QLD Premier Rugby 2014

[The Oldest Rat]

I watched Wests V Souths on the weekend. Actually the two teams were quite even throughout and it was a fine contest, Souths won the match and deserved to win. Oh what Wests would do for a front row. The Wests scrum was just demolished and that stuffed up the rest of the team. Even from my vantage position from the side line I could see discrepancies in technical ability with the Wests front row, especially our tighthead packing with a rounded back with his hips higher than his shoulders at every scrum, I'll bet he was sore at the end of the game. That was the difference between the sides Souths had a superior scrum and set piece. Wests need to recruit some fat boys that can technically scrum properly. It makes me very sad and upset to see tighheads given away and that happened more than once, poor Tim Smith had a torrid day trying to get ball out to his fly half. This really affected his game and he threw some pretty wild ball under extreme pressure, which then put pressure on the rest of the backline. I don't think that Wests were ever able to get the ball out to the wing along the backline at any time during the game to attack. Good work from FB Byron Hutchison he played well and should be on the verge of selection at the end of the year in the third tier comp.

 

[Dyson]

I thought the young Wests front row held there own in the scrum as they have done all year. There were a few problems in the scrum in the first half but props boring in and not packing straight used to be a penalty not any more. Souths whole front row was spoken to by the ref at half time and the scrums were even after that. Wests performance was not one of there more polished, but they fought hard like they always do and were in front with five minutes to go. Souths won the last five minutes and that was the difference.

 

[Crusher]

Crusher - Mullins was never going to play S15 because of his size but in 2006 he was the 3rd flyhalf selected in the Qld Schoolboys - Quade (Qld Red), To'omua (Qld White) & then Mullins was the reserve flyhalf in the Qld Red squad. Qld White the No.2 side won the championship by defeating NSW #2. Kurtley Beale was the NSW#1 flyhalf.

Last year was the first time Mullins has played a full season at #9 so he is still a WIP @#9, but has done pretty well filling in @ #10 the last two weeks.

2013 was undoubtedly his finest year.

And his leadership - with Bertini (retired) and Brandon(unavailable last Saturday) - was invaluable against Bond with as you pointed out a very young Tiger's side. It was a good effort by the Tigers Prems & Reserves to both get wins on Saturday with depleted line-ups.

I can understand why opposition teams and supporters find Mullins "pesky" but it is probably those same qualities why you find him "pesky" that Pat Richards saw in him and decided to make him captain last year, after Brandon(2012) and Bertini(2011) had been the skippers in the two previous seasons.

As for Saturday - Bond Uni had a mountain of possession in that first half and ironically it only started to swing when Easts were down to 14 in the last 10 minutes of the first half and Easts were able to stay calm and get that try just before the break to go in @10-12 down, which became 13-12 shortly after half time. Easts premiership last year stemmed from fine defensive efforts in the major and grand finals against GPS and it was pleasing to see that defensive effort by Easts in the first half last Saturday.

Bond Uni can score a try and I don't think Sunnybank will be their only big scalp this year. Maybe it is just a bit of experience and game management that they need.

I hope that they can knock off a few other big scalps in 2014.

Some valid points TT, Bond Uni may well be able to help the top 4 aspirations of others as I think they lack the consistency to be able to nail opportunities week in and week out - last Saturday being a prime example. Great to see a clash of two 'Gold Coast' sides! Lol sorry I couldn't resist.

 

[tigerland12]

Great to see Faagese, Ready and Kerevi on the bench for the Reds this week.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Great to see a clash of two 'Gold Coast' sides! Lol sorry I couldn't resist.

Love it Crusher. Always happy to see Breakers player turn up at Bottomley and it really does stem back to the Grant Batty/Mike Thomas link. Been the odd Tiger that has gone the other way e.g. Sam Batty.

 

[The Oldest Rat]

I thought the young Wests front row held there own in the scrum as they have done all year. There were a few problems in the scrum in the first half but props boring in and not packing straight used to be a penalty not any more. Souths whole front row was spoken to by the ref at half time and the scrums were even after that. Wests performance was not one of there more polished, but they fought hard like they always do and were in front with five minutes to go. Souths won the last five minutes and that was the difference.

Dyson I saw that the Souths front row were boring in, and that is what I mean about technique, The South bloke got right under our bloke to punish him and it was made easier by the Wests man lacking technical skill in packing with a rounded back in the first place that puts him in a weak vulnerable position to start with. I know I sound harsh but the reality is that there is no place to hide in the front row if you don't get it right you gets stuffed. I actually thought that the problems kept on after the the first half (not as bad) and that impinged on the backline not getting front foot ball. Yes you might say we were in it for most of the game but if the scrum and set piece had worked from the start we would have won the game, of this I'm certain.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Filth and Jets massive game between your clubs this weekend - not only getting a win but denying the opposition the points. Winner gets a chance at a major semi spot the loser left to fight for a semi spot.

Easts have the bye so perceptionly they will fall further from the pack this weekend but the Tiger supporters will be very interested in the Snbk v. Bros result.

Easts need win all remaining games to get a major semi spot.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Easts have annual dinner on Saturday at the old Crest Hotel - guest speakers Horwill & Laura Geitz. Tickets still available

 

[mathew thushker]

Dyson I saw that the Souths front row were boring in, and that is what I mean about technique, The South bloke got right under our bloke to punish him and it was made easier by the Wests man lacking technical skill in packing with a rounded back in the first place that puts him in a weak vulnerable position to start with. I know I sound harsh but the reality is that there is no place to hide in the front row if you don't get it right you gets stuffed. I actually thought that the problems kept on after the the first half (not as bad) and that impinged on the backline not getting front foot ball. Yes you might say we were in it for most of the game but if the scrum and set piece had worked from the start we would have won the game, of this I'm certain.

I agree. I was at the game, and Wests could be really good if they had a front row. They scored some great team tries, and they work so hard. Such a shame, how they lost the players the props from last season. The props they have now though, will hopefully learn from the experience and be better next year. Its important to remember, for both of them, this is thier first season in Premier Grade, and both are about 20 and 21 I think. The scrum has been a problem all year, and it doesn't matter how well the rest of the team play, if you can't get consistent scrum ball, it's hard to win. The scrum cost them against Brothers also, a tight head lead to the match winning try.

 

[FilthRugby]

James Horwill your guest speaker, TT? Couldn't Easts find any former Wallabies? David Wilson must be busy.

And I agree with your remarks about Sunnybank v Brothers game. Brothers could lose their top four spot this weekend. This must be something you are happily anticipating, TT.

You never know, Easts could knock Brothers out of finals contention, and I'd be in for another year of shxx-bagging.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Filth

As for the dinner - @ least we have an annual dinner where we have average attendance of about 250+ over the last 10 years - I recall a year or two ago both Souths & Brothers couldn't get numbers to host their own so they decided to have a joint function which was ultimately cancelled due to lack of numbers - great to see such loyal support for one's club!!

As for Saturday a loss for Brothers would see them with 3 losses on the trot - just like Sunnybank started the season. And you have to admit that the previous game against Easts could have gone either way. I hope for your sake that the Filth end of season "wobbles" hasn't started early this year.

The Tigers will be stalking their prey in the second half of the season - the win against Bond with a patched up side whilst ugly shows that they still have the desire to succeed and not just rest on their 2013 laurels.

It looks like Lachlan Turner will turn out for Easts against Souths and Wests.

I presume that will see Mullins back to #9, Brandon to #10 and Turner in #15. Hopefully Toby White will be back for the Souths game but it might be a week/two early.

Pettowa will hopefully be back for Uni. Whilst on front row options - will Joses the new recruit (ex Snbk) take Sam Richard's spot for the Souths game? I think he has to come into sure up the scrum for what will be a massive local derby at Chipsy Wood on Saturday week.

I hope that Saturday at Oldmac is a bruising encounter with no bonus points.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Beware the Tigers in second half the season.

 

[Tigers Tale]

Red Heavy

Looks like another Wallaby Captain for Uni.

Extract from G&G Rugby News -

Stephen Moore is quickly becoming the favourite to be named the next Test captain, with former skipper Nathan Sharpe giving the hard-nosed Wallabies hooker his endorsement. While Moore does not have any experience captaining at Super Rugby level, being surprisingly beaten out by NSW recruit Ben Mowen in Jake White's 2012 Brumbies side, Sharpe said that the long-term experience with the Wallabies was a more important factor.

Correct me if I am wrong but that would make it 3 in a row QLD Wallaby Skippers: James Horwill, Ben Mowen, Stephen Moore.

 

[Red Heavy]

Red Heavy

Looks like another Wallaby Captain for Uni.

Extract from G&G Rugby News -

Stephen Moore is quickly becoming the favourite to be named the next Test captain, with former skipper Nathan Sharpe giving the hard-nosed Wallabies hooker his endorsement. While Moore does not have any experience captaining at Super Rugby level, being surprisingly beaten out by NSW recruit Ben Mowen in Jake White's 2012 Brumbies side, Sharpe said that the long-term experience with the Wallabies was a more important factor.

Correct me if I am wrong but that would make it 3 in a row QLD Wallaby Skippers: James Horwill, Ben Mowen, Stephen Moore.

Would be a great honour for squeaks if it comes true. If we can claim it he would make the clubs 9th wallaby captain I believe. Might be a stretch but his last club game was for uni against your mob back in 2010 and does always were his heavy socks when picked for the baa baa's.

Will be interesting to see if any of the reds turn up for club land tomorrow. Personally I will be disappointed if they do. No game for a a few weeks means perfect time for some much needed team bonding at Fridays.

 

[Pauly]

Jeeps 43 Bond Uni 6
Souths 33 Norths 14
Uni 38 Wests 20
Sunnybank 30 Brothers 10
Bye 24 Easts 7

Filth lose 3 in a row and there is sunshine in Pauly's life again! However I suspect there will be a bonus point in Sunnybank's score of 30 that might scrape a minor layer of gloss from my current state of joy.

Uni continue their awesomeness.

 

[FilthRugby]

Brothers are really slipping aren't we? 2014 looks like another bloody shit year.

 

[FilthRugby]

@pauly
Wests were beating Uni at halftime. In typical fashion Uni conjure up a win somehow.

 

[Jets]

Dragons managed 4 tries in a solid display yesterday. They need to back it up against the Uni juggernaut next weekend. A few Reds coming back may help but rumour is that the Red Heavies may see their Force players back as well as some Reds.


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[Crusher]

Not much to like about Bond's visit to Yoku Road yesterday other than the sound of the final whistle sparing Bond of any further embarrassment. Bond looked like last years team as opposed to the side that has been competitive in most fixtures this year. GPS on the other hand seemed to be cruising once they hit their straps. They played a well constructed game and Bobby Tuttle has an old head on young shoulders controlling the game very well.

 

[The Oldest Rat]

Wests V Uni was a great match and Wests were in front at half time but Uni drew on their Reds reinforcements in the second half and I think it was a player named Seitu??? in the wider playing group of the Reds, who carved Wests up and that was the difference. The scrum was a vast improvement on last week and even though Wests were out muscled they were better. Wests is a young side and very different to last year, there is only a few left from last years prem side and they are growing as a side. I thought they did remarkably well to match it with Uni the comp leaders for the first half but as all young sides they cracked when they got tired in the second half.

A good performance for Wests though and they should take heart with what they are showing, still no banana but the coaches should be happy with the line up that is in place at the moment. they just need to gell and get some experience playing together. Probably need a flyhalf that can tackle a bit better, I see the winger having come into fly half in defence to man up in the middle.

The weather proved a factor as there was a bit of rain that affected stepping and handling by both sides. Uni got the rub of the green when it mattered as you do when you are winning and Wests didn't, that's rugby.

Altogether a good effort by Wests but Uni in the end too strong.