QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[PhilClinton]

At this level rebuilding’s got nothing to do with a draft or whether it’s amateur. It’s about culture and winning – and that’s everything in this type of comp. I’ve played at clubs that didn’t have it, and we struggled. Then I moved to one that did, and we found success because everyone bought in. Coaches, players – we played for each other and the jersey. It’s not about the few bucks you might get in QPR, it’s about rocking up every week knowing the bloke next to you wants it just as much as you and GPS used to have that in spades and from what I am hearing its gone or hardly exists and that what they need to rebuild in my opinion

Also depends how you define success as a club. The guys I know hanging around in 2nds - 5ths seem happy enough. At least they’re winning a fair few games.

The culture issues seem to be from the top, which will become a problem.

Unfortunately I think Sio and Kelevi will have to go. And I’m not sure how much value Steve Meehan has added recently. Again, he’s a great bloke but he’s always been playing across a few lanes and had other priorities. I’m not even sure if he’s still involved in the day to day anymore since getting that international role.

 

[Adam84]

For GPS, Marist College Ashgrove have had a few grim years within AIC, which doesn't help as a major feeder for the club.

 

[Heavensgame]

Also depends how you define success as a club. The guys I know hanging around in 2nds - 5ths seem happy enough. At least they’re winning a fair few games.

The culture issues seem to be from the top, which will become a problem.

Unfortunately I think Sio and Kelevi will have to go. And I’m not sure how much value Steve Meehan has added recently. Again, he’s a great bloke but he’s always been playing across a few lanes and had other priorities. I’m not even sure if he’s still involved in the day to day anymore since getting that international role.

Steve Meehan’s fingerprints are all over this along with the Ashgrove Mafia - it was Meehan who got rid of a number of successful coaches in 2023 and brought in Kelevi as the new coaching genius - the club really needs to have a major sweeping review at seasons end

 

[Heavensgame]

Also depends how you define success as a club. The guys I know hanging around in 2nds - 5ths seem happy enough. At least they’re winning a fair few games.

The culture issues seem to be from the top, which will become a problem.

Unfortunately I think Sio and Kelevi will have to go. And I’m not sure how much value Steve Meehan has added recently. Again, he’s a great bloke but he’s always been playing across a few lanes and had other priorities. I’m not even sure if he’s still involved in the day to day anymore since getting that international role.

For the club over the last few years the underlying focus has been “profit margin” from Saturdays game rather than improving the rugby side

 

[PhilClinton]

For GPS, Marist College Ashgrove have had a few grim years within AIC, which doesn't help as a major feeder for the club.

Agreed and alongside that, with young families being priced out of Ashgrove/Bardon I've heard there are some decent numbers heading down to Everton Park Roosters rather than GPS for juniors. There is a strong chance those players may end up at Norths if they're living around Enoggera/Everton Park/Stafford area.

 

[Spamnoodle]

For the club over the last few years the underlying focus has been “profit margin” from Saturdays game rather than improving the rugby side

Gotta pay for the new club house somehow. 10 dollars for a scrawny B&E roll on Saturday and Sunday mornings will only go so far.

 

[Spamnoodle]

Agreed and alongside that, with young families being priced out of Ashgrove/Bardon I've heard there are some decent numbers heading down to Everton Park Roosters rather than GPS for juniors. There is a strong chance those players may end up at Norths if they're living around Enoggera/Everton Park/Stafford area.

Yet GPS junior teams have at least half a dozen teams per age group.
I've also heard that GPS were pushing the BJRU to only play the other major clubs for juniors as they don't want to play the great unwashed in the outer regions.... Or something along those lines. This was from someone from one of the great unwashed clubs who read the minutes of the meeting.
So much for growing the game.

 

[FNC Rugby]

Yet GPS junior teams have at least half a dozen teams per age group.
I've also heard that GPS were pushing the BJRU to only play the other major clubs for juniors as they don't want to play the great unwashed in the outer regions.... Or something along those lines. This was from someone from one of the great unwashed clubs who read the minutes of the meeting.
So much for growing the game.

Forget about the juniors, the BJRU competition is absolutely cooked. As an example, the u16 Division 1 competition supposedly the strongest club competition in the state has a 5-team division 1 structure. Of those 5 teams 3 of the 5 are unable to fill a full 15 players each week. Brothers, Yarrabilba/Yatala & Easts. Even though Easts are leading the comp they have been playing with 14 players the majority of the season.

 

[new recruit_ brisbane]

Forget about the juniors, the BJRU competition is absolutely cooked. As an example, the u16 Division 1 competition supposedly the strongest club competition in the state has a 5-team division 1 structure. Of those 5 teams 3 of the 5 are unable to fill a full 15 players each week. Brothers, Yarrabilba/Yatala & Easts. Even though Easts are leading the comp they have been playing with 14 players the majority of the season.

I don't think the U16 comp is helped by fact AIC/GPS kids don't play as they are playing/preparing for the seasons.

 

[SouthernX]

Agreed and alongside that, with young families being priced out of Ashgrove/Bardon I've heard there are some decent numbers heading down to Everton Park Roosters rather than GPS for juniors. There is a strong chance those players may end up at Norths if they're living around Enoggera/Everton Park/Stafford area.

Just some feedback - multiple of my wests team mates back in the day have their kids running down at Yoku road/Crosby Road or Shaw Road

the idea of being priced out of Ashgrove/Bardon might not be the main case but rather there’s not much residential growth for the region when it’s on the door step of a forrestry mountain range

junior rugby numbers could continue to be further impacted with the housing crisis. don’t imagine a lot of young people can afford to have children and buy homes close to some of these clubs.

 

[PhilClinton]

Just some feedback - multiple of my wests team mates back in the day have their kids running down at Yoku road/Crosby Road or Shaw Road

the idea of being priced out of Ashgrove/Bardon might not be the main case but rather there’s not much residential growth for the region when it’s on the door step of a forrestry mountain range

junior rugby numbers could continue to be further impacted with the housing crisis. don’t imagine a lot of young people can afford to have children and buy homes close to some of these clubs.

Yes, it will be interesting if/when Marist College numbers get impacted. I think the school still holds a lot of appeal and old boys will have their kids travel to attend.

At the moment it doesn't seem to be any issue, they've got wait lists and are knocking back students. There are few co-workers at my firm who have recently bought in Ashgrove and all of their kids are enrolled at Grammar (and they happen to be Grammar old boys/girls).

Just for the sake of comparison, back when I went through, I'd say 95% of students in my cohort lived in either Ashgrove, the Gap, Bardon or Paddington area. I had one mate out at Albany Creek and another Indooroopilly way.

 

[PhilClinton]

Yet GPS junior teams have at least half a dozen teams per age group.
I've also heard that GPS were pushing the BJRU to only play the other major clubs for juniors as they don't want to play the great unwashed in the outer regions.... Or something along those lines. This was from someone from one of the great unwashed clubs who read the minutes of the meeting.
So much for growing the game.

Yeh I think GPS are going to have to make some more effort if they want to keep their junior's numbers high though.

For example, the Pony Club still gets good numbers, at the moment about 50 kids under 5 running around on a Friday night. But then the families go and try another similar thing at the local rugby league or soccer clubs and I can tell you it is 1000% times better organised and value for money. Can't keep rolling out the same thing and just expecting old boys (and girls) to keep fronting up and dropping their dosh when there are better options out there.

 

[Spamnoodle]

Yeh I think GPS are going to have to make some more effort if they want to keep their junior's numbers high though.

For example, the Pony Club still gets good numbers, at the moment about 50 kids under 5 running around on a Friday night. But then the families go and try another similar thing at the local rugby league or soccer clubs and I can tell you it is 1000% times better organised and value for money. Can't keep rolling out the same thing and just expecting old boys (and girls) to keep fronting up and dropping their dosh when there are better options out there.

Funnily enough, soccer seems to be the biggest obstacle across the board.Must be the perception that it's the least dangerous team sport available for kids.
BJRU is very short on staff and fully run by volunteers I believe.
QRU needs to step up and be more proactive.
Then league and Aussie rules have all the media coverage to capture the imagination of young sports minded people.
Junior Rugby numbers really aren't that bad when you consider what they're up against. Though I reckon a lot has to do with PI, NZ and SA migration.

 

[Dabu]

I think the buck stops with Herbie at GPS. It’s his kingdom. Their refusal to recruit has come back to haunt them from Prem Grade down to Colts.

 

[PhilClinton]

Yeh, I mean it is very interesting when you consider only recently GPS made the GF three times in five years. And in the 4 years since their last appearance, essentially every key player or coaching staff member across the group isn't there anymore.

Even with natural player and coach attrition, there should have been a few guys who stuck around to bring through the next crop of players.

Maybe they need to pull Maile up from 6th grade.

 

[FNC Rugby]

I don't think the U16 comp is helped by fact AIC/GPS kids don't play as they are playing/preparing for the seasons.

heaps of GPS kids, Easts division 1 full of Ipswich Grammar & State High kids, Brothers have terrace and nudgee, Lauries boys at Souths & Sunnybank

 

[Quicktapsonly]

Funnily enough, soccer seems to be the biggest obstacle across the board.Must be the perception that it's the least dangerous team sport available for kids.
BJRU is very short on staff and fully run by volunteers I believe.
QRU needs to step up and be more proactive.
Then league and Aussie rules have all the media coverage to capture the imagination of young sports minded people.
Junior Rugby numbers really aren't that bad when you consider what they're up against. Though I reckon a lot has to do with PI, NZ and SA migration.

BJRU has multiple paid staff including a GM?

 

[Spamnoodle]

BJRU has multiple paid staff including a GM?

That's not the Intel I got. Could be wrong of course.

 

[Cole]

Wondering if any Brothers people on here can confirm. I've heard recently that after the Reds v Lions game, Jude Gibbs is going to Japan, wont finish the season in QPR and obviously not staying with Reds