Oldschool
Jim Clark (26)
Nah.
But in saying that the Reds isn't a representative team anymore and no different to a Wests or Easts, Just a bigger budget and a different comp. Thorn can pick his grandmother if he wants.
QLD Premier Rugby 2021
- Thread starter Jets
- Start date
Nah.
But in saying that the Reds isn't a representative team anymore and no different to a Wests or Easts, Just a bigger budget and a different comp. Thorn can pick his grandmother if he wants.
Tipping results from the weekend. 3/4 is the best anyone could do.
Big issues out at Sunnybank. They need to work on their development pathway and start getting the best locals through their system, while targeting a few outsiders to build key positions.
Heavy Unit 36
Keeno 35
Learning Curve 35
NJ 35
Rugby Follower 30
Sage Too 30
Jets 28
MeanGreen 28
Zinzan Brooke 27
SouthernX 26
Happyman 22
Nomad 22
Cam G 20
Paty305 20
Marbig 18
Jonte 17
Hound 16
Linespeed 16
Beerad 15
Jumpman 14
Dusky W 11
PhatMik 6
DB 4
Fisherman123 4
Pick and Drive 4
ben 3
Graham Welsh 2
Daniel 10 1
Gary 1
Big issues out at Sunnybank. They need to work on their development pathway and start getting the best locals through their system, while targeting a few outsiders to build key positions.
Heavy Unit 36
Keeno 35
Learning Curve 35
NJ 35
Rugby Follower 30
Sage Too 30
Jets 28
MeanGreen 28
Zinzan Brooke 27
SouthernX 26
Happyman 22
Nomad 22
Cam G 20
Paty305 20
Marbig 18
Jonte 17
Hound 16
Linespeed 16
Beerad 15
Jumpman 14
Dusky W 11
PhatMik 6
DB 4
Fisherman123 4
Pick and Drive 4
ben 3
Graham Welsh 2
Daniel 10 1
Gary 1
Cancelled Account
Desmond Connor (43)
Any reason why Quade didn’t have a run in QPR and presumably Souths this year?
Can't see how they'd loose control of the community club based on their governance structure. Might be a case of not having the ear of the community club board like they did when Head was there.
If I was there I'd have multiple DO's out in the community encouraging young people to play. Be really viable as a pathway to the top. There seems to be a negative perception among players that they need to go somewhere else to play good rugby. Lots of former players and former juniors playing for other clubs.
Another issue is the work opportunities for the local demographic. With the casualisation of the work force, especially in the logistic jobs along the Logan motorway, workers are expected to be available outside of the traditional 9-5 workday and can't risk getting injured.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Optics could be wrong here but didn't he drift away from Souths? Played for them under the old coaches in 2019.
Last year when all the players came back during COVID he was training with GPS for about a month, the QPR ran a little video segment about Quade, Genia and Kerevi training with the boys which was interesting because Kerevi and Quade both last associated with Souths. Willy G ended up having a run and I think Quade and Kerevi might have waterboyed some games.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
Is the Junior club still strong? 15-20 years ago they were extremely dominant. Heaps of guys coming through also went on to play rep junior footy and a decent number cracked the pros as part of that Jake Schatz era.
Happyman
Ted Thorn (20)
Mate it has been a shame to see the demise of the Bank. The problem that exists is they have in the past pillaged the other junior clubs in the area and as a result there is a lot of bad blood between say Logan etc.
Hopefully they can turn it around.
They have a new Director of Rugby in Ben Armstrong who is returning form over a decade in Ireland. He's a Dragon junior and used to teach locally might have some contacts in local schools, at least he'll understand they system. Hopefully he can engage the past players network to improve what's happening there.
I guess their other option would be to start paying players, it's their real competitive advantage in the market. I think their management and the Community club might be against that though.
I guess their other option would be to start paying players, it's their real competitive advantage in the market. I think their management and the Community club might be against that though.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
They can lose control through dilution of member votes and representation in the Community Club, i cant see the constitution anywhere but if they aren’t specifically a rugby club, and are a community club as described(despite starting as a rugby club) then its possible through a dilution of member votes the grants have been spread out across the other sports and community organisations and less funding specifically for Sunnybank Rugby.
The Nomad
Bob Davidson (42)
Sunnybank have always had big junior numbers , but one thing I’ve noticed over the last 5-7 years is they seem to be losing some of their better juniors to other clubs by the time Colts comes around.
Seen multiple occasions where lads have played for Sunnybank from U6-U14/15 , then are involved in a private school First XV program for 2-3 years and end up playing at another club. Whether it’s kids moving with their school cohort or clubs recruiting the private schools or another reason altogether, I’m not sure. But Sunnybank need to find a way to reconnect with their juniors who go missing once a private school comes calling.
Example would be the Vaihu brothers , played at Sunnybank until U14/15 , Terrace First XV U16/17&18, now playing at Wests.
100% i'd have to agree with you, Jojo Fifita was another classic example of a Sunnybank junior lost not only to the club but unfortunately the code as well.
Sunnybank dominate the junior competitions, if you take a look at Rugby Xplorer and browse through the age groups you generally see that Sunnybank sit in either the number 1 or number 2 on the table in the Division 1 comp.
Speaking with some knowledge, is that come year 10/11 a large number of the kids are turning their back on club Rugby due to the demands of GPS rugby, there is a massive State High presence at the club and IGS have been handing out scholarships to kids at the club like confetti there are a number of this years u13's on scholarship at IGS. There is also a MASSIVE number of kids from the Gold Coast who are playing with Sunnybank in the juniors. They need to work really hard to maintain these kids and have them transition back to colts at the completion of school Rugby.
Once the school commitments are over they are likely to follow their mates to this "popular" clubs like the UQ's, Brothers etc... Morale is very low in the seniors grades and do not be surprised if they only have 2/3 senior teams next year as they begin a rebuild and weed out the toxic influences.
They also have a large number of juniors who are travelling up from the Gold Coast to play with them, some of the junior teams have upwards of 40% of the teams living on the Gold Coast. They need to find a way to keep the kids who drop off around the u16 as they start playing GPS rugby full time, when they finish with that the kids generally head where their mates go and their mates aint coming to the Bank.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
Yes that was my experience back in the day, all the other clubs have a strong alignment to AIC/GPS clubs and catch a lot of school leavers in that space. Sunnybank has never developed that, doesn’t really have any of those schools in its catchments.
Adam84
Rod McCall (65)
I don’t know, i just remember Sunnybank Rugby making a statement about this a few years ago, urging their members to join to maintain their control of the club. Maybe its in relation to cricket and netball.
A few years ago the rugby club did seem to be noticeably more flush with money for facilities, staff and ‘player payments’ as opposed to now. Could be wrong, it was a question for those involved there.
The Nomad
Bob Davidson (42)
Yes certainly not a problem isolated to Sunnybank, but they seem to be giving up more than they are getting in return.
With regard to Chibba and Horwill , they might have been tempted to play their junior footy at UQ had that been an option then. Hopefully the Taylor Bridge / Kenmore / Springfield mashup into the UQ Junior Heavies is successful and there is no need for UQ to “steal” everyone else’s juniors . ( typed with tongue firmly in cheek)
Stumpy
Allen Oxlade (6)
Every rugby club in Brisbane established juniors in the 1960s (except UQ). Souths started their juniors in 1963 followed by Teachers-Norths, Wests and Easts. Brothers founded their juniors in the late 1960s. Jeeps did so too with Ascot-Clayfield Rugby Club. Sunnybank followed in 1969 with their junior club - hence the unnecessary negativity.
In the 1960s, the reasoning behind this initiative was to ensure that schools (primarily GPS and AIC/TAS) weren't the only mechanism for developing junior talent.
Bear in mind, the BRL competition was very strong in those days. A considerable amount of traditional rugby school boy talent played for league clubs. In fact, a lot of Lauries boys played for Brothers Leprechauns.
To keep these kids in rugby union, juniors emerged as an absolute necessity for the future of our game.
UQ names Kenmore as their juniors - which is absolutely ridiculous considering the fact the Bears were founded by Wests Bulldogs in 1965. UQ have no juniors except for trying to rebrand already exciting junior rugby clubs through 'joint ventures'.