QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[Cole]

With respect i honestly think Wests are a long way from finals at this stage of the season.
And, Norths despite vast improvement, need to start getting wins as opposed to honourable losses.
But I share your passion for a Brothers-less final four.

I agree its unlikely but would be good. I might be biased but I do think Wests will be there and be a force come finals time. The good thing for them currently is they keep picking up bonus point losses, Obvoiusly want to be winning, but on the table they are effectively 2 wins one with bonus point rather than 1 and 3. The fact they have played pretty poorly thus far, and still could very easily be 4 from 4, I think once they get it together they will start putting some good wins together. Just hope they can get it together sooner rather than later

 

[Bulldog]

I think sooner is fast approaching for the Bulldogs.

 

[My Arsenal]

That’s not what I said mate I said they lifted. They deserved the win and Norths missed out on a good opportunity there.

But yes during the game I believe Brothers got the rub of the pea, conceding I am clearly one eyed.

Suggest you answered your own question there re the red card.

That was a red card for sure. Brothers player played the man in the air - no play for the ball as the Stan replays suggest.

 

[JojoSiwa]

Have heard a couple of the South’s guys are also off to Japan in the coming weeks and may be playing their last games.

Yes heard from a good insider that kohan herbert is one of those men that are off to Japan!! huge loss for the boys! But well deserved as rugby AU has no hope at securing great talent.

 

[Interested Viewer]

Yes heard from a good insider that kohan herbert is one of those men that are off to Japan!! huge loss for the boys! But well deserved as rugby AU has no hope at securing great talent.

I would be surprised if anyone went to Japan in the next few weeks as the season over there is almost done

 

[MoneyBill685]

Yes heard from a good insider that kohan herbert is one of those men that are off to Japan!! huge loss for the boys! But well deserved as rugby AU has no hope at securing great talent.

Kohan Herbert is an absolute gun. Shame he couldn't get a shot at the next level in Australia. Definitely good enough to get some decent coin with contracts in Japan and US.

I remember last year when he filled in at inside centre and he was still just as good.

Stand out every week for souths. And im not a souths supporter.

I put him as no.1 openside in the comp.

 

[PhilClinton]

I would be surprised if anyone went to Japan in the next few weeks as the season over there is almost done

Once they've got their contract signed for the 25-26 season, they'll likely either formally be asked to stop playing club rugby during the Japanese league off-season or decide themselves to not risk injury if their contract isn't fully guaranteed.

That is why we'll be seeing the guys with new Japanese contracts start to wind down over the coming weeks and at the very least won't be available for the back end of the season and finals.

Japanese pre-season games start in September with new players usually reporting for pre-season training duties starting in Japan around July.

On the flip side - any players who haven't been given a renewed contract for next season could end up coming back and filtering into their club teams over the next few months.

 

[noknowledgeatall]

So disappointing to see Qld Prems and Sydney Shute Shield become transit lounges where blokes just fill in time between other options.

Why cant we get them to be semi-professional ( ie a few $$$) to bring back the prestige they both once held in world rugby.

 

[Major Tom]

So disappointing to see Qld Prems and Sydney Shute Shield become transit lounges where blokes just fill in time between other options.

Why cant we get them to be semi-professional ( ie a few $$$) to bring back the prestige they both once held in world rugby.

You got some extra cash mate?

 

[Upthenutz]

So disappointing to see Qld Prems and Sydney Shute Shield become transit lounges where blokes just fill in time between other options.

Why cant we get them to be semi-professional ( ie a few $$$) to bring back the prestige they both once held in world rugby.

I would love to see this if it was somehow possible.

The league set up for QCUP / NSW Cup seems like a great example of this being effective for player recruitment/ retention/ development.

Why is it not as easy as just mirroring what they do? Is it the income from the leagues clubs that is the main difference?

 

[noknowledgeatall]

I would love to see this if it was somehow possible.

The league set up for QCUP / NSW Cup seems like a great example of this being effective for player recruitment/ retention/ development.

Why is it not as easy as just mirroring what they do? Is it the income from the leagues clubs that is the main difference?

Basically yes.

Those clubs set up "off farm" income streams by having clubs and pokies.
Means they don't have to rely on chook raffles, player subs and digging into the pockets of their core support group all the time.

Sunnybank is the only club that had the foresight to build a business that generates a cash flow for them.
Wests and Brownie have set up Sylvan Road with paying tenants ( and a future refurbishment possibility for pokies/club)
Brothers has the draft plans together for something out at Albion.

Once enough people agree that the old model isn't suited to what the future needs I guess we might see some change, if not we will become obsolete and a feeder system to the rest of the world.

We have the strongest junior development and schools program in the country but don't have a venue for them all to move into.

 

[noknowledgeatall]

You got some extra cash mate?

While we rely on deep pocketed benefactors to carry the game it will continue to stagnate.

Have to change our thinking to building it into a sustainable business in its own right.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

While we rely on deep pocketed benefactors to carry the game it will continue to stagnate.

Have to change our thinking to building it into a sustainable business in its own right.

Slightly off topic but we also seem to be throwing huge money at our top tier. Joseph Sualii didn't come back to union because he loves the game. It had to be for the money. I am not sure but it seems to be a business model that is essentially flawed. We pay a player more than the NRL are willing to pay in a business that generates a small percentage of what they do.

First piece of the puzzle is to build our Super Rugby teams to a point that they are self sustaining which negates the need of our suburban clubs to underwrite them. This in turn could provide clubs with more money to build their own businesses. Trying to build from QPR clubs up is a much more difficult prospect. Most clubs are a bit like ordinary families right now. They're so busy getting by and scraping bill money together there isn't the cash or mindset to expand or build.

Whilst the B&I Lions will be a cash boost for the game, there won't be much benefit in club land. Hopefully the ARU can make some good decision with the extra dollars that actually have some benefit that trickles down to the grass roots. I would love to see the Reds take games back to ballymore and build it back to be the great suburban ground it can be.

 

[noknowledgeatall]

Slightly off topic but we also seem to be throwing huge money at our top tier. Joseph Sualii didn't come back to union because he loves the game. It had to be for the money. I am not sure but it seems to be a business model that is essentially flawed. We pay a player more than the NRL are willing to pay in a business that generates a small percentage of what they do.

First piece of the puzzle is to build our Super Rugby teams to a point that they are self sustaining which negates the need of our suburban clubs to underwrite them. This in turn could provide clubs with more money to build their own businesses. Trying to build from QPR clubs up is a much more difficult prospect. Most clubs are a bit like ordinary families right now. They're so busy getting by and scraping bill money together there isn't the cash or mindset to expand or build.

Whilst the B&I Lions will be a cash boost for the game, there won't be much benefit in club land. Hopefully the ARU can make some good decision with the extra dollars that actually have some benefit that trickles down to the grass roots. I would love to see the Reds take games back to ballymore and build it back to be the great suburban ground it can be.

Bravo

Someone we need at the top of the game with this sort of thinking.

 

[PhilClinton]

Slightly off topic but we also seem to be throwing huge money at our top tier. Joseph Sualii didn't come back to union because he loves the game. It had to be for the money. I am not sure but it seems to be a business model that is essentially flawed. We pay a player more than the NRL are willing to pay in a business that generates a small percentage of what they do.

Private investors in NSW paid the majority of JS salary to come to the Waratahs and Wallabies - none of that money would have ended up being filtered into club rugby. Those same investors need to be convinced to throw that money at club rugby instead of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) and the Wallabies.

 

[PhilClinton]

Basically yes.

Those clubs set up "off farm" income streams by having clubs and pokies.
Means they don't have to rely on chook raffles, player subs and digging into the pockets of their core support group all the time.

Sunnybank is the only club that had the foresight to build a business that generates a cash flow for them.
Wests and Brownie have set up Sylvan Road with paying tenants ( and a future refurbishment possibility for pokies/club)
Brothers has the draft plans together for something out at Albion.

Once enough people agree that the old model isn't suited to what the future needs I guess we might see some change, if not we will become obsolete and a feeder system to the rest of the world.

We have the strongest junior development and schools program in the country but don't have a venue for them all to move into.

As someone who enjoys a bet on the horses and dabble on the brickie's laptop on the weekends, I definitely won't call out the moral issues of flooding our clubs with pokies but I will highlight the below...

Can you imagine the community outcry if GPS or Easts tried to put a full blown pokie clubhouse in the middle of their suburbs? Ashgrove house prices within 5km of the pokified GPS would plummet. I am not even sure it would be legal regarding the zoning permits.

In my local area (Red Hill/Ashgrove/Bardon etc.) all of the bowls clubs have actually removed pokie machines over the past 5 years and replaced the space with kid friendly setups to draw in crowds and their revenue has increased substantially.

I agree - the chook raffles aren't sustainable to keep our clubs afloat in the long term, but surely the investments need to be made in useful community infrastructure similar to what Wests have already done.

 

[oldrugbytragic]

As someone who enjoys a bet on the horses and dabble on the brickie's laptop on the weekends, I definitely won't call out the moral issues of flooding our clubs with pokies but I will highlight the below...

Can you imagine the community outcry if GPS or Easts tried to put a full blown pokie clubhouse in the middle of their suburbs? Ashgrove house prices within 5km of the pokified GPS would plummet. I am not even sure it would be legal regarding the zoning permits.

In my local area (Red Hill/Ashgrove/Bardon etc.) all of the bowls clubs have actually removed pokie machines over the past 5 years and replaced the space with kid friendly setups to draw in crowds and their revenue has increased substantially.

I agree - the chook raffles aren't sustainable to keep our clubs afloat in the long term, but surely the investments need to be made in useful community infrastructure similar to what Wests have already done.

I agree. Pokies are not the answer.

Imagine though if clubs were able to keep their player fees and they weren't syphoned off to the reds. The difference alone that would make could be astronomical.

Private investors in NSW paid the majority of JS salary to come to the Waratahs and Wallabies - none of that money would have ended up being filtered into club rugby. Those same investors need to be convinced to throw that money at club rugby instead of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) and the Wallabies.

I wasn't aware of that but my thoughts are still the same. It's not just about JS. Our middle and top tier are on par with rugby league player's salaries. Players that also play half the amount of games etc. This is at Super Rugby clubs that go cap in hand to the ARU (who are equally broke) to keep operating. It is a flawed business model. I know there's the argument that we have to compete with League, Japan and Europe to be competitive. But to be honest we have not been too competitive in the past 10 years. We need to take a hit and we will end up with players in our Red and Gold jerseys who love the game and the jersey on their back. Players that have made the decision to play rugby because they believe in it. I think there's a QPR club that are possibly experiencing the down side of "mercenary" type players that when things get tough are they willing to fight for the right reasons? Will it result in more wins at the top tier, maybe not but it probably wont result in less. Lets take some of these "financial backers" of our game and use them to good use. Rather than asking for money for our suburban clubs, lets ask for their most valuable commodities. Their time and expertise. These people didn't get to a point they can throw money at a player by accident. One thing we have as a game is a phenomenal amount of business acumen and financial nous which we should be tapping into more often. Its the old giving the fish opposed to teaching to fish scenario.

That's where our game can be better. Look at Wests as an example. They took their licks for a few years to save the money to build their club house. What they have done is also built some passive income. Income that doesn't rely on raffle tickets, player fees and going cap in hand to sponsors to generate. Imagine if all the clubs did that? How strong would the competition be?

Just my thoughts anyway.

 

[SouthernX]

I would love to see this if it was somehow possible.

The league set up for QCUP / NSW Cup seems like a great example of this being effective for player recruitment/ retention/ development.

Why is it not as easy as just mirroring what they do? Is it the income from the leagues clubs that is the main difference?

imagine our 2 codes flip where Albo is giving Phil Waugh 600m for a franchise in Fiji but Peter V’landys (the horse racing guy) is having to pull the plug on the Melbourne storm because he can’t afford to finance the bankrupt team.

rugby league would be on its death bed where rugby would be going from strength to strength

the one saving grace this game has going for it is rugby unions popularity around the world. Players from all over the globe flock to have a season in QPR/Shute.

I guess my point is super rugby/national team being a success needs to happen before we go reinventing the club game

 

[Keeno3]

I agree. Pokies are not the answer.

Imagine though if clubs were able to keep their player fees and they weren't syphoned off to the reds. The difference alone that would make could be astronomical.



I wasn't aware of that but my thoughts are still the same. It's not just about JS. Our middle and top tier are on par with rugby league player's salaries. Players that also play half the amount of games etc. This is at Super Rugby clubs that go cap in hand to the ARU (who are equally broke) to keep operating. It is a flawed business model. I know there's the argument that we have to compete with League, Japan and Europe to be competitive. But to be honest we have not been too competitive in the past 10 years. We need to take a hit and we will end up with players in our Red and Gold jerseys who love the game and the jersey on their back. Players that have made the decision to play rugby because they believe in it. I think there's a QPR club that are possibly experiencing the down side of "mercenary" type players that when things get tough are they willing to fight for the right reasons? Will it result in more wins at the top tier, maybe not but it probably wont result in less. Lets take some of these "financial backers" of our game and use them to good use. Rather than asking for money for our suburban clubs, lets ask for their most valuable commodities. Their time and expertise. These people didn't get to a point they can throw money at a player by accident. One thing we have as a game is a phenomenal amount of business acumen and financial nous which we should be tapping into more often. Its the old giving the fish opposed to teaching to fish scenario.

That's where our game can be better. Look at Wests as an example. They took their licks for a few years to save the money to build their club house. What they have done is also built some passive income. Income that doesn't rely on raffle tickets, player fees and going cap in hand to sponsors to generate. Imagine if all the clubs did that? How strong would the competition be?

Just my thoughts anyway.

Agree - pokies even amongst bigger venues are on a steady decline. Smart clubs focus on refurbs that diversify their offering. Which even your huge pokie palaces like Carina Leagues, Greenbank RSL, Kedron-Wavell have been steadily doing.

Wests were very smart I reckon.

The last state Government also made some sensible changes to the Lands Act - means regardless of your lease, the rules about what you can and can't do on it are a bit more relaxed than they used to be. But, I guess you've got to have the money to do a reno to take advantage of it. And the courage to take a long-term view and plan well. Not sure many clubs do.