John I Dent Cup - Canberra Competition -

[Brumbies Guy]

Easts have picked up from Vikings one first grade winger, and a 1st/2nd grade backrower who was looking for an opportunity.
Won't name names - I'll feel secure once training is underway. Either way, our head coach has said they were locked in.

I'll have a punt on J. Knight and J. Hitchens?

I think vikings will go close, recruiting solid players from Brisbane and Ireland and another good club coach.

Who's coaching?

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Dan McKellar from Souths Brisbane....is coaching Tuggies..
I hear Jack Vanderglas is going to play league with a few other Easts players from the 08 GF team.
I think 5 teams, Vikings, Whites, Eagles, Royals and Easts will be fighting for top 4 places...Wests dont have cattle and are not well coached to be honest and also Uni Norths might struggle even though their coach is pretty handy. But Im looking forward to see what names this comp throws up for future Rep honors.

 

[Empire]

Re: Jack Vdg, probably more likely to work all week and head down the coast for family and partner. See what happens.

Knight would be one, the other not 100% haven't met him yet.

Will the '08 players be joining up at scholars, blues or bungendore tigers? They all went different ways apart from the kiwis who went to royals for '09.

What's the new Vikings coach like? Can anyone shed some light on him?

 

[FTS]

I'll have a punt on J. Knight and J. Hitchens?

Would be suprised if it was Jake Knight, he had a permanent position in 1st grade in one of the strongest clubs would be strange if he moved.

Empire would be appreciated if you could post who they are once it is all out in the open thanks.

 

[FTS]

What's the new Vikings coach like? Can anyone shed some light on him?

Don't know a whole lot, think he was a playing legend in Brisbane before successfully moving into the coaching ranks at souths. Has big shoes to fill, but vikings obviously think he is up to the task or they would not have hired him.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Would be suprised if it was Jake Knight, he had a permanent position in 1st grade in one of the strongest clubs would be strange if he moved.
Empire would be appreciated if you could post who they are once it is all out in the open thanks.

Empire has confirmed it.

Knight would be one, the other not 100% haven't met him yet.

Knight has been on the outer within the club for a while now and was previously rumored to join Queanbeyan.

Hitchens makes sense for the other, matching the "1st/2nd Grade Backrower" mentioned by Empire, he was starting openside at the beginning of the season before the Brumby boys joined in. He's also good mates with Knight.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Re: Jack Vdg, probably more likely to work all week and head down the coast for family and partner. See what happens.

Knight would be one, the other not 100% haven't met him yet.

Will the '08 players be joining up at scholars, blues or bungendore tigers? They all went different ways apart from the kiwis who went to royals for '09.

What's the new Vikings coach like? Can anyone shed some light on him?

Bugendore Tigers, and it includes some of the Kiwi boys who went to Royals also, some of the boys @ Scholars as well.

 

[Empire]

Yea, those are from the coaches mouth (confirmation enough?!), as well as board members. Knight is a certainty, can't 100% confirm the other bloke, but brumbiesguy seems to have made a fairly educated guess. Irrespective, we are getting Knight and a loosie.

Ah, so that'd be all those guys sans Daz and Phil Wihapi and Junior? Pity they'll be playing the wrong code..

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

Yea, those are from the coaches mouth (confirmation enough?!), as well as board members. Knight is a certainty, can't 100% confirm the other bloke, but brumbiesguy seems to have made a fairly educated guess. Irrespective, we are getting Knight and a loosie.

Ah, so that'd be all those guys sans Daz and Phil Wihapi and Junior? Pity they'll be playing the wrong code..

No those boys are back in NZ, Junior now playing in Brisbane.

 

[Empire]

Yea, I meant Sione and Dave Ahosivi, Bithell, Zarb, Osborne. I knew the other guys had gone to Brisbane, UK and N Zud.

Makes me sad looking at those names - that was a huge loss of talent.

Either way, the focus on the club is squarely focused on developing our local area and feeder schools in that area, should reap benefits in the years to come.

 

[FTS]

The gain of Jake Knight is interesting and a great gain for Easts, he is easily the quickest player in the comp, and one of the best finishers. Easts must have offered some handy incentives for him to jump ship. It's great for Easts to now have a link with eddies, they will still have to fight hard stopping certain players continuing the tradition and joining Queanbeyan though. Grammar kids may also be more inclined to join Easts again as they are back on the rise.

How do we rate the standard of recent seasons John I Dent cup? Is it being maintained or do people feel it is lacking with more brumbies going to sydney etc?

 

[random477]

I can say that he won't be going to East's. Both him and Josh are looking at going overseas for a few months and Vikings have been helping them with finding clubs to play for over there

 

[Empire]

As I said, that was from the head coaches mouth, and he isn't one to talk rubbish. Irrespective, see what happens when season starts.

Do you know where they are playing o/s? We have a couple of guys (both ex Vikings) who are off on a similar off season trip.

FTS: majority of the local clubs do not have the financial clout to compete with Sydney, and as such it gets very hard to retain good players, or have academy/fringe brumbies choose ACT over Sydney. Henry Vanderglas is a prime example of a local player who left for Sydney. I think the JID has been largely stagnant lately except for 2008 - otherwise it's been a two horse race between Vikings and Queanbeyan.

 

[FTS]

FTS: majority of the local clubs do not have the financial clout to compete with Sydney, and as such it gets very hard to retain good players, or have academy/fringe brumbies choose ACT over Sydney. Henry Vanderglas is a prime example of a local player who left for Sydney. I think the JID has been largely stagnant lately except for 2008 - otherwise it's been a two horse race between Vikings and Queanbeyan.

Thanks for your thoughts. As being quite new to the comp, i'm curious as to how crowds have varied over the years along with things such as big overseas imports and the such. In the years i have been watching i always wondered if there was always more/less support at the clubs, aswell as the crowd sizes at the grand finals.

 

[HappyHC]

I will go knight and tim tapara. Knight a good pick up but I don't think he will show - tapara played colts for the last two seasons but is well capable by all reports if he can up his work rate. Knight is rumored to have a life ban from Vikings licensed club venues after multiple indiscretions.

 

[HappyHC]

Well spotted - parra must keep a close eye on the Canberra comp these days. Yes he has had surgery, due for return jun/July

 

[FTS]

I have heard rumours of Tapara aswell, i suppose an easier shot at playing 1st grade, good player.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

I also hear a few other players from Vikings (few from 1st Grade last season and lower graders) are on the move also to other clubs within Canberra.
From reports, new coach is not seen in the same light as Christini or Stephenson.

 

[Empire]

FYI guys, raffle night for QLD floods hosted by the Whites

http://the-riotact.com/whites-to-host-qld-floods-fundraiser/35691#comments

 

[Empire]

Can confirm the backrower is Tim Tapara - should be a handy pick up.