can't see why one would stray stagnant and the other will flourish

TD I don't understand why Souths & Norths are rated and not Wests & Easts. I liked what I saw in the Bulldogs last year some young talent and tenacity.

 

[TheBigDog]

Norths have put themselves into a position to improve this year but I think they would be setting themselves a more realistic goal than trying to win the whole thing in 2015. The unfortunate thing for Norths is depth at the club has been lacking through the grades, thereby once a few injuries creep in they have blokes who aren't up to the level playing in Prems. This problem isn't solved overnight so I doubt they would have attracted 40 new blokes in the off-season to provide that depth.

I think the coaching change will pay dividends in 2015 and hopefully if Norths can get a few wins then they can attract some decent players in the coming years. I honestly don't see them being a massive threat to teams challenging to the top 4 just yet though.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Great to see Shannon Walker selected in the Aust7s team for the next tournament in Wellington.

In the past you might get half a dozen games out of your 7s reps but with them now based in Sydney I think that is now a thing of the past so don't expect Walker, Foley, Foy, Wilken, etc to turn out in QPR15.

 

[legaleagle]

I agree with BigDog, Norths lack the depth to figure so close to the 4 this season and I'm a little surprised to see GPS in 7th. Do you have some inside info on Jeeps Nenenoah? I thought they would be a little higher as they have a very similar roster to the last few season from all reports. Are they in the same position as Campbell Newman?
Are you of the opinion that Easts are looking towards 2016/17?

 

[Tigers Tale]

I'd think that Tim Sampson would have higher aspirations than 8th for the 2015 Tigers but by the same token he has some rebuilding to do so he will be happy to fly under the radar at this stage of the season.

The 2015 Tigers will be better than people think, particularly if they see a bit of Paraka, Ready & Gunn.

Karmichael, Quirk, Turner & Adam Thomson will be handy semi-final reinforcements!!!

 

[Tigers Tale]

Before anyone has a go at Easts receiving favourable treatment from the Reds - I was just joking about Karmichael & Thomson playing for Easts but they would be accepted with open arms if they do choose to join the Tigers.

They'd both look good in the blue & gold hoops.

 

[Matty Thushker]

I don't think it really matters TT, the chances of either Thomson or Hunt playing club rugby are basically zero.

Why are Norths going to be so good? Who have they recruited of serious note? I know they have a new coach, but he is untried at Premier level, and had a gun team to work with at GPS. Also according to this forum, they have lost a couple of key players to other clubs.
*This is nothing sinister against Norths, I just want to know where all this optimism is coming from. Saying they will finish higher than GPS and Easts seems a bit outrageous to me!

 

[Tigers Tale]

Anything less than 3rd for GPS would be a fail given their roster.

As for Souths - I appreciate that they have a new coaching regime but I believe it when I see it with the Magpies - a few of us have been caught up in pre-season hype coming out of the nest at Yeronga over the last 2 or 3 seasons but I don't think (correct me if I am wrong) they haven't made the semis since about 2009 (when they lost the GF to Brothers - Quade played @ #10).

I agree with MT's assessment of North's.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Filth - if JOC (James O'Connor) plays @ #10 for the Reds does that mean that he'll play #10 at the Filth and relegate Greene to Reggies??

 

[warhorse]

There isn't any pre - season hype coming out of the Nest at Yeronga. All the hype is from correspondents on this forum. The Magpies are just going about putting in a good preparation for the season and looking forward to getting back on the paddock for trials and taking it from there.

 

[Red Heavy]

As for Souths - I appreciate that they have a new coaching regime but I believe it when I see it with the Magpies - a few of us have been caught up in pre-season hype coming out of the nest at Yeronga over the last 2 or 3 seasons but I don't think (correct me if I am wrong) they haven't made the semis since about 2009 (when they lost the GF to Brothers - Quade played @ #10).

Isnt that only one less appearance than Easts in the same time period TT?

Hasnt stopped this forum talking the tigers chances in the past.

 

[TheBigDog]

Warhorse, without hype being raised from the Nest per say there is definitely an aura of confidence coming from the club for 2015 compared to past years would you say?

 

[Samking]

nenenoah
So as far as you know wears have all the same players.?
Could you please name all the new off seasons signings to the club.?
An NPC recruit A previous qld premiere player of the year,
3 QCUP players from 2014 and more
Where do you get your facts champ.?
I think your sources are as good as the courier mail

 

[rugbywatch]

nenenoah
So as far as you know wears have all the same players.?
Could you please name all the new off seasons signings to the club.?
An NPC recruit A previous qld premiere player of the year,
3 QCUP players from 2014 and more
Where do you get your facts champ.?
I think your sources are as good as the courier mail

Care to share some names of these recruits?