Qld Premier Rugby 2024

[PhilClinton]

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.

Is that a Garrick Morgan directive? Is he guaranteed to be 1st grade coach next year?

 

[Sideline Hack]

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.

Whilst the Colts 1 team should have performed way better than it did with the cattle it had, it's hard to argue that the system is crumbling when in the last 12 months - was talking to one of their main guys on the weekend and Colts-eligible players that have spring-boarded to other opportunities in the last 12 months (who could have been playing Colts 1 this year)
- Luke Aiken - Auckland
- Kadin Pritchard - Brumbies
- Jack Condon - Brumbies
- Jack Harley - Brumbies
- Finn Prass (Force - and then playing Prem Grade rather than Colts)
- Dre Pakeho (Reds - and then playing Prem Grade rather than Colts)
- Braxton Asi (Stade Français)
- Toshi Butlin (Pau)
- Miracle Tangata (Lyon)

Add in a few long-term injuries like Charlie Brosnan and Aiden Taylor and that's a fair core of depth lost to the team this year.

 

[warhorse]

Is that a Garrick Morgan directive? Is he guaranteed to be 1st grade coach next year?

You'd have to ask those closer to the Club administration about that. I have just been told that they were told they
are no longer required next season.

 

[Ras]

Whilst the Colts 1 team should have performed way better than it did with the cattle it had, it's hard to argue that the system is crumbling when in the last 12 months - was talking to one of their main guys on the weekend and Colts-eligible players that have spring-boarded to other opportunities in the last 12 months (who could have been playing Colts 1 this year)
- Luke Aiken - Auckland
- Kadin Pritchard - Brumbies
- Jack Condon - Brumbies
- Jack Harley - Brumbies
- Finn Prass (Force - and then playing Prem Grade rather than Colts)
- Dre Pakeho (Reds - and then playing Prem Grade rather than Colts)
- Braxton Asi (Stade Français)
- Toshi Butlin (Pau)
- Miracle Tangata (Lyon)

Add in a few long-term injuries like Charlie Brosnan and Aiden Taylor and that's a fair core of depth lost to the team this year.

Big Benny Daniels missed most the year as well through injury and U20's honors

 

[SouthernX]

Is that a Garrick Morgan directive? Is he guaranteed to be 1st grade coach next year?

would be dumb to move on from Garrick. First finals trip in a couple of seasons … they are building something - continue what’s working for them.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

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.

I think you answered your own question. You say he played all season. That is fair. It is part of playing club rugby. If he was parachuted in for finals, that isn't fair.

Throughout every club, there are ex first graders and professional players playing lower grades. No issues with that at all. It is the bringing in of players that haven't played a single game all season into a lower grade team for finals.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

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.

Am I am assuming you support Brothers. I am not sure of internationals playing 5th grade but every club have many ex 1st grade players playing lower grades. As you said "When you look at some of the team lists of guys who have been running around in 5th grade". Not players that havent played a single game and come in for finals.

 

[Brian O’Driscoll]

Is that a Garrick Morgan directive? Is he guaranteed to be 1st grade coach next year?

Yes he is.

 

[The Engine Room]

I hope C F-S wins the "best back" award for 6th grade this year A glorious achievement to add to his illustrious provincial rugby career.

 

[Bulldog]

In the early 1990s Wests had a Friday night Fifth Grade side that contained Stan Pilecki, Peter Horton, John Hipwell, Roger Gould, and other non-wallaby notables like Steve Rowley, Scottish bloke Wright(@ #10)?
The other clubs loved plying their rugby skills against former internationals.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

Yes I remember Pat Howard playing in 5th grade for a couple seasons and the opposition always gave him extra attention. I think professional players and ex 1st graders finishing (or re-igniting) their careers in lower grades is great for the competition. It gives a great buzz to those lower grade players to be able to say they played with or against someone of that ilk. It becomes less often these days as career and family demands make it difficult.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

There's a lot of talk about what Brothers does wrong, some of it from me and my bag of sour grapes.

It's also worth discussing what they do right considering every grade made finals. In terms of culture, coaching, and organization structure are there lessons for other clubs that could help strengthen the overall rugby scene here?

For me since I've moved to Brisbane I've been impressed with the pride people there have in their club. Lots of involvement, lots of Brothers bumper stickers and blue hats with the white "B" seen in the wild. Heavy involvement from their Super Rugby players.

 

[Bulldog]

Let’s put a moratorium on Brothers this preliminary final week and consider the Wests v Uni clashes in first and second grade this weekend.

We can get back to Brothers in the GF lead up next week.

Bloody good effort from Uni and Wests to have both their 1&2 through to a preliminary final.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Yes I remember Pat Howard playing in 5th grade for a couple seasons and the opposition always gave him extra attention. I think professional players and ex 1st graders finishing (or re-igniting) their careers in lower grades is great for the competition. It gives a great buzz to those lower grade players to be able to say they played with or against someone of that ilk. It becomes less often these days as career and family demands make it difficult.

Yes agree. In WA we regularly have Peter Grant, Peter Kimlin and Junior Pelasesa, among others running around in the lower grades. It is a great challenge to play against them even if they are nudging 40 or over.

 

[tig]

I remember, back in the day, playing fourth grade against a GPS team with nine players who had played for Queensland - but they were there because they loved the game.

 

[tig]

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.

I thought it was an absolute rule- Colts could not be used in lower grades.

 

[Oracle83]

I thought it was an absolute rule- Colts could not be used in lower grades.

Notabrotherslover but good for them

 

[Oldschool]

For all those crying about teenagers playing with men.

 

[PhilClinton]

Pride? I liken it to sheep all making their way to the popular Netflix show, the trendy coffee shop, the new ripped jeans look, the dyed blonde hair, the white polo, the Maui Jims, the euro summer, the Noosa beach shack, the SUV, the nanny, the RMs, the BIG credit card debt. This crowd are a bunch of living beyond their means losers. Tell me I’m wrong…

Mate, less from you. This is a rugby forum.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

He couldn't be more wrong - ripped jeans aren't trendy anymore