QLD Premier Rugby 2025

[Red Runner]

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?

Elvee still there apparently. And the GM.
Mooney offered colts 1 job.

 

[Quicktapsonly]

Elvee still there apparently. And the GM.
Mooney offered colts 1 job.

Premier Women’s announced he’s moving on.

 

[Elwee's Loo]

Elvee still there apparently. And the GM.
Mooney offered colts 1 job.

I hear it was a 'busy' week at Wests. Do you think Phil Mooney would stay on at Wests as a coach after being made redundant as their Director of Rugby?

 

[Red Runner]

can't imagine it but I guess it depends on if he has something else.

 

[PhilClinton]

DoR was surely a well renumerated role at Wests.

Being the coach of a single team likely doesn't have the same payment benefits.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

Perhaps Wests can pay for some oversowing with their newfound DOR money. Field currently has more bald spots than a Test lunch.

 

[Red Runner]

Perhaps Wests can pay for some oversowing with their newfound DOR money. Field currently has more bald spots than a Test lunch.

I believe thats the reason for position being made redundant. No money

 

[PhilClinton]

I believe thats the reason for position being made redundant. No money

When you say redundant are we talking in the literal sense that Mooney had a permanent role with Wests in the DoR position and he's now getting redundancy payment and the role no longer exists?

Or are all of these roles on fixed term contracts and they're simply not renewing Mooney but could potentially hire someone else.

 

[Red Runner]

When you say redundant are we talking in the literal sense that Mooney had a permanent role with Wests in the DoR position and he's now getting redundancy payment and the role no longer exists?

Or are all of these roles on fixed term contracts and they're simply not renewing Mooney but could potentially hire someone else.

probably more the later. But also, that there won't be that role moving forward (I think)

 

[Bulldog]

Has Scott Harrison (Prem’s Assistant coach) also been shown the door?
His family (like the Mooney family) has been around Wests for 50+ years. .
I just don’t think a club should discard people that have its DNA and best interests running through their veins.
I’ll take a coach/administrator that puts the clubs interests ahead of their own any day of the week.

 

[eldiablo]

 

[PhilClinton]

I thought Rama Chand was supposed to be one of the best coaching appointments at Souths ever? Wasn't that being sprouted on these forums earlier in the year?

 

[Oldschool]

That's a great resume for QPR footy.

 

[Muddled123]

Bit of a selective resume. Forgets to mention he was high performance manager of the Wallabies when they couldn’t win anything, and now he’s high performance manager at Netball Qld who just finished last.

 

[Full Mark]

I thought Rama Chand was supposed to be one of the best coaching appointments at Souths ever? Wasn't that being sprouted on these forums earlier in the year?

You stole my thunder !
I am quite certain Garrick Morgan came out (On Souths Socials) and trumpeted the arrival of Jason Jones & Rama Chand as game changing for Souths.

Both sacked and join a long line of coaches (and substantial number of quality players) driven out of Souths by poor leadership over the past few years.

Good luck Adrian, I am sure your resume is excellent, but you also need cattle to coach.
If some of the conversations are to be believed, Souths might struggle to have 4 grades in 2026.

Perhaps the current decision makers at Chipsy Wood need to stop patting themselves on the back & judge themselves like they have judged coaches & players.

 

[PhilClinton]

As a more general comment - whilst Adrian has a good rugby resume, doesn’t it highlight some of the issues currently within Australian rugby and specifically having good young coaches coming through. Thompson was also made redundant in his RA high performance role back in 2023 and clearly hasn’t been missed.

Souths have moved on from a relatively young HC who from all reports was well qualified, and have appointed someone who last coached in QPR 15 years ago and had a decade of QPR coaching experience prior to that. He also hasn’t coached a senior rugby team since that time.

I have zero idea what happened at Souths with the Chand situation and maybe he chose to leave for greener pastures and now this is the best appointment.

And I would be making these same comments if GPS rolled out a 70yr old to rejuvenate their rugby program.

 

[LevitatingSocks]

As a more general comment - whilst Adrian has a good rugby resume, doesn’t it highlight some of the issues currently within Australian rugby and specifically having good young coaches coming through. Thompson was also made redundant in his RA high performance role back in 2023 and clearly hasn’t been missed.

Souths have moved on from a relatively young HC who from all reports was well qualified, and have appointed someone who last coached in QPR 15 years ago and had a decade of QPR coaching experience prior to that. He also hasn’t coached a senior rugby team since that time.

I have zero idea what happened at Souths with the Chand situation and maybe he chose to leave for greener pastures and now this is the best appointment.

And I would be making these same comments if GPS rolled out a 70yr old to rejuvenate their rugby program.

Without being overly negative, it does seem odd to move on from Rama Chand without giving him two seasons. Especially after he was made out to be the perfect set of steady hands to pass the job onto. 5th isn't a bad finish for Souths given all the noise and departures.

@warhorse any intel?