Colts 2013

[stonecutter]

Bruce,

Your advocacy of this site/blog remaining politically and/or religion free, while honourable is hard to fathom off the back of my comment regarding the similarities I see between the levels of incompetence shown by our Government and rugby's governing body. I might also remind you that some supporters feel so fervently about the game that to them it becomes a religious experience, such as the NZ's after the most recent world cup.

While all may seem rosy from within the Camperdown bunker with two ex University alumni at the head of the ARU, many others within the game have a less than optimistic view of where the game is being directed in this country by those entrusted with it's growth and prosperity. Nobody, it seems speaks for them or for that matter cares to listen.

Provided that people remain sensible and refrain from personal attacks I see no harm in a frank debate on an open forum regarding alternative opinions of the games development and the use of analogies to support a point.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Bruce,

Your advocacy of this site/blog remaining politically and/or religion free, while honourable is hard to fathom off the back of my comment regarding the similarities I see between the levels of incompetence shown by our Government and rugby's governing body. I might also remind you that some supporters feel so fervently about the game that to them it becomes a religious experience, such as the NZ's after the most recent world cup.

While all may seem rosy from within the Camperdown bunker with two ex University alumni at the head of the ARU, many others within the game have a less than optimistic view of where the game is being directed in this country by those entrusted with it's growth and prosperity. Nobody, it seems speaks for them or for that matter cares to listen.

Provided that people remain sensible and refrain from personal attacks I see no harm in a frank debate on an open forum regarding alternative opinions of the games development and the use of analogies to support a point.

Speaking for @BruceRoss - it's not bagging the ARU or NSWRU that's the problem: I've always found him most receptive, indeed difficult to restrain, on such issues.
It's the comparison with a political situation.


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[no9]

Speaking for @BruceRoss - it's not bagging the ARU or NSWRU that's the problem: I've always found him most receptive, indeed difficult to restrain, on such issues.
It's the comparison with a political situation.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Political situation? Unless you are of a left wing,marxist, radical ,green persuasion with a penchant for red heads I think most clear thinking contributors would recognise that it wasn't a political statement, simply another way to describe the pathetic efforts of the ARU to reinvigorate a breathless corpse known as the Shute Shield and junior/grassroots rugby.

Hope that wasn't too politically insensitive mentioning redheads, they do it tough already.

*PS- hope I haven't insulted any breathing corpses by not mentioning them also.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Political situation? Unless you are of a left wing,marxist, radical ,green persuasion with a penchant for red heads I think most clear thinking contributors would recognise that it wasn't a political statement, simply another way to describe the pathetic efforts of the ARU to reinvigorate a breathless corpse known as the Shute Shield and junior/grassroots rugby.

Hope that wasn't too politically insensitive mentioning redheads, they do it tough already.

*PS- hope I haven't insulted any breathing corpses by not mentioning them also.

There are better analogies that do not involve value judgments about current events.

 

[no9]

There are better analogies that do not involve value judgments about current events.

Feel free to list them.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Feel free to list them.

Titanic
Hidenberg
Churchill's role in the Dardanelles in WW1 - if you wish to single out individuals - or the Dardanelles campaign generally if its medium to long term incompetence you are seeking to illustrate.
Surely that's enough off topic for now.

 

[no9]

Titanic
Hidenberg
Churchill's role in the Dardanelles in WW1 - if you wish to single out individuals - or the Dardanelles campaign generally if its medium to long term incompetence you are seeking to illustrate.
Surely that's enough off topic for now.

Could've mentioned Sydney Grammar too.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Political situation? Unless you are of a left wing,marxist, radical ,green persuasion with a penchant for red heads I think most clear thinking contributors would recognise that it wasn't a political statement, simply another way to describe the pathetic efforts of the ARU to reinvigorate a breathless corpse known as the Shute Shield and junior/grassroots rugby.

Hope that wasn't too politically insensitive mentioning redheads, they do it tough already.

*PS- hope I haven't insulted any breathing corpses by not mentioning them also.

Given that I am more or less "of a left wing,marxist, radical ,green persuasion with a penchant for red heads" I'm probably not enough of a clear thinker to realise that referring to the Federal Labour[sic] Party's "negligence and incompetence" isn't "political".

But then I'm consoled by the fact that to be "a clear thinker" of the type you're describing, no9, I'd probably have to read the Murdoch press, listen to Alan Jones and take at face value the daily declamations of my ex-student, Tony Abbott. By the way, does anyone know if there are any people still living in Whyalla now that the carbon tax has been in operation for nine months?
.

 

[Snort]

Um, well, this has a lot to do with Colts rugby, I guess...

Have you seen the side University has named for Round One? A very exciting looking back line. They will run a lot of sides off the park this year if the forwards can win a decent share of ball.

Sorry for that irrelevant intervention - as you were...

 

[Blackers13]

Um, well, this has a lot to do with Colts rugby, I guess.

Have you seen the side University has named for Round One? A very exciting looking back line. They will run a lot of sides off the park this year if the forwards can win a decent share of ball.

Sorry for that irrelevant intervention - as you were.

Where are the Colts teams published?

 

[Snort]

Where are the Colts teams published?

Club websites.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

In Rugby News, available for a $5 donation at your local Shute Shield Oval on Saturdays.

Anyone else with all the lists has probably got some inside contacts with Rugby News or SRU, or has trawled across the club websites, although I am not sure that they all publish their team lists from First Grade to Colts 3.

 

[Snort]

And I just checked the SU teams on their website. Their Colts 2nd XV has three Australian Schools representatives in it - Mitch Whiteley, Ben Lawley and Angus Pulver. Vinnie Morsello, not a national schools player but a terrific schoolboy footballer, scrapes into the 3s. Sheesh.

When I played at University, if someone came down to Colts who had carried the oranges for the team that played the warmup game for the Australian Schools side, we treated him like he was Mark Ella. Selections like this bring home how much has changed.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

And I just checked the SU teams on their website. Their Colts 2nd XV has three Australian Schools representatives in it - Mitch Whiteley, Ben Lawley and Angus Pulver. Vinnie Morsello, not a national schools player but a terrific schoolboy footballer, scrapes into the 3s. Sheesh.

When I played at University, if someone came down to Colts who had carried the oranges for the team that played the warmup game for the Australian Schools side, we treated him like he was Mark Ella. Selections like this bring home how much has changed.

it will be interesting to see who is playing 1st colts next week as Uni seem to rotate a lot of players through their three sides. The clash between manly and Uni should be quite good when it occurs in june however it will be even better when teh two teams are at full strength later in the year

 

[Torn Hammy]

Political situation? Unless you are of a left wing,marxist, radical ,green persuasion with a penchant for red heads I think most clear thinking contributors would recognise that it wasn't a political statement, simply another way to describe the pathetic efforts of the ARU to reinvigorate a breathless corpse known as the Shute Shield and junior/grassroots rugby.

Hope that wasn't too politically insensitive mentioning redheads, they do it tough already.

*PS- hope I haven't insulted any breathing corpses by not mentioning them also.

Wonderful. This sort of private schoolboy humour will keep the likes of Christopher Pyne and Al Downer giggling for weeks.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Could've mentioned Sydney Grammar too.

Au contraire - more wallaby captains, more players in the 27-28 Tahs than any other school, first PM, 2 of the first 3 HIgh Court justices: definition of long term success!
Robert Elliott Stewart Shute - Old Grammar Boy.
Just accept that there's a politics thread where you'll see my views and where you can express yours.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Um, well, this has a lot to do with Colts rugby, I guess.

Have you seen the side University has named for Round One? A very exciting looking back line. They will run a lot of sides off the park this year if the forwards can win a decent share of ball.

Sorry for that irrelevant intervention - as you were.

Bruce Ross, @ Lee Grant - this isn't colts i accept but Im on a roll: i see Jock Merriman picked at 10 for UNi 1s - has he any history in the position - just interested to know and no one in the Shute Shield thread will say.
You 2 marxists should know.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Bruce Ross, @ Lee Grant - this isn't colts i accept but Im on a roll: i see Jock Merriman picked at 10 for UNi 1s - has he any history in the position - just interested to know and no one in the Shute Shield thread will say.
You 2 marxists should know.

LG will probably trump me by detailing his complete playing record since the Under 10s, but I watched the young bloke play both 9 and 10 last year in Colts and formed the strong impression that he is a 9 who can play 10, both positions very competently. Coincidentally, I spoke to him 10 minutes ago after training and he reconfirmed what he had previously told me, that is, that his strong preference is for the 9 spot.

Unlike the discussion I got drawn into above, this discussion does belong in the Colts thread as he is still eligible and will probably play quite a lot of games at that level.
.

 

[State of Play]

Its easy for an incoming board to blame the outgoing one for woes besetting organisation but I apprehend a lot of force in to now neglect/lack of recruitment efforts leading to Gordon's parlous state with Colts. Norths with it attention to recruitment and all round structure has obviously been the beneficiary in the same way as Warringah is struggling to keep its best juniors and locals from heading to Manly whose excellent colts program has evolved over several years. Two Blues are now reaping the rewards as well and I look forward to seeing the evidence on field.

We should not rule out changing demographics and the time demands and sheer array of choices for Gen Y rugby players. In that regard one night a week at subbies training is enough for most.

Turning things round requires time and vision and at least the new Gordon board has the latter . Unfortunately the ARU seems to be lacking both . I too fear for the Code - they are dead set kidding if a reserves Super 15 comp is the way to win back fans and grow the game. It will merely dilute top level club rugby and alienate the grass roots supporter.

Gordon 3rd Colts won the premiership in 2009, Gordon 2nd colts made the Grand Final in 2010, Gordon 1 colts made the finals in 2011 and 2012. I know that in 2010, there were 119 registered colts players. It is extremely disappointing that this year we are not able to field more colts side in an area with such strong juniors. This is due to deplorable recruitment efforts over the last 2 years and was a certainly a contributing factor for the club's decision to elect a new board who have since made significant efforts with recruitment, sponsorship and financial management. Gordon has unfortunately had a poor reputation among some school leavers as not being as 'professional' like Norths and in 2011/12 there may have been some truth to this. We will, no doubt be able to field 3 teams next year and hope to be genuine contenders as the coaching structure and improved efforts at the club continue. There is still some hope that we will field 2 teams this year and I was proud of the efforts of the 20 colts who played halves against eastwood 1s, 2s and 3s yesterday. The grade sides had a strong showing and I'd expect 1st grade to be a force this year after losing 6 tries to 4 against Eastwood yesterday and playing well above Warringah last week.

The problem with Gordon colts started with the 2011-2012 colts recruitment committee that was formed at the end of the 2011 season. If you speak to some of the colts coaches from 2012 they were told that recruitment was going extremely well in the off season only to be confronted with very low numbers at the January pre-season. Turns out no letters, phone calls etc. were made even though the committee had number for over 130 recruits. I have spoken to one of the coaches who had to try to save the situation in February 2012. He was livid that the recruitment committee had lied to him regarding progress of the off season strategy and then expected him with a large juniors network to fix it in Feb 2012.
There is also a rumour that none of the colts who played last year and were eligible to play colts this year came back to Gordon. Yet the board have appointed the same coaches for 2013 and lost one whole team in the off season. Clubs need to actively chase all players for colts not just aim for the top rep players who are being chased by all clubs, there are plenty of juniors and 2nd and 3rd XV players to chase.

 

[Tah and feathered]

The problem with Gordon colts started with the 2011-2012 colts recruitment committee that was formed at the end of the 2011 season. If you speak to some of the colts coaches from 2012 they were told that recruitment was going extremely well in the off season only to be confronted with very low numbers at the January pre-season. Turns out no letters, phone calls etc. were made even though the committee had number for over 130 recruits. I have spoken to one of the coaches who had to try to save the situation in February 2012. He was livid that the recruitment committee had lied to him regarding progress of the off season strategy and then expected him with a large juniors network to fix it in Feb 2012.
There is also a rumour that none of the colts who played last year and were eligible to play colts this year came back to Gordon. Yet the board have appointed the same coaches for 2013 and lost one whole team in the off season. Clubs need to actively chase all players for colts not just aim for the top rep players who are being chased by all clubs, there are plenty of juniors and 2nd and 3rd XV players to chase.

There was a conversation with a very high ranking Gordon Official in 2011 and he was asked why Gordon were struggling to field a 3rd colts side and he said he was not wasting his time chasing up players to join Gordon so they can fill a 3rd colts team.