VRU 2012

[en_force_er]

The amount of parking space it has, as well as the natural grandstand of the hill makes it probably the best ground to have it at. No other of the premier grade clubs could cope with the sheer numbers that turn up.

I think Quins' or perhaps the field outside AAMI Park would both be better choices, if need be temporary grandstands can be rented. You could even rent a ground from a VPL club.

Anyway, huge round this round. Boroondara's 3 grades all getting their first wins of the season, PH stepping up over a talented Souths, and Quins' tough times continuing. All interesting talking points.

 

[elementfreak]

I agree about the grounds outside of AAMI park, Quins I don't think would be able to cater for a few thousand people easily.

Yeah, Boroondara getting the W finally is a good sign, the Quins v Moorabbin game apparently was very stop start as the handling skills weren't the best because of the weather. Uni and Footscray played an error prone game with 31 scrums in the game.

 

[elementfreak]

Round 8 games:
End Hills v Box Hill
Pwr House v Melbourne
Sth Districts v Moorabbin
Melb Uni v Boroondara
Harlequin v Footscray

Power House v Melbourne and Souths v Moorabbin should both be cracking games of footy. Quins won't have an easy time against Footscray either.
Boroondara could sneak a win against Uni on the back of winning last weekend.

Endeavour Hills and Box Hill will play for the Lewis

Leaumoana Memorial cup. Lewis is a player who tragically lost his life during the off season and played for both sides. ​

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-prn1/p480x480/538723_363001100421150_1319095744_n.jpg​

 

[en_force_er]

Round 8 games:
End Hills v Box Hill
Pwr House v Melbourne
Sth Districts v Moorabbin
Melb Uni v Boroondara
Harlequin v Footscray

Power House v Melbourne and Souths v Moorabbin should both be cracking games of footy. Quins won't have an easy time against Footscray either.
Boroondara could sneak a win against Uni on the back of winning last weekend.

Endeavour Hills and Box Hill will play for the Lewis

Leaumoana Memorial cup. Lewis is a player who tragically lost his life during the off season and played for both sides.​

Good initiative by the clubs, shall we name this the Hills derby game? lol.

Another interesting round this week. Despite PH's mixed form they are one of the only real chances to knock-off Melbourne, Sths-Moorabin and Harlequin-Footscray could see the ladder completely rearranged by Saturday evening, and Boroondara-Uni is a good chance for Uni to stop the rot as well as an opportunity for Boroondara to well and truly turn around their season.

 

[elementfreak]

Good initiative by the clubs, shall we name this the Hills derby game? lol.

I think it is being billed as "The battle of the Hills" by the clubs.

Another interesting round this week. Despite PH's mixed form they are one of the only real chances to knock-off Melbourne, Sths-Moorabin and Harlequin-Footscray could see the ladder completely rearranged by Saturday evening, and Boroondara-Uni is a good chance for Uni to stop the rot as well as an opportunity for Boroondara to well and truly turn around their season.

Yeah we have a couple of important rounds coming up for the other spot for the "Harold Mitchell Cup".

 

[en_force_er]

I think it is being billed as "The battle of the Hills" by the clubs..

Nice. Is the game being advertised? The clubs need to update their websites.

 

[elementfreak]

I've only seen things on Facebook at the moment. Hopefully they start advertising, I know the trophy only arrived yesterday though.

 

[kronic]

Might head down for that then, do some coverage via Twitter. Game is sure to have plenty of significance.

 

[elementfreak]

Might head down for that then, do some coverage via Twitter. Game is sure to have plenty of significance.

I saw this being used for it earlier #battleofthehills

 

[elementfreak]

Endeavour Hills 40 V Box Hill 24
Power House 13 V Melbourne 52
Southern Districts 19 V Moorabbin 15
Melbourne Uni 15 V Boroondara 40
Harlequin 24 V Footscray 22

Team P W D L F A BP PTS %
1st Melbourne 8 8 339 98 8 40 345.92
2nd Sth Districts 8 6 1 1 192 134 4 30 143.28
3rd Moorabbin 8 5 3 198 165 5 25 120
4th Harlequin 8 3 1 4 255 163 7 21 156.44
5th Power House 8 4 4 162 154 5 21 105.19
6th Footscray 8 4 4 185 157 4 20 117.83
7th Box Hill 8 3 5 158 210 3 15 75.238
8th Endeavour Hills 8 3 5 158 239 3 15 66.109
9th Boroondara 8 2 6 160 279 3 11 57.348
10th Melbourne Uni 8 1 7 96 306 2 6 31.373

 

[en_force_er]

Box Hill are falling apart after a good start to the season, any insiders know the issues? Perhaps depth?

 

[elementfreak]

Depth isn't an issue, I have been down there training a few times and they have more players than they have ever had before (or at least the last 5 years), I think it's a talent issue. Losing 2 very good back rowers before the season started was always going to be difficult to come back from and it seems a consistency issue.

New coaches also might have something to do with it. I heard rumours that the coaches didn't have an outlined direction for the season and were sort of making it up as they went along. Of course these are only rumours so I am not sure of their accuracy but it doesn't sound good for a team that is usually up the top of the table.

 

[ellabroz]

Uni are struggling. Have to wonder whether the VRU will stick to their guns and relegate the bottom two as I think is planned?

 

[en_force_er]

Depth isn't an issue, I have been down there training a few times and they have more players than they have ever had before (or at least the last 5 years), I think it's a talent issue. Losing 2 very good back rowers before the season started was always going to be difficult to come back from and it seems a consistency issue.

New coaches also might have something to do with it. I heard rumours that the coaches didn't have an outlined direction for the season and were sort of making it up as they went along. Of course these are only rumours so I am not sure of their accuracy but it doesn't sound good for a team that is usually up the top of the table.

Interesting, good luck to them. In a competition like this stuff changes extraordinarily fast, if memory serves PH has a poor first half of 2011.

Hopefully the numbers keep improving at BH. With their location in the heart of eastern Melbourne they'd be one of the clubs with a real chance to push on and field a Colts as well as 4 quality senior grades.

Uni are struggling. Have to wonder whether the VRU will stick to their guns and relegate the bottom two as I think is planned?

I've read two separate and different things regarding relegation in 2012.

First was a one line statement somewhere in the VRU 2011 Annual Report stating they wanted to make it into a 8 team comp in either 2012 or 2013 (I'm paraphrasing but I think that's basically what it said). This report isn't on their website any more (it was for a couple of weeks) but I'm sure if you emailed them and asked you could get it.

The other is this:
http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/moorabbinrugbyunionfootballclub/news/vru-premier-4-team-576902.html

You'd think compressing our talent into fewer clubs would only be good for us but sadly a heap of history, pride, and a chance to develop 1/5 more players goes with it.

What is for sure is with their playing numbers, funding, location, and history of success Uni can't be one of the two.

 

[elementfreak]

Interesting, good luck to them. In a competition like this stuff changes extraordinarily fast, if memory serves PH has a poor first half of 2011.

Hopefully the numbers keep improving at BH. With their location in the heart of eastern Melbourne they'd be one of the clubs with a real chance to push on and field a Colts as well as 4 quality senior grades.

Well Quins were top last year after round 9 and House were 4th or 5th IIRC. Quins then lost 6 in a row and House won 8 out of the last 9. They needed extra time to get past Souths in the semi as well.

One win for your team and another team near you on the ladder losing and all of a sudden you could jump 2-3 spots. I think the closeness of 2-7 is really great, it means that we will have a high quality standard across the board.

 

[elementfreak]

In addition to my point about quality in the top 7 teasm, if/when the VRU change to an 8 team premier division it will be a hotly contested one. I think to really make it work they need to have a proper promotion/relegation system for the Division 2 teams to work towards. If we can have 3-4 grades in premier and in division 2 comps it will be great to see.

 

[en_force_er]

I agree with you completely but the issue is Uni (on current standings) will be relegated. Now, Uni have a long spanning history of contributing to Vic rugby, are usually a top 6 contender in prems, have the numbers to easily field 4 grades, tend to have an excellent colts program, and are situated off Macathur Rd (which is such a key transportation route for those working in the city/east and living in the west). Relegating them would be bad for the league, but to not relegate would be unfair to the other clubs.

I don't think an 8 team comp is a bad idea (it's actually a good idea) but it's just hard taking into account that it's shattering for those involved in the clubs that are cut. Also, when you apply the other yardstick of '4 grades' then it would be unfair to Endeavour or Souths who can't possibly field 4 grades by themselves due to their location.

I'd rather see a 5 year program in place to make 2 of Eltham, Geelong, Norths, or Wyndham into prems sides and run a 12 team premier grade. Ambitious, but maybe it could happen.

 

[kronic]

Eltham is pushing hard to get into Premier.

Went down on Saturday to watch the 1sts, a lot of money has been spent on the car park, as well as the club facilities in general.

When I was playing last year, we struggled at time to field a 1sts, it's great to see 2 teams now.

 

[en_force_er]

Eltham is pushing hard to get into Premier.

Went down on Saturday to watch the 1sts, a lot of money has been spent on the car park, as well as the club facilities in general.

When I was playing last year, we struggled at time to field a 1sts, it's great to see 2 teams now.

Once they reach that magic 3 team number it'll pan out. There's at least 4-6 good Eltham players who still identify as Eltham players despite playing Prems 1 or 2 at other clubs, they'll come back. Other players will come Eltham's way looking for a shot, more money will become available from sponsorship. In many ways Eltham is better positioned because they have a sustainable junior program when compared to say Footscray/Boroondara who are desperate to put one together.

Have they you got a concrete (but obviously adjustable) 5 year plan to get there? I'd back you guys, I've always thought of Eltham as one of the best rugby communities in Melb.

 

[kronic]

Good news from the mouth of Freier on ABC's The Club House tonight, seems the players will go into clubs here over the June break and by that, I mean play.