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CAS Rugby 2023

RedOrDead

RedOrDead

Ted Thorn (20)
WLF3 said:
Our 1st home trial is v Newington, then View, Oakhill, Auggies and finally Gregs/Puis.
Then the 1st round of the CAS begins, we play Cranbrook at home.
Click to expand...

Thank you WLF3, knowledgable as always.

It's a real shame, that pool of trials seems to be quite weak, with Gregs/Pius being a waste of time IMO, and Riverview not being up to their usual standard most would agree. If the GPS is going to permanently move to a 10 round comp, and obviously we want to stay away from trialling against CAS schools as much as possible, this might create a real issue moving forward. There will be years when the ISA powerhouses (Oakhill and Auggies) lack talent, leaving the best CAS schools with little to no meaningful trial games to cut their teeth and be ready for the CAS season. I think you will find in the future, that getting a strong trial draw might be the difference in winning the CAS title, especially if any of the CAS powerhouses meet early in the CAS season. Say a hardened and challenged Knox, who has a strong trial draw, might meet in the first round against a Waverley team who has coasted through an easy ISA draw. That Knox team you'd think would have a massive advantage, having cut their teeth against opponents of a similar calibre.

This might mean Barker, Knox and Waverley might have to rely on QLD schools and tours to NZ (not sure if the level of Japanese schoolboy rugby is enough of a challenge, but I could be completely wrong, I'm not educated on it) to prepare for the season. This becomes more of an issue considering that the QLD schools rugby season is a month or two behind ours I believe.

I am quite possibly overthinking this.
 
RedOrDead

RedOrDead

Ted Thorn (20)
I don't think Trinity losing to St Pats was unexpected. West Harbour has been killing it in this age group, Conti is the best game manager in the state, and Woods is a freak. They also additionally have a few league boys who are very talented. Trinity were always expected to struggle this year as well. I think the ladder this year will look like (it's a bold prediction, I refuse to be boring):

1. Barker
1. Waverley
1. Knox
4. Cranbrook
5. Trinity
6. Aloys

I think, despite Knox and Waverley looking like the superior teams, Barker beat Waverley at home in round 2 (Barker are stronger than I believe many thought, home field advantage and early in the season so lack of depth will probably be less of an issue at this stage). Close game.

Waverley then seek revenge, and take down Knox at Death Valley in round 3 (the small ground taking some of Knox's flyers out wide out of the game, will be a grind it out battle in the forwards). Low scoring close game.

Then final game of the season, Barker vs Knox at Knox, Knox prove too strong for Barker. Knox win big.

The big 3 finish with a record of 5-1.

Cranbrook 2-3

Trinity 1-4.

Aloys with donuts.
 
AroundTheAnkles

AroundTheAnkles

Dave Cowper (27)
RedOrDead said:
I don't think Trinity losing to St Pats was unexpected. West Harbour has been killing it in this age group, Conti is the best game manager in the state, and Woods is a freak. They also additionally have a few league boys who are very talented. Trinity were always expected to struggle this year as well. I think the ladder this year will look like (it's a bold prediction, I refuse to be boring):

1. Barker
1. Waverley
1. Knox
4. Cranbrook
5. Trinity
6. Aloys

I think, despite Knox and Waverley looking like the superior teams, Barker beat Waverley at home in round 2 (Barker are stronger than I believe many thought, home field advantage and early in the season so lack of depth will probably be less of an issue at this stage). Close game.

Waverley then seek revenge, and take down Knox at Death Valley in round 3 (the small ground taking some of Knox's flyers out wide out of the game, will be a grind it out battle in the forwards). Low scoring close game.

Then final game of the season, Barker vs Knox at Knox, Knox prove too strong for Barker. Knox win big.

The big 3 finish with a record of 5-1.

Cranbrook 2-3

Trinity 1-4.

Aloys with donuts
Click to expand...
Of course Barker is stronger than anyone thought. They always wait until the final 2 years of school to release their development players and surprise everyone.
 
RedOrDead

RedOrDead

Ted Thorn (20)
AroundTheAnkles said:
Of course Barker is stronger than anyone thought. They always wait until the final 2 years of school to release their development players and surprise everyone.
Click to expand...

I actually heard that they have 23 and a half players they imported from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa from their families against their will, who they have been holding hostage in the gym, pumping them with PED's whilst they sleep, and training them 7 days a week to earn their food and water.

Even heard Ma'a Nonu got a fake birth certificate and the school bought him a house to join year 10 this year. Those cheats!

On a serious note, where is this huge influx of players that was supposed to come in that everyone was talking about? I haven't seen them?
 
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Halfbackenthusiast

Halfbackenthusiast

Ted Fahey (11)
RedOrDead said:
I actually heard that they have 23 and a half players they imported from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa from their families against their will, who they have been holding hostage in the gym, pumping them with PED's whilst they sleep, and training them 7 days a week to earn their food and water.

Even heard Ma'a None got a fake birth certificate and the school bought him a house to join year 10 this year. Those cheats!

On a serious note, where is this huge influx of players that was supposed to come in that everyone was talking about? I haven't seen them?
Click to expand...
Dan carter is also starting at 10 for barker this year
 
RedOrDead

RedOrDead

Ted Thorn (20)
Isaiya Katoa today alluded to the fact that he would like to come back to union... But also talked about how growing up all he wanted to be was an All-Black... Could be another lost player even if he came back to union... rough
 
R

RugbyTID

Bob McCowan (2)
RedOrDead said:
Isaiya Katoa today alluded to the fact that he would like to come back to union... But also talked about how growing up all he wanted to be was an All-Black... Could be another lost player even if he came back to union... rough
Click to expand...
There was an article in the Sydney Morning Herald a few weeks ago about how his dad would like him to go back to rugby union and play for the All Blacks, but realistically I believe if he comes back to union he'll have to play for either Wallabies or even Tonga.
 
Halfbackenthusiast

Halfbackenthusiast

Ted Fahey (11)
RedOrDead said:
Isaiya Katoa today alluded to the fact that he would like to come back to union... But also talked about how growing up all he wanted to be was an All-Black... Could be another lost player even if he came back to union... rough
Click to expand...
He would definitely be eligible for the all black being born in nz and then only moving across when his older brother Sione signed with the panthers. Believe his dad played high level Union over there
 
RedOrDead

RedOrDead

Ted Thorn (20)
JackJill said:
They'll get found out in due time.
Click to expand...
I've already revealed the truth mate. 23 and a half Pacific Islander children flown here against their will AND Ma'a Nonu, believe even potentially Dan Carter was thrown in there? Those cheats! Arrgghhh
 
AroundTheAnkles

AroundTheAnkles

Dave Cowper (27)
RedOrDead said:
I actually heard that they have 23 and a half players they imported from Tonga, Fiji and Samoa from their families against their will, who they have been holding hostage in the gym, pumping them with PED's whilst they sleep, and training them 7 days a week to earn their food and water.

Even heard Ma'a Nonu got a fake birth certificate and the school bought him a house to join year 10 this year. Those cheats!

On a serious note, where is this huge influx of players that was supposed to come in that everyone was talking about? I haven't seen them?
Click to expand...
I would love to see a Barker 1st XV list with each players U13 and U16 team listed alongside their names. It might dispel with all this nonsense talk of influxes from remote Fijian islands.
 
WLF3

WLF3

Darby Loudon (17)
RedOrDead said:
Thank you WLF3, knowledgable as always.

It's a real shame, that pool of trials seems to be quite weak, with Gregs/Pius being a waste of time IMO, and Riverview not being up to their usual standard most would agree. If the GPS is going to permanently move to a 10 round comp, and obviously we want to stay away from trialling against CAS schools as much as possible, this might create a real issue moving forward. There will be years when the ISA powerhouses (Oakhill and Auggies) lack talent, leaving the best CAS schools with little to no meaningful trial games to cut their teeth and be ready for the CAS season. I think you will find in the future, that getting a strong trial draw might be the difference in winning the CAS title, especially if any of the CAS powerhouses meet early in the CAS season. Say a hardened and challenged Knox, who has a strong trial draw, might meet in the first round against a Waverley team who has coasted through an easy ISA draw. That Knox team you'd think would have a massive advantage, having cut their teeth against opponents of a similar calibre.

This might mean Barker, Knox and Waverley might have to rely on QLD schools and tours to NZ (not sure if the level of Japanese schoolboy rugby is enough of a challenge, but I could be completely wrong, I'm not educated on it) to prepare for the season. This becomes more of an issue considering that the QLD schools rugby season is a month or two behind ours I believe.

I am quite possibly overthinking this.
Click to expand...
RoD,

I just read all your comments on this page and will respond in this 1 comment.

Agree re the potential weak preseason issue that may arise because the GPS have gone back into their own little world but still there are plenty of good schools out there to play. Yep the quality of all sides, including ours, will vary each year, so I don't see it all as a game breaker.
Waves playing Pius/Gregs is probably too weak but all the others should be a challenge, I think you will find Newington very strong this year, and View I don't know. Oakhill is nearly always strong, it all depends if all their beat players play, and Auggies are also usually solid.

The Japanese schools the Waves are playing are an unknown, except for the 1st game where we play the team that won their state championship, time will tell.

In terms of who will win the CAS, too early, teams are still being picked and I think you will find Cranbrook will be a lot stronger than many realise. On paper I think Knox and the Waves appear to be strong, as does Cranbrook, don't know enough about Barker or Trinity or Aloys.

Does any side appear to be as strong as previous years, not in my opinion, particularly in comparison to 2021/2022.
But that should mean it's a fairly open comp.

That may also mean it's a TERRIFIC comp!

Cheers WLF3.
 
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