Qld Premier Rugby 2022

[Adam84]

Dont really want to bring the debate into this thread any further, but that article was a fluff piece if I've ever seen one.

And there's a number of ways you can get better value for your clients that doesn't screw over other stakeholders in the process, purposely delaying, stalling or lying about a players availability when they're already committed elsewhere comes at the expense of other players who are also waiting on offers from clubs. I'm sure his clients are happy, but It's not simply about his clients but how you balance the contracting process of all the players given there are limited spots and salary to offer.

 

[The Nomad]

Isn’t that who he represents as an agent?
There seems to be no shortage of clubs that want his players. Including the Wallabies. My opinion of Picone is neutral as I don’t have direct dealings with him. All I’m saying is that the Reds seem to be losing the battle, and the players still get to play rugby but with a bigger pay cheque.

As you say , an agents' job is to provide opportunities for their contracted players. Picone is definitely doing his job in that department. Guess the question is whether the opportunities they get presented with are in their best long term interests . That's something that his players have to decide themselves, hopefully they are getting good advise on said opportunities.

We have to realise that not all professional players in Australia strive to be Wallabies, for some it's just a career and want the most out of the limited time they have in the game.

What does get me though is the signing of young talent and presenting it like he is doing rugby a service. Agents need players, they don't have a business without them. Signing young talent is how they build their stable, they aren't doing this to be nice guys.

 

[PhilClinton]

Carl Marshall back to the Brothers is interesting.

Sounds like the senior playing group found out last week/over the weekend. Quite a few of them aren't very impressed.

Does anyone actually know what happened with Wests? Seemed like they were building some good culture and then bang he's gone. I'll be honest I'm not the biggest fan of Prinsloo so my comments around the situation would be biased.

 

[Cancelled Account]

As you say , an agents' job is to provide opportunities for their contracted players. Picone is definitely doing his job in that department. Guess the question is whether the opportunities they get presented with are in their best long term interests . That's something that his players have to decide themselves, hopefully they are getting good advise on said opportunities.

We have to realise that not all professional players in Australia strive to be Wallabies, for some it's just a career and want the most out of the limited time they have in the game.

What does get me though is the signing of young talent and presenting it like he is doing rugby a service. Agents need players, they don't have a business without them. Signing young talent is how they build their stable, they aren't doing this to be nice guys.

Agree. It would be good if Queensland players had an opportunity to come back regardless of their agent. This dispute is beyond a joke.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Carl Marshall back to the Brothers is interesting.

Sounds like the senior playing group found out last week/over the weekend. Quite a few of them aren't very impressed.

Does anyone actually know what happened with Wests? Seemed like they were building some good culture and then bang he's gone. I'll be honest I'm not the biggest fan of Prinsloo so my comments around the situation would be biased.

Welcome back Carl.

 

[Oldschool]

The agents represent the player, not the Club, QRU or RA. They are there to help the player maximize the players revenue and present opportunities to the player to meet the players goals whether they be financial or aspirational. Reds need to build a bridge and get over it as RA has judging by the talent currently back on the books.

 

[PhilClinton]

The agents represent the player, not the Club, QRU or RA. They are there to help the player maximize the players revenue and present opportunities to the player to meet the players goals whether they be financial or aspirational. Reds need to build a bridge and get over it as RA has judging by the talent currently back on the books.

I don't think RA ever had an issue with anyone did they? And if you're referring to Kerevi and McMahon playing for the Wallabies, they would be receiving match payments but they aren't getting any RA top ups, you need to be contracted by an Australian Super Rugby side to eligible I believe. Or are there other players who were overseas coming back to Super Rugby? Rodda is one I know of, but I believe the Western Force are still operating on their own, so he hasn't received an RA top up either.

 

[Ruck n Maul]

Carl Marshall back to the Brothers is interesting.

Sounds like the senior playing group found out last week/over the weekend. Quite a few of them aren't very impressed.

Does anyone actually know what happened with Wests? Seemed like they were building some good culture and then bang he's gone. I'll be honest I'm not the biggest fan of Prinsloo so my comments around the situation would be biased.

I'd love to know the real story at Wests as well, I do believe the Rebels infux caused issues with existing players. I'd also like to know who at Wests thought it would be a good idea to bring Elwee in? Don't get me wrong, his on field coaching and ability to recruit is a high level, but the jury is out on the softer skills and a lot of GPS people will agree there, everyone on the outside at Wests could have predicted what has now happened (just ask Anthony Mathison).

I feel for the now former Wests head coach, seemed like he was building something positive, although I'm not sure what his philosophy around conditioning of forwards was. At least he has been given another opportunity to continue coaching at the Filth, but I have also heard this isn't the most popular decision with senior players either, especially around their recent approach to recruitment involving some neighbouring clubs younger players...one being ours.

 

[Rugbynovice]

I'd love to know the real story at Wests as well, I do believe the Rebels infux caused issues with existing players. I'd also like to know who at Wests thought it would be a good idea to bring Elwee in? Don't get me wrong, his on field coaching and ability to recruit is a high level, but the jury is out on the softer skills and a lot of GPS people will agree there, everyone on the outside at Wests could have predicted what has now happened (just ask Anthony Mathison).

I feel for the now former Wests head coach, seemed like he was building something positive, although I'm not sure what his philosophy around conditioning of forwards was. At least he has been given another opportunity to continue coaching at the Filth, but I have also heard this isn't the most popular decision with senior players either, especially around their recent approach to recruitment involving some neighbouring clubs younger players...one being ours.

The powers that be at Wests are desperate to win a premiership and clearly made a decision to seek out that path with a certain coaching style at the potential cost of long term growth at the club. Carl Marshall made it well known when returning to Wests (his old club) that he wanted to build their club culture as well as develop the playing groups ability - pretty easy to see both as an outside and insider that those things occurred. It will be interesting to see what happens at that club over the next 12-18 months.

 

[PhilClinton]

The powers that be at Wests are desperate to win a premiership and clearly made a decision to seek out that path with a certain coaching style at the potential cost of long term growth at the club. Carl Marshall made it well known when returning to Wests (his old club) that he wanted to build their club culture as well as develop the playing groups ability - pretty easy to see both as an outside and insider that those things occurred. It will be interesting to see what happens at that club over the next 12-18 months.

If the goal of the club is to win a few 1st grade premierships in the next few years as their primary focus, then they can keep going with a similar model to this year and they'll likely be successful. It was pretty clear that GPS put 1st grade on the pedestal for a number years, ended up going quite well, but the rest of the club, especially the Colts really fell away. They seem to have shifted back to a more rounded approach which is good.

Teams that do similar are comparable to Kentucky in the US College basketball comp, they've built a program around bringing in one and done players to make themselves competitive each year. Elwee I'm sure has some connections waiting because I'm not sure the Rebels players will be as eager to come to QPR if their comp is running in 2022.

That doesn't exactly breed club loyalty though down the ranks. But being successful does attract talent, so maybe a few seasons of some fifo players could be beneficial down the track.

GPS had a bit of a hangover for a few years after Picone and then Elwee and the connections they brought who then left just as quickly though.

 

[The Whisperer]

With the coaching merry go round in full swing, what is happening at brothers?
I've seen announcements of Brendan Gabbett, Carl Marshall and Tom Court. What has happened to Kelevi Tuicolo? Surely he has not gone back down to colts? Anyone have any intel on this?

 

[RugbyReg]

Andrew Romano has been picked up by the Force.

 

[Rugbynovice]

With the coaching merry go round in full swing, what is happening at brothers?
I've seen announcements of Brendan Gabbett, Carl Marshall and Tom Court. What has happened to Kelevi Tuicolo? Surely he has not gone back down to colts? Anyone have any intel on this?

Apparently Norths Prem Grade

 

[PhilClinton]

Apparently Norths Prem Grade

Say it aint so.

Makes sense for Kelevi from a geographical standpoint, I believe he's involved with Padua, and Norths is only 5mins down the road.

I know Kelevi personally and he's a top bloke, and I know the Brother's guys he has coached (and GPS in the past) have all enjoyed playing under him and learning from him. But I am still not sure he's the type of coach that North's needs. If he is willing to commit 7 years to bring them from the absolute cellar to become something respectable, then sure he might be a good fit. But knowing him and the expectations and standards he has, I am not sure that will work.

North's won't turn things around in a year or two. Kelevi already has ties to the QRU community and is too good of a coach that he will be poached for some higher honour before Norths can reach anything noteworthy. Norths need to find a young coach with no ties to QPR, QRU etc. who can take them through for 5-10 years and really shape the club. I don't think any current coaches in QPR would be able to do that, they would all be dragged back to their old clubs after a few years of shit fighting.

 

[The Nomad]

Maybe Norths are hopeful that Kelevi will attract a few players that they would otherwise miss out on ?

His involvement with Padua , Brothers’ Colts (plus GPS a few years ago now ) and the QRU pathways could easily lure talent to Norths and potentially away from Brothers. Particularly when you consider the less crammed pathway to 1st Grade.

 

[PhilClinton]

Maybe Norths are hopeful that Kelevi will attract a few players that they would otherwise miss out on ?

His involvement with Padua , Brothers’ Colts (plus GPS a few years ago now ) and the QRU pathways could easily lure talent to Norths and potentially away from Brothers. Particularly when you consider the less crammed pathway to 1st Grade.

Yep without a doubt they would be hoping for this outcome,

But I still don't think it changes the fact that unless he's planning on sticking around for a long time, those pathways probably dry up when he leaves. It's not an overly organic way of getting new players to the club, shoehorning a bloke who's already got connections in those pathways and diverting them to Norths.

 

[The Nomad]

Yep without a doubt they would be hoping for this outcome,

But I still don't think it changes the fact that unless he's planning on sticking around for a long time, those pathways probably dry up when he leaves. It's not an overly organic way of getting new players to the club, shoehorning a bloke who's already got connections in those pathways and diverting them to Norths.

Didn't think Norths were too far off this year, maybe they only need a couple of seasons of talent influx to take them to a mid table standing.

I do agree that they need a long term coach , but they also need an injection of talent which is hard for an unconnected coach to achieve. Talent ( and success ) tends to attract talent.

Spoke to a young Q Cup League player recently who had a run at Norths in QPR last year when the Q Cup was cancelled, basically told me he went there purely because he was a better chance of playing 1st grade at Norths than anywhere else. Spent the season playing centre in QPR , but is now back playing league. Also said his agent mentioned the season of rugby will look good on his CV if he ever decides to give rugby a crack OS.

Norths need to work out a way not only to attract talent, but to keep the talent. A well connected HC is a good start.

 

[Ruck n Maul]

Yep without a doubt they would be hoping for this outcome,

But I still don't think it changes the fact that unless he's planning on sticking around for a long time, those pathways probably dry up when he leaves. It's not an overly organic way of getting new players to the club, shoehorning a bloke who's already got connections in those pathways and diverting them to Norths.

I also know Kelevi quite well from his playing days at GPS before he migrated to the filth. He isn't the type of guy who comes and goes, he invests well wherever he is. I look at how Brothers moved him around from 1st grade, back to colts, back to whatever his role would have been for next year, I sense it may have been a reduced role; 4 coaches is hard to squeeze in.

I think it is a great pick up for Norths, especially given his links with Padua now. He isn't the only coach with with 'pathway' connections there though, the 1st Grade and Colts Head Coach's both coached QLD u19 teams this year and both have strong backgrounds in GPS schoolboy rugby. The colts coaches are proven developmental coaches and perhaps they are the 'long term' coaching options needed? The social media pics from their Colts information session says things are being put in place for a long term bottom up approach?

Either way Kelevi will make a big contribution to moving things in the right direction, Brothers may well regret losing him...hopefully then he can come home as our Head Coach whenever Cowboy decides to move on (insert winky face).

 

[Jets]

While I wish Kelevi all the best I can't see any change at Norths unless there is an influx of talent. Their issue is that guys are happy to drive to Brothers or GPS to play, some guys even drive down Shaw Rd to go to Uni and other clubs.

 

[Oldschool]

I think Pat, Kelevi and Buzz will make a pretty good team at Norths.

PC I think your 7 years is a bit of a stretch and smacks of sour grapes. You loose talent when there's only so many seats at the table, something the Filth should be used too. In Kelevi's case, he's been jerked around and Carl getting a free pass back would be the last straw IMO.

If there's an issue for Norths coaching team, apart from creating consistency, is that they're all pretty quiet blokes and won't shake the tree for talent, aka talk a good game, but they will through actions and creating an environment where players grow and get to compete against the best QPR has to offer, which leads to professional contracts, that in its self should attract talent. No wooden spoon for Norths in 2022.