Sydney Subbies 2022

[Pfitzy]

Seen standing with the Renegades, offering advice to the coaches and support staff.

More to me actually. I'm just the Club Secretary who had come off after a shit game letting in 2 tries and throwing 50% crooked lineouts - what do I know?

You're right about the decision making - could have tied that game up or even taken the lead late, but we scrummed (dominantly) where we should have gone to the line and tapped when we should have scrummed in the last few minutes.

 

[Waterloo_Ned]

Disaster at Harlequins with our 2s game abandoned.

Our 1s were disappointing. All in all, the year from hell has caught up from us. The amount of wet weather weeks, half our club in Europe, and we just are not what we could be. Who would have thought this year would be worse than the last two?

 

[Waterloo_Ned]

Fuck Mathias Wann must go alright. Managed to push Curtis Scott out to the wing this week!

He is a really good player. He could play first grade at all Division 2 clubs (With the exception of Hills who are stacked in the centres) and a few Division 1 clubs. I coached him for a few years and he has a really good habit of in and away and just burns players with speed.

 

[Subbiesgoat]

St Pats keep winning fans in Division 1.

They’ll take more away from yesterday than Colleagues.

 

[Pfitzy]

Ladder for finals
1 Sydney Harbour
2 Epping
3 Manly Savers
4 Redfield Old Boys
5 Merrylands
6 Macquarie Uni
7 Renegades - we might get there on for/against but need to win every game handily.
8 Western Raptors
9 Chatswood
10 Northern Saints
11 Hawkesbury Ag College
12 Canterbury

McLean Cup two weeks to go - my prediction from July 8 is looking good in terms of teams, but not in terms of order. Revised Top 6:

1 Harbour
2 Savers
3 Epping
4 Merrylands
5 Redfield
6 Mac Uni

After that a buffer down to Renegades and Chatswood.

The only real question is Redfield - what happens v Saints? Will they play? Will someone forfeit? Might not matter either way with the Top 6 pretty set

 

[Pfitzy]

Ladder for finals
1 Merrylands
2 Epping
3 Sydney Harbour
4 Redfield Old Boys
5 Manly Savers
6 Renegades - absence of Canterbury helps here...
7 Hawkesbury Ag College
8 Chatswood
9 Macquarie Uni
10 Northern Saints
11 Canterbury / Raptors

Grose Cup review versus prediction of July 11. I reckon with the loss at Manly, Merrylands 2s have opened the door for Epping to finish top:

1 Epping
2 Sydney Harbour
3 Merrylands
4 Redfield Old Boys
5 Manly Savers
6 Chatswood

Renegades, HAC and Mac Uni a few points beyond that.

 

[WoodyWoodsman]

McLean Cup two weeks to go - my prediction from July 8 is looking good in terms of teams, but not in terms of order. Revised Top 6:

1 Harbour
2 Savers
3 Epping
4 Merrylands
5 Redfield
6 Mac Uni

After that a buffer down to Renegades and Chatswood.

The only real question is Redfield - what happens v Saints? Will they play? Will someone forfeit? Might not matter either way with the Top 6 pretty set

Do we know how the finals will run yet?
If they give 1/2 the first week off, that Merrylands v Redfield game will be a barnburner.
If they go with 1v6, 2v5, 3v4, Merrylands and Epping facing off two weeks in a row.

 

[Pfitzy]

On Division 6 - they're going for a split format this year where teams finishing 1-4 will play for Jeffrey Cup and then teams 5-8 play for Meldrum Cup.

1 Menai
2 Irish
3 Sea Lice
4 Burraneer

With Burra thrashing Brothers 91-7 (Curtis Scott 4 tries, fullback with 3) you'd give them a reasonable chance of pushing through from 4. Momentum and all that. Menai didn't play after Dukes forfeited so they'll have had a week off. Wakehurst lost to Irish to miss top 4 by a point - they had one extra win over Burra but the Hammerheads had 12 BPs for the year!

5 Wakehurst
6 Brothers
7 Kings OBs
8 Oatley

Hmmmm. Wakehurst look favourites here to me. Their losses are Irish 14-22 (H), Menai 12-73 (H), Sea Lice 14-43 (A), Irish 7-38 (A). So they're undefeated against everyone else, with a narrow 19-12 win over Brothers being the closest they came to losing.

 

[Pfitzy]

Do we know how the finals will run yet?
If they give 1/2 the first week off, that Merrylands v Redfield game will be a barnburner.
If they go with 1v6, 2v5, 3v4, Merrylands and Epping facing off two weeks in a row.

Not 100%. With a 3-week finals series you would think that 1 & 2 get a week off and then sudden death for the others.

For Epping it means they're likely to lose Open Selection in the first week if they finish Grose Minor Premiers and third in McLean.
The Rams will be hoping Savers First Grade slip up against Redfield in R13 at Keirle or Renegades at the Field of Dreams in R14.
Even if Savers miss getting BPs that could let Epping into 2nd spot.

Would Epping *want* the week off? That's the question. I think they've probably got the depth to skip Open Selection and push through.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Shute Shield Top 6 over 3 weeks had 1v6, 2v5 etc and a lucky loser for the highest placed loser.

 

[WoodyWoodsman]

Would Epping *want* the week off? That's the question. I think they've probably got the depth to skip Open Selection and push through.

Looking at the Division 2 draws, that first week of the Division 4 finals would mean that Epping are playing top two grades wherever the Division 4 finals are, 3rd grade at Ryde Oval against Old Iggies and fourth grade at Yattenden Park against Hills.
I think that depth will be tested.

just out of interest, how do the other Division 4 clubs feel about Epping? I’ve heard there was a bit of animosity at the beginning of the season but haven’t heard any other rumblings, but noticed that they were challenged about having a fourth grade when asking for a Halligans next week online?

 

[WoodyWoodsman]

On Division 6 - they're going for a split format this year where teams finishing 1-4 will play for Jeffrey Cup and then teams 5-8 play for Meldrum Cup.

1 Menai
2 Irish
3 Sea Lice
4 Burraneer

With Burra thrashing Brothers 91-7 (Curtis Scott 4 tries, fullback with 3) you'd give them a reasonable chance of pushing through from 4. Momentum and all that. Menai didn't play after Dukes forfeited so they'll have had a week off. Wakehurst lost to Irish to miss top 4 by a point - they had one extra win over Burra but the Hammerheads had 12 BPs for the year!

5 Wakehurst
6 Brothers
7 Kings OBs
8 Oatley

Hmmmm. Wakehurst look favourites here to me. Their losses are Irish 14-22 (H), Menai 12-73 (H), Sea Lice 14-43 (A), Irish 7-38 (A). So they're undefeated against everyone else, with a narrow 19-12 win over Brothers being the closest they came to losing.

wow! That’s big news. Looking forward to the matchups. Here’s my predictions.
Meldrum Cup Week 1:
Menai vs Sydney Irish: Menai’s power game will be too much for the Irish as they march towards the GF. With the CKains (Rangi & Gillies) orchestrating the play, the powerful forward pack and Liam Bell finishing, I think they’ll have enough to go over here. I think the lack of game time in the last month will hurt them at the back end of the match but they’ll be right.
Sea Lice vs Burra: The Sea Lice have been the quiet achievers of the Meldrum this year going about their business notching up some tidy wins. They are about to meet the big movers of the Meldrum in Burraneer though. The inclusion of Curtis Scott has been huge and I hear it was an acrobatic finish down the left flank last week that should be discussed more. As stated here, Scott playing at the back and Matthias Wann at 13 will be the difference.
Menai through to the GF, Irish to face off against the irresistible force, Burraneer in Week 2.

 

[Pfitzy]

Looking at the Division 2 draws, that first week of the Division 4 finals would mean that Epping are playing top two grades wherever the Division 4 finals are, 3rd grade at Ryde Oval against Old Iggies and fourth grade at Yattenden Park against Hills.
I think that depth will be tested.

I don't think anyone would hold it against them if they pulled Fourth Grade to help push numbers up. I suppose it is something that needs discussing in terms of Open Selection as it is not a Normal Year.

Based on the fact I refereed Lindfield v Hills and not Old Iggies v Lindfield on the weekend, you might find that Epping Third Grade is at a loose end anyway...

 

[DaSchmooze]

St Pats keep winning fans in Division 1.

They’ll take more away from yesterday than Colleagues.

Why's that SG?

 

[Pfitzy]

just out of interest, how do the other Division 4 clubs feel about Epping? I’ve heard there was a bit of animosity at the beginning of the season but haven’t heard any other rumblings, but noticed that they were challenged about having a fourth grade when asking for a Halligans next week online?

Some would say they were hard done by and Subbies need to be drawn and quartered But do these people represent "other Division 4 clubs"?

Or any club at all? Hmmmm....

As a Div 4 club, we knew it would be a tough year. Sydney Harbour are always good. Redfield are always good. Savers are always good. Merrylands were largely unknown but their 2021 was a solid outing so had potential.

With one eye on the Div 2 results from recent years, we knew Epping might not have set the world on fire, but the quality of the Division is higher than Div 4, even if the First Grade teams might occasionally look comparable between the two; depth is the key and that is something most Div 4 clubs do NOT have. Particularly as the injuries pile up.

We were prepared for tough games against Epping as they'd have far more players than us to call on. Getting them and Savers twice with our history of inconsistent selection would be even tougher e.g. a couple of our RAAF guys were on mission in Round 2 and are on mission again.

Ultimately, it is what it is, and we didn't put away games that could have seen us finals bound with 2 rounds to go. We'll take those lesons and look to build next year.

 

[Heavyd]

Div 2 has turned into a complete farce.

In 3rd grade thi weekend there was one game played. Newport are on top of the comp and havent played for 5 weeks. Their 4th grade side has long since vanished given there was no football and you cant keep players motivated to play 3 or 4 games in a season. Will be interesting come finals if these clubs that started the season with players will have them at the end given the lack of footy on offer.

2nd grade had two forfeits.

Hello subbies admin????

2023
Div 1 - 8 clubs
Div 2 - 8 clubs
work the rest out with whats left.

 

[Pfitzy]

Hello subbies admin????

I think they're still waiting on your Board application to arrive so you can fix all this????

 

[Eastcoast]

St Pats keep winning fans in Division 1.

They’ll take more away from yesterday than Colleagues.

Are they winning fans in Div 1 as teams can bank an easy 5 points against them? We only needed the draw last time so happy with the 2.

Went 10/10 this week in Div 1 and 2.

Drummoyne appear to be improving and much better than what this forum has suggested previously.

Anyone from Petersham advise whether they have lost players? seem to be a shell of their earlier season selves.

Surely you keep the best standard comp- Kentwell at 10 teams if possible? Would Newport be the only one who can jump up and play Div 1 from the Div 2 clubs? UNSW cant stack lower grabs up in Div 1 and expect to still win higher grades. Hills arent as good as they were 3 years ago, Lindfield dont have the strength in the higher grades. Maybe Valley can continue to build?

 

[Heavyd]

I think they're still waiting on your Board application to arrive so you can fix all this????

My understanding is Newport argued against a 2nd/3rd Div amalgation and their President resigned when they were ignored. But hey lets destroy 3 or 4 clubs in 2022 and roll the dice with whats left next year.

 

[Heavyd]

Are they winning fans in Div 1 as teams can bank an easy 5 points against them? We only needed the draw last time so happy with the 2.

Went 10/10 this week in Div 1 and 2.

Drummoyne appear to be improving and much better than what this forum has suggested previously.

Anyone from Petersham advise whether they have lost players? seem to be a shell of their earlier season selves.

Surely you keep the best standard comp- Kentwell at 10 teams if possible? Would Newport be the only one who can jump up and play Div 1 from the Div 2 clubs? UNSW cant stack lower grabs up in Div 1 and expect to still win higher grades. Hills arent as good as they were 3 years ago, Lindfield dont have the strength in the higher grades. Maybe Valley can continue to build?

Not enough firepower in DIV 2 and Div 3 to keep DIV 1 at 10 teams. Knox and Drumoyne to Div 2 to join Breakers, Lindfield, Hills, UNSW, Hawkesbury Valley and Epping.