rugbyfan90
Chris McKivat (8)
I heard on the (very flimsy) grapevine that Shane Drahm is heading to Norths next year. Not sure if replacing Luke Oxford or joining him though.
QLD Premier Rugby 2020
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
I heard on the (very flimsy) grapevine that Shane Drahm is heading to Norths next year. Not sure if replacing Luke Oxford or joining him though.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
North’s definition didn’t ask for my opinion but here it is.
They need to stop grabbing the offshoots of other Brisbane clubs (Fogarty, Oxford and Drahm) and invest in a young coach from an established Sydney club. Someone who is in their mid-twenties:thirty, maybe coached some juniors and colts and has merit and is willing to invest 5-10 years into a struggling club.
There is nothing wrong with the Brisbane blokes who but they all eventually realise it’s one bridge too far and end up going back to where they came from or onto another club. And I say a Sydney coach so they don’t have all the preconceived notions about how shit North’s are.
They need to stop grabbing the offshoots of other Brisbane clubs (Fogarty, Oxford and Drahm) and invest in a young coach from an established Sydney club. Someone who is in their mid-twenties:thirty, maybe coached some juniors and colts and has merit and is willing to invest 5-10 years into a struggling club.
There is nothing wrong with the Brisbane blokes who but they all eventually realise it’s one bridge too far and end up going back to where they came from or onto another club. And I say a Sydney coach so they don’t have all the preconceived notions about how shit North’s are.
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
I don't think you'd have many takers tbh Phil.
It's amateur rugby with a professional feel. Convincing someone to relocate from Sydney (most likely with a family) to take up a job that more then likely wouldn't be their primary income.
Someone from Brisbane will take the Norths gig.. What about Pat Byron? he moved on from the bulldogs as HC to be director of rugby at Shaw Road. That's my money for the next Norths Coach.
new recruit_ brisbane
Bill Watson (15)
this job must have fallen through.
https://iraa.com.au/iraa-announces-shane-drahm-as-rugby-director/
https://iraa.com.au/iraa-announces-shane-drahm-as-rugby-director/
The Whisperer
Alfred Walker (16)
Looks like they might have finally done that. Seen that they've recently announced Dan Richie and Ben Cameron as colts coaches for next year. Richie has been coaching Wests Reserve Grade last 3 years and BSHS head of rugby and Cameron has previously been involved in Premier grade at Sunnybank and plenty of Met East teams. You would think thats a big win for Norths, but selling a program that didnt win a game last year to school leavers could be a tough sell
Need to get lots of locals involved. Hit up Padua, St Pats and any juniors. See if they can grab some kids from Nudgee and maybe the odd league kid. I'm sure there would be a lot of players from pacific or kiwi families in the catchment area who have sons who love rugby. They have access to pretty much every kid from Kedron north. Big area and would have a heap of rough diamonds.
The time to go and find all these kids is the issue. Having a club DO hitting schools in the area would help.
The time to go and find all these kids is the issue. Having a club DO hitting schools in the area would help.
Dean Moriarty
Billy Sheehan (19)
With the right personnel , that you then assume bring with them the right blueprint on how to win that entails fitting a strategic recruitment plan in and around that , I reckon Norths could be genuinely competitive in Colts and Grade within 3 to 4 seasons.
In terms of playing talent , I'm a believer in Harrison Fox and I'd be concentrating on developing he and Matt Wiltshire as lock prospects and Dane Zander (subject to his availability ) as the cornerstones of a forward pack. I'd (cautiously) nominate Brad Kuhn to be part of that mix as well if he commits to improving his conditioning.
In terms of a spine of young talent through the back line - it is disappointing that a quality Norths junior like Connor O'Regan ended up at Brothers . Ideally it would have been good to see him competing against Kalani Thomas (Souths ) Finn Hearn (UQ) as the best 18 to 19 year old 9's playing Colts 1 and putting pressure on for a Premier Grade spot with a bit more maturity and development.
Another Connor , Connor Scurr , a 19/20 year old Pats alum from memory, has versatility that is is worthwhile developing across the 10 and 15 spots.
Then there are guys , still only 19 to 20 that have fallen off the last couple of years for whatever reason - but perhaps with a common theme of discouragement or mistrust in the pathway system - whether it's another Norths junior like ex Nudgee's Ethan Robbins or ex Padua's Danny Heenan or ex Marist's Lachlan Tennison Woods - the latter two were genuine quality mid field talents just 2 years removed , whilst the former was a strong finishing outside back. What happened to Padua's Michael Cheer ? Is he still in Parramatta's sytem ?
I only throw some of these names out there as a means of example in thinking outside the box and how to re-connect networks and add a different layer to accumulating talent in the sub U20 age group .....I mean talent is talent .....it doesn't go away but for a whole host of unfortunate reasons at times it gets squandered and doesn't get adequately protected/nurtured.
And then there are boat loads of talent at Brothers and UQ playing 2's 3's and 4's where many of them could justifiably be playing 1's at most other Clubs. In UQ's case there are a bunch of young lads from the Country that attend UQ and live on Campus , so , there is a convenience factor but what a guy like ex TSS flanker , Hugh Robinson , is doing playing 3's and 4's at UQ is beyond me.
But .....when you hear where the class of 2020 is going next year ( surprise surprise probably 70% to 80% to ....UQ and Brothers again ) you think about a possible strategy of challenging them as a recruiter around competing against a wider competition rather than an internal competition which is way more limiting . And , if they just want to do the status /glam path then it probably tells you that you don't really want them anyway. The point being is maybe you got to challenge and attract the young fella that wants to compete and take on a much bigger responsibility in trying to build something rather than an easy magic carpet ride.
So yes there is much heavy lifting to be done - which perhaps needs to be extremely well thought out about who you want to be and then figure out how you build that . But not the silliest idea to first focus on investing in a set piece and then some play making prospects in halves / midfield.
Ball running Leaguies or Power Pacific Islanders are a dime a dozen , and overt focus on this aspect alone , has , and is , fucking Rugby royally at a grass roots level and all the way through the subsequent layers.
It has to be more than this just so that guys that have already been mentioned on this thread that either had an affiliation with Norths previously, or are proposed to , can feature superficially pleasing players ( but fundamentally limited ) and pimp 'em for dog shit contract coin.
Thing is , if you fall for that shit and let that type of guy in the door , then you really not progressing as a Rugby Club / Organisation and it's just death by a thousand cuts.
In terms of playing talent , I'm a believer in Harrison Fox and I'd be concentrating on developing he and Matt Wiltshire as lock prospects and Dane Zander (subject to his availability ) as the cornerstones of a forward pack. I'd (cautiously) nominate Brad Kuhn to be part of that mix as well if he commits to improving his conditioning.
In terms of a spine of young talent through the back line - it is disappointing that a quality Norths junior like Connor O'Regan ended up at Brothers . Ideally it would have been good to see him competing against Kalani Thomas (Souths ) Finn Hearn (UQ) as the best 18 to 19 year old 9's playing Colts 1 and putting pressure on for a Premier Grade spot with a bit more maturity and development.
Another Connor , Connor Scurr , a 19/20 year old Pats alum from memory, has versatility that is is worthwhile developing across the 10 and 15 spots.
Then there are guys , still only 19 to 20 that have fallen off the last couple of years for whatever reason - but perhaps with a common theme of discouragement or mistrust in the pathway system - whether it's another Norths junior like ex Nudgee's Ethan Robbins or ex Padua's Danny Heenan or ex Marist's Lachlan Tennison Woods - the latter two were genuine quality mid field talents just 2 years removed , whilst the former was a strong finishing outside back. What happened to Padua's Michael Cheer ? Is he still in Parramatta's sytem ?
I only throw some of these names out there as a means of example in thinking outside the box and how to re-connect networks and add a different layer to accumulating talent in the sub U20 age group .....I mean talent is talent .....it doesn't go away but for a whole host of unfortunate reasons at times it gets squandered and doesn't get adequately protected/nurtured.
And then there are boat loads of talent at Brothers and UQ playing 2's 3's and 4's where many of them could justifiably be playing 1's at most other Clubs. In UQ's case there are a bunch of young lads from the Country that attend UQ and live on Campus , so , there is a convenience factor but what a guy like ex TSS flanker , Hugh Robinson , is doing playing 3's and 4's at UQ is beyond me.
But .....when you hear where the class of 2020 is going next year ( surprise surprise probably 70% to 80% to ....UQ and Brothers again ) you think about a possible strategy of challenging them as a recruiter around competing against a wider competition rather than an internal competition which is way more limiting . And , if they just want to do the status /glam path then it probably tells you that you don't really want them anyway. The point being is maybe you got to challenge and attract the young fella that wants to compete and take on a much bigger responsibility in trying to build something rather than an easy magic carpet ride.
So yes there is much heavy lifting to be done - which perhaps needs to be extremely well thought out about who you want to be and then figure out how you build that . But not the silliest idea to first focus on investing in a set piece and then some play making prospects in halves / midfield.
Ball running Leaguies or Power Pacific Islanders are a dime a dozen , and overt focus on this aspect alone , has , and is , fucking Rugby royally at a grass roots level and all the way through the subsequent layers.
It has to be more than this just so that guys that have already been mentioned on this thread that either had an affiliation with Norths previously, or are proposed to , can feature superficially pleasing players ( but fundamentally limited ) and pimp 'em for dog shit contract coin.
Thing is , if you fall for that shit and let that type of guy in the door , then you really not progressing as a Rugby Club / Organisation and it's just death by a thousand cuts.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Some good points Dean - but I think three to four seasons isn't enough for such a turnaround which is why you really need someone committed to the long game.
It will take three years of good change for the club to start becoming a place players actually want to go. You mentioned blokes at other clubs playing 2s, 3s and 4s who could probably play Prems and that point is true, but I know from experience many would rather enjoy playing with their mates and winning games than just being able to say they play Prems. You need to convince them first to join and that will take a few years of positive action from the club.
From there you're probably looking at another 2-3 years of promising Colts finding their feet in big boy rugby (similar to Souths currently) and then you'll likely start reaping the rewards.
If Norths can find the right person (well really persons, it's a bigger job than one can handle I think) to seriously commit to making the club better and build that over a number of years, they can be competitive. As Jets mentioned they're in the right spot with a few different catchments that just need convincing that you can play there, win and be part of something good.
It will take three years of good change for the club to start becoming a place players actually want to go. You mentioned blokes at other clubs playing 2s, 3s and 4s who could probably play Prems and that point is true, but I know from experience many would rather enjoy playing with their mates and winning games than just being able to say they play Prems. You need to convince them first to join and that will take a few years of positive action from the club.
From there you're probably looking at another 2-3 years of promising Colts finding their feet in big boy rugby (similar to Souths currently) and then you'll likely start reaping the rewards.
If Norths can find the right person (well really persons, it's a bigger job than one can handle I think) to seriously commit to making the club better and build that over a number of years, they can be competitive. As Jets mentioned they're in the right spot with a few different catchments that just need convincing that you can play there, win and be part of something good.
Cancelled Account
Desmond Connor (43)
Good read DM.
The Colts competition this year was the best I’ve seen with a diversity of talent across all clubs. The wealthy and bigger network clubs will always have more pull for school leavers, whether it be shared housing, job and apprenticeship opportunities, uni fee subsidies or direct payments will always entice the players in need. Brothers focus on job opportunities and shared accommodation which works well for families whereas other clubs have other incentives. Brothers and UQ have proven results with professional player outcomes but the catchment for 2021 is not so much a given as it has been in recent years. Other clubs are becoming more savvy with more personal (anonymous) sponsors on board who are assisting with player’s living costs. Souths and Wests are believed to be making great yards for 2021. A couple of 2020 player movements in 2021 to be announced.
Oracle83
Bill McLean (32)
They also have a great venue, excellent management and are always well organised club - just need to retain their juniors and attract some of the quality kids coming out of school.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Agree PPRugby, one of the issues South’s will face though is by blooding some of these Colts early, it puts them on the map re professional contracts and they fall into the prime bracket for the MLR in the US. Obviously that’s good for the kids but not great for club depth.
If South’s can keep most of their players and bringing in some experienced forwards (I’m sorry but Polonga isn’t going to be the cornerstone prop of a premiership winning team) then I think they will be competing for the Hospital Cup in 2022, I’m not sure if 2021 is realistic.
If South’s can keep most of their players and bringing in some experienced forwards (I’m sorry but Polonga isn’t going to be the cornerstone prop of a premiership winning team) then I think they will be competing for the Hospital Cup in 2022, I’m not sure if 2021 is realistic.
Cancelled Account
Desmond Connor (43)
Souths are impressive with their club culture in the last 2 years. There are some great mentors who are putting in time with the junior players and it’s paying off. Likewise Easts are moving in a positive direction. The party scene over there was a big concern but the results speak for themselves.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Shane Arnold back for GPS. Great move.
Cancelled Account
Desmond Connor (43)
Is the ink on paper?
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
Dean Moriarty
Billy Sheehan (19)
^Great get