Qld Premier Rugby 2023

[Oracle83]

I don’t know whether spending big on a few players is the key ingredient I think depth within your premier grade squad is the key to success and that is something that is developed over a number of seasons. Obviously if a club is there or their abouts, then the addition of a couple of quality players in key positions can make a huge impact. You need solid foundations before you need to worry about interior design.

Very true but getting a player like Werchon would have been a very good move in my opinion. Potentially paving way for further recruitment from Sunshine Coast players a strategy which has been good for them plus also Nudgee school finishers astute enough to see key brethren departing for over depth reasons and also for other club players seeing too much depth in their favoured positions.

 

[CreepyJoe]

Nope, through commercial operations. One thing Norths have done extremely well over the past through is ensuring that the club is financially sustainable (bar, events & facilty usage). There is so much potential there, but the fact they wish to wash it away on paying players does upset me.

Norths have had a severe lack of quality & quantity in the lower grades, why not subsidise fees for them (they'd spend it over the bar during the year), plus you could then get some of those blokes falling away to stay rather than them thinking that they are unloved. You could invest in Colts recruitment & retention especially through Juniors, build the love of the Club through them (plus have potential1st graders at the end of it based on the quality of players in the Junior club). Why not fund a DO for local schools & recruitment, because the current staff/board/coaches sure as he'll won't.

There are so many solutions but again the path forward is money for 1st Grade mercenaries. I've seen much worse days for the club, but that was just after professionalism. With QPR becoming a a more professional-standard competition Norths need to be better or they will die. And that would be a very sad day for me, but one that would be deserved based on their actions.

Jesus, who'd want you in their tent?
You claim you want them to do well,especially in 1st Grade, but don't want them to bring players in to improve. Seems to me it sounds like you had your go, and NOTHING improved during your time, and now you're bitter someone else is having a go. So instead you're taking cheap pot shots at all and sundry coz they're not doing it your way.

Looks to me like they're being pretty responsible about things if you go off the earlier comments here. Whilst I don't believe for one second Werchon wanted $50k it does seem that whatever he wanted Norths weren't willing to pay it. That's pretty responsible if you asked me. Plus, as you've also mentioned, perhaps they've decided to back O'Regan and Stokes coming up from Colts too. Isn't that what you want? Developing their own?

Here's a question for ya. What if bringing in a couple of Premier Grade standard players, along with the group of kids coming up from Colts actually improves them? Will you go up to Pat Byron and congratulate him or will you still continue to bitch behind the veil of anonymity?

I reckon we could all pick which one it'll be.

 

[CreepyJoe]

I don’t know whether spending big on a few players is the key ingredient I think depth within your premier grade squad is the key to success and that is something that is developed over a number of seasons. Obviously if a club is there or their abouts, then the addition of a couple of quality players in key positions can make a huge impact. You need solid foundations before you need to worry about interior design.

isn't bringing in players of Premier Grade standard the ingredient to premier grade depth?

After all, your mob grabbed the Skelton's, Usher, Dobby from The Filth a few years ago......that was the start was it not?

 

[CreepyJoe]

Sorry I have to step in on this one. It wasn't Pat Byron who put his foot down, he & board were quite happy to see it happen. It was the other players & coaches kicking up a stink about trying to build something more in the club, rather paying blokes for 1st Grade. From what I seen Pat has more than happy to perpetate the mercenary culture that Norths have had in the past 10 years. Unfortunately my (long) time at Norths has fought against quite a bit of this culture, but probably won't ever go back as I don't see it ever changing.

Current Director of Rugby (sacked from Brothers & doesn't look like he has much success elsewhere) & most recent board members want to go that direction as well, thinking a bought 1st grade team will fix everything (including pumping junior money into it). Forgetting that a club is more than 15 1st graders.

No wonder almost all of Norths Juniors end up elsewhere. QRU needs to seriously go through the club & give them a deadline to fix stuff up, otherwise kick them out & promote clubs who will (USC, Noosa, Cabo, Wynnum, etc.)

I call bullshit.

 

[The Whisperer]

Jesus, who'd want you in their tent?
You claim you want them to do well,especially in 1st Grade, but don't want them to bring players in to improve. Seems to me it sounds like you had your go, and NOTHING improved during your time, and now you're bitter someone else is having a go. So instead you're taking cheap pot shots at all and sundry coz they're not doing it your way.

Looks to me like they're being pretty responsible about things if you go off the earlier comments here. Whilst I don't believe for one second Werchon wanted $50k it does seem that whatever he wanted Norths weren't willing to pay it. That's pretty responsible if you asked me. Plus, as you've also mentioned, perhaps they've decided to back O'Regan and Stokes coming up from Colts too. Isn't that what you want? Developing their own?

Here's a question for ya. What if bringing in a couple of Premier Grade standard players, along with the group of kids coming up from Colts actually improves them? Will you go up to Pat Byron and congratulate him or will you still continue to bitch behind the veil of anonymity?

I reckon we could all pick which one it'll be.

This wins today. Well said

 

[CreepyJoe]

I think the difference being that most of the other clubs have had good depth in grades & colts reinforcing the top, & frequently have at least 1 team in finals every year (plus every club but Norths has won a premiership of some sorts in the last 5 years.) Norths have finished bottom or second bottom of Doughty Shield every year. I'd more than happy to "buy" players if it were plugging holes in our depth. However we have no depth to plug holes in. It definitely is frustrating as a Norths man to see it happen over and over again.

I'm confused. Isn't recruiting players plugging holes in their depth?

Only one board member, that is nominated by members outside of the established management group of the past 8 years, was elected at AGM. Can't do much with one voice out of 10.

I don't disagree with most of what the board does anyway, financially Norths are doing well. Facilities wise, extremely well. Just rugby needs a lot of work, and we seem to not take advantage of when we have opportunities. And the longer it takes to fix, the more time the rest of the clubs have to get even better.

Are they not working at it? Aside from recruitment (which you seem to agree with needs to happen...just as long as they don't "buy"anyone) and going by their social media posts, improving the standards of strength and conditioning and promoting the Colts coaches from the last few years up into Premier Grade what exactly, in your opinion, are they not doing?

If you've supported them financially in the past, why did you stop? Wouldn't your on-going support be required to make the improvements you want done?

 

[SouthernX]

I see the draw has been released for the year…

By the looks of things, the QRU hasn’t factored in any “competition wide” bye week that would be really handy if a weekend had to be reschedule due to wet weather.

did we not learn anything from this year?

 

[RugbyReg]

I see the draw has been released for the year…

By the looks of things, the QRU hasn’t factored in any “competition wide” bye week that would be really handy if a weekend had to be reschedule due to wet weather.

did we not learn anything from this year?

8 April?
1 July?

 

[SouthernX]

Ah yes I see those dates now.

April 8th would be Easter? 1 July maybe our test match weekend at Suncorp.

 

[RebelYell]

Ah yes I see those dates now.

April 8th would be Easter? 1 July maybe our test match weekend at Suncorp.

No Brisbane Test in 2023. https://www.rugbypass.com/news/no-eden-park-pain-for-wallabies-in-2023/

 

[Confucius Say]

I see the draw has been released for the year…

By the looks of things, the QRU hasn’t factored in any “competition wide” bye week that would be really handy if a weekend had to be reschedule due to wet weather.

did we not learn anything from this year?

UQ are organised and have their draw up on the site. First 6 game away although the first one is a home game at North Lakes v GPS.

Anyone got the link to the season full draw?

 

[Confucius Say]

Uni, you maybe have a typo in your draw on your website.

On your site it says Round 8 is 2 week after round 7 and a bye in round 9.

Maybe round 8 is 20th May not 27th?
Maybe bye is 27th?

 

[Wilson]

I think it might have been rumoured previously but Ben Mowen is leaving Brisbane for Canberra:

FORMER Wallabies captain Ben Mowen is preparing to say goodbye to Brisbane, with his Camp Hill Queenslander now on the market.

Mowen and his wife Lauren purchased the two-storey home back in 2015, but with opportunities now beckoning in southern New South Wales, the couple is selling the family home and preparing to move to Gundaroo, just outside of Canberra.

Looks pretty likely this will be his last year with Easts.

 

[Bulldog]

Can someone post a link to the 2023 draw?

 

[SouthernX]

I think it might have been rumoured previously but Ben Mowen is leaving Brisbane for Canberra:


Looks pretty likely this will be his last year with Easts.

interesting development. I wonder if there’s anyone on that Easts coaching staff they’d look to elevate when Mowen moves on.

 

[Bulldog]

interesting development. I wonder if there’s anyone on that Easts coaching staff they’d look to elevate when Mowen moves on.

I think the next coach of Easts comes from or is composed of the QRUW set up - Simon Craig, Sione F, Moses Rualuni who have all held head or assist coaching positions at Easts over the last 5/6 years.
I think Easts like to have one of their own in charge.
I hear Moses is coaching Easts Reserve grade next year.

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

I think the next coach of Easts comes from or is composed of the QRUW set up - Simon Craig, Sione F, Moses Rauluni who have all held head or assist coaching positions at Easts over the last 5/6 years.
I think Easts like to have one of their own in charge.
I hear Moses is coaching Easts Reserve grade next year.

Simon Craig is one of the worst coaches going around. How he keeps getting rep jobs is staggering.

 

[Bulldog]

Simon Craig is one of the worst coaches going around. How he keeps getting rep jobs is staggering.

That seem a bit harsh - he was the scrum coach behind the Easts pack that decimated Uni in the 2020 grand final so he must know a thing or two. He wouldn’t get rep appointments if he was one of “the worst going around”. What’s your evidence or motivation to make such a claim?

 

[Knuckles]

That seem a bit harsh - he was the scrum coach behind the Easts pack that decimated Uni in the 2020 grand final so he must know a thing or two. He wouldn’t get rep appointments if he was one of “the worst going around”. What’s your evidence or motivation to make such a claim?

Simon Craig is one of the worst coaches going around. How he keeps getting rep jobs is staggering.

the bloke has probably NEVER Coached a team himself. But happy to shit can a bloke who's having a go

 

[The Whisperer]

That seem a bit harsh - he was the scrum coach behind the Easts pack that decimated Uni in the 2020 grand final so he must know a thing or two. He wouldn’t get rep appointments if he was one of “the worst going around”. What’s your evidence or motivation to make such a claim?

To be fair, someone who has never watched a game of rugby could’ve looked like a good scrum coach if you’re front row was Rhys Van Nek, Richie Asiata and George Francis.