QLD Premier Rugby 2021

[Dark Shark]

Kalani has potential but will need a lot of game time in QPR this year to improve his confidence with tackling.

There are a few in the squad that need significant game time in QPR to develop. Why I am interested to hear if there is a quarantine bubble this year that will preclude this.

 

[The Nomad]

Agree Dark Shark.

The last thing these young guys need is another season of training with little to no game time.

When you consider the Covid bubble effectively made the Academy logistically impossible and the likely loss of a second year of Junior Wallaby program, there has been substantial loss of development opportunities.

Hopefully playing QPR and the match development it offers is not again lost this year to the lads that would benefit most from it .

 

[rugbyfan90]

Looks like GPS lose a bit of strike power with the running muscle Abele Atunaisa off to the Hunter Wildfires in the Shute Shield.
Any other mildly significant player movements we've heard about?

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

Thomas is the best pure talent I have seen come through at 9. My biggest knock on him is that he has a tendency to play down to his level of competition, and this is more a function of either disinterest / boredom or experimentation or all of the above.

Interested about this comment. Watching him for IGS he looked a much better player when Walker wasn't on the field. It was almost like he was scared to play as the coach would have shouted at him for not giving it to Walker but then when he went off seemed to back his instinct and running game much more.

 

[Happyman]

Interested about this comment. Watching him for IGS he looked a much better player when Walker wasn't on the field. It was almost like he was scared to play as the coach would have shouted at him for not giving it to Walker but then when he went off seemed to back his instinct and running game much more.

He is definitely a talent and one wonders what UQ promised to get him over. While Souths have deficiencies in a quite a few areas number 9 is not one of them.

 

[Cancelled Account]

Interested about this comment. Watching him for IGS he looked a much better player when Walker wasn't on the field. It was almost like he was scared to play as the coach would have shouted at him for not giving it to Walker but then when he went off seemed to back his instinct and running game much more.

You’re right.

 

[The Nomad]

He is definitely a talent and one wonders what UQ promised to get him over. While Souths have deficiencies in a quite a few areas number 9 is not one of them.

Jordan Lenac has a picked up a contract in Ireland and won’t be at UQ this year.

Scott Gale can play 9/10/15 and might not be back .

They were the two first grade 9’s for UQ last year.

Maybe they offered him an opportunity?

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Any ideas when the first round is drafted to happen?

 

[TheKing]

Sean Farrell (Souths), Dave Feao (Sunnybank), Jethro Felemi (GPS), Jack Straker (GPS) and Jack Hardy (Easts) have been confirmed to be returning to Premier Grade in 2021.

Michael Wood (Tahs trial/Shute Shield) and Chris Feauai-Sautia (Oyonnax) the only post-COVID blokes to pick up deals elsewhere.

Scotty Malolua retiring and Tom Kibble looking like he'll suffer the same fate, aged 20. Massive shoulder damage putting him in doubt of ever returning to the field.

In total the Reds have said goodbye to 17 players from 2020 squad.

All details in today's Gold Coast Bulletin: https://bit.ly/3sHpl4k

 

[PhilClinton]

Any ideas when the first round is drafted to happen?

GPS have three trial games starting from 13th March. Easter the weekend after the trials and they've listed their first home game as 10th April, which I assume is Round 1.

 

[Happyman]

Is the draw out yet. Norths have there’s on Facebook.

 

[Oracle83]

Is the draw out yet. Norths have there’s on Facebook.

Theirs )
Have Norths announced their Prem coaching lineup yet? Heard there may be some big news ?

 

[The Nomad]

UQ just posted their draw on Instagram. Season all done by the end of August, bit different to playing finals in November , hopefully no changes to the season required for 2021.

 

[SouthernX]

Theirs )
Have Norths announced their Prem coaching lineup yet? Heard there may be some big news ?

Care to share?

Little late wouldn’t you think? (Sitting on some big news)

Coaches should be announced ASAP after a season ends so the new candidate can get stuck into the recruiting side which comes with the role.

I imagine all clubs are in full swing for preseason at the moment.

 

[Happyman]

Souths have just announced Toutai Kefu as director of Rugby. Great appointment.

 

[TJP]

Any updates on player movement? I’m sure there is plenty but this is what I’ve got.

Bond:
Taulatasi Tasi from Gordon into the centres
Stowers & Menzies to Sydney

Brothers:
Picked up Flavell, Watson & Clift from Uni
Phoenix Hunt from Easts
Lost Kapa to Uni

Easts:
No insight

GPS:
No insight

Norths:
Ozzie V, Missi & Bart Ritchie heading to Norths from Wests
Iopu Iopu Aso from GPS

Souths:
Thomas & Ripley to Uni

Sunnybank:
Maile Ngaumo returning

UQ:
Picked up Ben Grant from WA
Fred Keil, Jack Middleton & Paul Ah Him from Wests
Lona Holaholo from NZ
RJ Sa’aga from Melbourne
Tom Molly from Randwick

Wests:
No insight besides players mentioned leaving

 

[Ruck n Maul]

Any updates on player movement? I’m sure there is plenty but this is what I’ve got.

Bond:
Taulatasi Tasi from Gordon into the centres
Stowers & Menzies to Sydney

Brothers:
Picked up Flavell, Watson & Clift from Uni
Phoenix Hunt from Easts
Lost Kapa to Uni

Easts:
No insight

GPS:
No insight

Norths:
Ozzie V, Missi & Bart Ritchie heading to Norths from Wests
Iopu Iopu Aso from GPS

Souths:
Thomas & Ripley to Uni

Sunnybank:
Maile Ngaumo returning

UQ:
Picked up Ben Grant from WA
Fred Keil, Jack Middleton & Paul Ah Him from Wests
Lona Holaholo from NZ
RJ Sa’aga from Melbourne
Tom Molly from Randwick

Wests:
No insight besides players mentioned leaving

At GPS we have lost Abele to Newcastle Shute Shield Team, AJ Alatimu to MLR, pending travel restrictions and I understand Jono Kent may have also moved on.

 

[rugbyfan90]

Any updates on player movement? I’m sure there is plenty but this is what I’ve got.

Bond:
Taulatasi Tasi from Gordon into the centres
Stowers & Menzies to Sydney

Brothers:
Picked up Flavell, Watson & Clift from Uni
Phoenix Hunt from Easts
Lost Kapa to Uni

Easts:
No insight

GPS:
No insight

Norths:
Ozzie V, Missi & Bart Ritchie heading to Norths from Wests
Iopu Iopu Aso from GPS

Souths:
Thomas & Ripley to Uni

Sunnybank:
Maile Ngaumo returning

UQ:
Picked up Ben Grant from WA
Fred Keil, Jack Middleton & Paul Ah Him from Wests
Lona Holaholo from NZ
RJ Sa’aga from Melbourne
Tom Molly from Randwick

Wests:
No insight besides players mentioned leaving

From my grapevine - Missi , Ozzie V (went to one Norths training session before Christmas) & Paul Ah Him are still at Wests and were training there last night.
Jono Kent from GPS + Ethan Dobbins from Brothers to Wests as well.
AJ Alatimu had also been training at Wests, but as Ruck n Maul stated, MLR is on the cards pending travel restrictions I believe.

Sounds like a certain agent is making his moves and shifting his players to UQ (including Fred Keil, RJ Sa'aga and Brad Kapa).
Interesting lock stocks there with Kapa, Ben Grant & Connor Vest who can comfortably cover the backrow too.

Also hearing of certain clubs getting out the cheque book to retain/attract players, which lets be honest likely happens every year - but I'll leave that to the speculation column and just try to contain my excitement for a new season and new broadcast opportunities for QPR.

 

[PhilClinton]

At GPS we have lost Abele to Newcastle Shute Shield Team, AJ Alatimu to MLR, pending travel restrictions and I understand Jono Kent may have also moved on.

Has Kent retired or is having another crack at professional? He was with the Canberra Raiders u20s years ago but never signed a full deal, he's 27 now, not sure if he's having another crack

 

[Adam84]

QPR wraps up 2 weeks before the Shute Shield, I thought with the new broadcast deal, lack of NRC and reported emphasis on establishing/growing the club championship they might try and align the seasons a bit better.