QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[JRugby2]

when someone bust out the teleprompter to break down game footage on a regular season hit up… that’s initiative

God forbid a bloke defends his POV with evidence!!!

nah point taken.

 

[Marbig]

God forbid a bloke defends his POV with evidence!!!

nah point taken.

You've gone very close to changing my opinion, so I think it was worth it. If I was less stubborn I think there was every chance it would have got me on your side.

 

[Heavensgame]

Sorry. I can't add anything extra to the conversation. Players are giving their all in the lower grades. Just one of those cyclical things, maybe.
In previous years, many of the Friday night subbies players would backup on Saturday in 5th grade. Those players are getting older and the one game on Friday night is enough.
Player numbers are definitely down on previous years but hopefully that is not a long term cycle.
Unfortunately it looks like Premier Grade will fall short of the finals unless all the Rugby stars fall in line and the Rugby gods smile upon them with some big upset wins by GPS and Norths over Bond and a big game by Souths over Brothers in the last game of the round.

Obviously Kelevi out of his depth at GPS……he has never been successful in his other previous prem grade stints……another Meeno master stroke selecting him as the great hope to bring GPS back to its glory years…..coaching clean out here plus at UQ would be good starting points

 

[Bulldog]

Can we not have Nic Berry for the finals?

 

[Bulldog]

Even Jordan Way is better than that muppet.
Why does a guy who hardly refs a QPR game all year get helicoptered in for the finals - let’s reward some of the good local referees who officiate week in week out through the season.

 

[Bulldog]

K

Not a GPS supporter but the club seems to be getting some harsh comments in recent weeks. Just checking the Doherty Shield standings, which is a good indication of how the "whole' club is travelling. GPS currently 4th spot so all not as bad as some suggest. Hats off to Easts big improvement from last year, possibly smart appointment of new football manager? Biggest mover down the ladder is Souths currently in 6th spot and chance of being lower with the bye next weekend not helping, surprisingly big drop down the ladder considering they won a few Colts finals in 2024, traditionally strong in lower grades.
Norths showing good signs getting more points then previous years, Sunnybank with plenty of work to do.
Expect Uni to be stronger across the board in 2026 after also sliding down the ladder.

Dogs looking good heading into finals.

This is what I am talking about we are in the middle of a thread about a the viability of whether a referee who has arguably had poor performances in the last 2 GFs and now a poor performance of the biggest game this year -Welsby Cup final - should be refereeing the GF and you want to defend the great Gallopers - every clubs goes up and the table over time just grin and bare that 2025 is not going to go down as one of GPS’ finest.
BTW GPS are currently 5th in the Douhty Shield.

 

[Bulldog]

Over the years the GPS folk have pumped up the tyres of Anthony Herbert on this forum and after one poor year they have questioned the part that Herbie has to play in the 2025 footy outcomes.
Maybe someone should look back to the board that pushed Mick Heenan out of the club 15-20 years ago.
For the record from an outsider looking in I don’t think you could possibly question the job that Herbie has done for the GPS rugby club - those GPS folk who are questioning Herbie should hang their heads in shame. One of the most loyal person in rugby administration in Australia.
What Herbie does is not as glamorous as one might think.

 

[PhilClinton]

Even Jordan Way is better than that muppet.
Why does a guy who hardly refs a QPR game all year get helicoptered in for the finals - let’s reward some of the good local referees who officiate week in week out through the season.

It’s a damned if you do or damned if you don’t situation.

Rewarding the less experienced refs makes sense but if one of them has a howler there will be people questioning why we didn’t use one of the several Brisbane based SRP (Super Rugby Pacific)/international refs.

Also I think you should generally woo up on the ref slander. Unless you’re lacing them up yourself and adding value, it’s a pretty poor look. We are actually very lucky to have an AMATEUR comp that gets the services of professional officials.

 

[PhilClinton]

Over the years the GPS folk have pumped up the tyres of Anthony Herbert on this forum and after one poor year they have questioned the part that Herbie has to play in the 2025 footy outcomes.

Anyone who really understands GPS as a club would never doubt the effort and work Herbie has put in. I've said many times, the club is profitable and a really well-run organisation. It has been that way for years.

But it is also true to say that he's been hesitant to spend funds on 1st grade rugby related costs. The club doesn't want to pay for a proper 1st grade coach and that reared it's head this year. Sio and Kelevi simply aren't up to the task when you've got other clubs who've employed coaches with professional coaching experience and/or have a proven track record of winning 1st grade titles.

If the club doesn't want to spend the money, fair enough, but there needs to be a change somewhere in the food chain to produce the talent who can actually compete at that level. That vision hasn't yet been communicated.

 

[Keeno3]

It’s a damned if you do or damned if you don’t situation.

Rewarding the less experienced refs makes sense but if one of them has a howler there will be people questioning why we didn’t use one of the several Brisbane based SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific)/international refs.

Also I think you should generally woo up on the ref slander. Unless you’re lacing them up yourself and adding value, it’s a pretty poor look. We are actually very lucky to have an AMATEUR comp that gets the services of professional officials.

Agree!

Plus, I reckon the quality of premier grade refereeing has improved across the board over the last few years. Still can get better of course, but so can the players.

Individual decisions here and there are questionable at every level of the game, but I think it has become a lot rarer to have bad refereeing performances over whole games.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Agree!

Plus, I reckon the quality of premier grade refereeing has improved across the board over the last few years. Still can get better of course, but so can the players.

Individual decisions here and there are questionable at every level of the game, but I think it has become a lot rarer to have bad refereeing performances over whole games.

Not replying to anyone here specifically, but inadvertently chasing out one of our limited number of experienced referees is not the way to go about fixing the issue. Expand the talent pool so he works fewer Brother's games if they're randomly allocated or has more competition if they're given on merit.

I wouldn't take the amount they get paid to get yelled at on a Saturday.

 

[Upthenutz]

Anyone who really understands GPS as a club would never doubt the effort and work Herbie has put in. I've said many times, the club is profitable and a really well-run organisation. It has been that way for years.

But it is also true to say that he's been hesitant to spend funds on 1st grade rugby related costs. The club doesn't want to pay for a proper 1st grade coach and that reared it's head this year. Sio and Kelevi simply aren't up to the task when you've got other clubs who've employed coaches with professional coaching experience and/or have a proven track record of winning 1st grade titles.

If the club doesn't want to spend the money, fair enough, but there needs to be a change somewhere in the food chain to produce the talent who can actually compete at that level. That vision hasn't yet been communicated.

I wonder if Heeno still lives up the road and would consider going back to GPS?

 

[Upthenutz]

Also, is this Sio’s first year as Head coach? Stop bagging the man & give him time to effect results

 

[PhilClinton]

Also, is this Sio’s first year as Head coach? Stop bagging the man & give him time to effect results

Second season mate. And the playing squad has definitely regressed this year.

 

[Bulldog]

Easts finished in a similar position (7th/8th) last year and look how they have turned it around in one offseason, to still be in contention for a major semi with two rounds to play as the second Wests bye looms in round 18.

 

[Upthenutz]

Second season mate. And the playing squad has definitely regressed this year.

Fair call, I do think 3years is the max if not working out. But maybe earlier if it’s that bad

 

[PhilClinton]

Easts finished in a similar position (7th/8th) last year and look how they have turned it around in one offseason, to still be in contention for a major semi with two rounds to play as the second Wests bye looms in round 18.

Easts added Tony McGahan after the 2024 season and he seems to have done a much better job than Meehan and Graham have done for the rugby side of things.

I’ve said it on these forums before but the absolute best thing GPS could be doing is moving heaven and earth to bring Sean Graham in as DoR or even 1st Grade head coach.