QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[Elwee's Loo]

Is every club in the comp fielding sevens squads for the off-season?

I hear Heeno is coaching the Bond 7's program and that UQ won't be entering a 7's program and are considering folding as a club all together. I understand UQ have reflected on recent social media posts and have come to the conclusion that any success their club may have had was solely reliant on Heeno and he alone. In his absence UQ will be remaining in some sort of an abyss... (tongue-in-cheek)

 

[SouthernX]

What a shame how some of these clubs are treating 7s rugby

In recent years - we’ve had perennial 15s powerhouses UQ & brothers with a “CBF” attitude when it comes to 7s and last year Souths fired the premiership winning colts coach that looked after 7s program - so they didn’t enter a team.

how does QRU make 7s program/7s circuit great again.

 

[PhilClinton]

What a shame how some of these clubs are treating 7s rugby

In recent years - we’ve had perennial 15s powerhouses UQ & brothers with a “CBF” attitude when it comes to 7s and last year Souths fired the premiership winning colts coach that looked after 7s program - so they didn’t enter a team.

how does QRU make 7s program/7s circuit great again.

Doesn't help that major rugby programs globally are cutting 7s e.g. Ireland recently pulled out.

 

[Wilson]

Not to mention the constant changes in what the world series looks like.

In a different world 7s might have been the perfect path to getting some sort of FA cup/National club competition off the ground, but when World Rugby can't work out how to make the international game work it's that much harder to get anything else serious sorted at the lower levels.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

7s was on a path to stand along legitimacy for a few years there but seems to be falling back into a side show event now. Tried to be something it wasn't too soon. Rugby has a problem with that. Super Rugby did it as well.

Simple things that work are beautiful.

 

[hdnmstsnr]

I'm actually pretty happy to see a newer club reach the top of the mountain. Heeno is a great coach and more importantly a great bloke. You and the Bond community should be proud of your achievement.

Some of the conclusions you drew from a boilerplate presentation night speech are a bit of a reach, that's all.

Every single club in the comp has "mercenaries", your starting prop in the GF didn't have a single minute for Bond prior. UQ finished in 6th with three other clubs below them, if they "fell off into an abyss" does that make 4th place Bond two steps from the abyss? Of course not.

Winning one Hospital Cup isn't a guarantee of more (ask Wests, sorry boys). Bond isn't the first club to win one or have guys that turn up to training on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It's not a personal attack, just my opinion.

Mate, that is 720% better (approximately). I'm happy to read your reasons and respect your opinions. That is proper discourse. But is difficult to do so when you apply a blanket word to a post that was one person's observation of a specific circumstance. It wasn't an Australian Financial Review article. It was a Bond rugby fan's perspective...much like many of the posts on here - and you are totally entitled to your opinion on it.

However, by saying ' Winning one Hospital Cup isn't a guarantee of more (ask Wests, sorry boys). Bond isn't the first club to win one or have guys that turn up to training on Tuesdays and Thursdays.' tends to demonstrate you missed - or misunderstood - the footnote.

Regardless, you penned a response that was comprehensive enough for me to understand and agree to disagree on. Thank you.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

7s was on a path to stand along legitimacy for a few years there but seems to be falling back into a side show event now. Tried to be something it wasn't too soon. Rugby has a problem with that. Super Rugby did it as well.

Simple things that work are beautiful.

The pendulum is definitely swinging back toward "training tool that keeps the players fit" rather than "legitimate rugby spectacle" at least at the club level. The will to invest and pay to send players to tournaments is lower than it was two years ago.

Part of me wonders if sevens evolving to favor a different sort of athlete and playstyle from 15s has made it more disposable in the eyes of the people signing the pay cheques.

Part of me also wonders if the viewer interest was ever really there and sustainable or did they just catch lightning in a bottle for a few years.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I think we saw too much of it and people realised it's hit n giggle stuff. Exciting when it rolled around every couple of years in the mainstream at Comm Games and Olympics.

T20 did the same thing and has dragged itself back to be more meaningful.

Anyways didnt mean to sidetrack the QLD Club thread.

 

[eldiablo]

Is it a good time to fire up a 2026 thread?

 

[Elwee's Loo]

Is anyone else hearing that Wests currently have the following vacancies;

Head Coach Prem Grade
Head Coach Prem Colts
Director of Rugby
General Manager

Anyone, Bueller?

 

[Red Runner]

What???? Mooney is two of those. Is that Elvee and Bennets????

 

[Quicktapsonly]

Is anyone else hearing that Wests currently have the following vacancies;

Head Coach Prem Grade
Head Coach Prem Colts
Director of Rugby
General Manager

Anyone, Bueller?

Is anyone else hearing that Wests currently have the following vacancies;

Head Coach Prem Grade
Head Coach Prem Colts
Director of Rugby
General Manager

Anyone, Bueller?

Must be going back to GPS

 

[Oracle83]

Doesn't help that major rugby programs globally are cutting 7s e.g. Ireland recently pulled out.

Genuine question is that really a factor? I would have thought majority of players would not give a shit about this, it keeps their fitness levels up and they love playing with their mates, ideological but hopefully some truth in it.

 

[PhilClinton]

Genuine question is that really a factor? I would have thought majority of players would not give a shit about this, it keeps their fitness levels up and they love playing with their mates, ideological but hopefully some truth in it.

Agree re players but my comment was in reference to the fact that clubs are cutting their 7s programs.

The perception being that if it’s losing relevance amongst global rugby powerhouses, why should they bother putting time, resources and potentially costs into it.

I can’t speak to the player aspect specifically but from the outside there does seem to be less of a buzz about even some of the more exciting 7s events.

 

[SouthernX]

Agree re players but my comment was in reference to the fact that clubs are cutting their 7s programs.

The perception being that if it’s losing relevance amongst global rugby powerhouses, why should they bother putting time, resources and potentially costs into it.

I can’t speak to the player aspect specifically but from the outside there does seem to be less of a buzz about even some of the more exciting 7s events.

if clubs are cutting their 7s project your just leaving yourself suspect for poaching

some players looking for a run in offseason. Uq not entering one this season is primed for a coach from rival club to pay a visit and sell the dream of leaving Uni.

I also like the 7s season cause you now and then get a gun from rugby league who wets their toes in union.

 

[PJRugby]

Not sure about this UQ 7s stuff? hearing from people down at UQ that they started training this week and are competing in a fair few comps?

 

[SouthernX]

Not sure about this UQ 7s stuff? hearing from people down at UQ that they started training this week and are competing in a fair few comps?

someone made the comment couple posts back that UQ wasn’t entering a team

last year it was Souths, year before that it was brothers.

think it’s important to have a 7s calander - so good to hear Red Heavies participating

 

[PJRugby]

someone made the comment couple posts back that UQ wasn’t entering a team

last year it was Souths, year before that it was brothers.

think it’s important to have a 7s calander - so good to hear Red Heavies participating

Sad to see the fall off- I agree with what someone said that it used to be a much higher standard. Just saw on UQ's Instagram that they are advertising 7s, so it must be on.

 

[warhorse]

Souths Rugby Club have posted an Instagram post thanking the whole 2025 coaching group, Garrick Morgan, Rama Chand, Jason Jones, Ray Thomas and Taffy Longman for their efforts this year and their contribution and commitment to the Club. Looks very much like a valedictory message for the whole group, which has been a very strong "rumour/gossip" since the end of the season.
Have to keep eyes peeled for any advertising for coaching or Rugby Director positions.

 

[Pieman]

Souths Rugby Club have posted an Instagram post thanking the whole 2025 coaching group, Garrick Morgan, Rama Chand, Jason Jones, Ray Thomas and Taffy Longman for their efforts this year and their contribution and commitment to the Club. Looks very much like a valedictory message for the whole group, which has been a very strong "rumour/gossip" since the end of the season.
Have to keep eyes peeled for any advertising for coaching or Rugby Director positions.

There’s also a Souths post regarding training times for their men’s and women’s 7s teams.