Sydney Rays .. NRC Team Official Thread

[Dave Beat]

Re your points :

The reality is the squad should comprise of 1st grade players from the four clubs if Sireli & Yarrington want to play in the NRC they need to be playing 1st grade. Sione as I have explained before had some good games (I can't see him being a starter in the NRC for what it's worth) but I think he is being valued as a player that can play Wing/Fullback.

BJ was pretty average in the final I thought. Let's just see if he is up to it with the Rams before making judgement as I have said before he should have been in the squad at least in my opinion.

Some thought needs to be given to the fact the Rays players apparently are on game bonuses (win/loss etc) this year and not contracts due to the loss of a sponsor. They actually have to play so zero money is guaranteed. Apparently other NSW franchises don't have to do this.

I actually think Maraki struggled in games I saw and Vaai came on later in the season good luck to them both though.

Jones missed the whole back end of the season through injury not sure how much game time he will see at the Stars either.

Aussie, you know I value your contributions, and we can both share different views that are possibly right in their respective ways.

The reality is NRC is a step up from Shute, and it is professional.
We must have best team on the park every game.

As you have suggested, and I have eluded;
"comprise of 1st grade players from the four clubs if Sireli & Yarrington want to play in the NRC they need to be playing 1st grade". - So is Townsend possibly using his position & that excuse so players have to change clubs to get a run - possibly to Gordon - that is wrong. Then if that doesn't work look at a player outside of the consortium and see were he plays next year.

Professional

• You don't see the Tahs selecting 4 players from each Shute Team
• I bet the Stars dont go 50% Uni / 50% Balmain.

Our consortium of clubs should be about

• Being professional.
• Having best team on park.
• Playing the brand of football that promotes the game invests in grass roots naturally.
• Most importantly involving grass roots.

The last point is huge, Rays involve the school leavers (years 11 & 12) right up and down the train line and include them in the pathway - I reckon there'd be more than 6 quality rugby schools. That will be huge for all 4 clubs over the coming years.
BJ average??? - that was 82 minutes of high quality rugby, with very low unenforced errors, both teams playing rugby to score tries, and no tries being scored. I see that you agree with me about in squad though.
Props, we are light on as it is - to loose 3 is terrible, have to ask why?
Jones, he's local, and i simply think he was a domino that got hit when a player may have been promised a position that has meant others players have been shifted.
The strength of our code, and the success at the top hinges on grass roots engagement, growth, and retention. I've read lost of posts about how strong Gordon Juniors are and then players drift - I'm hoping the Rays can reduce that drift be engagement.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Fuck I'm sick of the NRC conspiracy theories that coaches are using it to get players to change clubs.

If you aren't playing 1s you're not going to get a run. Plain and simple.

How many players who aren't starting super rugby get selected for the wallabies?

 

[Dave Beat]

Fuck I'm sick of the NRC conspiracy theories that coaches are using it to get players to change clubs.

If you aren't playing 1s you're not going to get a run. Plain and simple.

How many players who aren't starting super rugby get selected for the wallabies?

Fuck so am TWAS glad you agree with me - Wallabies don't pick 5 players from each super team to keep each franchise content, they pick the best team.

I'm sick of hearing the word quota, as you say it should be best team.

With 35 players in a squad there are some occasions / positions were a very strong club may have 2 very good players in one position (they share time between firsts & seconds), and both those 2 players could be stronger than a player from another club.

 

[AussieDominance]

Dave,

I think you underestimate how highly I think Turtle's opinion is rated at the Rays. Townsend coached him when he coached Manly didn't he? The way I see it he will take over when the time comes.

With the props I don't follow them that closely but can those guys play both sides with NSW Country?

With the loss of Juniors I think it has been slowed a fair amount. With the Macquarie Uni engagement I know the Rays or clubs (separate to their own recruitment sources) have some arrangement that allows more players to be kept in the catchment clubs through scholarships etc.

Also with Hill I don't agree with picking an out of area player either. I agreed with the policy last year of growing our own as in the end once they relax these Super Rugby B squad rules and allow players to sign anywhere I think you will find the Rays will start being very very competitive.

Eventually once the competition get's going you will find if someone like Feltscheer played another 2 years with the Rays and then got signed in Melbourne he probably would have some loyalty towards the Rays pathway surely? Saying that if they can't even afford to pay the players a sign on (Super Rugby players get nothing at all clubs) they may be struggling. With the games at Pittwater and Manly though they will take all receipts and canteen etc I'm assuming which will give the club some income.

 

[Dave Beat]

Cheers Aussie - just sharing my concerns.

Props - we don't have an abundant supply of them. One of the strongest clubs in the Shute Shield that alone just the Rays 4 for teams - loosing 3 props, from a club that did rather well. Huge concern.

Pathway for the NSW teams - I'm not sure that the NRC is a pathway for the NSW & QLD teams. Most Super teams have already signed their players. I'm concerned about it opening up a pathway for players to be pouched off shore given our season is ending and others are starting.

Some very good players have signed with other NSW NRC teams - some of them very odd. Just trying to get answers to my questions that's all.

 

[Train Without a Station]

With 35 players in a squad there are some occasions / positions were a very strong club may have 2 very good players in one position (they share time between firsts & seconds), and both those 2 players could be stronger than a player from another club.

Kind of like Hanson and Fainga'a at the Reds? How often were they both selected for the Wallabies? Never unless there were injuries to either Moore or TPN, or more players.

What did Cheika say to Hanson? If you want to make the Wallabies you need to be playing more Super Rugby minutes.

What's happened? He left and went to the Rebels. Is that the Wallabies coaching trying to get players to change teams? Nope. That's a player not backing himself to claim the starting jersey 100% at his own team and choosing to leave.

I struggle to understand how a player who cannot manage to start in Shute Shield whenever he is available is certainly good enough to make it at the next level. Would Super Rugby clubs contract players who struggle to make their starting teams in the NRC?

 

[Dave Beat]

I thought I heard that Cecil Hilterbrand was going back to Scotland. He's listed with Rays, is Scotland short term?

 

[Highlander35]

If it was Edinburgh, I would have thought he'd have renewed immediately, givn that they're losing 2 hookers to the world cup straight off the bat

But If it's recent, it might be an injury cover situation for Glasgow. Fraser Brown injured his Hamstring playing for Scotland, and if scans have shown it's bad, we'll be losing Kevin Bryce to the international squad, which leaves us with 1 main squad and one EPS equivalent.

No inside word, but it may be the case, given the situation at the 2 clubs.

 

[Dave Beat]

Thinking it was your first paragraph, almost positive

I'll check later but I'm sure I was told his next game of rugby was going to be against Romania.

 

[Highlander35]

If it's Romania, then he's back to the Gunners. Warriors are off to Canada.

 

[AussieDominance]

Lane and Hodge out with injuries. Hooper withdrawn due to work issues not sure what he does but bit of a blow.

 

[Johnno40]

Any ideas when are there are going to name the side for the Rays for this weekends game against the Stars???

 

[RugbyReg]

5pm this arvo apparently

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Clever idea.

 

[RugbyReg]

That is brilliant.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Heading down to Manly oval this Saturday and taking my son and brother. Be one of the few stars supporters at the game (attending first 'away' game after attending all the home matches last season.

Like the idea of free NH t-shirt for kids but not sure I want my son supporting NH.....hmmm.......

 

[Dave Beat]

I'll bite - and i hope the fish follow my example and are on the chew tomorrow.

Fuck I'm sick of the NRC conspiracy theories that coaches are using it to get players to change clubs.

If you aren't playing 1s you're not going to get a run. Plain and simple.

How many players who aren't starting super rugby get selected for the wallabies?

Were did i say a second grader should be picked in the Rays NRC team.

I said a particular player, maybe more would struggle to get out of Manly's third grade team - and provided players names to substantiate my example. I did not say Sireli and Yarrington should be in the Rays team.

I'll provide more reasons for you, which are also in line with what you say - "player first grade"

Harry Jones

• Last 2 years first grade player
• Last year played for Rays
• This year selected in Aus U20's - before injury
• But he doesn't get into the Rays squad?????
• And is selected to be a starter for the NRC Stars.

As ILTW says - CLUSTERFUCK - like the word but cant find its meaning.


BJ

• Form 15 in the Shute all year.
• Grand final fullback
• But he's in the Rams squad

As ILTW says - another CLUSTERFUCK - ditto.

Coach Townsend???? - We have a Super 15 signed number 12 in Reece Hodge, another Aust U20 12 in Tyson Davis - but shit, please explain why we have signed out of area 12 from Eastwood????? - So he'll come to Gordon next year????

Are you asking a player to play out of position at 15.
And a 15 to play on the wing so we can accommodate this new 12.
Just asking because I'm trying understand why quality grass roots players are playing in other NRC teams.

I choose not to part take in chatter, ideas, thoughts, conspiracies about the comp that players and officials have often referred to as "like subbies"- the Dewar Shield, because i do not know enough about it. So please don't try and twist...... does the above not look a little odd.

I wont even get started as to why 3 First Grade grand final props (because you who referenced has to play referenced first grade) left to play in another NRC team.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

Do we know that BJ and Harry Jones weren't selected for the Rays, as opposed to the Rams and Stars getting to them first?

 

[AussieDominance]

Jones was not selected, Dave can answer re BJ as I am not sure.

 

[AussieDominance]

Also forgot to mention previously but some of the defence seems pretty average judging by comments on the Stars twitter feed. Must struggle as well as the Rams with only a week to prepare with all the players.