QLD Colts 2022

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Might as well get the thread going with news of the next season, starting with coaches?

Norths - Dan Ritchie (HC) with Ben Cameron and Tomasi Donnell as Assistant Coaches.
Brothers - Greg Beaver (HC) with James Pritchard and Michael Gilbert as ACs
Easts - ??
GPS - Sio Kite (HC) with Lewis Torkington AC
Wests - ??
Uni - Matt Ingram (HC) with Herman Hunt and John Slater as ACs
Souths - Cian O'Connor as HC
Sunnybank - Brendan Underwood (HC) with Russell Todd as AC
Bond - ??


Any gaps that can be filled?

Hearing Easts, through Benny Mowen has been active and there is potential for a super exciting backline with Taj Anan, David Vaihu, and Lazlo Sword all combining.

Any other movements?

Thought Brendan Jones (former Brumbies Flanker) was looking after the Bond Colts not sure who is helping him though

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

First of all a better description of JB would be workmanlike. Excellent is a stretch. He hasn’t really played in 2 years so let’s see how he goes. But all locks in discussion prior , earlier in the thread , I would have above him. Very personable and likeable guy and great to have around your Club. A Club Man.

There is a base to work with him , Pardoe and Stoddart. Would also be helpful if a guy like Will Markham found his way back to lock with JB.

With Brothers …I’m sort of meh. They were ordinary last year and if not for Louis Werchon would not have boasted the record that they did. Their forwards always get more from their pseudo intimidatory huff and puff but without Lowrie and Thompson from last year , on talent IMO, they are in the main barely average with one or two below average. Harry Grant was Ok at 10 and no doubt having Werchon at 9 was a significant benefit. Lastus was injured all season and didn’t really impact their season. He’s deceiving as well. Has some talent and really works that right foot step, but, only seems to have effectiveness off a go forward pack and multiple phase play where he gets to work as a 2nd receiver / play maker on unders lines.

Brothers 2’s were not all that despite their GF appearance and despite having a double digit lead into the 2nd half , once UQ made the adjustments that needed to be made in the halves and at loose forward in a conscious decision to try go and win it Brothers got out classed down the stretch as UQ steam rolled their way home to tie it up for the tied Prem.

Re : UQ , I reckon they’ll be in the discussion with the best forward pack / depth in the competition.

Swane and Hay are back up front and should be complemented by Quentin ( 1’s / 2’s last year ) and then you have Carl Hansen from last year’s 3’s who is unquestionably a 1’s talent and Massimo Musso in the mix. Pheely and Tierney are also eligible. All are 20 with the exception of Swane / Hay who will still be U19.

VDS / Robinson / Perceval is the likely lock crew who are all 20 year olds and who should be supported by 2’s/ 3’s James Caton

Jonathan Burnett / Will Bradley*saw time in 1’s / 2’s last year and arguably played better with less opportunity than the guys in front of them . They are both 20 year olds as is everyone’s favourite red headed mongrel dog Benji Waller who should be in the mix to round out the back row with Ferg Nasser also in the loose forward / lock mix. *I think Bradley went to school in SA a few years ago and ended up playing Australian Schools back in 2019 (FWIW) and has been unobtrusively playing away in 2’s / 3’s his first year and 2’s / 1’s (cameo) in his 2nd club year.

And all this in the forwards without even considering / taking into account any school leaver yet with double depth in a lot of spots

So pretty much a 20 year old pack who have had 2-3 years at the Club with individual success across 1’s / 2’

And then you have ex Red’s and UQ Prop Herman Hunt as forwards Coach and set piece specialist in a very promising Coaching / Management re-boot

"And then you have ex Red’s and UQ Prop Herman Hunt as forwards Coach and set piece specialist in a very promising Coaching / Management re-boot"

And now we finally have acknowledgement that rumoured issues at UQ last year have been addressed.

 

[Dean Moriarty]

I am told Souths have a policy that if you are Colts eligible and you are not selected as a Prems starter you will be expected to play Colts Rugby.

I am also told the Colts 1 pack will be a predominate 20 year old pack led by Saipele and Sawtell at 1 and 2 with a couple of 19 year olds in Leslie (Lock ) and Bryant ( 6 ) and a 18 year old 7 who has admirers - Downland's Pienaar. The big (unresolved) question is whether Sam Mataafa can toss one of Sean and Jack Farrell or Cullen Ngamanu , and possibly others who will be competing for a back row spot in Prems. Then there is also the question whether Jack Farrell is playing this year which is not 100% known at the moment. Anyway there is talent in the core of that forward pack if they are all available to play Colts.

I am told it is a pretty young backline ...predominantly 18 and 19 year olds

It seems as though it might be the same story at Jeeps ( in terms of the policy of playing Colts if you are 20 or under and can't nail down a starting Prems spot )

 

[Garry Owens]

Easts as faves? Anyone disagree?

If there are any Easts peeps here jump in and throw in your two bob as to who plays Colts and who plays Reserve Grade or Premier Grade out of those who are still eligible to be playing Colts.

Surely if Easts follow Souths and GPS's lead as described above they should have a pretty stacked Colts team and be faves at prohibitive odds

 

[Garry Owens]

Think about what type of Colts Team Sunnybank could roll out if a lot of their local product | juniors had of stayed close to home?

Where did it all go wrong?

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Easts as faves? Anyone disagree?

If there are any Easts peeps here jump in and throw in your two bob as to who plays Colts and who plays Reserve Grade or Premier Grade out of those who are still eligible to be playing Colts.

Surely if Easts follow Souths and GPS's lead as described above they should have a pretty stacked Colts team and be faves at prohibitive odds

Dont think it will be as easy as that for the tigers.

 

[Ruck n Maul]

Easts and GPS lost a lot of 20 year olds from last year, I'm not so sure about Tigers being favorites - they got very lucky in a lot of games last year, having older players certainly helped them. We have 5 up in premier grade squad currently, we're not sure how many we will see back though. I doubt we will see Floyd or Baker in colts this year.

I have also heard Mataafa and Bryant are entrenched in the 1st/2nd grade squad at souths and won't be returning to colts...1st grade head coach has a track record of doing that with colts eligible players deemed good enough, even if they end up playing reserve grade.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Think about what type of Colts Team Sunnybank could roll out if a lot of their local product | juniors had of stayed close to home?

Where did it all go wrong?

There are some folk that "contribute" to a program

And then there are some that just "take" from the program.

Any executive's challenge is to make sure you have more of one sort than the other.

 

[Garry Owens]

What's the point of having an U20 competition when 20 year olds play Reserve Grade if they don't win out a starting spot in Premier Grade?

I get it for guys with Reds contracts like Aubrey , Grealy and Thomas who are obvious starters, but for the sake of integrity in an U20 competition, the raft of 20 year olds who might have a shot of starting Premier Grade should be taking their shot off the Premier Grade bench after they have played in the U20's competition.

Sort of cheapens it.

Otherwise just go back to the original model of making it an U19 competition.

 

[Garry Owens]

Easts and GPS lost a lot of 20 year olds from last year, I'm not so sure about Tigers being favorites - they got very lucky in a lot of games last year, having older players certainly helped them. We have 5 up in premier grade squad currently, we're not sure how many we will see back though. I doubt we will see Floyd or Baker in colts this year.

I have also heard Mataafa and Bryant are entrenched in the 1st/2nd grade squad at souths and won't be returning to colts...1st grade head coach has a track record of doing that with colts eligible players deemed good enough, even if they end up playing reserve grade.

My Magpie man tells me not so. In Bryant's case at least. And the policy seems pretty black and white for the black and whites. Start in Premier Grade if you are good enough or go back to Colts if you are Colts eligible. Good policy IMO.

I understand he was injured for part of last year , however , he didn't really prove dominance at this level - in this competition and I am not sure that the other bloke did either. I know the burden of proof doesn't really matter a lot , for a lot , but it really isn't that unreasonable a suggestion

 

[Greenwhiteblack]

Think about what type of Colts Team Sunnybank could roll out if a lot of their local product | juniors had of stayed close to home?

Where did it all go wrong?

mate, they all get scholarships from around u16 and head off to Terrace, Nudgee, TSS etc... once there they become mates with kids and the lure of playing with these after they finish school they generally end up at the club where all there school mates are going. The main focus at Sunnybank is keeping the core group if juniors from u13 and above engaged with the club even when they leave and play school rugby so that when they finish school they head back to the bank. long term project i know but needs to start somewhere

 

[Ruck n Maul]

My Magpie man tells me not so. In Bryant's case at least. And the policy seems pretty black and white for the black and whites. Start in Premier Grade if you are good enough or go back to Colts if you are Colts eligible. Good policy IMO.

I understand he was injured for part of last year , however , he didn't really prove dominance at this level - in this competition and I am not sure that the other bloke did either. I know the burden of proof doesn't really matter a lot , for a lot , but it really isn't that unreasonable a suggestion

I agree with all comments here - I hope for the players in question this is correct as their ceilings are quite high, but there is talk out of souths they will stay, I really hope they drop back to colts (not against GPS) and are allowed to develop at the appropriate rate. I can tell you the 1st grade coach deviates away from said policies to suit his needs quite quickly.

Any bold predictions for tomorrows trials? Who should we be keeping an eye on?

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

I agree with all comments here - I hope for the players in question this is correct as their ceilings are quite high, but there is talk out of souths they will stay, I really hope they drop back to colts (not against GPS) and are allowed to develop at the appropriate rate. I can tell you the 1st grade coach deviates away from said policies to suit his needs quite quickly.

Any bold predictions for tomorrows trials? Who should we be keeping an eye on?

UQ v GPS in Dalby will be interesting.
My guess is some of the "super stars" wont travel so the ones wanting to make a mark might rip in.

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Any bold predictions for tomorrows trials? Who should we be keeping an eye on?

The Cop in the Econovan chewing on a jam donut from Jackie French’s bakery on the approach into Dalby

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Easts and GPS lost a lot of 20 year olds from last year, I'm not so sure about Tigers being favorites - they got very lucky in a lot of games last year, having older players certainly helped them. -We have 5 up in premier grade squad currently, we're not sure how many we will see back though. I doubt we will see Floyd or Baker in colts this year.

I have also heard Mataafa and Bryant are entrenched in the 1st/2nd grade squad at souths and won't be returning to colts...1st grade head coach has a track record of doing that with colts eligible players deemed good enough, even if they end up playing reserve grade.

5? That’s a surprise. My Jeeps Peep tells me Campbell Moller was Jeeps best in Colts last week and daylight second. If you have 5 up ,one of whom I wouldn’t have thought is Floyd at this stage, the next guy I would logically have thought be in line for his shot would be Moller. So surprised to hear him trialling in Colts. To be frank I don’t think any of your 20 year old forwards are ready. Maybe Baker might prove me wrong.

 

[PPRugby]

5? That’s a surprise. My Jeeps Peep tells me Campbell Moller was Jeeps best in Colts last week and daylight second. If you have 5 up ,one of whom I wouldn’t have thought is Floyd at this stage, the next guy I would logically have thought be in line for his shot would be Moller. So surprised to hear him trialling in Colts. To be frank I don’t think any of your 20 year old forwards are ready. Maybe Baker might prove me wrong.

You would think their hooker from last years colts Tevita Kaitu’u would be in the mix for some Premier Grade minutes as well.

 

[The Nomad]

UQ v GPS in Dalby will be interesting.
My guess is some of the "super stars" wont travel so the ones wanting to make a mark might rip in.

Super Star Colts won’t travel …… aren’t both clubs sending First and Second Grade teams to Dalby?

You would look like a right prat as a Colt not wanting to travel, line drawn straight through their names for mine……

 

[Dean Moriarty]

You would think their hooker from last years colts Tevita Kaitu’u would be in the mix for some Premier Grade minutes as well.

Jeeps scrum was pretty good last year. Their line out was inconsistent and could get sloppy here and there

 

[Dean Moriarty]

Super Star Colts won’t travel …… aren’t both clubs sending First and Second Grade teams to Dalby?

You would look like a right prat as a Colt not wanting to travel, line drawn straight through their names for mine……

Yes Jeeps and UQ are sending teams to Dalby.

Easts aren’t going

 

[Happyman]

You would think their hooker from last years colts Tevita Kaitu’u would be in the mix for some Premier Grade minutes as well.

He has returned to Souths.