Qld Premier Rugby 2024

[Bulldog]

What happened with Brothers colts this year finishing 6 in colts 1 and 4th in colts 2 (& bundled out in the minor semi). Colts 3 won the major semi.
Is the Rohrig Academy crumbling down? Maybe the Colts figured out that a club which stock piles all the talent isn’t always the best club for the development of their rugby journey. Uni have been there before where great young talent find themselves disenchanted and playing in colts 2 or 3 when they would be a walk up start in colts 1 at another club.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

If Brothers "seemed to have quite a few fresh bench options for all grades" why would there be need to bring in these colts at all for "cover"? There were back rowers on the brothers bench in 5th grade that had played all season in 5th grade. One of the 5th grade front rowers played most of the season in 4th grade. Why would they need the colt in 4th grade for cover?

Sell it how you want, its a regular occurrence from one particular club. There are genuine 4th and 5th grade players. Some in their 40s and 50s who play for the love of the game and end up competing against QLD representatives come finals time. Whichever way you try and explain it or call it "cover", it stinks. This is not dropping a player from 3rd to 4th grade or colts 1 to colts 2. This is genuine QLD representative players playing against lower graders.

 

[The Engine Room]

Still should be a minimum number of games (6) played in that team to be eligible if coming down the grades. In regards to Colts, they still should have benched or played a min of 6 games during the season in that team. Without something like this, I can see the situation getting ridiculous.

 

[PhilClinton]

Wading into the subjective realm of personal opinion, I think there's an a element of legitimacy to also consider.

Hypothetically you win a 3G Grand Final with Colts and higher grade players that didn't play 3G all season, was it really a 3G Grand Final?

Not many teams go through a season with the same 15 blokes all year. You're always going to end up with a fair chunk of players who should be playing higher but are able to player lower due to the qualification rules.

There are rules in place to prevent the unfair stacking of teams. I recall there was a GPS 3rd grade side not along ago who played a bunch of 1st and 2nd graders that had been injured for most of the year. They apparently had verbally cleared the regulations with the QRU, but after putting 50 odd points on Wests during a knockout final, Wests complained, and GPS were disqualified.

Same thing happened to a Wests side in the Friday night comp not long before that and they lost their spot in a grand final.

I don't think any one club is above trying to put the best team on the park and win premierships.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Surely QRU has responsibility rather than GPS in that scenario if they gave clearance? GPS would be filthy about that and would have wished they'd gotten it in writing.

I won't begrudge a club for following the letter of regulations rather than the spirit of them, especially in higher grades where priorities and expectations creep closer to the professional level.

Doing it in 4G, 5G, and friday nights is silly though even if there are shades of grey re: injuries and availability.

 

[footinbothcamps]

good to see the Prem game moved from the sandpit to gps this weekend

 

[PhilClinton]

Changing topic for a minute to go back to discussing results. I feel like Souths had a great opportunity this year with some key players available. I wonder if next year will be a bit tougher. You’d imagine Bryant and HMP at a minimum will be available less. Wouldn’t be surprised if someone like Francis looks for another professional opportunity and Kohan Herbert is too good not to have a contract.

 

[TheRugbyCyclist]

Everyone's Thoughts on the Brothers vs Wests Game on the weekend (prems)?

 

[Dctarget]

Thought Wests were in control and were the better team. But Brothers were more tactical and converted their opportunities though, Wests fluffed a few near tries. Great battle between old and new in O'Connor and Gordon. Also loved the bump off from A. Smith on R. Smith. The Brothers' maul was a thing of beauty.

Also feels weird to type but Vunivalu killed it.

 

[SouthernX]

Actually think Souths could win it all next season TBH.

reminds me a lot of the 2021 bulldogs who lost a minor semi final and then we all know what happened in 2022

they have a good colts program so the talent there will be getting utilised in grades in coming seasons

 

[Oldschool]

The Colts 1 players playing in the open lower grades is probably a fair disbursement of where they'll actually end up playing if they play next year.
1 or 2 potentially prems, 3 or 4 2nd grade the rest of the U20 brigade will be playing in 3 and below. I think it's a good thing the boys getting a taste of grade football and realise going from Colts 1 to 3rd or 4th grade is still playing good footy and enjoying it with new albiet older mates.

 

[warhorse]

Yes they have had an excellent Colts programme for the last three years under the current Colts coaches, however, those coaches were told halfway through the 2nd round of this season, that they wouldn't be required in 2025. Can't really understand the reasoning behind this decision. It will be interesting to see if players follow their well respected coaches.

 

[Confucius Say]

You know they will if the coaches get a job elsewhere

 

[Confucius Say]

Everyone's Thoughts on the Brothers vs Wests Game on the weekend (prems)?

Brothers scramble won the game. Vunivalu was ankle tapped when there was a certain try in the offing & there was another moment when somehow their desperation stopped a certain try. That was the difference in the end.

 

[Confucius Say]

good to see the Prem game moved from the sandpit to gps this weekend

$5 a head?

 

[oldrugbytragic]

The Colts 1 players playing in the open lower grades is probably a fair disbursement of where they'll actually end up playing if they play next year.
1 or 2 potentially prems, 3 or 4 2nd grade the rest of the U20 brigade will be playing in 3 and below. I think it's a good thing the boys getting a taste of grade football and realise going from Colts 1 to 3rd or 4th grade is still playing good footy and enjoying it with new albiet older mates.

So you're saying that a prop and number 8 from Colts 1 that have both played QLD Under 19s will end up in 4th and 5th Grade respectively in the next couple years? Me thinks another Crosby park faithful excusing themselves for their behaviour. Look, I actually admire Brothers for the way they have built depth and become so successful but this is a really poor look from them. Is a 5th or 4th grade premiership that important to the club that they act in complete opposite to the spirit of the lower grade rugby and also, have their own players miss out on a spot for finals? Before you ask, my son has a friend at Brothers who missed out on selection in 5th grade. He played there for all but 1 or 2 games this season.

Don't make excuses. Tell it for what it is. An ordinary act. Yet unfortunately typical of this club.

 

[tig]

I seem to remember that there used to be a rule that Colts could only play up in first or second grade. The idea was that talented Colts could go up to get some good experience, but lesser players could not be used as cannon fodder in lower grades.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

That is still the rule. Premier Colts are eligible to play 1st and 2nd Grade in finals but because Brothers have all their consecutive grade in they can drop back down to 4th Grade. A technical loophole.

 

[Sideline Hack]

@Bulldog
What is has done is turned into an absolute joke with clubs like Brothers doing what they did on Saturday with playing Premier Colts players in lower grades semi finals so they can secure wins. A fairly ordinary act in my opinion but not a huge surprise from them. A prop that played the entire season for Premier Colts turned out against Uni in 4th grade. And I believe others in 5th Grade. How anyone at Crosby Road thinks this is in the spirit of amateur (lower grade) rugby is beyond me.

UQ had Colts 1 boys on their 4th grade teamlist, Wests brought up Colts in 4th Grade and it looks like GPS had washed down 3rd Grade boys into theirs.

When you look at some of the team lists of guys who have been running around in 5th grade - ex-internationals hardly fit the bill of genuine 5th grade battlers (and I have no issue with these guys running around with mates all season either).

Am assuming you were just on the losing end of the game against Brothers which is why you are so butt-hurt at the moment - just redirect your energies to winning your Prelim Final this week.

 

[PhilClinton]

Very good points Sideline Hack. We could sit here for hours analysing every team and why it 'isn't fair' to have blokes playing in certain grades.

Chris Feauai-Sautia has been playing Souths 6th grade most of the year and absolutely braining it - he was a professional rugby player 12 months ago. Fair to genuine 6th graders? Maybe not. But that is part of playing club rugby.