NSW AAGPS 2025

[Newitonga]

I too like the home and away format, both formats have their perks, but for the sake of this new inter school comp I wish we'd move to 5 rounds so we could join it (this would help show the dominance and superiority of AAGPS rugby). The 10 round version enables players to play away at every school and play at home against every school, which is important as it eliminates potential advantages for schools with 3 home games and 2 away games. I believe this was the case with joeys 2019 and 2022 (although those teams were strong enough to win if they had an opposite split of home and away games). Another example of how it shows a teams true capabilities is how Riverview hasn't won at Shore since 2020, and Shore hasn't won at Riverview since 2007.

 

[The Chairman]

Best of luck to all the Rugby boys who have chosen Rowing as their Summer sport.
The 1st Regatta of the season begins at SIRC tomorrow.

Echoing the words of Rudderless.

Will be interesting the early season indicators, and best of luck to all the rugby fellas out there on the course tommorow.

 

[Squidlips]

Sidwell has the versatility to also play any of the positions in the back row. My guess is that they can slot him in anywhere, and will use that to optimise the forward pack.

 

[Here for the advice]

Any thoughts on Riverview and Scots likely team? 2025 year 12 group for View were the top team in 16’s (yes some played up but they were solid). Some new faces and injuries will always impact but have to think View with their 9 leading have a good squad.

 

[Squidlips]

One of the key things in rowing, coming off the back of the rugby season, is the different types of fitness. This early in the rowing season I'd expect they've done a tonne of steady state. Chuck a few starts and 500s and 1000s in and hope you can last the distance holding the canvas over the rest. The rugby boys will lose their (rowing) off-season fat and by the time HOR comes around will be lean and mean.

 

[RugbyBot]

Disappointing to see that Scots is currently bottom of the Sydney schools golf series. I imagine serious conversations are taking place in the libraries and pool houses of Bellevue Hill.

 

[wisemaan]

WISSY'S WISDOM

Ah... Tuesday!! Which can only mean one thing. It's time for ' Tuesday Man of the Week'. The boy, dare I say a man now, after the season he has just put on for us is none other than the notorious Bede ' Coca-Cola ' Clout. He's already a lock in the Shore 1st XV and let's be real, GPS 2s will be the bare minimum we see from the kid if he keeps it up.

Now if you have ever gone into the terrace on Monday arvo, you have likely spotted him holding court. He's as bloody loyal to that turf as he is to the game. Now if you want to talk about off-seasons this is one for the books. His regimen involves high-altitude training, in the snow-capped mountains, breathing in all that fresh snowy air. The kid is going to put on a show...

Only time will tell...

Yours in sporting reason, A sane observer

- wisemaan (wissy)

 

[Footy head]

Sorry Wiseman, but you have too much time on your hands.


-Footyhead

 

[FruitBatEnthusiast]

I hear not a single one, illustrating the potential of Newington Rowing if the boys were to step up and take part

 

[wisemaan]

This made me chuckle. Based on rank, it seems you have more time on your hands than me Footy head...

- wis

 

[Footy head]

Sorry Wise, but I did join a year before you but your rank is only 1 behind? Very intersting...

-Footyhead

 

[PROPaganda]

Anybody know which schools year 10s will be trialing for opens teams next year, and any that have a genuine chance of being a solid 1st XV player.

I've heard Henry Baxter from Shore will be making a push at hooker (brother of Ed (2024 1st XV) and Finn Baxter (2023 1st XV captain). From all reports, Henry was a standout player in the younger age groups but it will be tough to compete for spots with the older boys.

 

[Mudgee Mudcrab]

Finn Hannon (Joeys) will be my guess for anyone from the Joeys 15As team. Lethal at 10 or 15 and was a big part of the Waratahs U15s series win. Ben Barretto (Joeys) a new boy at the school and a solid Prop. Son of Irish and Leinster legend Steven Barretto. Expect him to be 1s or 2s next year and again was a big part of the Waratahs U15s win.

 

[PROPaganda]

Hopefully some lads can really make their mark from a younger age. I think of Le Maitre in 2022, Justice in 2023, and Risati in 2024, all becoming genuine stars for their teams. Obviously Jorgensen and Sua'ali'i'i were crazy talents from the get-go, will be interesting see them play together this weekend repping the green and gold.

 

[Newitonga]

Got some intel from the CAS forum. Waverley's trials against GPS schools in May 2025.

Trial 1: Waverley v Joeys at Hunters Hill. This is going to be a showdown, with both schools in 2024 pulling above their weight with most of their team being younger than year 12, so this fixture will comprise of a lot of players with multiple years experience in the 1st XV, but I think joeys will be too strong in this one.

Trial 2: Waverley v Scots at 'death valley' (at waverley). A battle of the east that is going to be a lot more competitive than Scots v Cranbrook, not sure which way the result goes for this one, but if I had to choose I would tip waverley, mainly due to how scots is losing their 2024 cohort, who've been fundamental to their 1stXV since 2022, so 2025 may be a building year for scots. I also tip waverley because winning at death valley is more difficult than at most venues, not because of the atmosphere or anything like that (there isn't really much anyway) but the quality of that oval, the cricket pitch is the most invasive out of any sydney schoolboy rugby field, the field is so uneven (you can see it in the different shades of grass) and sometimes the field looks like the african plains it's so dry (reminds me of shore fields in the 2000's and early 2010's), so due to the quality of that oval, and how scots is going to have manY players new to their 1stXV, whereas Waverley has many kids returning, I tip waverley, also waverley may be quite strong next year considering those returning players were able to beat ignatius in 2024.

 

[Rudderless]

Australia U16 squad named for end of year fixture

www.rugby.com.au

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

The last Scots-Waverley game in 2018, was one of the best schoolboy rugby games i've watched, it had a large crowd present from both sides. Great atmosphere.

Quite a few pros played in both of those sides that as well, including the likes of Luca Moretti (Parramatta Eels), Ronald Volkman (looked really good in the NRL, then got injured). Scots had an all star line up team of current pros Will Harris (Western Force, Wallabies) Jeremy Williams (Western Force Capt.) Charlie Savala (Northampton Saints) and a smattering of current shute shield 1st graders among them. Its a shame we never got to see the Waves and Scots 2017 teams play against each other, each of those teams are great as well and both won their comps.

The game was believed to be a closed one, but scots ended up beating them handidly.

I believe you can find the highlights of the game on youtube.

P.S that 2018 cohort of GPS players is crazy. Heaps of current pros in it.

I wonder if @Joker has anymore LORE about inter associational rivalries, such as Scots v Waverley and Cranbrook or Trinity v Newington, or any catholic showdowns between View and Joeys v Waverley and Aloys.

 

[Joker]

I have a few great stories, especially when Cranbrook beat Scots and others. Not well enough to write at the moment

 

[KentwellCup>ShuteShield]

I look forward to your write up Joker. Inter-Associational rivalries are great, as they are usually built on more than just sports, local derbies, class differences or religious differences. They all have an extra bit of spice. Especially because sometimes they don't face eachother that often.

This cranbrook story should be good as well. Especially due to the fact that they've only won around 6 encounters against Scots!

 

[Mule]

View attachment 20749

Australia U16 squad named for end of year fixture

www.rugby.com.au

Any idea who of these are League leaning rather than Union?