QLD Premier Rugby 2021

[Bulldog]

Fair enough Warhorse but my sentiments were based on the fact that a few years back 6/7 sides were truly vying for the top 4 and I just don't see that in the last year or so.

And I am sorry but your comments about Souths commendable 2020 tend to prove my point - the win over Brothers aside everything else was against the clubs that are in the lower part of the success cycle - the 2020 under performers: Wests, Norths, Souths, and Sunnybank.

You might be right about a resurgent Souths and good luck to the Magpies if that's the case - only time will tell.

 

[SouthernX]

So world rugby did this week a team of the decade. One wallaby made it. David Pocock.

Would love to see some QPR team of the decades... I don’t know how I’d go doing a overall XV just because it hards to remember all the players from all the clubs over a 10 year period. Matt Brandon would be my definate 10

Anyone interested in taking a stab at their own clubs (team of the decade) ?

 

[PhilClinton]

Fairly sure the QPR ran this team of the decade already this year, with voting done on Facebook and Instagram, they had everyone nominate their favorite players from clubs and then the highest vote getters were put head to head to vote for a spot in the team of the decade. A bunch of clubs did it as well.

It raises an interesting question when you're talking about club level, what defines the 'best player', do you mean players who contributed most for their clubs, or players who were the best at their position and ended up playing for Super Rugby and Wallabies.

GPS team of the decade as voted by the public below. I guess the issue with public voting especially on social media is it can become a bit of a popularity contest, there are a few players in the GPS side who rung around their family and friends in my opinion.

I can't seem to find the results of the QPR team - someone else might have it?

GPS
1. JP Smith
2. Ryan Freney
3. Fred Burke
4. Oliver Bartlett
5. Dan Gorman
6. Michael Richards
7. Liam Ferugson
8. Mitch King
9. Nick Frisby
10. Liam McWhirter
11. Byron Roberts
12. James Herbert
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Pat Nicholson
15. Todd Winkley

 

[SouthernX]

I do remember both instances Phil but some of us don’t have as productive and efficient social media departments like GPS.

When I get a chance I’ll take a crack at my own.

PS: some tough decisions in your GPS forward pack there... but glad to see club Stalwars Liam Ferguson beat out some of these new flankers that have come thru the ranks in recent years

 

[PhilClinton]

Yep glad to see Fergie get the nod. The forward pack left out a number of great players, notably Radike Samo, Ruan Smith and Phil Kite who have all enjoyed plenty of professional success over the years.

I think the backline is an accurate representation of how GPS backs have performed in the last decade, not a whole lot of guys there that I would say stand out as 'must pick players', apart from Kerevi who was an absolute wrecking ball for GPS. Whereas the forward pack had a heap of tough decisions.

 

[rugbyfan90]

New inclusion at the kennel premier coaching staff.

Plus the incumbent 3rd grade coaching staff have moved up to 2nd grade.

 

[PhilClinton]

Interesting to see Elwee there. Does anyone know what came first, Elwee leaving GPS or Shane Arnold returning?

From GPS perspective I think Arnold, Adrian Thompson and Elia Tuquiri are an upgrade from Elwee. That’s not to say he’s a bad coach but I think GPS program will improve with those three at the helm.

Carl Marshall is a good coach, has he come straight from Brothers or was he elsewhere last year?

 

[Bulldog]

Great to see Scott Harrison in charge of Reserve Grade - a great Bulldog.

Carl Marshall was Wests coach this year.

Is this club number 3 for Adrian Thompson - Easts, Brothers and now GPS - mind you I think he played for GPS in his day. Success has eluded Adrian since he took Grant Batty's '97 Tigers through to a '99 GF win over the Bulldogs. It is amazing how one bit of success sets you up for life in Qld/Aust Rugby.

Adrian has certainly lead a charmed coaching career through Qld Reds and onto RA where he has been head coach of the Under 19s for a few years now.

Let's hope for GPS sake that he has more success than he had at Brothers.

 

[SouthernX]

How’s the development going over at Crosby Rd?

Are we still on track for games to be played on the bottom oval this season or did Covid impact the timeline of the new clubhouse development?

 

[rugbyfan90]

It appears Sunnybank could be without their captain next year. I hear Tom Lucas is only on a train & trial contract with Norths Devils Rugby League... but still.. big loss if he is looking for other opportunities.

 

[Bulldog]

Big loss for the Dragons and the competition in general.

I think I gave him a wrap at the time but he performed the most sportsmanlike act in the QPR2020 season when he called halt to the game against Bond at Oldmac this year after Connors was badly injured - the game had a couple of minutes to run and was still in the balance. Showed his true character.

It was a very important win for Bond at the time.

 

[PhilClinton]

What's happening over at Brothers?

I'm a bit out of the loop with the movements in 2020 but wasn't Matho coaching? And Gabbett at GPS or did he go back after 2019?

I see they've announced Gabbett as head coach for 2021 and promoted some blokes to his assistants.

 

[The Nomad]

Kalani Thomas announced as joining UQ for 2021.

Signed to the Reds senior squad until 2022 , likely to see a bit of game time in QPR this year .

 

[The Whisperer]

I don’t get the Kalani Thomas signing apart from the fact that he would be very cheap. He wasn’t even the best halfback at Souths last year. It’s not as if QPR doesn’t have quality starting experience halfbacks. What more does Liam Dillon have to do?

 

[Dark Shark]

Just looking at the Reds Squad. Will there be a quarantine “bubble” like last year that will preclude the secondary squad members from playing Club rugby this year during the Super rounds?

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

I don’t get the Kalani Thomas signing apart from the fact that he would be very cheap. He wasn’t even the best halfback at Souths last year. It’s not as if QPR doesn’t have quality starting experience halfbacks. What more does Liam Dillon have to do?

LD great player but Thomas has a higher potential. No doubt if the Reds needed a starting scrumhalf round one LD would do a better job but in 18 months time I think Thomas will be better. I doubt Thomas will play for the Reds this year.

 

[Mike Bishop]

What about Nick Chapman as well?? What does he have to do to get a contract? Surely he’s better than Sorovi and Thomas

 

[Dean Moriarty]

There are hard luck / sliding door stories everywhere. Plenty of great players or players that have the potential to be great just don’t progress beyond a certain level and that’s just how it is.

Anyway ....Thomas is the best pure talent I have seen come through at 9. My biggest knock on him is that he has a tendency to play down to his level of competition, and this is more a function of either disinterest / boredom or experimentation or all of the above. But when he is against best and he’s on he’s just on another level - in terms of vision ,courage to take on the big play,and the skill to to give himself a shot of pulling it off.

I guess that is the thing he needs to stay on top of in his development - he just needs to be up for it every time he runs on no matter who he is playing . And that’s mainly a maturity issue for this soon to be 19 year old.

For those that are like WTF ? I’d be querying Front Row Stocks more and who’s who in the nursery zoo there.

I’m not the expanded squad guys that don’t figure to play much (if at all) will play Club though?

 

[Cancelled Account]

Where is Vunivalu signed?

 

[Cancelled Account]

There are hard luck / sliding door stories everywhere. Plenty of great players or players that have the potential to be great just don’t progress beyond a certain level and that’s just how it is.

Anyway ..Thomas is the best pure talent I have seen come through at 9. My biggest knock on him is that he has a tendency to play down to his level of competition, and this is more a function of either disinterest / boredom or experimentation or all of the above. But when he is against best and he’s on he’s just on another level - in terms of vision ,courage to take on the big play,and the skill to to give himself a shot of pulling it off.

I guess that is the thing he needs to stay on top of in his development - he just needs to be up for it every time he runs on no matter who he is playing . And that’s mainly a maturity issue for this soon to be 19 year old.

For those that are like WTF ? I’d be querying Front Row Stocks more and who’s who in the nursery zoo there.

I’m not the expanded squad guys that don’t figure to play much (if at all) will play Club though?

Kalani has potential but will need a lot of game time in QPR this year to improve his confidence with tackling.