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[Pfitzy]

Played Lane Cove today and on the suspicion that they were going to stack their Seconds, we dropped a couple of First Graders back as a safety. More of a leadership move really, to settle our Seconds down and help forge the way. As it turns out, it worked to the tune of 64-5. I had a fairly good game starting at LHP but really need to do something about my fitness and lack of sleep as my effort drops away after a fairly solid start. I got subbed 5 after halftime, made a few metres with the ball (it opened up like the Red Sea I tells ya!) and hit a few rucks. Our lineout dominated them and the scrum was fairly even as each pack lost concentration at various points.

I had Mrs TA at home sick so didn't get to stick around and watch Firsts, but we won 45-17 apparently. Lane Cove look definite challengers this year for First Grade and a lot of their Seconds were pretty handy too.

In the best news of all, the dirty cock-smokers from Oakhill lost both grades to Division minnows Roseville! :lmao: Suck my hairy bag you utter fluffybunnys! We'll look forward to burying you when you play us next.

Next week: the big showdown between us and Harlequins, who came down from 4th Div this year. Both First Grade sides are ripping up the competition while their Seconds are a bit hodge-podge looking at their team sheets. Won't be waiting around for an ambush though. Most important that Seconds build on our set moves and start lifting.

 

[Turban]

I'm not going to post here again till we win (3 losses in a row after sitting top of the ladder a few weeks ago) but I have the biggest shiner of my carrear, and I've had a few beauty's, but this one was half and inch out within a minute, I don't remember how it got it thou.

Unfortunately I still had perfect vision Friday night to watch the Force.

 

[Pfitzy]

I've got a bruise on my forehead from a clash with my halfback as we both went in to tackle. Will be interesting going into work Monday. Still, better than their No8 who got about three separate Grade 1 concussions at different points in the game. He was a big lad and got tackled hard.

 

[Scarfman]

I've got a bruise on my forehead from a clash with my halfback as we both went in to tackle. Will be interesting going into work Monday. Still, better than their No8 who got about three separate Grade 1 concussions at different points in the game. He was a big lad and got tackled hard.

Is Grade 1 when they puke? It should be.

 

[Pfitzy]

Nah Grade one is a minor one - you don't lose consciousness but your brain gets a bouncing and you feel a bit wobbly. Kind of like you're just had the first 8 schooners Lasts a few minutes. They class Grade Two as no loss of consciousness but the symptoms last longer than 15 minutes. Grade Three is Goodnight Nurse - loss of consciousness even for just a few seconds. If they go into shock after that, then you might take the Slow Boat to Pukesville.

I believe under the IRB guidelines any player with a Grade 3 should be rested for compulsory three weeks though that's been known to be circumvented with medical approval. Grade 2 is about a week's rest for most people but probably not pro athletes.

 

[Pfitzy]

Went for a 3km run/walk tonight - ouch! Did it in a tick under 20 minutes which is basically my benchmark from here on in. I have no idea what I could do it in given I haven't run that far since I trained for ADFA by doing 5km run in army boots as a teen. I've decided on a rudimentary program:

Monday: 3km run
Tuesday: Ride to/from work + Heavy weights session (core and legs e.g. squats, deadlifts)
Wednesday: Training
Thursday: Light weights session + ride to work
Friday: 5km walk
Saturday: Play rugby
Sunday: Light weights recovery session

If I want to play another full game this year I'll have to get much fitter than I am now. I don't want any bastard taking my spot either!

 

[Pfitzy]

Meh. Another 3km run tonight after I missed going to the gym. Probably better for me in the long run.

 

[Pfitzy]

Travelled to Waterloo to face Sydney Harlequins today. I got there only 15 mins before kickoff thanks to shitty traffic and so found myself on the bench behind a new bloke and one of our regulars - latter is a big lad whose fitness is not totally up to it, so I knew I'd be on soon. Quins called uncontested scrums from the get-go, which was a bugger. We took a lead of 5-3 into halftime and then suddenly scrums were contested again: the ref for the First Grade game informed them in no uncertain terms that if they didn't contest Second Grade then they couldn't have any First Grade front row reserves. That changed their mind, and I almost cheered when they decided into the second half that scrums were back on. I then proceeded to obliterate their THP as we finished the game 19-3 - no bonus point.

First Grade I was on standby more out of hope than anything, as we were expecting one of the regulars to show up. Then our LHP got carded and the regular hadn't shown up. The ref (who was an utter moron) had a really shitty engage call that was basically crouch-touch followed one second later by something that sounded like "pausengage", and as I was still playing second grade when he talked to the First Grade side about it I was caught out a little. Quins' first grade THP was a keg of a bloke (but not fat) on two stick legs, but he was a hard facker and the few scrums I had during the yellow card period were tough, but did me good. I came off and then the boys took it up a notch against a very well-drilled side, getting out to a decent lead. Then our hooker and captain got carded for an utter bullshit swinging arm call and I was back on at LHP for a few scrums and did alright. We won eventually 25-19 after our flyhalf had to leave early for an event and our dominant attack went off the boil.

So 20 minutes in Firsts, and about 50 in Seconds for a fairly productive day. My fitness still needs a load of work though...

 

[Pfitzy]

Fucking filthy.

On Wednesday I turned up to training and worked my arse off despite being crook. Then I front up at the game today and get benched behind one bloke who isn't a prop's arse (and wasn't at training), and another who is half a game back from injury and on engagement resembles the Harbour Bridge. Neither of them is fitter than I am. So I proceed to watch our scrum get nailed every feed even though we're up 10-7 at halftime. What makes it worse is our backs have a case of pop-the-50/50 ball instead of just going to fucking deck and playing the percentages. When we DO get a lead we do stupid shit like run it from our 22 instead of playing territory. Standing next to me is another of the reserve props (we've got a lot) who plays THP and we're both discussing the awful technique of the guys out there.

I get on and start belting the snot out of their THP, driving them through the 90 a couple of times and also allowing our rake to get a great hook on them. In the last minute the fucking backs knock it on. A new bloke is on who wants to play THP and the existing THP tells me to get into the second row. I figure "fair enough, let's see what happens" when I should have said "FUCK. OFF". In any case, I pack looshead lock and allow us to nudge them off the ball, then the oppo LHP hits the ball back with his hand and they score, converting to win. I'm less pissed off about the loss (because we played like shit) than I am about being on the bench. Even the opposition prop gave me a wrap after the game.

As I'm leaving I wander over to the Firsts Head Coach and he says "How was that?" I smile and say "Fine".

Then put on my angry face (like this: :angryfire and start into my rant about the fucking pointlessness of turning up to training if I can't get a start, despite being clearly the best prop available. If me and the other prop available (both of us have started for First Grade) had started we would have owned those guys at the set piece and played territory all day. That's not bullshit either, because the Head Coach said he'd talk to the Seconds Coaches about it.

 

[PaarlBok]

Doc sorry to here about the touchies injury. I loved playing it and usually did it on sundays when me and the kid plus my sheep dog take a walk. I stop that because I hurt my knee in December trying to play touchies with the kid and others on the beach. That make me realize I am now to old for this kind of thing.

My 9 year old kid start playing full contact 15 men rugby at the start of the season and I really enjoy watching and supporting him and now try to give him lessons on sundays. It feels like myself starting all over again and really enjoys it a lot. I wont bore you lot with schoolboy active stuff tho.

Any other parents here that have kids playing rugby?

 

[formeropenside]

Doc sorry to here about the touchies injury. I loved playing it and usually did it on sundays when me and the kid plus my sheep dog take a walk. I stop that because I hurt my knee in December trying to play touchies with the kid and others on the beach. That make me realize I am now to old for this kind of thing.

My 9 year old kid start playing full contact 15 men rugby at the start of the season and I really enjoy watching and supporting him and now try to give him lessons on sundays. It feels like myself starting all over again and really enjoys it a lot. I wont bore you lot with schoolboy active stuff tho.

Any other parents here that have kids playing rugby?

Well I think T78 said somewhere that he has a young nephew who enjoys running into things with his head, if that counts.

I'm making sure my 20-month old watches rugby with me. Hopefully he'll pick it up. He's even England qualified through his grandfather, so he can always play for England if he can't crack the Wallabies.

 

[PaarlBok]

I'm making sure my 20-month old watches rugby with me. Hopefully he'll pick it up. He's even England qualified through his grandfather, so he can always play for England if he can't crack the Wallabies.

Good stuff. Keep buying balls, birthday, Xmass any reason and maybe a rugby jersey. Will be nice to teach him fatty lessons, they love scrumming from 20 months.

 

[Pfitzy]

Training cancelled last night and Roseville this weekend - hope their Seconds don't forfeit or I might be out of a match.

 

[formeropenside]

Doc sorry to here about the touchies injury. I loved playing it and usually did it on sundays when me and the kid plus my sheep dog take a walk. I stop that because I hurt my knee in December trying to play touchies with the kid and others on the beach. That make me realize I am now to old for this kind of thing.

My 9 year old kid start playing full contact 15 men rugby at the start of the season and I really enjoy watching and supporting him and now try to give him lessons on sundays. It feels like myself starting all over again and really enjoys it a lot. I wont bore you lot with schoolboy active stuff tho.

Any other parents here that have kids playing rugby?

Well I think T78 said somewhere that he has a young nephew who enjoys running into things with his head, if that counts.

I'm making sure my 20-month old watches rugby with me. Hopefully he'll pick it up. He's even England qualified through his grandfather, so he can always play for England if he can't crack the Wallabies.

Hmmm, I just realised he may well be Wales-qualified too, via his grandmother.

 

[PaarlBok]

FO look like you do have a lot of nations in that redder then Crofties blood bru. :nta:

 

[Pfitzy]

Played Roseville today and handed out a belting in both grades - 72-10 in Firsts and 38-10 in Seconds. I got the first half of the 2nds game and then subbed out - we were leading 12-0 at the time and the coach gave me a serve for speaking up during the halftime break because I dared to state we should hit it up around the ruck because there were yards to be made. He said I should shut up because I'd done fuck all. Besides the two turnovers I'd won, the 15 metre run I'd carved up and the young THP I was about to put in hospital.

The real issue is were WEREN'T hitting up the middle and every time we chucked it wide the fucking backs would drop it. So second half starts and because Roseville has no reserves, we start carving up. Through the middle. There are rumblings that certain races are favoured over others. We're in big trouble come finals time.

But to cheer me up, I got 20 minutes with First Grade late in the game and conceded two penalties, made a few yards, and scrummed the house down 8)

 

[Scarfman]

Your version. Your coach's version. I'm torn Nick, I'm torn. :lmao:

 

[cyclopath]

Nick, you're that good you should start talking about yourself in the third person, I reckon! ;D

 

[Pfitzy]

Nick doesn't know what either of you are implying... 8)

Seriously though, after the game - and talking to some other players - I'm not alone in this belief. Several other players have received the same treatment. There was even a comment about one of our flyhalves: "You're a white boy playing in a black man's team" which is hardly inspiring.

 

[Mad Mozzie]

Brother just achieved the fine milestone of playing his 250th first grade game for Gosford Devils...... not a bad effort considering he has been brought out of retirement twice to assist in the frontrow. :thumb
Even his wife was proud of his efforts - although I do think she is hoping he will hang up his boots and devote a bit of his Saturday to the kids sporting endeavours!