AIC Rugby 2015

[Derick Slater]

I respect your comment, but if Ashgrove's Mckinnon makes AIC 1 I will be hugely disappointed with the selectors. If AIC ever want to at least challenge GPS 1,2 or 3 by the slightest bit they need to pick a big side with mongrel in them. I honestly think the forward pack won't do to bad against GPS but the backline is right on line to getting DOMINATED. There is such a lack or rugby quality being produced in AIC that it is appalling. This would be my big, aggressive and mongrel pack to challenge GPS.
1. UP FOR GRABS - USHER, ADAMS, RAFTER or SCHWEITZER (2 KELLY GOES 1)
2. Jack KELLY
3. Thomas O'TOOLE
4. Michael WOOD
5. Louis SCHWENKE
6. Justin SIKIMETI
7. Wyatt SETU
8. Archie TAYLOR

I really think Schwenke is better off playing second row. His speed and power is great with the 3 games I have seen of him however he can easily disappear if someone puts a good tackle on him and he sometimes get more penalties against him then to him when pilfering. However, he is a hard runner and does have a lot of aggression in him. Setu from eddies is a perfect build for #2 but making the transition to flanker to hooker is much harder and difficult then making the transition from hooker to flanker. I really enjoyed his game on the weekend but it depends how he has gone in past games and how well he goes good in future games. Taylor is one of the best players in the competition. Made numerous meters with every run against a strong defensive padua line.

Totally understand where you're coming from. The locks for GPS 1 and QLD 1 this year will be Darcy Swain at 4 and Reece Hewat at 5, both returning QLD schoolboys and Hewat in his 3rd year of nationals and 2nd in Aus schoolboys.

If it's a mongrel pack you're after, then Schwenke at 5 won't work. He's not big enough to compete with the GPS boys at lock. Loose forward is his only option. Mckinnon, Ah San, the SPC #5 lock, and pretty much every other second rower in the comp are puny and will be taken out in one hit (except Wood). The only option I can think of to partner Wood would be Angelo Pepe from Iona. I might get backlash for this, but he is Iona's best player and has only just recently returned to the starting 15 off the bench with an injury. He played prop for Iona's 1st XV last year, and even while part injured this season managed to bump off defenders (including SLC's Dan Mchugh) with ease with his big frame tipping 105kg. He is in form now and will play either lock or blindside for Iona for the rest of the season. He also plays as a #4 lock for Easts when club season comes around.

Wood and Pepe would be a huge, powerful and mongrel second row pairing, the only downfall would be relying on the flankers for lineout jumping, as I don't think either of them do it very well.

 

[Derick Slater]

I also have to say that Pepe was quite good against Ashgrove. Excellent in the mauls while playing #6 and I heard was the best player in the team.

 

[Breakdown]

Totally understand where you're coming from. The locks for GPS 1 and QLD 1 this year will be Darcy Swain at 4 and Reece Hewat at 5, both returning QLD schoolboys and Hewat in his 3rd year of nationals and 2nd in Aus schoolboys.

If it's a mongrel pack you're after, then Schwenke at 5 won't work. He's not big enough to compete with the GPS boys at lock. Loose forward is his only option. Mckinnon, Ah San, the SPC #5 lock, and pretty much every other second rower in the comp are puny and will be taken out in one hit (except Wood). The only option I can think of to partner Wood would be Angelo Pepe from Iona. I might get backlash for this, but he is Iona's best player and has only just recently returned to the starting 15 off the bench with an injury. He played prop for Iona's 1st XV last year, and even while part injured this season managed to bump off defenders (including SLC's Dan Mchugh) with ease with his big frame tipping 105kg. He is in form now and will play either lock or blindside for Iona for the rest of the season. He also plays as a #4 lock for Easts when club season comes around.

Wood and Pepe would be a huge, powerful and mongrel second row pairing, the only downfall would be relying on the flankers for lineout jumping, as I don't think either of them do it very well.

Disagree. Hewitt will be GPS & QLD #8. He has filled the locking position well previously but is now unquestionably the premier backrower in the competition & has earnt the right to play rep footy in his preferred position.

Only time will tell I guess.

 

[Derick Slater]

Disagree. Hewitt will be GPS & QLD #8. He has filled the locking position well previously but is now unquestionably the premier backrower in the competition & has earnt the right to play rep footy in his preferred position.

Only time will tell I guess.

Are you sure? From what I've heard the QLD #8 will probably be Ben Gunter from BBC. He's 6'6 and 110kg+ an enormous backrower and hard runner. Hewat should play his preffered position, but I can only really see him at lock or blindside.

 

[rugbyXV]

Disagree. Hewitt will be GPS & QLD #8. He has filled the locking position well previously but is now unquestionably the premier backrower in the competition & has earnt the right to play rep footy in his preferred position.

Only time will tell I guess.

Hewitt has always earnt the right to play #8 it's just the fact that selectors think QLD 1 would be better with Hewitt at lock and add another huge and good ball runner at number 8. TSS #8 and BBC #8 are both massive lads who will probably get the #8 position with Darcy and Reece being the locks.

 

[Breakdown]

Are you sure? From what I've heard the QLD #8 will probably be Ben Gunter from BBC. He's 6'6 and 110kg+ an enormous backrower and hard runner. Hewat should play his preffered position, but I can only really see him at lock or blindside.

As I said, time will tell.

Whilst a huge fan of Gunters potential, his workrate/ stats are shocking - comparable to a frontrower. No value in being enormous & contributing little, or worse, being hooked by the coach which happened in most games for BBC last season.

 

[rugbyXV]

As I said, time will tell.

Whilst a huge fan of Gunters potential, his workrate/ stats are shocking - comparable to a frontrower. No value in being enormous & contributing little, or worse, being hooked by the coach which happened in most games for BBC last season.

You have a point about Gunter. However the TS #8 is also impressive and from what I've heard he has the size and the workrate. Anyways I think this should be going on the GP thread!

 

[rugbyXV]

Totally understand where you're coming from. The locks for GPS 1 and QLD 1 this year will be Darcy Swain at 4 and Reece Hewat at 5, both returning QLD schoolboys and Hewat in his 3rd year of nationals and 2nd in Aus schoolboys.

If it's a mongrel pack you're after, then Schwenke at 5 won't work. He's not big enough to compete with the GPS boys at lock. Loose forward is his only option. Mckinnon, Ah San, the SPC #5 lock, and pretty much every other second rower in the comp are puny and will be taken out in one hit (except Wood). The only option I can think of to partner Wood would be Angelo Pepe from Iona. I might get backlash for this, but he is Iona's best player and has only just recently returned to the starting 15 off the bench with an injury. He played prop for Iona's 1st XV last year, and even while part injured this season managed to bump off defenders (including SLC's Dan Mchugh) with ease with his big frame tipping 105kg. He is in form now and will play either lock or blindside for Iona for the rest of the season. He also plays as a #4 lock for Easts when club season comes around.

Wood and Pepe would be a huge, powerful and mongrel second row pairing, the only downfall would be relying on the flankers for lineout jumping, as I don't think either of them do it very well.

It won't happen but that #5 position needs to be filled by a player with size. The fact is the rest of the locks in AIC apart from Wood aren't big enough. Sikimeti can jump, maybe put him #5 with Schwenke and Setu as the flankers. Although Sikimeti isn't big he has the aggressiveness which is just as greater as size. Not sure about Pepe, good player but his fitness isn't the greatest and even though I'd prefer Pepe than McKinnon it's hard to pick any Iona player for AIC this season. All of this won't happen but, they will pick some skinny 80kg lock who will run it up against a gps pack and get snapped as easily as a twig...

 

[AICINSIDER]

S

Totally understand where you're coming from. The locks for GPS 1 and QLD 1 this year will be Darcy Swain at 4 and Reece Hewat at 5, both returning QLD schoolboys and Hewat in his 3rd year of nationals and 2nd in Aus schoolboys.

If it's a mongrel pack you're after, then Schwenke at 5 won't work. He's not big enough to compete with the GPS boys at lock. Loose forward is his only option. Mckinnon, Ah San, the SPC #5 lock, and pretty much every other second rower in the comp are puny and will be taken out in one hit (except Wood). The only option I can think of to partner Wood would be Angelo Pepe from Iona. I might get backlash for this, but he is Iona's best player and has only just recently returned to the starting 15 off the bench with an injury. He played prop for Iona's 1st XV last year, and even while part injured this season managed to bump off defenders (including SLC's Dan Mchugh) with ease with his big frame tipping 105kg. He is in form now and will play either lock or blindside for Iona for the rest of the season. He also plays as a #4 lock for Easts when club season comes around.

Wood and Pepe would be a huge, powerful and mongrel second row pairing, the only downfall would be relying on the flankers for lineout jumping, as I don't think either of them do it very well.

Mate Schwenke is 6'2 and 91 KGs i think he could hold his own

 

[RugbySaint2]

In saying this, who would be the front three most likely be and reasons why?

 

[rugbyXV]

In saying this, who would be the front three most likely be and reasons why?

O'TOOLE and KELLY are locked in for the props, however we could see KELLY go to 2 and Rafter, Adams or Usher go to prop. Otherwise, Schweitzer at 2
1. Kelly
2. Schweitzer
3. O'Toole
vs
1. Rafter/Adams/Usher
2. Kelly
3. O'Toole

 

[IDMSportmedia]

O'TOOLE and KELLY are locked in for the props, however we could see KELLY go to 2 and Rafter, Adams or Usher go to prop. Otherwise, Schweitzer at 2
1. Kelly
2. Schweitzer
3. O'Toole
vs
1. Rafter/Adams/Usher
2. Kelly
3. O'Toole

All I can say is that the Holding vs Schweitzer debate has been put to rest as Schweitzer was the most dominant hooker in the eddies vs padua game.

 

[Saecom]

Sorry to burst a few bubbles here but if you go back about 10 to 15 years AIC regularly got 6 or more players in QLD I and usually 3 or more Australian Schools players.

As an old coot, I sadly have to report the standard of play in the AIC competition has dropped significantly. I don't mean to take anything away from individual schools like Padua who have done a great job to make themselves more than competitive within the comp however as schools like St Edmunds, Padua, St Peter's and St Patrick's have risen, Ashgrove (in particular) Iona and St Laurences have plummeted.

There are lots of factors to all this of course, not the least of which is GPS schools poaching promising players.

On a different note I am staggered that AIC 1st XV matches are at 1.30? Talk about destroying the status of your own competition.

 

[Koty30832]

Sorry to burst a few bubbles here but if you go back about 10 to 15 years AIC regularly got 6 or more players in QLD I and usually 3 or more Australian Schools players.

As an old coot, I sadly have to report the standard of play in the AIC competition has dropped significantly. I don't mean to take anything away from individual schools like Padua who have done a great job to make themselves more than competitive within the comp however as schools like St Edmunds, Padua, St Peter's and St Patrick's have risen, Ashgrove (in particular) Iona and St Laurences have plummeted.

There are lots of factors to all this of course, not the least of which is GPS schools poaching promising players.

On a different note I am staggered that AIC 1st XV matches are at 1.30? Talk about destroying the status of your own competition.

I dont think ashgrove have plummeted, i believe maybe other schools like pats peters, padua and eddies have risen to the challenge of ashgrove. Maybe i might be wrong but i think ashgrove are still dominate aggregately? maybe this has changed? im not 100% sure so feel free to correct me but yeah i think that those teams have become much more then just 15 players on a field. But yeah well said.

 

[Saecom]

I can't accurately give comment on the aggregates however I can assure you that Ashgrove and St Laurences (both) have dropped enormously at 1st XV level.

If you get hold of the Queensland and Australian Schools records you will see that both of these schools had players in QLD I teams virtually every year and very often in Australian teams. I believe in 1998 Ashgrove had 5 Australian Schools players. The current whole AIC comp would struggle to have 5 Australian Schools players in 5 years. Iona were also very strong from about 1997 to 2007 (ish).

I am not trying to be negative about the efforts of Padua and the like. It is great what they have achieved.

AIC would be a really great comp IF you had the Ashgrove, St Laurences and Iona of old with the Padua, St Peters, St Patricks and St Edmunds of now.

 

[Derick Slater]

S
Mate Schwenke is 6'2 and 91 KGs i think he could hold his own

Bullcrap. That's the same size as than Cameron Torpy who was the biggest fastest player I saw last year. More like 76kg. He's a great player but quite scrawny.

 

[AICINSIDER]

I know for a fact Louis Schwenke is 91 kilos. I would bet my life on it

 

[pundit]

Somebody get the scales out.

 

[The Ballkid]

.
If it's a mongrel pack you're after, then Schwenke at 5 won't work. He's not big enough to compete with the GPS boys at lock. Loose forward is his only option. Mckinnon, Ah San, the SPC #5 lock, and pretty much every other second rower in the comp are puny and will be taken out in one hit (except Wood). The only option I can think of to partner Wood would be Angelo Pepe from Iona. I might get backlash for this, but he is Iona's best player and has only just recently returned to the starting 15 off the bench with an injury. He played prop for Iona's 1st XV last year, and even while part injured this season managed to bump off defenders (including SLC's Dan Mchugh) with ease with his big frame tipping 105kg. He is in form now and will play either lock or blindside for Iona for the rest of the season. He also plays as a #4 lock for Easts when club season comes around.

Wood and Pepe would be a huge, powerful and mongrel second row pairing, the only downfall would be relying on the flankers for lineout jumping, as I don't think either of them do it very well.

The SPC #5 is Matt Munday in Yr 11.

 

[aicrugby2013]

I also have to say that Pepe was quite good against Ashgrove. Excellent in the mauls while playing #6 and I heard was the best player in the team.

I completely agree Derick Slater. Pepe is the backbone of the Iona XV and the Ashgrove game is a clinical example of this. Like you said, his mauling skills are influential in getting the side on go forward ball, his ability to make low effective tackles and his fitness levels at the moment are all in great form. As the captain of the Iona side, although not the best season, he is definitely leading by example. Watch out Padua. He is one man but can make a huge difference.