NSW club rugby thread

[Rugby Rat]

A similar Qld example. It's like rating the Nudgee boys and forcing them to play against Brothers.

Sure there are those Nudgee boys that will play for other teams but to be forced ?

Power to freedom of choice. Not power to the non playing rugby board. I am thinking we need a player's Union for Union which would stand up for player's rights.

No, it's not. It's not a similar example at all.

Anyway, having 3 or so completely dominant teams removes freedom of choice, as top players can pick from 3 teams instead of 12. So that argument is silly.

As for living in Randwick, no way. I choose to live in or around Balmain. The argument that players want to all live in Randwick for the lifestyle is one of the silliest things ever said on a rugby board. Ever heard of gross generalisations?

Finally, there being only a few dominat teams wouldn't be such a problem, if it didn't affect poorly on the development of players and the spreading of the sport into non-core areas, which is required. The big problem is these clubs think they are bigger than the game of rugby, which pedants like RR clearly agree with. This is a shame, but then I've also met a few Randwick supporters who have more balanced views, so you can't tar them all with the same brush. Unfortunately.

Lived on the water in Rozelle for a few years. Nice but IMO the Eastern suburbs is somewhere between 10 and 100 times better. Closer to 100 tho. My opinion is biased based upon being a surfer. I like the beach.

Also, I never said anything about the majority wanting to live on the northern or southern beaches. All I said was there should be freedom of choice or you might find a fair few disgruntled players staying put ( ACT) or playing elsewhere including overseas.

If there is no problem with talent or numbers out West then look at the skill coaching. If there is a problem drawing kids to Rugby Union then that is not a problem of the 3 bigger clubs being a popular place to play grade.

Randwick supporters with balanced views ? Obviously Easts or Uni supporters in diguise...lol

 

[barbarian]

Also, I never said anything about the majority wanting to live on the northern or southern beaches. All I said was there should be freedom of choice or you might find a fair few disgruntled players staying put ( ACT) or playing elsewhere including overseas.

If there is no problem with talent or numbers out West then look at the skill coaching. If there is a problem drawing kids to Rugby Union then that is not a problem of the 3 bigger clubs being a popular place to play grade.

But freedom of choice is not working, and there IS a problem with talent AND numbers out west- it is going to other sports at a rapid rate. And whilst that is not the fault of the big 3 clubs, it is in the best interests of the game to develop out west.

If we invest money in infrastructure, coaching etc. then kids won't want to go to Randwick or Uni in search of better exposure, or worse go to league. And while I understand your argument about lifestyle, the guys we need to target are the ones who cannot afford to move to the East or North- they are generally still at home around the age of 18, 19, 20. At the moment they are one of our most alented development pools, and they ain't moving to Randwick- they going to league.

 

[Pfitzy]

Naturally enough, barbarian makes a good point - how can anyone outside the GPS setup get a gig in the higher echelons of rugby? You can't, simply put. Take guys like Beale and Jone Tawake. Got noticed, got put into the right school, got selected. Of course, its a matter of getting state schools to run rugby programs, which they won't because they get bugger all support from an ARU already struggling to keep so many other comps running.

I've seen the work of our current Players' Union and I like it not: Tony Dempsey is willing to throw hand grenades to get players pay cheques they don't deserve. Superleague is gone as if it never was. Players getting $500K a year are probably the top end as far as I'm concerned, until Rugby actually starts to pay its way beyond the S14/3N rights, which basically flow straight through the ARU's coffers into the fat bank accounts of players and player managers.

 

[AussieDominance]

The thing is that the ARU sets aside a certain amount of money each season for player salary's. This has not been increased thus your point is invalid about it all going back into ARU's coffers - 25% is set aside I am pretty sure. Most of for example Lote's money comes from 3rd party endorsements that the NSWRU helpep him in securing. The NSWRU only play him 110,000 or whatever it is.

Narrabeen had a great rugby program going a few years ago under Greg Gerrard former Australian Schoolboys assistant coach and ex rats colts - coordinator produced many Australian Schoolboys Gerrard,Luke Holmes, Valentine, Stevie Evans, Lei Tomiki etc the list goes on.

Once he left though it went kaput. It has to have someone who is a teacher capable of running it.

 

[Pfitzy]

And besides someone motivated enough to do it, it has to have funding capable of sustaining it. I know the ARU are always crying poor as a way of getting RUPA off their backs, but we need to get something like that program going and targeted at particular regions.

What we need to remember is players are still using bargaining chips that arose during the SuperLeague years were ridiculous sums of money were offered by Uncle Rupert to go to the dark side. People complain that we didn't keep Latham due to the pay cut he got, and I agree having his experience would be an asset right now, but its got to be put up against the future of the game once the war chest from RWC2003 runs out - and it will.

Third party deals are all well and good, but they create a bit of a false economy - we need to realise that AFL and even League shrug their shoulders at our "International" sport on those issues, because being a big fish in a little pond still pays pretty well. Sure, the NRL can shit themselves occasionally over French clubs cherry picking their best talent, but ultimately there are only so many spots overseas and, like the ARU, there will be a time where the French Club system finds out that not everyone can make the switch long-term ala Rogers and Sailor.

 

[the gambler]

Cant wait to see the responses to your post Nick. You will have the Queenslanders hopping mad. Saying it was right to let Latham go and that Rogers and Sailor were good long term options. All without the :fishing icon. You are a brave man.

 

[Rugby Rat]

OH BTW,

It wasn't that I didn't like Balmain. Lived there and thereabouts for the first 4 years in Sydney.

I just as a rule enjoy the beach and living near one.

 

[Pfitzy]

I didn't say it was right to let Latham go. I didn't say it was right to give him a pay cut either But we need to consider that the only serious challenges in terms of $$$ are coming from Japan or the NH. Paying big bucks to Lote to keep him in the sport smacks of desperation. Especially when he plays like poo more often than not at Test level

 

[naza]

Easts 28 knocked West Harbour 15 out of the semi's. Pirates didn't adjust well to the wet weather. Easts won through solid defence and ability to turn the ball over. Their scrummaging was dominant but their lineout not the best. A terrific win.

Tomorrow Lee's Rats take on Randwick, who have Frier, Hoiles and Ratu back. Hope the Rats pull off the upset as it gives Easts a better run to the final.

 

[Moses]

Pretty good game I thought, but what was with the commentator getting wood talking about Rathbone legs every time he ran it up?

 

[Johnno]

Missed the game, fortunately there's a torrent in the usual place so will watch that shortly :thumb

 

[Lee Grant]

Randwick 30 Rats 24 Argggggghhh

I thought this was my lucky day because I arrived at the Woollhara cow paddock, the worst rugby ground in Sydney, and jagged a parking spot from someone who was just leaving. I strode in, flashed my pensioner?s card and before I could demand a concession was told it was free for me.

I was on a roll !!!

It was an absolutely cracking game with the Green Slime in the lead all of the game and the meritorious Rats coming back against the guys with the bigger scrapbooks and pay packets throughout the afternoon, then, right at the end of the game ??? but I digress.

Hmmmm ? Adam Freier didn?t play in this game although his name was in the programme. Has Dingo brought him into the Oz squad for tomorrow?s training session??? And Sheehan was allowed to play?!? Why, when, gulp, he is rated the no 2 healthy scrummie in the land. Is he out?

Who would be called in if Sheehan got damaged? And he was ? just after half time he walked off full of hurt accompanied by a female physio who looked to be 10 years old, and came up to his navel, or maybe I wrote that wrong.

Faaaaarque, I said, and the biased Randwick fans, not worrying a jot about the Wallabies next week, cheered their biggest danger off. But 10 minutes later there he was back and when a nasty, one-eyed, truculent Slime supporter questioned me (a polite, quiet, genteel, unbiased Rats fan) as to why he was allowed to return, I invoked the Kiwi blood defence, as when AB Cowan went off ? bleeding inside the mouth.

But seriously, Sheehan had a terrific match, as did Beau Robinson who carved up several times for the Rats - and lock Sitaleki Timani was probably the best player on the park. These last two had the best games I have seen them play.

For the Slime, Pieman Turinui, just off the plane from the Reds tour made the Rats watch him for too long most times he got the ball and this despite helpful suggestions from yours truly that he be tackled not looked at. 7 Rodney Voullaire, who I can?t remember before this year, was a stand out for 80 minutes.

For the Rats Gerrard had a game he would rather forget and for the Slime big Nasiganiyavi was hugely disappointing. Unheralded Shaun Killian was marking the big fella and got him every time. The Tahs coaches have a lot to do before the big fella gets on the park in the S14 based on that performance.

Key moments:

? Clint Eadie chips over the fullback and towards the posts, regathers and scores for the Rats ? game on - 10-7.

? Rats do a complicated backs move which succeeds only in training ? but hang on ? it works. Eadie converts from touch 15-14.

? Rat Gerrard tries a low clearing kick in his 22 ? charge down ? a pass goes to Rat Duncan who passes instinctively to ?. Slimer Hoiles who was following the charge down ? gift - under the posts ? 22-14. Kepu of the Slime pats Duncan on the head and in the 2nd half the two get into a fight and Kepu gets a yellow card.

At half time it?s 22-17 Slime.

? Just after oranges Slime get a FK with Rats backs out of defensive position. Pieman is thinking quicker than anybody and taps and goes whilst the Rats watch him again. Try - 27-14. Poor Slime goal kicking from Tim Walsh keeps the Rats in the game all afternoon.

? Beau Robinson makes one of his breaks, runs up to the fullback and passes to Gerrard flying slowly infield. Under the posts. WTF?? He knocks on placing the ball after the tackle over the line?? Tell me it ain?t true ref.

? About 10 minutes to go the Rats panic and put the non-tackling Willie Bishop onto the park. The cunning ploy works and he?s under the posts ? 30-24. The Rats are coming back. Yahoo.

? Final move of the game; Rats attacking in the Slime 22; Slime penalised 3 times for offside because the Rats need a try -yet no card. Rats winger is over in the corner; no ? stopped; on his back dishes the ball out to another Rat ? OVER ? TRY. Woo hoo, a kick from near touch will win the game.

WTF ? what are the touchie and ref talking about? Forward pass ? no try??? Tell me it ain?t so. But it is. Whistle. Slime win.


A top game in which the Rats had every chance to win but the try from the charge down and falling asleep when Pieman tapped and went were the killers for them.

It wasn?t the best performance by Randwick but it was decent finals footie.

 

[naza]

? Beau Robinson makes one of his breaks, runs up to the fullback and passes to Gerrard flying slowly infield. Under the posts. WTF?? He knocks on placing the ball after the tackle over the line?? Tell me it ain?t true ref.

Sounds like it was brutal to watch your boys butcher some opportunities. Unlike them to switch off in defence though - like Easts, its been sharpening up in defence that had rejuvenated their form. You are quite welcome to jump on the mighty Beasts bandwagon though.

As to the above about Gerrard..that's classic Gerrard. :lmao:

Does he still wonder why he's not in the Wallabies ? Gee Mark, could it be that you are ponderous, error prone, can't finish and don't even stand out at club level ?

 

[Rugby Rat]

It sems the Mighty Galloping Greens were lucky to win.

I was planning on going. However after looking at whereis .com.au and seeing that Woollahra Oval was in the middle of nowhere it was decided that the gym was the better option. I should have been surfing tho and might take off early today for a paddle.

I wil try and make it to Pittwater Oval for this weeks game. However, every time I cross the bridge I seem to end up get a parking fine at Newport beach...lol.

 

[Lee Grant]

I don't know about lucky, maybe the reporter was biased.

I didn't give enough credit to the Slime defence even though the cheating rotten sods were offside every time the fair-playing Rats were down in the Slime 22 on the comeback. They tackled like demons.

For those who want a neutral version of the game, though I don't know why:

http://www.nswrugby.com.au/MediaExtranet/News/2008/September/RandwickflyhightoedgeRatsinthriller.aspx

I didn't realise that the angelic Rat Duncan got a card at the same time as that Slime thug Kepu, who was doing a Duncan McRae imitation on him, but refereeing bias must be suspected.

 

[Rugby Rat]

I don't know about lucky, maybe the reporter was biased.

I didn't give enough credit to the Slime defence even though the cheating rotten sods were offside every time the fair-playing Rats were down in the Slime 22 on the comeback. They tackled like demons.

For those who want a neutral version of the game, though I don't know why:

http://www.nswrugby.com.au/MediaExtranet/News/2008/September/RandwickflyhightoedgeRatsinthriller.aspx

I didn't realise that the angelic Rat Duncan got a card at the same time as that Slime thug Kepu, who was doing a Duncan McRae imitation on him, but refereeing bias must be suspected.

I will buy my GF tickets today. Gordon will be no match. Pity about the locations. Pittwater then Concord. Typical of the Vader led Points per player Deathstar that is the NSWRU.

The mighty Galloping Greens will still win.

Pittwater...Last time I crossed the big loch an elderly gentleman decided to cross three lanes of traffic without indicating or looking b4 finally managing to ram into a parked car some 100 metres further along.
Pfftttt...Will also bring the Croc repellant.

Not so sure about Concord apart from the mess that is Parramatta Road or if by train that is eeek...4 or 5 stops. I hope I don't catch anything nasty. Maybe it's easier to drive and not drink. On the sober stretch anyways until Christmas.

 

[Aussie D]

I thought the NSWRU had ruled that Turinui wasn't eligible for the finals as he had not played the requisite number of games. Let me guess the NSWRU again showed its bias towards the unholy trinity....

 

[Rugby Rat]

I thought the NSWRU had ruled that Turinui wasn't eligible for the finals as he had not played the requisite number of games. Let me guess the NSWRU again showed its bias towards the unholy trinity....

Hard but fair. It would seem however that it the opposite. More so bias against with the introduction of player ratings.

Anyways. 2008 stiil is a great year for the Shute Shield. All of the stars including the Brumbies playing in the Sydney comp at your local oval. Don't really know why the NSWRU wants to change it.

I would certainly like to see the 2008 wicks team there at Coogee again in 2009.

Good luck to all teams involved in the semis. Randwick FTW though..lol

 

[Aussie D]

I thought the NSWRU had ruled that Turinui wasn't eligible for the finals as he had not played the requisite number of games. Let me guess the NSWRU again showed its bias towards the unholy trinity....

Hard but fair. It would seem however that it the opposite. More so bias against with the introduction of player ratings.

Anyways. 2008 stiil is a great year for the Shute Shield. All of the stars including the Brumbies playing in the Sydney comp at your local oval. Don't really know why the NSWRU wants to change it.

I would certainly like to see the 2008 wicks team there at Coogee again in 2009.

Good luck to all teams involved in the semis. Randwick FTW though..lol

Don't know how you can call it a great year with one club dominating, the majority of clubs bordering on mediocrity - rising above it some weeks slipping beneath it others and the usual suspects propping up the bottom of the table. Crowds were again poor, despite star players being available for large slabs of the season. It will be interesting to see if the changes the NSWRU are introducing will have any effect on the quality of the overall competition. If the 'tahs insist on signing players straight out of school into training squads or academies or whatever they want to call them maybe they can start distributing them to some of the lesser clubs rather than the current ploy of them all going to the same clubs each year.

 

[Rugby Rat]

My experience this year has been a good one. I like grass roots footy. The type played at the local Rugby oval for the enjoyement of both players and spectators.

The players actually looked to be ENJOYING themselves. WOW !! Can't have that tho can we ? Maybe we will throw some more money at them or move them somewhere and take the their fun out of of the game.

You know what the REAL problem is ? Too many grumpy old codgers in charge that like to spoil everyone else's fun. Rugby Union is a SPORT. Sport is to be enjoyed. Maybe if we taught the youngsters how to have fun and enjoy the game then we win the battle.

My boss is the same. He almost beleives he OWNS me. I ring up for a sickie, usually for a surf or mental health day and he gives me a hard time. My life....My choice. No Mortgage, no kids and plenty of work elsewhere. I honestly beleive he is an idiot. My care factor is zip. Sidenote to that is my charge out rate is around $250 per hour so it ain't like he isn't filling his pocket when I am here. On my side there is plenty of work to do so I am not complaining nor will i change jobs in any great hurry.

So, my point is, the NSWRU does not OWN players. Stop giving the orders. If a player wants to play for a particular club then so be it. Union is a SPORT. It is for enjoyment. Sure they may have good intentions but we might just find a fair few of the players choosing to do "other" things as opposed to playing for a team they don't care for.