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Australian Schoolboys / Under 18s 2019

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
The Terrace experience seemed to be a bit of a cluster f*£k. By the end he was living on his own, not something I'd want a schoolboy to be doing. Unless you have boarding facilities schools need to keep kids at home so have to recruit locally.


yeah I heard that too. Very messy. Thrilled he's back home and still playing well. Great to see.
 

Delphy

Ward Prentice (10)
WA 33 defeat Vic 32. WA scoring a try from last play. Conversion gives them the win.

Vic desperately unlucky in close and hard fought game.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Brumbies 32:29 RWA
Game played in Albury-Wadonga in good spirit.
Excellent persistence by Brumbies who were behind 0:17 after 20 minutes and 5:17 at half time.
 

Number 7

Darby Loudon (17)
Has anyone seen news of any NSW Gen Blue academy games coming up? Or QLD?

WA have just played three games with no more scheduled.
 

carl spackler

Sydney Middleton (9)
Has anyone seen news of any NSW Gen Blue academy games coming up? Or QLD?

WA have just played three games with no more scheduled.
Hi #7
There will be a NSW Gen Blue squad announced on 12 August to play both ACT and Qld sometime in September (I think). Not sure how this final squad will be selected, other than preconceived thoughts and a cursory look at a few school matches/Colts matches between now and then.
Should have been some internal games amongst the entire Gen Blue boys to aid selection IMO.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Has anyone seen news of any NSW Gen Blue academy games coming up? Or QLD?

WA have just played three games with no more scheduled.

QLD played the Rebels a little while ok and thrashed them.

Next games are in September I believe when:

Waratahs v Brumbies 15 Sept
Reds 2 v Brumbies 22 Sept
Reds v Waratahs 22 Sept
 

Chip kick

Allen Oxlade (6)
Hi #7
There will be a NSW Gen Blue squad announced on 12 August to play both ACT and Qld sometime in September (I think). Not sure how this final squad will be selected, other than preconceived thoughts and a cursory look at a few school matches/Colts matches between now and then.
Should have been some internal games amongst the entire Gen Blue boys to aid selection IMO.

So i heard about a player who did not make the NSW sides but was then called up to the Gen blue squad having not already been a member. I guess this is how it should work, otherwise the path would have closed at school level representation. GP/CAS/ISA/CHS. Not sure what happens from here as it was deemed by the school selectors that he was not good enough.
 

The Nomad

Bob Davidson (42)
The Reds Academy does seem to be doing what they said they would , as in they have invited players into the squad based on form shown in game situations. There were a few additions following the completion of the AIC comp and a couple more following the Riverview comp. Still have the GPS season to go up here with it only kicking off last weekend, plus the finals of Colts for those who are U18 running around in the QPR comp.

Probably not by accident that they play the Tah’s Academy on the 22/09 after all that footy is over. The starting team could well look different come Sept to the team that ran out at the end of June.

There has been a fair bit of kickback over the new pathways, but it certainly gives exposure to a stack more lads over a longer period of real match play for the selectors to get their teams right.
 

Gary Owen III

Syd Malcolm (24)
So i heard about a player who did not make the NSW sides but was then called up to the Gen blue squad having not already been a member. I guess this is how it should work, otherwise the path would have closed at school level representation. GP/CAS/ISA/CHS. Not sure what happens from here as it was deemed by the school selectors that he was not good enough.

The NSW Schools sides were only 1 part of GEN BLUE alongside NSWJRU U18s and other already identified players. They can invite in whomever they like really.
Not that it matters but how do you know he didn't withdraw from schools selection prior to the NSW sides being picked? There was about a dozen of those by all reports...
 

Chip kick

Allen Oxlade (6)
The NSW Schools sides were only 1 part of GEN BLUE alongside NSWJRU U18s and other already identified players. They can invite in whomever they like really.
Not that it matters but how do you know he didn't withdraw from schools selection prior to the NSW sides being picked? There was about a dozen of those by all reports.

By all reports, albeit unconfirmed. I know this lad and it is confirmed. Thankfully for everyone he is not lost because of schoolboy politics. The new System does work.
 

carl spackler

Sydney Middleton (9)
By all reports, albeit unconfirmed. I know this lad and it is confirmed. Thankfully for everyone he is not lost because of schoolboy politics. The new System does work.
Was this lad part of the Cavaliers Barbarians that competed at Riverview? There were some very talented boys in that team that surprisingly were not identified by their schools/associations.
 

Chip kick

Allen Oxlade (6)
Was this lad part of the Cavaliers Barbarians that competed at Riverview? There were some very talented boys in that team that surprisingly were not identified by their schools/associations.

Yes there was some talent in the cavs side. No he wasn't selected in that team either. I'm not sure what process Albert used for this one, there were boys selected from 2nds and 3rd grade GPS teams. The halfback actually played in Gordon colts 1st team recently.
 

Tap n Go

Allen Oxlade (6)
Yes there was some talent in the cavs side. No he wasn't selected in that team either. I'm not sure what process Albert used for this one, there were boys selected from 2nds and 3rd grade GPS teams. The halfback actually played in Gordon colts 1st team recently.

pretty sure its the Newington captain you speak of.

Went over to New in year 10 , think the Rugby boss from St Augs is getting his own back.
 

Number 7

Darby Loudon (17)
Hi #7
There will be a NSW Gen Blue squad announced on 12 August to play both ACT and Qld sometime in September (I think). Not sure how this final squad will be selected, other than preconceived thoughts and a cursory look at a few school matches/Colts matches between now and then.
Should have been some internal games amongst the entire Gen Blue boys to aid selection IMO.


So it looks like there was a Gen Blue intake in early July. Scots Facebook posted congratulations to three players on July 12. I cant see any other announcements - is it a staggered intake?
 

Chip kick

Allen Oxlade (6)
Think you will find he was already in GEN BLUE so withdrew from selection for schools.

My understanding from the parents of the boys at our school and the flow chart is that they were nominated by the school early in the year to be part of the academy trials. No one was in Gen blue or Waratah academy at that stage only the academy trial squad. It was not until the schools NSW sides were confirmed that kids were invited into "Waratah Academy" , which would seem to be the kids who were overlooked or injured.The Gen blue team is the next stage, which is selected to play against other states. There were alot of kids training in the initial academy trial team, as it was impossible to know based on last year alone, which were the best in the state. This process gave the NSW GEN BLUE selectors more visibility of the talent and ensured the kids did not slip between the cracks because of politics. If the NSW kids were already selected as you say then why did some obvious players make themselves available for the NSW side. In QLD, GPS looks to have taken a different approach possibly because their season started last weekend.
 

Tap n Go

Allen Oxlade (6)
Think you will find he was already in GEN BLUE so withdrew from selection for schools.
No Gary that’s incorrect
This boy did not get selected for NSW schools
He was put into the Gen Blue after missing selection.
Think you will find the reason in my previous post.
 

Gary Owen III

Syd Malcolm (24)
My understanding from the parents of the boys at our school and the flow chart is that they were nominated by the school early in the year to be part of the academy trials. No one was in Gen blue or Waratah academy at that stage only the academy trial squad. It was not until the schools NSW sides were confirmed that kids were invited into "Waratah Academy" , which would seem to be the kids who were overlooked or injured.The Gen blue team is the next stage, which is selected to play against other states. There were alot of kids training in the initial academy trial team, as it was impossible to know based on last year alone, which were the best in the state. This process gave the NSW GEN BLUE selectors more visibility of the talent and ensured the kids did not slip between the cracks because of politics. If the NSW kids were already selected as you say then why did some obvious players make themselves available for the NSW side. In QLD, GPS looks to have taken a different approach possibly because their season started last weekend.

I think maybe you are a little confused about the new pathway.

Yes there was a prelim U18 Academy - this was part of the talent ID process for the GEN BLUE guys. It didn't guarantee you a spot in the GEN BLUE Academy but gave selectors a chance to look at players.

The GEN BLUE selectors then watched a lot of club and schools games and the associated Rep fixtures to identify the talent that they wanted in the GEN BLUE Academy... Some players were identified and invited to the Academy straight from these school or club games. This is the green dotted line in the flow chart... There was NO conditional requirement for these players to then be selected for NSW Schools or NSW Juniors to proceed to GEN BLUE.

Therefore a number of lads decided to withdraw from availability for NSW Schools & NSW Junior selections as it held ZERO bearing upon their further Rep chances (as they were already in). Most/All of these players still played for GPS, CAS etc but made themselves unavailable for further selection in NSW Schools. There were roughly 12 players that i can think of that fell in this boat (from CAS, GPS and club rugby). Yes some other already 'selected' players did continue in the NSW Schools pathway and decided to play for NSW Schools even after they were invited to the GEN BLUE Academy - but that was their choice. Others decided to withdraw for their own reasons - maybe they were injured? pressure from their own school? fearful of injury? I don't claim to know each of their reasons.

NSW Juniors pathway had similar incidences of players making themselves unavailable.

These withdrawals did create a number of spots in the NSW Schools teams for other players to come in and by virtue of that selection they then got into the GEN BLUE Academy too. So it somewhat made the Academy bigger than originally expected.

The ASRU tournament at Riverview wasn't part of the selection criteria for GEN BLUE as the Academy camp was held the week before the ASRU tournament.

The make-up of the GEN BLUE Academy is NSW Schools I & II, NSWJRU U18s and any other identified players that the selectors wish to invite.

Queensland had a similar approach - thus why so many GPS players in Queensland withdrew from the Qld Schools selections.


2019 NSW U18s Roadmap.png
 

Chip kick

Allen Oxlade (6)
I think maybe you are a little confused about the new pathway.

Yes there was a prelim U18 Academy - this was part of the talent ID process for the GEN BLUE guys. It didn't guarantee you a spot in the GEN BLUE Academy but gave selectors a chance to look at players.

The GEN BLUE selectors then watched a lot of club and schools games and the associated Rep fixtures to identify the talent that they wanted in the GEN BLUE Academy. Some players were identified and invited to the Academy straight from these school or club games. This is the green dotted line in the flow chart. There was NO conditional requirement for these players to then be selected for NSW Schools or NSW Juniors to proceed to GEN BLUE.

Therefore a number of lads decided to withdraw from availability for NSW Schools & NSW Junior selections as it held ZERO bearing upon their further Rep chances (as they were already in). Most/All of these players still played for GPS, CAS etc but made themselves unavailable for further selection in NSW Schools. There were roughly 12 players that i can think of that fell in this boat (from CAS, GPS and club rugby). Yes some other already 'selected' players did continue in the NSW Schools pathway and decided to play for NSW Schools even after they were invited to the GEN BLUE Academy - but that was their choice. Others decided to withdraw for their own reasons - maybe they were injured? pressure from their own school? fearful of injury? I don't claim to know each of their reasons.

NSW Juniors pathway had similar incidences of players making themselves unavailable.

These withdrawals did create a number of spots in the NSW Schools teams for other players to come in and by virtue of that selection they then got into the GEN BLUE Academy too. So it somewhat made the Academy bigger than originally expected.

The ASRU tournament at Riverview wasn't part of the selection criteria for GEN BLUE as the Academy camp was held the week before the ASRU tournament.

The make-up of the GEN BLUE Academy is NSW Schools I & II, NSWJRU U18s and any other identified players that the selectors wish to invite.

Queensland had a similar approach - thus why so many GPS players in Queensland withdrew from the Qld Schools selections.


View attachment 10896

Not confused at all. Read Tap n go's response.
 

Gary Owen III

Syd Malcolm (24)
No Gary that’s incorrect
This boy did not get selected for NSW schools
He was put into the Gen Blue after missing selection.
Think you will find the reason in my previous post.

As per previous - NSW Schools selection is not the only criteria to make GEN BLUE.

It is entirely possible that he didn't have a spot in GEN BLUE prior (but i still think he did if it is the same kid we are talking about). But regardless - if not - the GEN BLUE selectors may have seen he missed NSW Schools selection and invited him into Academy... He gets in via the green dotted line...

This shows the new system working and picking up these talented kids regardless of selection omissions by whatever association.
 
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