QLD GPS Rugby 2017

[Prince Henry]

Soccer used to be a niche sport. AFL too in some states. The fact is both have gone past Union since we won Bill in 99. Rugby hasn't run itself holistically on and off the field. Full of factions and agendas (that Soccer used to be plagued by until they removed the ethnicity from team names) and lacking any long term vision.

A few recent rule changes and it's a great game to watch but Rugby lacks colour off the field. 95% of the publicity of rugby league is about what's happening off the field FFS! The on field product is goodish but the growth in the air time it now gets is because of the gossip it creates outside of the actual games. The scandals, the contract breakers, the gamblers, the drugs, the sex, the shoddy administrators, the crowd incidents, the big deals, the club dramas etc etc.

The last decent drama rugby had was when the ex-QLD coach was doing a bit of Vernon Philandering with the team Physio! Even Aaron Smith's airport antics with a groupie didn't get talked about for long. A few embarrassed tears and an apology and it was gone.

Kicking out a club franchise is no big drama either. League did that 15 years ago with Souths! That's about how many years rugby is now behind every other winter ball code.

Look at the world we live in. Can't one of the wallabies go and do something dramatic off field that is not saving endangered species in Zimbabwe? Where is James O'C when you need him? Both good GPS boys!

 

[Garry Owens]

But of course you are correct Walt .

Proclaiming a significant historical , current and likely future feeder base to Australian Rugby that is under no governance to any of the game's regulatory authorities , as , by the numbers , the premier schoolboy rugby competition in Australia - is elitist and responsible for why Australian Rugby is in the shitter and hasn't been able to grow its base.

It also hurts minority group's feelings in Victoria and WA that still think the Mountain should move to Mohammed and that Mohammed shouldn't move to the Mountain.

Its very mean I know and I'm sorry.

I'm sure the ARU have a printing press that they can share with the State Regulatory bodies and crank it out like Ben Bernanke back in the day and pretend that nothing has changed

Party on.

 

[Garry Owens]

Excellent points Prince .

Hand in glove to the Seppo Supastaw Subculture

 

[TheKing]

When 19-year-old Izaia Perese was in line for his Reds debut a few weeks ago, a Rugby.com.au journo asked him who were his big influences growing up.

Perese went red, looked down at his feet and admitted under his breath that he'd actually not watched any rugby union at all before starting at Churchie.

He couldn't even name a Wallaby from before 2013.

This was a kid with elite talent who was destined to play fullback for the Broncos but for the sheer good fortune of being scouted by Churchie, and now might go on to play 100+ games for the Reds.

If not for the GPS Perese would be playing League U20s somewhere.

Now he's a Wallaby tourist that Cheika has promised to blood in this year's June Internationals.

In my eyes, that's a win for Rugby Union and it's all because of the GPS.

What's elitist about that?

 

[Garry Owens]

Well nothing really. Just another example of GPS harvesting and being inorganic in its contributions to higher levels of Rugby in Queensland and Australia

Accidental and unplanned as they may be

 

[Garry Owens]

When identifying the origin of players in broadcast football :

1. Pro NFL features the player and the College he came from

2. Rugby League ( in the last 4 or 5 years only ) runs the feature of the player and within it references the Club where he played his Junior League.

Rugby doesn't do shit in any organised , featured way - just the odd disparate head count hear and there from those that could be interested in "where they came from"

Going back as long as I can remember ( to the early 1970's ) GPS Rugby has never failed to be the origin point in a steady stream of future Wallabies.

At times this has been thicker than at other times - and I do believe we are now , and will continue to be for at least the next 10 years - an Association that unconsciously and accidentally continues as a dominant point of supply to the Professional Rugby ranks.

I note with interest the AIC / TAS laden Wallabies of the 90's' that ultimately was a direct result of these Schoolboy Associations dominance through the late 80's and early 90's that ultimately flowed upstream into dominant Clubs and then State Teams

[Edit : This was probably the golden period of MCA when you had Eales and the Herbert brothers following on a proud tradition of numerous distinguished MCA National Representatives - the aforementioned Paddy Batch - an absolute human bouncing shield style of a winger who played the Welsh that day at Ballymore and the class act of Dave Léstrange in the Centres who was a staple of Australian Teams through the 70's when the Wallabies were beginning their ascent . Also through the 90's you had Lauries going great guns , where between Lauries and MCA you might have had 4 or more starters on your team - and then you throw David Giffin from Redeemer into the mix , and at one time , you had 5 x starters on your National Team from AIC/TAS Schools . Respect. ]

Going back further the great core of Australian Rugby's coming of age in the late 70's / early 80's - best exemplified by the Wallabies defeat of the Welsh at Ballymore in 1978 when the Welsh were at the peak of their powers and World Rugby's version of today's All Blacks in the 1970's ................. comprised a core of Paul McLean , Mark Loane from Nudgee , and Tony Shaw from Gregory Terrace

In this era they were supported by an emerging Chris Handy ( Gregory Terrace ) and Duncan Hall ( Nudgee ) Peter McLean ( State High ) and David Hillhouse ( Churchie ) were also relevant

Its probably fair to say that State High , Brisbane Grammar , Nudgee and Terrace were the most consistently dominant Schoolboy Teams in South East QLD during the 1970's and early 1980's

Also of note through that era you had an emerging Wally Lewis at State High ( 77 Schoolboys )

But in that Australian Team at Ballymore that day in 78 , to be fair , you also had a young Andrew Slack ( Villanova ) , Stan Pilecki ( Marist Rosalie ) Rod Hauser ( St Peters ) and Paddy Batch ( MCA ) representing the TAS Schools in South East QLD. All , with the exception of Batch , would become regular Wallabies with Andrew Slack famously going on to lead Australia on the 84 Grand Slam Tour - its success that to me had its antecedents to that day at Ballymore in 1978.

But McLean , Loane and Shaw + an absolutely rampaging Greg Cornelson ( The Armidale School ) were , in my memory, a core part of the reason as to why we ultimately overcame the Welsh. Steve Finnane ( THP -Waverley ) and the giant Garrick Fay ( Shore ) also worthy of special mention

 

[Galloper]

Not a bad history lesson there GO, pretty accurate, but I can definitely remember that Nudgee were rubbish in the early to mid 80's, and not much better in the mid-late 70's.

Apart from Tony D'Arcy (77) and Ross Hanley (78) it's hard to think of any notable players produced by NC over that 10 year period.

Many are also unaware that Paul McLean only attended NC for 1 year after moving from St Edmunds - even then those poor bastards were producing rugby champs for the GPS schools (a la Izzy Perese, Harley Fox etc).

 

[Garry Owens]

Now that you mention it Galloper I do remember Paul McLean originally hailed from St Ed's

The Nudge though did pretty well to produce McLean ( they'll claim him - don't worry about that ) the great Mark Loane ( my childhood idol ) Tony Darcy , Ross Hanley and the very underrated Duncan Hall during the 1970's

That's 5 in the decade unless there are anymore I am unaware of

State High were very strong all through the 70's ( by way of premierships / results ) with Chris Roche ( via Downlands ) and the Barker brothers ( amongst others ) passing through ( and Wally Lewis as previously mentioned ) and they seemed to come to life again through the early to mid 80's with Slattery and Smith ( amongst others )

What I didn't realise until I looked was how consistently strong Brisbane Grammar seemed to be through the 70's and early 80's - noting Andy McIntyre , Bill Ross and Greg Martin passing through at that time

 

[Vintage Red]

As mentioned, High were strong in the 70s, but it was Terrace that won the GPS comp from 77-81 (inclusive), which included at least one shared title with High. If I am correct, the run of "5 in a row" has not been bettered to this day. Terrace cavalry of the day included Michael Lynagh, Michael Cooke, Mark McBain, Stephen Partridge, Tony Parker, Brendan Nasser - to name but a few.

 

[Dark Shark]

Just hearing TSS were belted by a NZ touring team yesterday. Understand it is a trial match, but interested to hear at what strength TSS fielded their team.

The NZ school team are playing other Qld GPS teams over the next week.

 

[Realist]

Just hearing TSS were belted by a NZ touring team yesterday. Understand it is a trial match, but interested to hear at what strength TSS fielded their team.

The NZ school team are playing other Qld GPS teams over the next week.

TGS play a NZ schoolboy team this Saturday Open and U16 don't know if this is the same side or not. TGS will use this to make a cut to their 1st's squad.

 

[LineBreak15]

Just hearing TSS were belted by a NZ touring team yesterday. Understand it is a trial match, but interested to hear at what strength TSS fielded their team.

The NZ school team are playing other Qld GPS teams over the next week.

Mate dont know where you got that from I drove from Brisbane to watch TSS. Southport Won 6 tries to Nil

 

[Dark Shark]

Mate dont know where you got that from I drove from Brisbane to watch TSS. Southport Won 6 tries to Nil

Chinese whispers probably caused the actual result to be flipped. I was surprised hence the query on make up of the TSS team. Thanks for the correct update. Any thoughts on the match?

 

[warrenwobble]

Very early mail:
TSS - Land of the Giants meets Titans Under 20's - Flag favorites. Odds: 2-1
GT - More imports than The Reject Shop but building for next year. Odds: 7-1
TGS - Will be good and solid like boarding house oatmeal. 4th-6th finish. Odds: 14-1
BBC - Some rockstar forwards, but young backs. Could do anything - good or bad. Odds: 9-1
BSHS - Most of last years great team have left, will be a couple of years till their kids are back. Odds: 10-1
Grammar - Building to mid field in the next 4 years.Odds: 100-1
Churchie - Might have a few smokey seconds players on top of solid 16As. Odds: 12-1
NC - As usual thereabouts - print the Premier's T-shirts now..no don't. Odds: 3-1
IGS - Hard times at the switch this year - not a lot of depth. Odds: 30-1 (unless the Ipswich Jets play every second game for them)

 

[Countryjack]

Very early mail:
TSS - Land of the Giants meets Titans Under 20's - Flag favorites. Odds: 2-1
GT - More imports than The Reject Shop but building for next year. Odds: 7-1
TGS - Will be good and solid like boarding house oatmeal. 4th-6th finish. Odds: 14-1
BBC - Some rockstar forwards, but young backs. Could do anything - good or bad. Odds: 9-1
BSHS - Most of last years great team have left, will be a couple of years till their kids are back. Odds: 10-1
Grammar - Building to mid field in the next 4 years.Odds: 100-1
Churchie - Might have a few smokey seconds players on top of solid 16As. Odds: 12-1
NC - As usual thereabouts - print the Premier's T-shirts now..no don't. Odds: 3-1

As usual WW - very funny and very accurate.
My only comments from down GC way are:
1) TSS - land of giants meets Titans- and NZ Maori. Number 13 has 2 new mates;
2) GT - for a school with no boarding house- a real PI influence. i am backing only 2 players in backline not PI;
3) NC will have one hell of a big quick backline.

Your comment last year when the range rovers travelled to the stratco shed is still my favourite.
Keep them coming.

 

[Digby2016]

I would say-pretty accurate:
Apart from TSS and Nudgee-injuries will play a huge part as we saw ACGS 2015 and BSHS in 2016- when in both those years their 2nds xv were poor but very few injuries in 1st xv.

Very early mail:
TSS - Land of the Giants meets Titans Under 20's - Flag favorites. Odds: 2-1

GT - More imports than The Reject Shop but building for next year. Odds: 7-1

TGS - Will be good and solid like boarding house oatmeal. 4th-6th finish. Odds:25-1




BBC - Some rockstar forwards, but young backs. Could do anything - good or bad. Odds: 18-1


BSHS - Most of last years great team have left, will be a couple of years till their kids are back. Odds: 20-1
Grammar - Building to mid field in the next 4 years.Odds: 100-1

Churchie - Might have a few smokey seconds players on top of solid 16As. Odds: 30-1

NC - As usual thereabouts - print the Premier's T-shirts now..no don't. Odds: 3-1

IGS - Hard times at the switch this year - not a lot of depth. Odds: 30-1 (unless the Ipswich Jets play every second game for them)

 

[Blue & white]

I would say-pretty accurate:
Apart from TSS and Nudgee-injuries will play a huge part as we saw ACGS 2015 and BSHS in 2016- when in both those years their 2nds xv were poor but very few injuries in 1st xv.

Very early mail:
TSS - Land of the Giants meets Titans Under 20's - Flag favorites. Odds: 2-1

GT - More imports than The Reject Shop but building for next year. Odds: 7-1

TGS - Will be good and solid like boarding house oatmeal. 4th-6th finish. Odds:25-1




BBC - Some rockstar forwards, but young backs. Could do anything - good or bad. Odds: 18-1


BSHS - Most of last years great team have left, will be a couple of years till their kids are back. Odds: 20-1
Grammar - Building to mid field in the next 4 years.Odds: 100-1

Churchie - Might have a few smokey seconds players on top of solid 16As. Odds: 30-1

NC - As usual thereabouts - print the Premier's T-shirts now..no don't. Odds: 3-1

IGS - Hard times at the switch this year - not a lot of depth. Odds: 30-1 (unless the Ipswich Jets play every second game for them)

I reluctantly agree that you look about right

 

[warrenwobble]

OK good feedback fellow tragics - I have amended as follows.

VERY EARLY FORM GUIDE:

TSS - Land of the Giants meets Titans Under 20's. Flag favorites.
Odds: 2-1

NC - As usual thereabouts - and as usual some new recruits. Print the Premier's T-shirts now..no don't.
Odds: 3-1

GT - More imports than The Reject Shop - but building for next year.
Odds: 7-1

TGS - Solid like boarding house oatmeal. EDIT These guys are going to be better than we first thought. The smokeys.
Odds: 15-1

BBC - Rockstar forwards, but young backs. Could do anything. Good or bad. Odds: 18-1

BSHS - Most of last years great team have left, will be a couple of years till their kids are at the school.
Odds: 20-1

Churchie - Might have a few sneaky seconds players arriving - on top of a solid 16As last year.
Odds: 30-1

Ipswich Grammar - Hard times at the switch this year - not a lot of depth.
Odds: 40-1 (unless the Ipswich Jets play every second game for them - then 20-1)

Grammar - Building to mid field in the next 4 years. Will not take the wooden utensil without a damn good fight! Shortening each week.
Odds: 80-1

 

[Realist]

OK good feedback fellow tragics - I have amended as follows.

VERY EARLY FORM GUIDE:

TSS - Land of the Giants meets Titans Under 20's. Flag favorites.
Odds: 2-1

NC - As usual thereabouts - and as usual some new recruits. Print the Premier's T-shirts now..no don't.
Odds: 3-1

GT - More imports than The Reject Shop - but building for next year.
Odds: 7-1

TGS - Solid like boarding house oatmeal. EDIT These guys are going to be better than we first thought. The smokeys.
Odds: 15-1

BBC - Rockstar forwards, but young backs. Could do anything. Good or bad. Odds: 18-1

BSHS - Most of last years great team have left, will be a couple of years till their kids are at the school.
Odds: 20-1

Churchie - Might have a few sneaky seconds players arriving - on top of a solid 16As last year.
Odds: 30-1

Ipswich Grammar - Hard times at the switch this year - not a lot of depth.
Odds: 40-1 (unless the Ipswich Jets play every second game for them - then 20-1)

Grammar - Building to mid field in the next 4 years. Will not take the wooden utensil without a damn good fight! Shortening each week.
Odds: 80-1

TGS will be a tough one to pick cant see them been top 3 at all and maybe a bit generous at 4th. In there 1st's trial on the weekend the open team got thumped, the U16 team had a real good win but against poor opposition, the number 8 for TGS run in 5 tries, big and fast was the pick of the new imports. The game plan looked like it was just to crash the ball up all day and selections indicated that especially seeing how the new imports all played. All big strong ball runners but handling skills were lacking along with flair and nous. Very scrappy game. What ever their final 1st selection is they will be drilled to an inch of their life to the game plan but will struggle if put out of their comfort zone, and will lack the personal to be able to respond to any adversity.

 

[Gungenia]

TGS will be a tough one to pick cant see them been top 3 at all and maybe a bit generous at 4th. In there 1st's trial on the weekend the open team got thumped, the U16 team had a real good win but against poor opposition, the number 8 for TGS run in 5 tries, big and fast was the pick of the new imports. The game plan looked like it was just to crash the ball up all day and selections indicated that especially seeing how the new imports all played. All big strong ball runners but handling skills were lacking along with flair and nous. Very scrappy game. What ever their final 1st selection is they will be drilled to an inch of their life to the game plan but will struggle if put out of their comfort zone, and will lack the personal to be able to respond to any adversity.

Looks like a lot of teams (TGS,BBC ,GT etc ) -are building for next year.
More shared premierships on the way ?