Newcastle Hunter Rugby Union

[AngrySeahorse]

Herald story on a very good Samoan recruit for Easts next year:

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3...ional-packs-in-for-easts-premier-push/?cs=306

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Some off-season news. Former Syd Uni coach Todd Louden will be coaching the Wanderers. Gutted for Newcastle Uni - I had been involved in a training sessions at Uni with Todd & I had the feeling he was coming to us. Oh well, given the general dislike of Syd Uni it looks like Louden wants to be involved in one of the most disliked clubs in Newcastle as well. Its not all about being liked though is it?

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/478368/todd-louden-named-wanderers-coach/?cs=306

 

[hawktrain]

Pretty disappointed for Uni - I think everyone wants to see them strengthen and as far as I knew it was pretty much signed, sealed and delivered that he'd go to Uni, but I guess its appropriate that he goes to Wanderers. They've got the best facilities, the best credentialed coach...but then again they did this year as well and only made the semis in 2s and 3s, so it won't guarantee success.

Apparently Easts had around 40 players to a club meeting recently, they're getting there but they still have a fair way to go to to make up the 90 players required for all 4 grades.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Some off-season news. Former Syd Uni coach Todd Louden will be coaching the Wanderers. Gutted for Newcastle Uni - I had been involved in a training sessions at Uni with Todd & I had the feeling he was coming to us. Oh well, given the general dislike of Syd Uni it looks like Louden wants to be involved in one of the most disliked clubs in Newcastle as well. Its not all about being liked though is it?

Pretty disappointed for Uni - I think everyone wants to see them strengthen and as far as I knew it was pretty much signed, sealed and delivered that he'd go to Uni, but I guess its appropriate that he goes to Wanderers. They've got the best facilities, the best credentialed coach.but then again they did this year as well and only made the semis in 2s and 3s, so it won't guarantee success.

I think the reality, AS and ht, is that Todd is a professional coach - the most professional in the business - and he has to earn an income. Apparently Wanderers had the resources to be able to offer him a full time gig.

As for the suggestion that hiring Todd "won't guarantee success" for the Wanderers, I will be astounded if he doesn't take Wanderers - and Newcastle rugby - to a whole new level of performance. He is by far the best developer of talent in Australian rugby, but after next season he will have to head back overseas to ply his trade.
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[AngrySeahorse]

I think the reality, AS and ht, is that Todd is a professional coach - the most professional in the business - and he has to earn an income. Apparently Wanderers had the resources to be able to offer him a full time gig.

As for the suggestion that hiring Todd "won't guarantee success" for the Wanderers, I will be astounded if he doesn't take Wanderers - and Newcastle rugby - to a whole new level of performance. He is by far the best developer of talent in Australian rugby, but after next season he will have to head back overseas to ply his trade.
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Disagree to some extent Bruce. Look at the recent article on Todd Louden in the Herald.

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/522524/louden-finds-home-among-wanderers/?cs=306

It is made clear that he has a business & another one on the way that is providing him income. He still does a Rugby coaching consultancy job occasionally as well. The argument about him needing an income from coaching one of the local clubs doesn't fly. He is financially viable without it.

At this point the only thing that is going to be strengthened is Wanderers. Time will tell if the whole of Newcastle Rugby will be better off. I personally saw a lot more positives from such things as Lake Macquarie getting stronger - they were hardly winning any games in previous years at all & got themselves into the finals this year. I think I'm just going to sit back & see how it all goes. The reason the appointment has bothered me is because he is going to a club that doesn't need any more help at this point. Wanderers only missed out on reaching the finals this year which was the first time in more than a decade. There are teams that have struggled even to get off the bottom of the ladder, even worse than Uni who have had a couple of premier one GF appearances in the last 10yrs. When I think about it there are clubs more in need of Todd than both Wanderers or my own.

"...I met the committee at Wanderers and saw how passionate and family-driven they were.." OMG. Really? Speechless at that.

Anyhow, we'll see how it goes. I'd love to see Uni upset Wanderers in 2013 but we'll be up against it. Merewether-Carlton have copped heaps over the years but Wanderers seem to want the "Most hated club" title handed back to them.

I'd rather him be here than not at all - I'll say that.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Pretty disappointed for Uni - I think everyone wants to see them strengthen and as far as I knew it was pretty much signed, sealed and delivered that he'd go to Uni, but I guess its appropriate that he goes to Wanderers. They've got the best facilities, the best credentialed coach.but then again they did this year as well and only made the semis in 2s and 3s, so it won't guarantee success.

Apparently Easts had around 40 players to a club meeting recently, they're getting there but they still have a fair way to go to to make up the 90 players required for all 4 grades.

Good points. You can buy better facilities & personnel but you can't buy passion & will to win.

Nice to hear Easts are building but yes they'll have to get a move on.

Just a side note. There has also been rumours that Lake Macquarie women's will be back next year. This is great news for the women's comp if true. We really need a team out that way. Issues are that Uni & Hamilton could lose a few players to this new team given a few of the girls are from out there. Normally Uni could handle losing a few due to depth but I've found out that quite a few girls are considering moving on. Hamilton definitely cannot afford to keep losing players. I actually counted from team sheets that Hamilton Harps used over 35 players in 2012 yet sometimes they played short. It must be very frustrating for the more committed players. Word on the street is Wanderers & Merewether are shaping up to have very competitive teams for 2013.

 

[hawktrain]

As for the suggestion that hiring Todd "won't guarantee success" for the Wanderers, I will be astounded if he doesn't take Wanderers - and Newcastle rugby - to a whole new level of performance. He is by far the best developer of talent in Australian rugby, but after next season he will have to head back overseas to ply his trade.
.

I'm sure he'll help Wanderers, but I don't think him coming in will mean they'll finish in the top 2-3. This year they brought in a highly credentialed coach - Ellis Meachen - who was a former Hurricanes assistant coach (which is also the highest level Louden has coached at) and was expected to take them to new heights (tipped by the Newcastle Herald rugby writer to finish 2nd), but Wanderers missed the finals for the first time in as long as I can remember.

In the end, its the players on the field who have to do the job, and at Sydney Uni he obviously had some pretty good cattle on the field. Good for Wanderers that they have someone like him to develop their players, and they'd definitely be expecting big things because I'm sure it took some effort and resources to get him to take the job on. If they think he's what they need in order to win premierships, then good on them.

As for helping Newcastle rugby, I'm not sure. If he went to one of the struggling clubs (Nelson Bay, Singleton, Waratah, Uni and even Lake Mac to an extent), to strengthen the comp, then I'd agree, but he's going to one of the perenially successful clubs who already have numerous things to attract players. They have a new ground, right in town, a reputation for success, and they get new players easily as opposed to clubs who are at a disadvantage in terms of geography and facilities.

 

[rickety knees]

AngrySeahorse - Interested in your thoughts on the new coaches Newcastle Uni have appointed and what the reaction has been like. Both guys have been simmering away in the lower grades at Wanderers and now get their chance to take on a 1st grade role. I hope they do well and are supported by the newly appointed committee. The player / coach merry-go-round is in full swing up here.

 

[p.Tah]

Hi Rickety, welcome!

 

[AngrySeahorse]

rickety knees - hello rickety & welcome!

I'm watching us play the soap dodgers at the moment & saw your post. I've been on a bit of a G&GR hiatus at the moment as I've had a bit of stuff going on but I will get around to a better comment soon. There certainly has been a lot of movement in both the mens & womens sides of the comp. Very interesting times ahead for all concerned.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

AngrySeahorse - Interested in your thoughts on the new coaches Newcastle Uni have appointed and what the reaction has been like. Both guys have been simmering away in the lower grades at Wanderers and now get their chance to take on a 1st grade role. I hope they do well and are supported by the newly appointed committee. The player / coach merry-go-round is in full swing up here.

I got to say not many people are talking a great deal about the details at the moment. Very tight lipped. As far as the Wanderers coaches go I hope they take their opportunity & make a good fist of it. Uni are a wonderful club. I went to the Uni AGM & although the coaches had not been chosen at that time the impression I got is that the board is quite positive so moving forward I think the two blues boys will be welcomed there. Baz has moved on from being president after doing a great job running things at Uni but will continue to stay involved. There is going to be more of an effort from Uni to reach out to former players & supporters in the corporate world for more financial support. I think this has come from the pressure of the current club environment in the NHRU where the gap between clubs with good financial resources & those that don't seems to be getting bigger. It also comes from the simple fact that it isn't cheap to run a club.

I feel sorry for the outgoing coaches at Uni because the results IMHO have really come down to a lack of cattle, a bad injury toll, & quite simply a poor attendance rate at training. Uni has plenty of ticker across most of the club but I noticed a sharp drop off rate in training attendance from the boys later in the year - that effect can be quite contagious. A Uni old boy summed it up well "They aren't playing for fun, they are playing like it is a chore".

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Off-season update for the HWRU (Hunter Women's Rugby Union):

Lots of big news for the girls - the biggest two stories would be the re-emergence of Lake Macquarie Roos Girls & the player exodus from the Uni women's team. Below are the current team situations.

Lake Macquarie Roos - their FB page indicates that they will have a team next year. The Roos have been out of the comp for a few seasons so this is great news that they will be returning. They have acquired some former experienced Roos girls playing at another club as well as some other club players who have yet to play for the Lake Mac side. According to a direct source they have sponsorship & coaches lined up.

Merewether-Carlton Greens - Merewether will have lost at least two girls for next year due to moving to another state. They lose a couple of very experienced players there. However, they will gain one of Uni's 2012 starting back rowers along with I believe 1 or 2 former Greens players coming back into Rugby. Coaching wise that is an unknown for me at this stage.

Wanderers Two Blues - Very difficult to get a gauge on where Wanderers are at but they seem to be the only club with the least disruptions to player numbers. I expect them to have predominately the same squad next year with perhaps a new recruit or two.

University Seahorses - the big story with Uni is the player exodus of about 10 players. The back line of Uni still have the halves & fullback but the rest have moved on. The vast majority of the back line have moved to the Roos. Uni's predominantly preferred starting forward pack will remain the same though, there are two NSW Country players who had season ending injuries in 2012 & they'll be back for 2013. Uni have recruited new players which I believe will be used for the back line so it is a case of new back line but same forward pack. Uni will be going for 3 grand final wins in a row - something no women's team has done in the Hunter comp. As far as forwards moving on goes a NSW Country prop (Harps or Roos), a starting flanker (Greens), & myself (Harps) - all three of us are moving on.

Hamilton Harps - Hamilton will be hit for 2013 in the forwards as a few of those girls originally were Roos players who'll be heading back there. They'll also be hit in the backs with the regular starting 10 in England till after the season ends & another very handy outside back moving with her partner out of state. Hamilton will pick up myself from Uni & possibly a prop from Uni who is still mulling over whether to go to the Roos or not. Hamilton are known to play ad lib Rugby & can be quite a dangerous side when they stay focused. The team still has some very experienced players in the forwards & some very good young fast players in the backs.

On a personal note I came to my choice to leave Uni after thinking about my position in the Uni team. I've fallen out of favour when it comes to team selection no matter how hard I train or play. Leaving Uni is something I never thought I'd do, I have been a little bitter that it has come to this. I went away with Hamilton to Byron Bay & those girls clearly need me more than Uni does. Harps have struggled a bit in recent times. I'm only one player but I know there I'll get put to better use. I could never stop supporting the Uni boys as I love the club so I'll be jointly supporting the Hawks boys & the Uni boys. The Hamilton girls certainly are a colourful & friendly bunch so I know I'll have a good time

One thing is certain, with all the player movement & some of the reasons behind some players leaving - the games, which are already pretty intense given the rivalries, will be a bit spicier.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

AngrySeahorse - Interested in your thoughts on the new coaches Newcastle Uni have appointed and what the reaction has been like. Both guys have been simmering away in the lower grades at Wanderers and now get their chance to take on a 1st grade role. I hope they do well and are supported by the newly appointed committee. The player / coach merry-go-round is in full swing up here.

Hey, Rickety. Welcome to GAGR. About time.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

AngrySeahorse, Does this mean you will now be AngryHarp soon?

 

[AngrySeahorse]

AngrySeahorse, Does this mean you will now be AngryHarp soon?

Oh no I'll be keeping AngrySeahorse. I've changed to a Harp avatar though - I like the Celtic touch. I'm already excited for next years season . I went to the St Francis Xavier Catholic school in Hamilton so it will be nice to represent the area where I had my best schooling years & good memories (I predominantly hated most of my school years, SFX was the best).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Hadn't made the avatar change connection to a change of clubs.

I put it down to an ignorance of the subtleties of Hunter Footy on my behalf.

Having a fair amount of Celtic heritage, and noticing that you had posted on other threads that the Seahorse household also had Celtic blood, I just thought that the change to an Irish Harp in the avatar was related solely to that.

A rather subtle change on your behalf and largely misinterpreted by me until now. Now it all makes sense.

Good luck for next season with the Harps.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Hadn't made the avatar change connection to a change of clubs.

I put it down to an ignorance of the subtleties of Hunter Footy on my behalf.

Having a fair amount of Celtic heritage, and noticing that you had posted on other threads that the Seahorse household also had Celtic blood, I just thought that the change to an Irish Harp in the avatar was related solely to that.

A rather subtle change on your behalf and largely misinterpreted by me until now. Now it all makes sense.

Good luck for next season with the Harps.

Ah yes. I could have used it to rep my Celtic heritage so indeed it could have been mistaken for that. To add to the confusion some women's teams have different names while keeping the same colours as their men's teams to differentiate them a bit - Hamilton men's is actually the Hawks while the girls call themselves the Harps.

Cheers for the well wishes!

 

[hawktrain]

. I went to the St Francis Xavier Catholic school in Hamilton so it will be nice to represent the area where I had my best schooling years & good memories (I predominantly hated most of my school years, SFX was the best).

Also SFX was the school that pretty much gave birth to the Hamilton club, back when it was Hamilton Marists. The womens comp sounds like it's going to be a cracker next year with Lake Mac coming in, good to see.

 

[AngrySeahorse]

Also SFX was the school that pretty much gave birth to the Hamilton club, back when it was Hamilton Marists. The womens comp sounds like it's going to be a cracker next year with Lake Mac coming in, good to see.

Wow Hawktrain I did not know that! My uncles went there when it was still Marists.

The women's comp has been a bit of a two horse race in recent times but next year it will certainly be interesting - I feel every team will have a genuine shot.

 

[rickety knees]

Mark Wade now rumored to be going to Wanderers ?

Yes Hamilton have always been known as the Catholic Club in Newcastle Rugby.

I hope you enjoy your new surrounds.