John I Dent Cup - Canberra Competition -

[Slim 293]

Well obviously St Edmunds don't allow their students to play for other clubs, and Vikings represent the biggest catchment in the ACT...

It's not really a big issue, but I don't see a problem with Vikings raiding the talent stocks of the schools.

Back to this whole soul nonsense, Vikibs has no more or less than any of the other clubs. That's just silly talk.

 

[angrydog]

Seems funny that an argument is been held between an Eddies supporter and a Vikings supporter over who has the moral high ground in regards to 'opening the cheque book' and wiping out the opposition unfairly. Both are guilty as sin really. Eddies are less obvious and do so under the guise of a 'triangle playing music scholarship' etc, Vikings just flash the cash and woo them in without apology.

 

[Slim 293]

I don't object to it at all though... It's just something that happens and we all move on...

 

[Slash]

Does anybody know if Tyler Stevens is returning to Canberra. I read somewhere he was leaving Parramatta but it did not say where too? I hope this is on the topic enough for those who were so greatly disturbed.....

He is leaving Parramatta yes. He has told Easts in Sydney he will join them and they are expecting him. However, he has told Whites the same thing too apparently.

 

[Empire]

Seems funny that an argument is been held between an Eddies supporter and a Vikings supporter over who has the moral high ground in regards to 'opening the cheque book' and wiping out the opposition unfairly. Both are guilty as sin really. Eddies are less obvious and do so under the guise of a 'triangle playing music scholarship' etc, Vikings just flash the cash and woo them in without apology.

Eddies was certainly guilty of it in the past (circa 2002-4). Rugby there has well and truly been cut back, and has been since 2006, with academics and other co-curricular activities attracting support from the top.

Today, compared to Vikings, chalk and cheese.

As the only 'rich' club in the ACT, they are essentially a professional outfit playing against largely amateurs.

Vikings are lobbying hard to join the Shute shield, but I doubt they will allow that.

 

[bigtoughguy]

Eddies were still recruiting in 2007, just thought id correct u there.

 

[angrydog]

Eddies was certainly guilty of it in the past (circa 2002-4). Rugby there has well and truly been cut back, and has been since 2006, with academics and other co-curricular activities attracting support from the top.

Today, compared to Vikings, chalk and cheese.

As the only 'rich' club in the ACT, they are essentially a professional outfit playing against largely amateurs.

Vikings are lobbying hard to join the Shute shield, but I doubt they will allow that.

Yes, agreed on all counts. Eddies have cleaned up their act thank god which can only be good for the junior rugby as a whole. As for Vikings, they dont care who they tread on and I only hope that their schute shield dreams remain that. Poor old Royals are struggling their backsides off and I bet Vikings would not give them a penny, why? Because it may mean Royals may become even more attractive to one of Tuggeranongs great player pools, Marist. Tuggies would not risk the chance of losing the young guys from Marist in the event that it made Royals a force again and came back to bite the in the backside one day.

 

[angrydog]

Eddies were still recruiting in 2007, just thought id correct u there.

Would not suprise me but it seems they have cleaned up their act a bit now. The entire XV are no longer of Islander extraction from Queanbeyan and some dont even make the ACT schools side...wow.

 

[Empire]

I'd love to know, given that the 1st XV's around my time were not stacked with guys like Collignon, White, Fainga'a, Smith, Uelese, Taholo, Almasi, Shirley and Ahosivi to name a fraction.

No, the wholesale recruitment of talent was well and truly reigned in when Colin Dwyer departed at the end of 2004. Don't begrudge St Edmunds' inherent strength - its large Queanbeyan population. The Whites gf wins in the past few years have been on the back of this - not open cheque books.

I agree more with the sentiment expressed above that Vikings would never want to see another club compete. The amount of things they have vetoed to assist poorer clubs is astonishing.

 

[Slim 293]

Eddies were recruiting kids long before 2002.

When I was playing in the early 90s Eddies pillaged all of Vikings'' best players.

 

[Empire]

Times have changed somewhat in nearly 20 years.

In the present, the sentiments expressed above stand true.

 

[Slim 293]

Eddies recruit Vikings best.

Vikings recruit Eddies best.

Circle of life.

It's unfortunate that the other clubs can't be as successful, or as financially well off as Vikings or Queanbeyan.

That's their problem.

I don't know what Easts problem is considering they have the richest catchment.

 

[yourmatesam]

I don't know what Easts problem is considering they have the richest catchment.

They've had some short sighted administrators running the club into the ground while lining their own pockets.

This may not be the story now (and from all reports it isn't) but it has definitely been the story over the years.

The disappointing fact about this is that there are plenty of guys who have been involved with East's over the years who would probably have hung around if things had been run differently.

 

[lily]

You guys need a sit down.

 

[angrydog]

I'd love to know, given that the 1st XV's around my time were not stacked with guys like Collignon, White, Fainga'a, Smith, Uelese, Taholo, Almasi, Shirley and Ahosivi to name a fraction.

No, the wholesale recruitment of talent was well and truly reigned in when Colin Dwyer departed at the end of 2004. Don't begrudge St Edmunds' inherent strength - its large Queanbeyan population. The Whites gf wins in the past few years have been on the back of this - not open cheque books.

I agree more with the sentiment expressed above that Vikings would never want to see another club compete. The amount of things they have vetoed to assist poorer clubs is astonishing.

What is it you would love to know? Most of the names in your opening paragraph prove my point. It reads like a Pacific Islands team. There is no doubt eddies have benefited greatly from Queanbeyan, it is just a little dubious over whether or not many of them were full fee paying students. My mail is that Colin DWYER was bought in to clean the joint up after the obvious rorting that had been going on amongst the Rugby fraternity.

 

[angrydog]

They've had some short sighted administrators running the club into the ground while lining their own pockets.

This may not be the story now (and from all reports it isn't) but it has definitely been the story over the years.

The disappointing fact about this is that there are plenty of guys who have been involved with East's over the years who would probably have hung around if things had been run differently.

Absolutely correct. Vikings and Qbn have run their clubs like businesses (and good ones at that), other have been run by thievefs, drunks and ex footballers who everyone thought was a good bloke so 'he can run the club'. This is why Norths went down the drain many moons ago, Royals went broke and Easts have only just survived due to some very very loyal club men.

 

[Empire]

What is it you would love to know?

Well, as mentioned I am not reminiscing about events up to 20 years ago. I'd be interested who was 'recruited' around '06, '07 etc - probably played a fair bit of rugby with them!

I know from conversations with those running the current Eddies teams that the focus of the school (rightly in my opinion) is well and truly off the rugby.

 

[Empire]

Regarding Easts, Royals et al - clubs that are not financially strong, would it not be a good thing to allow them to develop sustainable businesses that would allow rugby programs to be run out in each clubs area?

I'd like to see help given to expand the top tier, as 7 clubs isn't enough. Whether its resurrecting an old club (Norths, RMC), or creating a new one (a Queanbeyan team that develops rugby in Queanbeyans public schools would be an idea for example).

Sometimes it's not bickering over past events, it's looking to create something that cements ACT rugby as one of the strongest areas for Rugby in the country.

 

[Slash]

isn't it a rule of the ACTRU that clubs are not to pay players match fees and sign ons etc. They can provide jobs and accommodation but that's it?

 

[Empire]

Perhaps at most clubs, but Vikings certainly pays their players..