QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[LevitatingSocks]

I don't think Prem grade level players grow on trees.

The number that have the athletic ability and skill is not big to begin with. Take away the people that don't have the time to dedicate to the level of training and fitness. Take away the people that need money, they're playing league or are overseas.

Of those that are left, the ones that are too good are contracted to a Super Rugby team.

You aren't left with many and that's the real obstacle to expansion.

 

[Bulldog]

Hence focus should be on development of the game at junior level across the board not on expansion of QPR - it won’t happen in the short-mid term, grow the game at junior level and any expansion will evolve from there.

 

[Wilson]

Hence focus should be on development of the game at junior level across the board not on expansion of QPR - it won’t happen in the short-mid term, grow the game at junior level and any expansion will evolve from there.

Absolutely, the growth has to be from the ground up here (from grass roots if you will). It's a mistake to look at QPR expansion like NRL, AFL or even Super Rugby adding teams - it's not a professional competition and there isn't a lot of 'product' to make clubs viable just on the basis of being included.

All that said, I do think the QRU (and to some degree RA) need to be having discussions about what the competition and any potential expansion could or should look like over a 10 year time frame. The combination of the 2025 Lions tour, 2027 and 2029 home world cups, and the 2032 Olympics all while there is very strong population growth in SEQ will present some truly singular opportunities for the game at all levels. It remains to be seen whether or not there will be enough for expansion in that, but they need to be proactive at working out the best way to take advantage.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Absolutely, the growth has to be from the ground up here (from grass roots if you will). It's a mistake to look at QPR expansion like NRL, AFL or even Super Rugby adding teams - it's not a professional competition and there isn't a lot of 'product' to make clubs viable just on the basis of being included.

All that said, I do think the QRU (and to some degree RA) need to be having discussions about what the competition and any potential expansion could or should look like over a 10 year time frame. The combination of the 2025 Lions tour, 2027 and 2029 home world cups, and the 2032 Olympics all while there is very strong population growth in SEQ will present some truly singular opportunities for the game at all levels. It remains to be seen whether or not there will be enough for expansion in that, but they need to be proactive at working out the best way to take advantage.

If they do expand it should be bottom up, rather than top down. Nothing will kill recruitment for a new QPR club faster than getting thrown into the deep end and flogged 35-3 every weekend. Especially if you're coming from further away like Caboolture would be.

If fielding a competitive team means starting with 3G and Colts, then so be it.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I think the most efficient way to launch something new is to align closely with a University and lean into any resources they can share. In terms of recruitment it helps to offer Colts a direct entry/assistance and if you are slightly out of a CBD it's a pretty good catchment for players who fill out lower grade sides which put a lot of money back into the Club over time.

Hunter Wildfires in the SS have a partnership with University of Newcastle which is financial as well as academic support.

 

[Wilson]

If they do expand it should be bottom up, rather than top down. Nothing will kill recruitment for a new QPR club faster than getting thrown into the deep end and flogged 35-3 every weekend. Especially if you're coming from further away like Caboolture would be.

If fielding a competitive team means starting with 3G and Colts, then so be it.

Bottom up yes, but the path needs to be laid out for them from on high, with the required help offered at the community level to get that going - potentially part of what's included in RA's new "From Green to Gold" strategy.

I think the most efficient way to launch something new is to align closely with a University and lean into any resources they can share. In terms of recruitment it helps to offer Colts a direct entry/assistance and if you are slightly out of a CBD it's a pretty good catchment for players who fill out lower grade sides which put a lot of money back into the Club over time.

Hunter Wildfires in the SS have a partnership with University of Newcastle which is financial as well as academic support.

Adding uni focused partnerships inside the traditional catchment areas can be tricky, they risk just cannibalizing the existing participation without doing much to boost junior numbers coming through long term. For places like Newcastle joining a Sydney comp it makes plenty of sense though, and it's probably a big part of why Bond has been relatively successful as a Gold Coast club. It's the path I'd look to for a proper Sunshine Coast club stepping up, but probably not for any club closer to Brisbane then that.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

I think the most efficient way to launch something new is to align closely with a University and lean into any resources they can share. In terms of recruitment it helps to offer Colts a direct entry/assistance and if you are slightly out of a CBD it's a pretty good catchment for players who fill out lower grade sides which put a lot of money back into the Club over time.

Hunter Wildfires in the SS have a partnership with University of Newcastle which is financial as well as academic support.

I think QUT had an association with Norths at one point, but that partnership dissolved and I heard QUT more or less binned all its athletics.

UQ and Bond already have their namesake rugby clubs.

That leaves Griffith but that university is bizarrely decentralized so it's uncertain how willing they would be to get involved in that project.

USC could do the job for the Sunny Coast, but that feels like a retread of past attempts to form a Sunny Coast super team.

 

[Mismatch]

Absolutely, the growth has to be from the ground up here (from grass roots if you will). It's a mistake to look at QPR expansion like NRL, AFL or even Super Rugby adding teams - it's not a professional competition and there isn't a lot of 'product' to make clubs viable just on the basis of being included.

All that said, I do think the QRU (and to some degree RA) need to be having discussions about what the competition and any potential expansion could or should look like over a 10 year time frame. The combination of the 2025 Lions tour, 2027 and 2029 home world cups, and the 2032 Olympics all while there is very strong population growth in SEQ will present some truly singular opportunities for the game at all levels. It remains to be seen whether or not there will be enough for expansion in that, but they need to be proactive at working out the best way to take advantage.

Couldn't agree anymore with this.

 

[hdnmstsnr]

No worries - where is the funding coming from to keep all these players who's professional ceiling ends up being MLR?

Matt Gicquel and Kohan Herbert are two of my favourite players and greatly talented but they're also currently stuck behind Fraser McReight who is likely going to be picked for every Wallabies game for the next 8 years. Would be great if RA could supply additional funding to keep all these gun openside flankers but the reality is they simply can't.

Same thing happened in the previous generation that saw the likes of Liam Gill and Sean McMahon head overseas with Michael Hooper flying the flag. It is the current reality of rugby.

The Wallabies being beaten by international teams with a couple of Aussie players isn't solely on the shoulders on the QPR losing blokes to MLR and Japan.

Also, the last person to use the word 'modicum' on this forum was a twit and you're falling into the same bucket.

Play the topic, not the person. The fact you think MLR is a professional ceiling and not a form of entry-level professionalism tells me all I need to know on what you think of the kid. That's your right. I was arguing the underlying motives behind Stowers and Manenti both going to the USA near the tops of their games...and if you're going to get personal about the use of vocabulary...I suggest you show a modicum of restraint - and stick to topic.

 

[SouthernX]

Play the topic, not the person. The fact you think MLR is a professional ceiling and not a form of entry-level professionalism tells me all I need to know on what you think of the kid.

The MLR is absolutely a professional ceiling.

You can probably pigeon hole it into 3rd in terms of domestic pro comps in terms of popularity and revenue (not including competitions with teams from multiple countries)

France top 14
Japan top league
MLR

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Is it more realistic for athletes in contact sports to find their level by age 25 or to still have reserves of untapped potential?

It's not disrespectful to a player to be honest about that answer.

 

[Wilson]

Is it more realistic for athletes in contact sports to find their level by age 25 or to still have reserves of untapped potential?

It's not disrespectful to a player to be honest about that answer.

Very dependent on position. In rugby I'd expect outside backs to be getting pretty close at that age, but plenty of tight 5 forwards are still basically babies at 25 and don't hit anything like their potential until closer to 30

 

[Quicktapsonly]

I think QUT had an association with Norths at one point, but that partnership dissolved and I heard QUT more or less binned all its athletics.

UQ and Bond already have their namesake rugby clubs.

That leaves Griffith but that university is bizarrely decentralized so it's uncertain how willing they would be to get involved in that project.

USC could do the job for the Sunny Coast, but that feels like a retread of past attempts to form a Sunny Coast super team.

I’ve seen USC put quitch before rugby. I don’t think the university itself has much interest.

 

[eldiablo]

Are we talking about the same USC? https://uscrugby.com.au/

 

[Upthemaroon!]

I think QUT had an association with Norths at one point, but that partnership dissolved and I heard QUT more or less binned all its athletics.

UQ and Bond already have their namesake rugby clubs.

That leaves Griffith but that university is bizarrely decentralized so it's uncertain how willing they would be to get involved in that project.

USC could do the job for the Sunny Coast, but that feels like a retread of past attempts to form a Sunny Coast super team.

I've worked at the Griffith athletics department for a while, there is zero interest in associating with a club in the QPR.

The Griffith Uni Knights are playing in the GC comp but besides the name there isn't a whole lot of connection between the two.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Are we talking about the same USC? https://uscrugby.com.au/

pretty sure that USC enjoys being the big fish in a small pond and having some ridiculously long undefeated run

 

[JRugby2]

I’ve seen USC put quitch before rugby. I don’t think the university itself has much interest.

USC is a university that has next to no association with the rugby club. Plenty of diverse interest groups among their student cohort too so seeing them post about their Quidditch club on instagram once or twice is nothing to read into.

What you can read into however, is that no club on the Sunshine Coast wants to join QPR.

I'd go as far as saying that there are no clubs outside of QPR in QLD or NNSW that want to join at present. It's an absolute non-issue and a touch funny honestly. Everyone has great ideas about how much better it would be for QPR, and yet no consideration for what it means for the club(s) joining.

 

[Mismatch]

USC is a university that has next to no association with the rugby club. Plenty of diverse interest groups among their student cohort too so seeing them post about their Quidditch club on instagram once or twice is nothing to read into.

What you can read into however, is that no club on the Sunshine Coast wants to join QPR.

I'd go as far as saying that there are no clubs outside of QPR in QLD or NNSW that want to join at present. It's an absolute non-issue and a touch funny honestly. Everyone has great ideas about how much better it would be for QPR, and yet no consideration for what it means for the club(s) joining.

Caboolture and Wynnum have been vocal about it, to be honest mate. However, it's clear that expansion wouldn't happen overnight.

There are some great ideas on here and where else do you start without an idea?
Calling it a non-issue and a "touch funny" demonstrates why rugby has been in decline without any forward thinking of how the game can expand from the traditional private school pathway to a historical QPR club with "family connections" being the only way.

 

[JRugby2]

Caboolture and Wynnum have been vocal about it, to be honest mate. However, it's clear that expansion wouldn't happen overnight.

There are some great ideas on here and where else do you start without an idea?
Calling it a non-issue and a "touch funny" demonstrates why rugby has been in decline without any forward thinking of how the game can expand from the traditional private school pathway to a historical QPR club with "family connections" being the only way.

Have they? Or you just hearing this from a friend of a friend who knows a bloke who works with the canteen convener?

And I'm calling it funny because it's more representative of the arrogance of some in the QPR community that believe there is this mass gridlock of clubs desperate to get in.

The decline of rugby has nothing to do with clubs being very aware of the role they play in the community rugby ecosystem for their local areas - and QPR doesn't need to expand just because you think it would be cool.

 

[Mismatch]

Have they? Or you just hearing this from a friend of a friend who knows a bloke who works with the canteen convener?

And I'm calling it funny because it's more representative of the arrogance of some in the QPR community that believe there is this mass gridlock of clubs desperate to get in.

The decline of rugby has nothing to do with clubs being very aware of the role they play in the community rugby ecosystem for their local areas - and QPR doesn't need to expand just because you think it would be cool.

Expansion or providing better pathways will create growth in new or existing regions. Hence, why AFL and rugby league have been tweaking their pathways and structures recently.

People just want to see the game grow mate.