QLD GPS Rugby 2011

[light]

i too doubt that you can excuse terrace for their poor performances due to year 11 players. churchies number 6 is in year 10, surely one of the most important positions on the field. something has gone wrong at terrace, i prefer to blame the lack of fields and ability to train also has to be contributed to by poor coaching and tactics. maybe they were never going to beat ippy, and maybe no team will all year but last weekends loss was unexplainable. can we now move on to brighter topics? i.e matches this weekend.

 

[insider18]

Do you think ipswich will have more players in the GPS sides this year because they are travelling so well, and i agree with RugbyInterest they always seem to be the team that suffers over the term 2 and 3 break

 

[Swarley]

i too doubt that you can excuse terrace for their poor performances due to year 11 players. churchies number 6 is in year 10, surely one of the most important positions on the field. something has gone wrong at terrace, i prefer to blame the lack of fields and ability to train also has to be contributed to by poor coaching and tactics. maybe they were never going to beat ippy, and maybe no team will all year but last weekends loss was unexplainable. can we now move on to brighter topics? i.e matches this weekend.

Their 7 against Nudgee (Digger MacMillan) is also in Grade 10. Imagine how good Churchie's loose forwards will be in 2 years time!

terrace's losing ways can't be blamed on the fact they have 6 yr 11 players playing for them. BGS also has 6 yr 11s and were able to beat TGS comprehensively

Not to mention the 6 Year 11's were in key positions: Tighthead Prop, Hooker, Second Row, Blindside Flanker, Inside Centre and Wing. With a few more on the bench. Promising signs for BGS, finally having some depth that cost them dearly in previous years (especially 2009).

 

[Thomas]

I wouldn't doubt it, there 8, 9 and 2 have been playing well and 15 has some good footwork and speed.

 

[Black Vegetables]

Their 7 against Nudgee (Digger MacMillan) is also in Grade 10. Imagine how good Churchie's loose forwards will be in 2 years time!

Although there is no denying that they will be good in a couple of years time, he was the 6 light was referring to.

 

[alc14]

ipswich also have 6 year 11's and reffering to the comment above ipswichs number 4 and 5 and pretty much identicle in size and both very fit, . the number 8 is tasi tasi played queensland red last year. usually plays at 6 but there usual number 8 out latham takau big 6'6 giant he steps into that role very well. they have great depth this year . strong all over the pitch

 

[light]

im going to make a prediction now and say ippy v churchie will be premiership decider. i know its early and im going to cop alot of criticism but they are the form teams and i dont think state high will mentally recover from losing to ippy last week. sure nudgee and tss are still in with a chance i just see too many injuries and question marks over their depth to challenge. Nudgee was churchie biggest challenge away from home and they finally broke the ross oval hoodoo, a home win against tss this round would have to make them favourites?. it would be good to see a team outside the 'top 3' schools win it and i think that will be either 2011 or 2012. whoever wins it certainly wont be undefeated so expect one or two loses for the premiership team. i just hope the gps 1 team is even spread and nothing like the speculations made earlier

 

[s4076951]

hopefully gt can beat bbc this week at ballymore a sea of red and black is expected to support their struggling side, the gt lads will give it everything given that it is their last home game of the year.

 

[hatman]

hopefully gt can beat bbc this week at ballymore a sea of red and black is expected to support their struggling side, the gt lads will give it everything given that it is their last home game of the year.

A lot has been said about GT & a lot appears on the face of it true. I believe GT is a chance against BBC if the GT forwards muscle up, mistakes are reduced & their outside backs are used. I have heard the fullback is pretty sharp & one winger is a GPS sprint champion who has had very limited opportunities. IGS must be short priced favouites for the comp - they have strong large forwards, the backs are sharp & run lines the Reds would be proud of & they have depth. Overall a well drilled total package. TSS aren't out of it but might lack depth & can't afford anymore losses - unlucky against NC.

 

[Jets]

ipswich also have 6 year 11's and reffering to the comment above ipswichs number 4 and 5 and pretty much identicle in size and both very fit, . the number 8 is tasi tasi played queensland red last year. usually plays at 6 but there usual number 8 out latham takau big 6'6 giant he steps into that role very well. they have great depth this year . strong all over the pitch

Is he Lama Tasi's little brother. Lama was good at IGS a few years ago and is now at the Sydney Roosters.

 

[rockfish]

Is he Lama Tasi's little brother. Lama was good at IGS a few years ago and is now at the Sydney Roosters.

Yes he is Lama's younger brother, and is also signed up with the Roosters for next year.

 

[s4076951]

A lot has been said about GT & a lot appears on the face of it true. I believe GT is a chance against BBC if the GT forwards muscle up, mistakes are reduced & their outside backs are used. I have heard the fullback is pretty sharp & one winger is a GPS sprint champion who has had very limited opportunities. IGS must be short priced favouites for the comp - they have strong large forwards, the backs are sharp & run lines the Reds would be proud of & they have depth. Overall a well drilled total package. TSS aren't out of it but might lack depth & can't afford anymore losses - unlucky against NC.

yes the biggest mistake gt made this year was moving their best player ben birgan to inside centre when he offers so much more at breakaway.

 

[spikhaza]

I am going to the game Saturday for GT V BBC and tbh I don't think it will be a good atmosphere cause there will be 2000 - 3000 people in a 24000 seat stadium. Much prefer the atmosphere of the schools, the stands of ross oval, The enormous echo of Miskin Hill, the intimidation of tennyson and so on. Should be a good game as the corresponding round 9 at miskin was quality last year - massive crowd from both sides etc

 

[czar01]

Czar, obviously have good mail or eyes.

I won't get the chance to see GT for a few weeks, but I saw them twice last year and they looked very good with a well drilled defense and forward unit, as well as a patient attack that wore teams down. They also had no scholarships then and came 4th or 5th, so I agree there must be a problem with the program this year. I spoke to the TSS coaches and they were very impressed with GT in '10 and I heard amazing stories about the respect they won vs BSHS despite going down by a bit. Surely, it hasn't gone all pear shaped so quickly. With a few 2nd year players and the defensive displays (technically and as a unit) they showed last year, how can they have gone off the boil so quickly?

Everything needs to go well for GT in pre-season in order to be competitive.

They have a very good coach in Mark Stevenson and I doubt there was a prouder team in regards to accomplishment than the 2010 1st XV side. Still there were only 2 year 11's in that side (Birgan/Ayala). The rest of the lads knew each others game.

This year has been a little different. Training for 1st XV was disrupted by loss of Tennyson. Most of the lads introduced themselves to each other for the first time in March. It is not a strong year 12 and blending 6-8 year 11's takes time. The boys need to know each others games and what they bring to the table.

They train at Ballymore. Everytime it rains for half an hour on training days it is called off to protect the fields. There has been plenty called off. Whereas at Tennyson they would train until 6:15-30 at Ballymore it finishes at 5. I know it doesn't sound like much but it all adds up particularly when you start at 3:30. As I tap this out, it is pouring rain. Thursday training will likely be called off. Coach and lads will be pulling their hair out.

GT has a dogmatic program that you play Sport in your Term and not outside it. ie...no October Nov squad, Rowers and Cricketers don't rugby train until completion of their season...effectively March. No pre-season tours (madness).

So three pre-season trials this year (Nudgee ....belted, Churchie...adequate, Knox...adequate) 3 losses. Into a red hot Ippy side (who were a pleasure to watch) and a TGS side who were well drilled.

This week against BBC at Ballymore. BBC would start 20 point favourites at centrebet simply on preparation and form.

GT played 45 good minutes last week (30 the week prior). They will extend that to 55-60 minutes this week. Unlikely to be enough.

The school is behind them. The oldboys as well. Unfortunately 2011 appears to be the "perfect storm".

For the record Birgan (one of GPS best flankers) is playing no 12 out of necessity and doing a great job. 122 points have been scored against GT in 2 rounds but none through his channel. The kid deserves a medal.

So for all the GT old boys on this forum, get out there and support them this weekend. They need it!

 

[light]

Very good point Czar. I'm glad most contributors to this forum are slowly starting to agree that its terrace's preparation and training thats impacting them rather than underage players not being up to standard. I for one hope they can pick up a win this weekend. After BBC's performance last weekend I think its quite likely that if Terrace digs deep they can pull off an upset as BBC's forward pack was out muscled by Churchie last weekend when I expected the complete opposite.

Do we have any certainties for the GPS 1 team at this point in the season? i.e players chosen last year who are in form right now? All this talk of people getting chosen two years in a row never comes to fruition unless they are in good form so please don't suggest players who are either a) out of form and not at the same standard as last year. b) injured and unlikely of selection regardless of previous performances/have new challengers who have surpassed them. Please avoid predictions full of Nudgee and State High players, in the past this might have been a good bet but the competition has changed and I think up and coming teams such as Churchie, BGS and Ippy will be stronger factors.

Any really big individual clashes this weekend for potential spots in gps 1?

 

[czar01]

Very good point Czar. I'm glad most contributors to this forum are slowly starting to agree that its terrace's preparation and training thats impacting them rather than underage players not being up to standard. I for one hope they can pick up a win this weekend. After BBC's performance last weekend I think its quite likely that if Terrace digs deep they can pull off an upset as BBC's forward pack was out muscled by Churchie last weekend when I expected the complete opposite.

Right on Que. All training cancelled this afternoon for Terrace (3pm Thursday 19th).

I feel for Mark Stevenson and the lads. If they were at Tennyson, the would train rain, hail or shine. Not possible at Ballymore.

 

[spikhaza]

Training at Miskin this afternoon... Still on till 6.30pm. So yes the floods are more than just a relocator.

Speaking of that how come Churchie got there fields back so quickly? I'm pretty sure they where flooded... if so how come GT can't do the same.

 

[light]

churchie had minimal damage and got swamped by norman creek. Its a flood plain so the fields are designed to not hold the water and hence it just moved straight through. They were out for a few weeks but it didnt really hinder their preseason because they were on holidays. Groundsman managed to get it back to normal quickly. Terrace was in a low lying area and has low maintenance as its quite far from the school and i dont think they expected as much flooding as they got, churchie was prepared for it. I havent seen the state of terrace's fields but they would have to be quite damaged for them not to use them at all even for training.

 

[spikhaza]

I see that perhaps Churchie's fields where designed with flooding in mind, but I live <1km from tennyson in graceville, I go out that way all the time and I don't see much of a difference in the actual terrain. Churchie has the creek, Terrace has Oxley Creek... Their both about equal height above the creek... So how could one get absolutely flattened and the other not. In fact I'm pretty sure Terrace is higher than Churchie from memory, I've been naughty and crossed that pipe into the fields and it's a fair way up.

Anyway I'm no scientist, looking forward to this week's fixtures lads

 

[Bowside]

churchie had minimal damage and got swamped by norman creek. Its a flood plain so the fields are designed to not hold the water and hence it just moved straight through. They were out for a few weeks but it didnt really hinder their preseason because they were on holidays. Groundsman managed to get it back to normal quickly. Terrace was in a low lying area and has low maintenance as its quite far from the school and i dont think they expected as much flooding as they got, churchie was prepared for it. I havent seen the state of terrace's fields but they would have to be quite damaged for them not to use them at all even for training.

The fields are alright, the reason games can't be played is that oxley creek is the most polluted waterway in queensland and during the flood the sewage plant started leaking sewage into the creek. As it stands it is probably not safe for rugby to be played on them.