Qld Premier Rugby 2022

[PhilClinton]

Heenan will be loving the fact his side gets to play at a standing room only Yoku Rd, with finals implications on the line to finish the season.

A 100pt flogging against a bottom of the ladder team isn’t a great measuring stick for the finals. There was lots of one out running and blokes looking to get their name on the scorers list in the final 20mins.

A good hard slog at Yoku will have his guys ready to go.

 

[rugbyrules]

Surely the farce that existed across Premier Rugby yesterday is finally enough for the QRU to start actively working for Premier Rugby rather than against it (or apathetic to it at best). Sunnybank getting 100+ put on them by a UQ side so strong that they have a starting Reds player running around in Colts for UQ the same day with another contracted Reds player in UQ colts also (what a joke). UQ also taking on several of Rebels players (Jooste, Pincus, Fagaase, Ripley etc) while potential Qld players are pushed to the bench or reserve grade . Not too mention UQ and other stronger clubs recruiting the best players from lower ranked clubs as well (year after year). Then Wests being pumped up all season by Rebels players on fly in fly out arrangements which pushes Qld talent onto the bench or reserve grade impeding their growth. There is so much wrong with all this for Qld rugby. Why is the QRU not showing leadership and trying to share the talent around rugby clubs to promote a stronger club competition that then becomes worth more to sponsors and broadcasters? if the lower ranked rugby clubs programs aren't considered up to scratch then why doesn't the QRU offer to help improve them for all of Qld rugby rather than direct their players to the same 2 or 3 stronger clubs every year? often clubs that their very own employees have come from (conflict perhaps?) why are the QRU sitting idolly by while the Rebels use our club competition to benefit the Rebels while actively detracting from the Reds program as potential Reds players get pushed out of starting teams in QPR? Very frustrating to watch as a Qld rugby fan....

 

[Oldschool]

Vunivalu yellow carded for his third high shot (according to the ref)

Should of been red. If not for the high shot, which would of been a try. The facial eye gouge on the Norths 7, clearly on camera @62.59m.

 

[Confucius Say]

Surely the farce that existed across Premier Rugby yesterday is finally enough for the QRU to start actively working for Premier Rugby rather than against it (or apathetic to it at best). Sunnybank getting 100+ put on them by a UQ side so strong that they have a starting Reds player running around in Colts for UQ the same day with another contracted Reds player in UQ colts also (what a joke). UQ also taking on several of Rebels players (Jooste, Pincus, Fagaase, Ripley etc) while potential Qld players are pushed to the bench or reserve grade . Not too mention UQ and other stronger clubs recruiting the best players from lower ranked clubs as well (year after year). Then Wests being pumped up all season by Rebels players on fly in fly out arrangements which pushes Qld talent onto the bench or reserve grade impeding their growth. There is so much wrong with all this for Qld rugby. Why is the QRU not showing leadership and trying to share the talent around rugby clubs to promote a stronger club competition that then becomes worth more to sponsors and broadcasters? if the lower ranked rugby clubs programs aren't considered up to scratch then why doesn't the QRU offer to help improve them for all of Qld rugby rather than direct their players to the same 2 or 3 stronger clubs every year? often clubs that their very own employees have come from (conflict perhaps?) why are the QRU sitting idolly by while the Rebels use our club competition to benefit the Rebels while actively detracting from the Reds program as potential Reds players get pushed out of starting teams in QPR? Very frustrating to watch as a Qld rugby fan....

Because they don’t really ‘care’ about club rugby. Why would you schedule a finals day at Crosby Desert?

 

[Confucius Say]

Should of been red. If not for the high shot, which would of been a try. The facial eye gouge on the Norths 7, clearly on camera @62.59m.

Yes terrible decision to yellow card. Should be red and penalty try. No other West player was going to prevent North winger scoring.

 

[Confucius Say]

Vunivalu should be cited for gouging. No place for that in our sport.

I am sure UQ will be taking note on how to get under the Wests skin.

 

[RugbyReg]

Yes terrible decision to yellow card. Should be red and penalty try. No other West player was going to prevent North winger scoring.

He was already in touch but the actual cover defending tackle. The player was falling. It was the correct decision.

 

[PhilClinton]

@rugbyrules the lack of paragraphing in your post hasn’t helped your cause. Go back and edit and maybe a few more readers will engage.

I will say though, not many tears will be shed for Sunnybank. For years they had the benefit of community club funding, strong teams, great facilities and a strong catchment of local players. The problems at that club aren’t any fault of the QRU.

 

[Oldschool]

He was already in touch but the actual cover defending tackle. The player was falling. It was the correct decision.

Nah, direct contact to the head with force. Followed by an eye gouge in the following melee. Not a good look for the Wallaby poster boy.

 

[LearningCurve]

@rugbyrules the lack of paragraphing in your post hasn’t helped your cause. Go back and edit and maybe a few more readers will engage.

I will say though, not many tears will be shed for Sunnybank. For years they had the benefit of community club funding, strong teams, great facilities and a strong catchment of local players. The problems at that club aren’t any fault of the QRU.

What has happened at Sunnybank?
Like you said they had all that pokie money funding but their numbers through juniors have dropped away too.
Is it just change of personnel? Where are all their local players going?

 

[Confucius Say]

Nah, direct contact to the head with force. Followed by an eye gouge in the following melee. Not a good look for the Wallaby poster boy.

Third high tackle wasn’t it?

 

[The Nomad]

Surely the farce that existed across Premier Rugby yesterday is finally enough for the QRU to start actively working for Premier Rugby rather than against it (or apathetic to it at best). Sunnybank getting 100+ put on them by a UQ side so strong that they have a starting Reds player running around in Colts for UQ the same day with another contracted Reds player in UQ colts also (what a joke). UQ also taking on several of Rebels players (Jooste, Pincus, Fagaase, Ripley etc) while potential Qld players are pushed to the bench or reserve grade . Not too mention UQ and other stronger clubs recruiting the best players from lower ranked clubs as well (year after year). Then Wests being pumped up all season by Rebels players on fly in fly out arrangements which pushes Qld talent onto the bench or reserve grade impeding their growth. There is so much wrong with all this for Qld rugby. Why is the QRU not showing leadership and trying to share the talent around rugby clubs to promote a stronger club competition that then becomes worth more to sponsors and broadcasters? if the lower ranked rugby clubs programs aren't considered up to scratch then why doesn't the QRU offer to help improve them for all of Qld rugby rather than direct their players to the same 2 or 3 stronger clubs every year? often clubs that their very own employees have come from (conflict perhaps?) why are the QRU sitting idolly by while the Rebels use our club competition to benefit the Rebels while actively detracting from the Reds program as potential Reds players get pushed out of starting teams in QPR? Very frustrating to watch as a Qld rugby fan....

Hoping what happened yesterday at St Lucia was a one off and more related to the recent changes at Sunnybank.

They have been very competitive this year , two strong wins in the previous two rounds , narrow losses to Easts and Brothers in the rounds before that and a win over UQ in Round 8.

There was a buzz around that UQ side yesterday, dare say they would have put plenty on most teams. As I said earlier , it will be interesting to see how Sunnybank bounce back. Hopefully they aren’t broken and want a chance at some form of redemption against Brothers next week.

 

[PhilClinton]

What has happened at Sunnybank?
Like you said they had all that pokie money funding but their numbers through juniors have dropped away too.
Is it just change of personnel? Where are all their local players going?

Im not sure firsthand, but I know a few people on these forums over the years have mentioned things like changes to operational personnel and less access to community club funding have impacted the club.

Agree with the juniors aspect as well, in the early 2000s their juniors programs were matching it with the best clubs and had a number of players who would go in to feature in rep sides and play Super Rugby. They won a number of Division 1-2 premierships. Maybe the league scouts have swooped in? The GC Titans launched in 2007, maybe some of the Sunnybank juniors fell into their catchment?

 

[Adam84]

Surely the farce that existed across Premier Rugby yesterday is finally enough for the QRU to start actively working for Premier Rugby rather than against it (or apathetic to it at best). Sunnybank getting 100+ put on them by a UQ side so strong that they have a starting Reds player running around in Colts for UQ the same day with another contracted Reds player in UQ colts also (what a joke). UQ also taking on several of Rebels players (Jooste, Pincus, Fagaase, Ripley etc) while potential Qld players are pushed to the bench or reserve grade . Not too mention UQ and other stronger clubs recruiting the best players from lower ranked clubs as well (year after year). Then Wests being pumped up all season by Rebels players on fly in fly out arrangements which pushes Qld talent onto the bench or reserve grade impeding their growth. There is so much wrong with all this for Qld rugby. Why is the QRU not showing leadership and trying to share the talent around rugby clubs to promote a stronger club competition that then becomes worth more to sponsors and broadcasters? if the lower ranked rugby clubs programs aren't considered up to scratch then why doesn't the QRU offer to help improve them for all of Qld rugby rather than direct their players to the same 2 or 3 stronger clubs every year? often clubs that their very own employees have come from (conflict perhaps?) why are the QRU sitting idolly by while the Rebels use our club competition to benefit the Rebels while actively detracting from the Reds program as potential Reds players get pushed out of starting teams in QPR? Very frustrating to watch as a Qld rugby fan....

I agree and disagree with what you've said here.

To be clear the QRU doesn't direct their players to specific clubs, as part of previous EBAs QRU aren't allowed to tell contracted players which clubs to play at, that's a discussion between the players and the QRP club.

Rebels didn't gift Fa'agaase and Ripley to UQ. Fa'agase has played at UQ for 8 years now, and Ripley was playing at UQ before he earned an Super Rugby contract with the Rebels. However, guys like Jooste, Zander and Thomas were recruited to UQ from lesser performing clubs after they were already Super Rugby contracted players, which isn't right and reflects poorly.

I have no issue with the Rebels players in QPR, having better players is a boost for the quality and profile of the competition. Although I agree about issues in competitiveness. There needs to be some kind of mechanism in place to ensure that Super Rugby players arriving late in the season are either spread equally or are distributed in a way that maintains the integrity of the competition.

 

[PhilClinton]

Since returning to UQ this season Fa’agase is also technically a Reds player not a Rebel and with his previous association with UQ, there is no real basis of complaint.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Surely the farce that existed across Premier Rugby yesterday is finally enough for the QRU to start actively working for Premier Rugby rather than against it (or apathetic to it at best). Sunnybank getting 100+ put on them by a UQ side so strong that they have a starting Reds player running around in Colts for UQ the same day with another contracted Reds player in UQ colts also (what a joke). UQ also taking on several of Rebels players (Jooste, Pincus, Fagaase, Ripley etc) while potential Qld players are pushed to the bench or reserve grade . Not too mention UQ and other stronger clubs recruiting the best players from lower ranked clubs as well (year after year). Then Wests being pumped up all season by Rebels players on fly in fly out arrangements which pushes Qld talent onto the bench or reserve grade impeding their growth. There is so much wrong with all this for Qld rugby. Why is the QRU not showing leadership and trying to share the talent around rugby clubs to promote a stronger club competition that then becomes worth more to sponsors and broadcasters? if the lower ranked rugby clubs programs aren't considered up to scratch then why doesn't the QRU offer to help improve them for all of Qld rugby rather than direct their players to the same 2 or 3 stronger clubs every year? often clubs that their very own employees have come from (conflict perhaps?) why are the QRU sitting idolly by while the Rebels use our club competition to benefit the Rebels while actively detracting from the Reds program as potential Reds players get pushed out of starting teams in QPR? Very frustrating to watch as a Qld rugby fan....

Why isn’t it a contract requirement to play in the state program you are contracted. Ie rebels play in Melbourne, force play in Perth etc

 

[Adam84]

Im not sure firsthand, but I know a few people on these forums over the years have mentioned things like changes to operational personnel and less access to community club funding have impacted the club.

Agree with the juniors aspect as well, in the early 2000s their juniors programs were matching it with the best clubs and had a number of players who would go in to feature in rep sides and play Super Rugby. They won a number of Division 1-2 premierships. Maybe the league scouts have swooped in? The GC Titans launched in 2007, maybe some of the Sunnybank juniors fell into their catchment?

This access to 'community club funding' is what baffles me, the 'community club' is Sunnybank Rugby Club, they just changed the name of the licensed club so it would have wider appeal. The community club is bigger than ever so how have the distributions changed or reduced?

 

[PhilClinton]

This access to 'community club funding' is what baffles me, the 'community club' is Sunnybank Rugby Club, they just changed the name of the licensed club so it would have wider appeal. The community club is bigger than ever so how have the distributions changed or reduced?

Yeh I’m not sure honestly. Bad investments? Didn’t they have some new stuff installed a few years ago? Gym etc. maybe they cooked it on those builds and the overheads are catching up now.

In saying that, I don’t think it would take long to get back in the black when you’ve got pokie revenue.

 

[PhilClinton]

Why isn’t it a contract requirement to play in the state program you are contracted. Ie rebels play in Melbourne, force play in Perth etc

This has been brought up before on the Rebels thread and here - and fair enough there are a few sides to the coin, but generally it’s accepted that the Rebels players won’t get any better playing club rugby in Victoria due to the standard.

It’s beneficial for their development (which in turn is the development of Australian rugby players) to have them in the QPR or Shute Shield.

 

[Adam84]

Yeh I’m not sure honestly. Bad investments? Didn’t they have some new stuff installed a few years ago? Gym etc. maybe they cooked it on those builds and the overheads are catching up now.

In saying that, I don’t think it would take long to get back in the black when you’ve got pokie revenue.

Gym was done many years ago, they built the Performing Arts Centre in partnership with BCC back in 2016, that was a $10million project, perhaps that has been a drain on finances.

Was more wondering whether there was a change to the constitution which means lower distributions to the rugby club itself. I had a previous association with the club, before the club ever had pokies back when the clubhouse had a small bar and canteen, but not for a number of years now.