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2015 Schools Rowing

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behindtheshed

Billy Sheehan (19)
This from the Joeys website - they look pretty lean to me. All over six feet and evenly matched in height but not as big as some crews when they get on the podium.
1st xiii.jpg


compared with this from scots newsletter. they are not identified as 1st or 2nd eight but I am guessing 2nd. They look a lot heavier.

scots viii.jpeg
 

Geoff Geoff

Frank Nicholson (4)
Yeah that Scots 2nd VIII was pretty big, even compared with their 1st VIII.

Interestingly the Joeys 2nd VIII didnt figure in the results, then their IV's got significantly faster in last week from a 6:55 to a 6:48....
 

Spieber

Bob Loudon (25)
Yeah that Scots 2nd VIII was pretty big, even compared with their 1st VIII.

Interestingly the Joeys 2nd VIII didnt figure in the results, then their IV's got significantly faster in last week from a 6:55 to a 6:48..

Joeys 2nd VIII changed some seats between Sydney and HOTR regattas, otherwise the two crews were the same at both meets. As they were at the NSW Championships. They were the same save for one seat each at the Grammar regatta in November. What are you inferring?
 

oarsome

Allen Oxlade (6)
Joeys 2nd VIII changed some seats between Sydney and HOTR regattas, otherwise the two crews were the same at both meets. As they were at the NSW Championships. They were the same save for one seat each at the Grammar regatta in November. What are you inferring?


you're right, no changes after summer break. However in term 4 the joeys crew were consistently fighting it out with scots and shore placing regularly in the top 3... then dropped off in the second half of the season to come 5th in HOTR. Anyone know if there were big changes over summer?
 

Geoff Geoff

Frank Nicholson (4)
Joeys 2nd VIII changed some seats between Sydney and HOTR regattas, otherwise the two crews were the same at both meets. As they were at the NSW Championships. They were the same save for one seat each at the Grammar regatta in November. What are you inferring?

not inferring anything just impressed with improvement in joeys fours over that last week. And the Joeys podium in every boat except the 2nd VIII seems their 2nd VIII only one to not perform on the day.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Looking at those piccies of the Joeys First VIII and Scots Second VIII some memories of past rowers came to mind. My uncle stroked the Xavier VIII in the early 50s, a short, stocky, strong fella (shorter than me for those who know me), he was accused of running his crew into the ground. Xavier didn't win in his final year, BTW. Years later I stood next to James Tomkins at Penrith when Joeys won the nationals (2005?), he's a very tall bloke (6'7") and the new adage "length of stroke rather than strength of stroke" became abundantly clear to me. It's now all about length of stroke and good rhythm and technique.

I didn't row at Joeys, although I've always thoroughly enjoyed watching it. At last week's HotR I was standing next to an Old Boy who was in the last Joeys crew to win in 1973 (we both had sons finish a coupla years ago), would you believe he had a nephew in this year's First VIII! I can't pick rating with the naked eye, but my mate can; he pointed out the Joeys crew's perfect timing and technique, and commented they were rating lower than the next three crews, and WERE ROWING AWAY! They were a joy to watch for any serious sports fan.

The bit about strength v length of stroke must present some difficulties when the boys are measured on those erg contraptions.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Interesting to read Scotch clocked a 5:56:07 last Saturday in the Victorian schoolboys' HotR at Nagambie compared to Joeys 5:54:22 at Penrith three weeks ago. Makes this week's nationals at Penrith VERY challenging for either crew. Could one of the rowing aficionadoes here on G&GR comment on the relevance of the timing of those two rows.
 

behindtheshed

Billy Sheehan (19)
If you look at those times comparisons (yes Lindommer, I did the same research as you and it's heartening to know I was not alone) the difference is that Joeys was pushed by their opposition whereas Scotch cruised through without much of a challenge. I see no reason that Joeys cannot knock Scotch off the pedestal in terms of current form, ability and season-best times; however, if you and I know that just from idly frittering away our time watching rowing and pulling up result sheets, I'm guessing that every coach at Scotch knows it too, along with every boy in the boat and probably the pilot of their private jet. They will know it and be busting their butts to make sure it doesn't happen.

I think the mental game will be paramount. Scotch are coming from a decade-long winning streak, both in Victoria and at nationals, whereas Joeys are backing up from the first HOTR win since before their fathers were at school. Watching that play out will be fascinating.
 

behindtheshed

Billy Sheehan (19)
Pretty sure there wasn't a protest about the 3rd VIII. What I did hear was the GPS sports masters conferred to judge the race between the three legit 3rd VIIIs from Kings, Shore & Joeys. Looks like Joeys walked away with the beer tankards.

I've banged on about this last year with Kinross entering this event. They've even got the race callers convinced with platitudes sounding off about how great it is to see them rowing etc. I think it's pretty obvious to everyone, that they're not some hokey poke yokels from the sticks with teeth missing and wearing overalls. They're a pretty slick rowing machine albeit don't have quite the depth as GPS. They've pretty much got a top class 1st IV and their VIII would fit more to 2nd VIII standard if not 1st VIII standard if they focussed on it..

I have it on unimpeachable authority from a club rowing source that beer tankards were indeed recently handed over to the winning GPS School 3rd Eight crew from SRC regatta. So, fpiglet, turns out you and I are not the only ones who dispute the legitimacy of the "3rd eight" imposters.
 

alfred

Bob McCowan (2)
If you look at those times comparisons (yes Lindommer, I did the same research as you and it's heartening to know I was not alone) the difference is that Joeys was pushed by their opposition whereas Scotch cruised through without much of a challenge. I see no reason that Joeys cannot knock Scotch off the pedestal in terms of current form, ability and season-best times; however, if you and I know that just from idly frittering away our time watching rowing and pulling up result sheets, I'm guessing that every coach at Scotch knows it too, along with every boy in the boat and probably the pilot of their private jet. They will know it and be busting their butts to make sure it doesn't happen.

I think the mental game will be paramount. Scotch are coming from a decade-long winning streak, both in Victoria and at nationals, whereas Joeys are backing up from the first HOTR win since before their fathers were at school. Watching that play out will be fascinating.

'decade-long winning streak' seems a bit of an exaggeration
 

behindtheshed

Billy Sheehan (19)
'decade-long winning streak' seems a bit of an exaggeration

My bad.

Sorry, should have worded it more carefully.

The decade-long winning streak is no exaggeration in Victorian HOTR.

https://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/scotch-news/head-of-the-river-success.aspx

By its own account on the school website, Scotch can boast 11 wins from the past 12 HOTRs; and they have won the past six in a row.

That is the streak.

At nationals they have won in 2008; 2010 (most successful Australian schoolboy eight in history); 2012;2013; 2nd in 2014 so while not a winning streak of a decade, certainly a greater claim to consistent success than any other crew over the same period.

All I was really musing on was the comparative weight of expectation on a crew from a school with that kind of winning habit up against a crew which delivered their people from 42 years in the wilderness.
 

Major Rennie

Herbert Moran (7)
Shore and Scotch have dominated Nationals. Scotch more of late though Shore also had several wins and 2nds. In total I think Shore School still lead. Hopefully a NSW school can do it this year.

MR
 

behindtheshed

Billy Sheehan (19)
Absolutely, MR. I would never minimise the record Shore has at Nationals. i don't think they have the goods for this year but certainly they have been the two schools in recent years who set the standard for all others. HOTR champs year after year from NSW and Vic who then would meet a few weeks later in a kind of "champion of champions" event at Nats.

I myself cannot wait to see how ISIS performs at SIRR after getting everyone's attention this season, particularly on March 7.

There should be a fair bit of excitement for some Sydney crews in the schoolgirls' eight. Three Loreto (Normanhurst) girls rowing in interstate crews. Bring on Sunday!
 

behindtheshed

Billy Sheehan (19)
So KT made the bizarro decision to enter coxed quad scull; continuing a weird kind of synchronicity with the cerise and blue who have also split some seniors and put them in a quad. Is it just a coincidence or is it an overwhelming impulse to crush the crew he once coached?
 
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