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NSW AAGPS Rugby 2015

Who will win GPS 2015?


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Cash

Sydney Middleton (9)
In fact, balls to it. I'm making my own, despite how controversial it may be:

1. Horton
2. Woods
3. Chapman
4. McCauley
5. Gittoes
6. Pietsch
7. Smith
8. Leaver
9. Strang
10. England
11. Jaffer-Williams
12. Murray
13. Kennewell
14. Simonsson
15. Wright

Reserves:
Morrison
Atiola
Fenn
Girdler
Wennerbom
Hawkins
Taukamo

Based purely off form.
 

deez ebola nuts

Peter Burge (5)
Just saw the blog on the GPS Special Awards, and couldn't resist a parting shot at the selectors before departing to watch cricket over the summer.

In the immortal words of John McEnroe...'You cannot be serious!!!!'

How does Opeti Helu rate as the first choice for loose-head prop when he wasn't even the best prop (tight-head or loose-head) at Newington, let alone the GPS competition? Jacob Storey is a better scrummager, a better defender, better at the break-down, and can play for a full 70 mins. Helu required intensive work to raise him to the level of 'adequate' scrummager, and his fitness and poor work rate limited his effectiveness to the first 35 mins of each game, at best. On the other hand, while Horton is a star and deserves to be in anyone's 1st XV, his versatility means that he could slot into prop, and thereby provide an opening for Teu Atiola at hooker - Atiola is a high work-rate, high-impact player and would surely have to be one of the first front-rowers picked in any composite school team.


Also have to throw Rob Wilson into the best scrummager conversation at newington. Played great against Chapman in round 7. Who im sure was up to his sly tricks again??
 

OldColt

Sydney Middleton (9)
In fact, balls to it. I'm making my own, despite how controversial it may be:

1. Horton
2. Woods
3. Chapman
4. McCauley
5. Gittoes
6. Pietsch
7. Smith
8. Leaver
9. Strang
10. England
11. Jaffer-Williams
12. Murray
13. Kennewell
14. Simonsson
15. Wright

Reserves:
Morrison
Atiola
Fenn
Girdler
Wennerbom
Hawkins
Taukamo

Based purely off form.

1. Horton Storey
2. Woods Atiola
3. Chapman Horton
4. McCauley
5. Gittoes Piroddi
6. Pietsch Gittoes
7. Smith
8. Leaver Pietsch
9. Strang
10. England
11. Jaffer-Williams
12. Murray
13. Kennewell
14. Simonsson
15. Wright Loga-Tarogi
Reserves:
Morrison
Atiola Woods
Wilson
Fenn Clifford
Girdler
Wennerbom Noonan
Hawkins
Taukamo


I'd swap Atiola in for Woods, and while I only saw Chapman play twice, he was outplayed both times, firstly by Storey at Kings, and then by Wilson in the return match at Stanmore - Storey for mine at loose-head, with Horton in the #3 jersey.

I'd also be inclined to add Piroddi to the second row to partner with McCauley, and have Gittoes covering #6. The form #8 in the games I saw was Lawson, although from reading the reports about Pietsch, I can understand his selection.

With the number of quality halfbacks going around, the choice wouldn't have been easy, but both Noonan and Long would be unlucky to miss out - they have very different styles but were equally important as the link between their respective forwards and backs.

I liked what I saw of England but he was mainly playing centre, and so could make a case for a specialist at #10 - Kuenzle would be a good alternative, because there aren't too many 5/8s around who can tackle Girdler as effectively, or as often, as he did in the two games they played, and still make the back-line sing with his slick passing and clever options.

While Loga-Tarogi may not have been at his best in every game this season, he was still outstanding in most games, and his rock-solid defence puts him well ahead of Wright in the fight for fullback.

The reserves bench looks very different in my team, with Woods and Atiola swapping spots, and Wilson coming in as the dark horse from 2nds to replace Chapman. He was easily one of the strongest scrummagers in the Opens, can play both TH & LH, and would have played 1sts all year if he'd been at any other school.

Clifford is my choice as reserve flanker (there's a split hair between him and Smith), and I'd use Girdler as the utility lock/back-row replacement.

The only other change would be Noonan as reserve halfback.

Wright wouldn't get a spot in my team - while there's no doubting his attacking flair, there are serious doubts about his defence -Simonsson can drop back to fullback, and Hawkins & Taukamo can cover centre & wing if required.
 

Bismarck

Herbert Moran (7)
Storey and Atiola are very unfit as pointed out by another and seem to play for 35 mins then run out of steam. I would say the same for Piroddi - big unit lacking impact. Chapman is a great scrummager but in a weaker team - just have to look how he played in NSW 1. Horton is a hooker although can play at 3. I also think Woods is a 7 and would have been a 7 in Scots if not for Smith.

McGregor has been the stand out 10 in this season but seemed to be carrying an injury all season.

Smith although small has had far more impact on games than Clifford.

Sepesa looked out of form this year and was out shone by Murray, Tyrone and kennewell. Would have Wright in there simply for attacking power - his defence isn't that bad when he is chasing them down. As for Jaffer Williams - next year.
 

The has been

Allen Oxlade (6)
Storey and Atiola are very unfit as pointed out by another and seem to play for 35 mins then run out of steam. I would say the same for Piroddi - big unit lacking impact. Chapman is a great scrummager but in a weaker team - just have to look how he played in NSW 1. Horton is a hooker although can play at 3. I also think Woods is a 7 and would have been a 7 in Scots if not for Smith.

McGregor has been the stand out 10 in this season but seemed to be carrying an injury all season.

Smith although small has had far more impact on games than Clifford.

Sepesa looked out of form this year and was out shone by Murray, Tyrone and kennewell. Would have Wright in there simply for attacking power - his defence isn't that bad when he is chasing them down. As for Jaffer Williams - next year.

1. Horton Storey
2. Woods Atiola
3. Chapman Horton
4. McCauley
5. Gittoes Piroddi
6. Pietsch Gittoes
7. Smith
8. Leaver Pietsch
9. Strang
10. England
11. Jaffer-Williams
12. Murray
13. Kennewell
14. Simonsson
15. Wright Loga-Tarogi
Reserves:
Morrison
Atiola Woods
Wilson
Fenn Clifford
Girdler
Wennerbom Noonan
Hawkins
Taukamo


I'd swap Atiola in for Woods, and while I only saw Chapman play twice, he was outplayed both times, firstly by Storey at Kings, and then by Wilson in the return match at Stanmore - Storey for mine at loose-head, with Horton in the #3 jersey.

I'd also be inclined to add Piroddi to the second row to partner with McCauley, and have Gittoes covering #6. The form #8 in the games I saw was Lawson, although from reading the reports about Pietsch, I can understand his selection.

With the number of quality halfbacks going around, the choice wouldn't have been easy, but both Noonan and Long would be unlucky to miss out - they have very different styles but were equally important as the link between their respective forwards and backs.

I liked what I saw of England but he was mainly playing centre, and so could make a case for a specialist at #10 - Kuenzle would be a good alternative, because there aren't too many 5/8s around who can tackle Girdler as effectively, or as often, as he did in the two games they played, and still make the back-line sing with his slick passing and clever options.

While Loga-Tarogi may not have been at his best in every game this season, he was still outstanding in most games, and his rock-solid defence puts him well ahead of Wright in the fight for fullback.

The reserves bench looks very different in my team, with Woods and Atiola swapping spots, and Wilson coming in as the dark horse from 2nds to replace Chapman. He was easily one of the strongest scrummagers in the Opens, can play both TH & LH, and would have played 1sts all year if he'd been at any other school.

Clifford is my choice as reserve flanker (there's a split hair between him and Smith), and I'd use Girdler as the utility lock/back-row replacement.

The only other change would be Noonan as reserve halfback.

Wright wouldn't get a spot in my team - while there's no doubting his attacking flair, there are serious doubts about his defence -Simonsson can drop back to fullback, and Hawkins & Taukamo can cover centre & wing if required.
 

The has been

Allen Oxlade (6)
My team of the year

1 Edwards 9 Lane
2Hedge 10 Patrick
3Santone 11 Armstrong
4Sutter 12 Sinclair
5Hasgard 13 Allen
6Bragg 14 Corbett
7Reader 15 Rixon.
8Doyle

OOOOPS got carries away ... what could have been !
Now real team

Horton.
Woods
Storey
Mcauley
Gittoes
Girdler
Smith
Pietsch

Strang
McGregor
Murray
Kennewell
Prindiville
Loga Tarogi
Wright

All forwards 70 minute players with speed around the paddock, backs great mid field defence and speed to burn.

Reserves
Atiola
Chapman
Bragg
Clifford
Perrodi
Noonan
England
Hawkins
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Team of the year debate. We'll get to 150 pages now - no worries.

Just keep the debate objective please. All selectors see things differently, and have their own prejudices. That is not any reason to get stuck into them for having a different opinion to yours. Discuss the selections not the selector.
 

Not in straight

Vay Wilson (31)
My team of the year

1 Edwards 9 Lane
2Hedge 10 Patrick
3Santone 11 Armstrong
4Sutter 12 Sinclair
5Hasgard 13 Allen
6Bragg 14 Corbett
7Reader 15 Rixon.
8Doyle

OOOOPS got carries away . what could have been !
Now real team

Horton.
Woods
Storey
Mcauley
Gittoes
Girdler
Smith
Pietsch

Strang
McGregor
Murray
Kennewell
Prindiville
Loga Tarogi
Wright

All forwards 70 minute players with speed around the paddock, backs great mid field defence and speed to burn.

Reserves
Atiola
Chapman
Bragg
Clifford
Perrodi
Noonan
England
Hawkins
Nice dream team, but you can't leave out Gregory
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Staff member
Some other personal thoughts:

- I also don't fully agree with the inclusion of McGregor and Wright, given that both missed a lot of the season due to injury.

- Pietsch definitely over Bragg for MVP

- Horton, Murray even Strang would be better picks over Smith for Best & Fairest

.

- The rules mentioned that so long as players played in half of the games it was fine and they did. Your personal thoughts about the rules may have been different and that's fine.

- The measure of value used between the MVP candidates (considering those two only) was that a majority of the ten selectors who voted on the matter thought Shore would miss Bragg, more that Kings would miss Pietsch, should they not be available to play. It was a close vote but it was what it was. You don't agree with the vote, or the rules, and that's fine too.

- Smith was easily the most popular choice with selectors as best player; Murray was second.

- As for other selections - selectors saw players only twice in the year unless they were from the team they follow. No regard was paid to form in trials or rep games. Some of the selections surprised me and mine must have surprised them; however with ten of us, the group got a comprehensive view as a whole.


Don't ask me why selectors voted for that player or the other rather than your personal choice - you would have to take a poll of the ten of us to do that. When asked the people who voted for a player would probably say that it was their personal choice.
.
 

Cash

Sydney Middleton (9)
@OC,
1. Horton Storey
2. Woods Atiola
3. Chapman Horton

Ok, so you rate Atiola over Woods. Fair enough. But I'm still inclined to put Chapman in the side somewhere, and I'd definitely put him there over Storey. But then again, people seem to rate him (Storey) highly, so I suppose he'd at least get the nod over Morrison on the bench.

4. McCauley
5. Gittoes Piroddi

NO. Nobody will deny that Piroddi is a class player, but he hasn't been good enough this season to crack a starting berth in his preferred position. Gittoes, on the other hand, has been phenomenal, and I'd put him in the row sooner than I'd put McCauley there, freeing up the backrow for natural backrowers.

6. Pietsch Gittoes
7. Smith
8. Leaver Pietsch

I can see where you're coming from, as Gittoes scored three at #6 for the GPS. And perhaps Leaver is a controversial pick, but you can have Clifford there if you prefer. I'm just basing it off form, and Leaver's been class for Joeys this year.

9. Strang
10. England

As you mentioned, England played pretty much the entire season at 12, but he was the 10 last year in the side that won the GPS outright. Kuenzle was fantastic, but at the same time England was one of the best backs in the competition this year. And his rep selection is a testament to that.

11. Jaffer-Williams
12. Murray
13. Kennewell
14. Simonsson
15. Wright Loga-Tarogi

I suppose if I'm going to leave McGregor out, I'll have to leave Wright out. And of course, Loga-Tarogi slots in given his consistency. Valid point.

Reserves:
Morrison
Atiola Woods
Wilson
Fenn Clifford
Girdler
Wennerbom Noonan
Hawkins
Taukamo

Fenn needs to be in there; he's been to good this season to be left out. Clifford in over Girdler maybe, or drop Leaver from the starting team onto the bench instead. Noonan's also an understandable inclusion, I only really put Wennerbom there because he's very, very reliable.

Otherwise, your selections are quite sane! Well done.
 

Cash

Sydney Middleton (9)
- The rules mentioned that so long as players played in half of the games it was fine and they did. Your personal thoughts about the rules may have been different and that's fine.

- The measure of value used between the MVP candidates (considering those two only) was that a majority of the ten selectors who voted on the matter thought Shore would miss Bragg, more that Kings would miss Pietsch, should they not be available to play. It was a close vote but it was what it was. You don't agree with the vote, or the rules, and that's fine too.

- Smith was easily the most popular choice with selectors as best player; Murray was second.

- As for other selections - selectors saw players only twice in the year unless they were from the team they follow. No regard was paid to form in trials or rep games. Some of the selections surprised me and mine must have surprised them; however with ten of us, the group got a comprehensive view as a whole.


Don't ask me why selectors voted for that player or the other rather than your personal choice - you would have to take a poll of the ten of us to do that. When asked the people who voted for a player would probably say that it was their personal choice.
.

Fair enough. Just my two cents.
 

The has been

Allen Oxlade (6)
Team of the year debate. We'll get to 150 pages now - no worries.

Just keep the debate objective please. All selectors see things differently, and have their own prejudices. That is not any reason to get stuck into them for having a different opinion to yours. Discuss the selections not the selector.



Agree HJ this is all about having fun with rugby and expressing ideas and opinions which everyone is entitled to. There are so many good players around they cant all fit into one team. One of the Truism's of rugby is good coaches have to be good selectors, so its interesting to see how we all see different combinations working after the end of the season.
 

The has been

Allen Oxlade (6)
Nice dream team, but you can't leave out Gregory


True he had a great year , but as he is in year 11 went with the year 12 players who were very good as well. Gregory should be a standout out next year i believe,not sure what position as maybe wasted on wing . He would be a good centre (13) if he bulks up over the summer ,as he has a good rugby brain.
 

OldColt

Sydney Middleton (9)
Storey and Atiola are very unfit as pointed out by another and seem to play for 35 mins then run out of steam. I would say the same for Piroddi - big unit lacking impact. Chapman is a great scrummager but in a weaker team - just have to look how he played in NSW 1. Horton is a hooker although can play at 3. I also think Woods is a 7 and would have been a 7 in Scots if not for Smith.

McGregor has been the stand out 10 in this season but seemed to be carrying an injury all season.

Smith although small has had far more impact on games than Clifford.

Sepesa looked out of form this year and was out shone by Murray, Tyrone and kennewell. Would have Wright in there simply for attacking power - his defence isn't that bad when he is chasing them down. As for Jaffer Williams - next year.


Sorry Bismarck, but to suggest that Storey & Atiola are 'very unfit' is just ludicrous - you're citing a previous post to support your claim, but I think it was one of my posts actually, and I was making the point then that Helu, the large tight-head prop, was not a 70 min player because of his fitness and work-rate - Atiola would probably have been the fittest forward in the Newington pack, and I don't recall him running out of steam in any of the 12 or 13 games I saw him play. Storey is also very fit, and despite his size, was able to play hard well into the final minutes of every game he played.

I've already conceded that I only saw Chapman twice in the flesh, but on neither occasion did he demonstrate the technique or ability that warrants being labelled 'a great scrummager', regardless of the quality of the rest of the scrum - and I watched the videos of the schools rep games that were available, and didn't see anything there to set him above any other prop in the competition. And if you watch the video of the second match against Newington, you'll be able to see the clearly illegal bind he uses with his hooker, in an effort to split the Newington LH (Wilson) away from Atiola - a half decent referee should have picked it up and issued a yellow card as it was potentially dangerous, and he did it throughout the game. Fortunately for New, Wilson was more than a match for him, and the tactic was unsuccessful.

Your suggestion that Piroddi lacked impact (and fitness??) would probably come as a surprise to any opposition tight-five players, and inside backs, given the number of line-bending runs and hard-hitting tackles he made in the matches I saw. He's not the flashiest of players, I'll grant you, but he is a great line-out jumper and an enormously powerful scrummager. Not sure what else you want in a lock? And as far as I can recall I didn't see him pole-axe any wingers with a swinging arm.....

If you recall, I had Clifford on the bench - I agree that Smith was very good, although I had to supplement the two live games I saw with repeated viewing of the available videos - however, Clifford was the next best in that role from what I saw of the other games.

McGregor only played in one of the Riverview games I watched this year, and wasn't the star I was expecting him to be.

I'm intrigued by the comment that Sepesa Loga-Tarogi was 'out shone by Murray, Tyrone and kennewell' - I imagine that even he would likely agree with that comment, given the fact that Murray & Kennewell were clearly the best centres in the GPS competition, and Taukamo was among the top try-scorers. But I think your comment was intended to be dismissive, sadly, and it's hard to dismiss a player who consistently breaks tackles when he chimes into the backline, and who routinely provides the final pass for a try. Added to that is the factor that sets him well apart from Wright, and that is his fearless and resolute defence - I can't imagine too many opposition backs looked forward to trying to get past him, and very few of them ever did. And it must be very disconcerting for an opponent who's just been driven into the turf by Sepesa, to find him giving them a hand back to their feet, while expressing concern for their welfare, accompanied by his cheeky grin. He's a great player, and a thoroughly decent young man, who, sadly, has not always received the respect he deserves from opponents or opposition supporters.
 

OldColt

Sydney Middleton (9)
@OC,
1. Horton Storey
2. Woods Atiola
3. Chapman Horton

Ok, so you rate Atiola over Woods. Fair enough. But I'm still inclined to put Chapman in the side somewhere, and I'd definitely put him there over Storey. But then again, people seem to rate him (Storey) highly, so I suppose he'd at least get the nod over Morrison on the bench.

4. McCauley
5. Gittoes Piroddi

NO. Nobody will deny that Piroddi is a class player, but he hasn't been good enough this season to crack a starting berth in his preferred position. Gittoes, on the other hand, has been phenomenal, and I'd put him in the row sooner than I'd put McCauley there, freeing up the backrow for natural backrowers.

6. Pietsch Gittoes
7. Smith
8. Leaver Pietsch

I can see where you're coming from, as Gittoes scored three at #6 for the GPS. And perhaps Leaver is a controversial pick, but you can have Clifford there if you prefer. I'm just basing it off form, and Leaver's been class for Joeys this year.

9. Strang
10. England

As you mentioned, England played pretty much the entire season at 12, but he was the 10 last year in the side that won the GPS outright. Kuenzle was fantastic, but at the same time England was one of the best backs in the competition this year. And his rep selection is a testament to that.

11. Jaffer-Williams
12. Murray
13. Kennewell
14. Simonsson
15. Wright Loga-Tarogi

I suppose if I'm going to leave McGregor out, I'll have to leave Wright out. And of course, Loga-Tarogi slots in given his consistency. Valid point.

Reserves:
Morrison
Atiola Woods
Wilson
Fenn Clifford
Girdler
Wennerbom Noonan
Hawkins
Taukamo

Fenn needs to be in there; he's been to good this season to be left out. Clifford in over Girdler maybe, or drop Leaver from the starting team onto the bench instead. Noonan's also an understandable inclusion, I only really put Wennerbom there because he's very, very reliable.

Otherwise, your selections are quite sane! Well done.


Thanks Cash! I can't recall the last time someone thought I'd said or done anything that could be described as 'sane'!!
 

Bismarck

Herbert Moran (7)
Don't blubber all over your Newington tie OldColt. It is only my opinion and clearly yours is different and surprisingly so was the GAGR selectors.

It was a game strategy for those playing against New to run the unfit front row off their feet - it nearly worked except for their very strong backs. Would still assert Sepesa wouldn't make my team but again, my opinion.

Luckily keyboard warriors aren't selectors.
 

OldColt

Sydney Middleton (9)
Don't blubber all over your Newington tie OldColt. It is only my opinion and clearly yours is different and surprisingly so was the GAGR selectors.

It was a game strategy for those playing against New to run the unfit front row off their feet - it nearly worked except for their very strong backs. Would still assert Sepesa wouldn't make my team but again, my opinion.

Luckily keyboard warriors aren't selectors.

Unfortunately I don't possess a Newington tie, but if I did, there'd be very little evidence of blubbering on it (a little bit of champagne perhaps, but no blubber) - and the so-called 'game strategy' clearly worked so brilliantly that the Newington front-row was still fit enough to have their photo taken with the premiership trophy following the final game. It must be comforting for the architects of this well thought-out and cleverly executed strategy that it 'nearly worked'.

I don't mind a genuine difference of opinion, and I'm always happy to engage in an exchange of views, but when you made those baseless comments about a couple of very good players, I thought it was worth replying.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Don't blubber all over your Newington tie OldColt. It is only my opinion and clearly yours is different and surprisingly so was the GAGR selectors.

It was a game strategy for those playing against New to run the unfit front row off their feet - it nearly worked except for their very strong backs. Would still assert Sepesa wouldn't make my team but again, my opinion.

Luckily keyboard warriors aren't selectors.

8 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss would suggest that it wasn't as great a strategy as you think. :)

I'd also point out that the winning try in the last match was scored by the Newington hooker - in the 70th minute of a very quick match, played on quite a warm day. He didn't look too tired or unfit on Sidesteppa's video.;)
 

Bismarck

Herbert Moran (7)
take the point up with the GAGR selectors - they included Helu but said he needed to work on fitness, discipline and scrummaging and they didn't include the other ones (probably for the same reason :p:p).

And the strategy did work when they lost.
 
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