Ok,  excuse the new format,  the site needs a revamp,  and until I get to that revamp,  pages will be random,  willy, nilly and all over the shop.  That revamp and redesign may take a year,  it may never happen at all,  depends on the availability of my time.

Anyway,  as stated on the front page,  spent the day yesterday at a coaches in service day,  and except for the heat,  and the air-conditioning not working in that big QRU building,  it was a very good day indeed.

I particularly enjoyed Eddie Jones's candid view on the state of rugby in Qld and his assessment of some of the players he has inherited.  I thought he gave away some massive pointers to starters in the side over the next few weeks,  but I can't write about them,  as I was asked not to,  it was an "in house" discussion.

Eddie also offered up his opinion on the state of rugby and skill levels (take that however you like) and why it is like it is.  Interestingly he holds 100% the same view on the state of rugby,  and skill levels and why it is in that state as I have been espousing now for about 10 years.

He also holds the same opinion as I do on the role of some big organisations in the current state of rugby in the state and country.

I am also confident that the simulation games I have been playing at training for the last four of five years,  after listening to Eddie,  are the correct approach to coaching the game.

I thought Eddie was very candid,  very open,  and very honest,  and so respect the wishes of QRU and leave out the detail.  Love him or not,  he is well versed in the game,  well versed on his version of the game,  and he is highly organised,  and I would suggest a great time manager,  something lacking the world over in areas other than rugby/sport.

Damon Emtage ran us through a few of the drills the Reds do,  new twists on some old stuff,  but thought provoking nonetheless.

Peter Ryan,  well what a man.  Still looks great at 30 something,  as tough as teak,  still a very fearsome looking man. His outlook is simple,  straightforward,  and dam hard,  something I believe rugby has lacked for some time,  genuine toughness.  He is coaching at the Reds and Broncos,  and coaching defence.  He has simplified the approach to the tackle (for mine at least) and the collision,  only three things to worry about in reality,  but what I really liked about him and the fact that he is coaching,  is that he is a guy that loves hitting people,  and loves seeing people being hit,  and hit hard.  His technique is quite simple,  what will be the problem is getting that technique to the people that teach other people,  and getting them to believe that it is correct.  No doubt as in most of these things,  the lag time will be so that the techniques will have changed again by the time people pick up on this.

I have finally got some insights into strength and conditioning,  and it will be fantastic to have access to this programme,  totally different to 2006,  so forget last year,  the world has changed again.  I thought htis guy,  Stew,  was great and will enhance my learning process many fold.

The weather was disgraceful,  and at one stage when Damon had kids running around doing drills,  the heat and humidity was that oppressive,  it was difficult to breathe.  Definitely not rugby weather at all.