Waratahs 2022

[ShuteFan1]

It is funny how that has changed, a thousand years ago, if you were any good you were told to change clubs and if you ended up at Randwick there was a major chance you ended up in the Wobs (a mate of mine did and did)

I believe there is a bit of talk in club land about this. Not sure if sparked by Eastwood coaches recent comments or just in general .
But 5 Randwick guys in the squad and several others called in recently . All backs also .
Does seem a little high for a club that has had marginal success at grade level in past few years .

Ps. Violin playing in background

 

[Braveheart81]

I believe there is a bit of talk in club land about this. Not sure if sparked by Eastwood coaches recent comments or just in general .
But 5 Randwick guys in the squad and several others called in recently . All backs also .
Does seem a little high for a club that has had marginal success at grade level in past few years .

Ps. Violin playing in background

Randwick players are: Harrison, Donaldson, Ramm, Triston Reilly, and Tiaan Tiakipulu?

Mitch Short was also there last year.

The reality is in 2020 they played close to zero club rugby because of the COVID bubble.

Likewise, the players you recruit for a pro team, particularly those outside the best 23 aren't going to be guys you'd expect to be at the top of club rugby right now. They're players you think will be much better in the future.

Anyway, we have this conversation several times a year. It's always fun.

It would be entirely different if the club teams that were dominating were doing so with 20 and 21 year olds who then weren't getting a look in for pro contracts.

 

[ShuteFan1]

Randwick players are: Harrison, Donaldson, Ramm, Triston Reilly, and Tiaan Tiakipulu?

Mitch Short was also there last year.

The reality is in 2020 they played close to zero club rugby because of the COVID bubble.

Likewise, the players you recruit for a pro team, particularly those outside the best 23 aren't going to be guys you'd expect to be at the top of club rugby right now. They're players you think will be much better in the future.

Anyway, we have this conversation several times a year. It's always fun.

It would be entirely different if the club teams that were dominating were doing so with 20 and 21 year olds who then weren't getting a look in for pro contracts.

Randwick players are: Harrison, Donaldson, Ramm, Triston Reilly, and Tiaan Tiakipulu?

Mitch Short was also there last year.

The reality is in 2020 they played close to zero club rugby because of the COVID bubble.

Likewise, the players you recruit for a pro team, particularly those outside the best 23 aren't going to be guys you'd expect to be at the top of club rugby right now. They're players you think will be much better in the future.

Anyway, we have this conversation several times a year. It's always fun.

It would be entirely different if the club teams that were dominating were doing so with 20 and 21 year olds who then weren't getting a look in for pro contracts.

Forgive me as my information is only through friend of a friend of a friend etc

But Isiah Perese is now with them ( irrelevant for this discussion )
Mitch Short was recalled when Gordon injured
Kristian Jenson has been 24th man last few weeks
Brooklyn Hardecker ( not sure if correct name ) also did pre season before Christmas
Good representative for a club

But hey if we weren’t complaining about Randwick I’m sure it would be Uni so will let it be

 

[7137]

I believe there is a bit of talk in club land about this. Not sure if sparked by Eastwood coaches recent comments or just in general .
But 5 Randwick guys in the squad and several others called in recently . All backs also .
Does seem a little high for a club that has had marginal success at grade level in past few years .

Ps. Violin playing in background

Batger is just feeling cranky because he refused to play Edmed on the weekend (against the lowly 2Blues) at the Tahs request where Randwick agreed to play Donaldson at 10 and he’s lashing out because he blames himself for Edmed not getting picked.

 

[formerflanker]

Batger is just feeling cranky because he refused to play Edmed on the weekend (against the lowly 2Blues) at the Tahs request where Randwick agreed to play Donaldson at 10 and he’s lashing out because he blames himself for Edmed not getting picked.

Wow.
All other things being equal (eg an injury to Edmed) I would have thought it was in Edmed's best interests to get as much game time as possible.

 

[7137]

Wow.
All other things being equal (eg an injury to Edmed) I would have thought it was in Edmed's best interests to get as much game time as possible.

He wasn’t injured, he put him on the bench but refused to start him. Even after the Tah coaches made it clear that they intended to watch closely how Donaldson and Edmed went in their respective games and specifically sent a coach (Gilmore and Whittaker) to each match to watch. Batger refused to start him. And now he whinges that the Tahs coaches don’t pay attention to Shute form despite making a concerted effort to use the Shute Sheild to make a decision about which playmaker to use.

 

[ShuteFan1]

Would be a interesting play by tahs coaches if Randwick Vs West Harbour and Eastwood Vs Western Sydney was the litmus test for becoming the NSW 10 the following week .

But agree probably didn’t help Edmed’s case Batger putting him on bench .

Btw Donelson did only play 60min so are we splitting hairs here ? Is that extra 20min the key

 

[7137]

Would be a interesting play by tahs coaches if Randwick Vs West Harbour and Eastwood Vs Western Sydney was the litmus test for becoming the NSW 10 the following week .

But agree probably didn’t help Edmed’s case Batger putting him on bench .

Btw Donelson did only play 60min so are we splitting hairs here ? Is that extra 20min the key

I think there is a bit of a difference between playing a part in putting the game beyond doubt and coming on when it already was.

 

[ShuteFan1]

I think there is a bit of a difference between playing a part in putting the game beyond doubt and coming on when it already was.

Let’s be realistic . Both those games were probably won before the kickoff and could of been won without either player .

Anyway Waratahs 22 thread .

 

[I like to watch]

Would be a interesting play by tahs coaches if Randwick Vs West Harbour and Eastwood Vs Western Sydney was the litmus test for becoming the NSW 10 the following week .

But agree probably didn’t help Edmed’s case Batger putting him on bench .

Btw Donelson did only play 60min so are we splitting hairs here ? Is that extra 20min the key

Doubt it was Batgers call.
likely he was told he could use him off the bench for so many minutes.

 

[7137]

Doubt it was Batgers call.
likely he was told he could use him off the bench for so many minutes.

He was asked to start him and refused saying it would upset continuity. Against the 2Blues....

 

[wamberal]

While I can understand Batger having a bit of a rant, IMHO Edmed is not ready to start at 10 just yet, especially not in a team as pissweak as this current rabble.

 

[barbarian]

Regardless of who did or didn't start in the Shute, this situation has turned into a mess.

The victim of this is Donaldson, who now goes into his first start under a lot more pressure than he would otherwise. He's on a hiding to nothing now. I feel for the kid, he's done nothing wrong.

 

[eastman]

Regardless of who did or didn't start in the Shute, this situation has turned into a mess.

The victim of this is Donaldson, who now goes into his first start under a lot more pressure than he would otherwise. He's on a hiding to nothing now. I feel for the kid, he's done nothing wrong.

At the same time this is the top echelon of professional sport and pressure/ scrutiny comes with the territory (and rightly so).

I've always seen rugby as being far less ruthless with its standards/ player retention than the other professional football codes from both the media, fans and franchises (especially AFL which has huge churn). There are so many examples of non-performers getting extensive tenures at clubs and then being picked up elsewhere in Australia when they are eventually moved on.

I wonder if its a result of having a smaller talent pool, limited media and fan scrutiny or a 'softer' cultural aspect unique to rugby.

 

[eastman]

(Sorry not directly related but worth a rant that we should have expectations)

 

[wamberal]

Regardless of who did or didn't start in the Shute, this situation has turned into a mess.

The victim of this is Donaldson, who now goes into his first start under a lot more pressure than he would otherwise. He's on a hiding to nothing now. I feel for the kid, he's done nothing wrong.

Edmed is also put under pressure, surely? No winners in this.

 

[Froggy]

For mine, regardless of whether Edmed or Donaldson is the best selection, Batger is right out of line. His job is to coach the Woodies, Whitaker and Gilmore coach the Tahs, it's their job, and they are very much under scrutiny and their jobs surely at risk depending on the last few matches of this season.
As I said before, this is a professional sport, they have to pick who they think will provide the Tahs with the best combination to beat the Force. It is fine for Batger to have a quiet yarn with Edmed and commiserate with him, and perhaps suggest that in his eyes he should have got the job, but to go public like he did belittles him, belittles Donaldson and does Edmed no favours. Happily Edmed has conducted himself properly throughout.

 

[Adam84]

I think it’s standard NSW rugby politics, same reason the NRC never succeeded, self interest and ulterior motives

 

[Rebels3]

Only in NSW would a semi-pro club coach go to the media and complain about a young guy getting an opportunity to start a Super Rugby match. I look forward to a VFL or NSW Cup RL coach doing the same in their respective sports. Haha

 

[barbarian]

I think it’s standard NSW rugby politics, same reason the NRC never succeeded, self interest and ulterior motives

I don't think it's quite that.

There are certain current and ex-players in Australian rugby who resent the focus of Super teams on unproven youth. There's a degree of self-interest, as often they saw themselves repeatedly passed over for opportunities, with players seen as less deserving promoted beyond them.

They put in the hard yards in the Shute Shield, year after year, often winning multiple titles. And yet the knock on the door from Super teams never came. Instead, blokes were parachuted in from the 20s who had barely set foot on a 1st grade paddock. Leaguies came in and were ushered straight into big games.

Now we can debate the merits and the reasons for this, but I don't think you can deny the feeling is there. To me, Batger is one of those guys (though he had a few years at the Tahs and elsewhere), and I wonder if he sees a bit of his own plight in that of Edmed - consistent Shute performer who might never get a full run at top level rugby, while a guy like Donaldson gets the spot when it comes available.

So I think there's a degree of self interest, but it runs a little deeper IMO.