Shute Shield 2011

[lily]

He as was the other players in my last 2 posts pushed into a pro situation way too early. Remember in 2008 Alcock was a Gordon colt and in 2009 a second grader. From here he was thrusted into a Super 14 team. Now he's gone. Imagine that discarded at 22. The Tahds should maybe have waited till he was 22 before they picked him.

 

[en_force_er]

Surely in 2012 we will see Alcock have a Super contract somewhere. Mightn't be the Tahs though.

 

[yellow card]

I was at Oxford Falls for the CHS vs ISA game in 2008. Talking to a few guys that I knew from the CHS set up, they were confident of a good day. Unfortunately for them the ISA teams forward pack included - Salesi Manu, Sam Roberson, Vaughan Lomax, Luke Jones( or was he in seconds that day) Michael Hooper and Katoni Ale. Greg Gerrard could only shake his head in amazement. Katoni has struggled to live up to any of the hype surrounding his time at schoolboy level. This though is not and nor will it ever be his doing. Hopefully he will be allowed to move on and play some good football without having to be the undeserved recipient of a backpage story.
Finally the Marlins in the off season had a target list of 6. My source say's all are signed.

lily i asume that Ale and Gower are 2 , do you know who the other 4 are to go to manly

 

[Lee Grant]

The best schoolboy backrower in the last 5 years I have seen is Ben Coridis. Why did the Waratahs get rid of this guy? i know he was injury prone but he was drafted into the squad at Robinsons expense only to then fall behind Chris Alcock - who again was tossed in way too early. Go the Tahds.

Coridas was a good schools player but I've seen a few schoolboy backrowers better than he was in the time mentioned - though that is neither here nor there. If we are talking about schools 7s only he didn't compare with Hooper and Gill who looked certain to make their mark in Super rugby if they became big enough men to do so. And like Kotoni Ale he was a schools backrower who could play any of the 3 positions, not a specialist 7.


Yeah - Coridas was injury prone. Who knows if that was because he played senior rugby too soon, or not, but you can't blame the Tahs for preferring back rowers who looked more durable. He did not stand out in the JW games I saw last year and as for other positions: you wouldn't have had him playing 6 in front of others like Mumm, Mowen or Dennis, and forget about 8.


The Alcock situation was bizarre. IIRR he wasn't in the 2010 Junior Waratahs, either pro or amateur, but when Waugh was out for the Cheetahs game last year he was elevated above both Coridas, who had a Super contract (can't remember if he was healthy then), and McCutcheon (who had a pro JW contract). Neither of these were 7 specialists but neither was Alcock who played some games at 8 for Gordon when he played 1st Grade, which was not that often.


It was a master stroke though: he had a blinder in that Cheetahs game, but Waugh returned for the next one and Alcock never got back on the park. As for McCutcheon from the 2010 JWs: he finished the season at 6, replacing Dennis, a contracted player. This year Cutch, now fully contracted, is the ostensible replacement for Waugh at 7 in the Super Rugby group but, if needed, nobody is going to be surprised if Alcock is elevated from the SRT Group instead.


At least we know now that Waugh has good back up. A year ago after Beau Robinson had been discarded and no specialist 7 was contracted, we were not so sure.
.

 

[lily]

Jacob Woodhouse to Manly. Surprising as they already have BJ Hartmann and possibly Damien Reti who is a great runner of the ball.

 

[Lee Grant]

Except for some quotas with the Junior Waratahs last year I haven't seen him play since he was the 2009 Oz Schools fullback. At the schools level he looked like a Matt Burke type and I was waiting to see how he coped with Grade rugby when he eventually got there.

He may have got on the park as a reserve for Eastern Suburbs in 1st Grade, but from reading my 2010 rugby programmes it looks like he ended up in 2nd Grade as the outside centre. As a fullback it was no disgrace to be ranked behind Dellit, who I rate highly, nor the eccentric DeBartolo, and Cross would have been hard to displace at 13.

This could be a case of a young bloke who is in the Tahs SRT Group looking for a 1st Grade spot to push his claims for a Super contract next year. If he can get that spot at Manly and play fullback like he did as a schoolboy he will have a very good chance.

Are there any Eastern Suburbs tragics out there who can assess how he went in 2nd Grade in 2010, albeit as a 13?

 

[Lee Grant]

Grayson Hart, former NZ U/20 and Blues Super14 player, has relocated to Sydney and will play for Southern Districts.

I read in the Manly Daily on Saturday that the Rats are losing another player to the Blue Filth - sometimes known as the Manly Marlins. Don't know who yet.

 

[Informer]

Heard on the grapevine that Alcock has signed with the Marlins, who snapped him up from under the noses of Norths, the underbidders. Chasing the $$$$ apparently. Manly are very aggressive early on in the season.

 

[yellow card]

Grayson Hart, former NZ U/20 and Blues Super14 player, has relocated to Sydney and will play for Southern Districts.

I read in the Manly Daily on Saturday that the Rats are losing another player to the Blue Filth - sometimes known as the Manly Marlins. Don't know who yet.

I believe it Brock McGarity, big unit, 5/8, centre, or fullback, has a big boot on him, had a great year in 2nds last year buy all reports, big lost for the rats, they should be ok in the backs as they have held on to the Kennedy twins, Doyle and Shuomha(not the right spelling sorry), but look very light on in the forwards, with the lost of Ale and Greenway unless Sam Harris can call in some ex or older players.

 

[Parra GM]

I believe it Brock McGarity, big unit, 5/8, centre, or fullback, has a big boot on him, had a great year in 2nds last year buy all reports, big lost for the rats, they should be ok in the backs as they have held on to the Kennedy twins, Doyle and Shuomha(not the right spelling sorry), but look very light on in the forwards, with the lost of Ale and Greenway unless Sam Harris can call in some ex or older players.

McGarity did have a good year in 2's. But he was behind Harris, Doyle etc. Was rumoured there for a while that he was heading up Mona Vale rd to Chatswood. So surprised he went for Manly. Good luck to him.

Looks like poor old Rats will struggle til they become the force east coast side after super 15 is done. They've lost Robinson, Greenway, Ale from their back row alone. Word is Dan Barnard has retired and whilst he was certainly not a household name he was most certainly a VERY good scrummager. Add in Lipman, Pile also away for Super 15 and they dont look too strong. Atleast it seems (at this stage anyway) that the Bayfield Cup might be staying at Sydney road

 

[F1Fan]

What's going on West Harbour? Sounds like they've had a mass exodus of quality players. Rumour is Campese Maafu, James King, Sam Latunipulu, Damien Fakafanua, Jai Ayoub, Ben Volavola, Jeremy Sua have all left. Rumours also Salesi Maafu is on way out too. Can anyone confirm if this is fact and if they've heard of others?

 

[blues recovery]

Out of the player mentioned know that
Latinipulu - Souths
Fakafanua - Parra
Ayoub - Randwick
Volavola - Souths

Also Steve Mafi with Leicster in England and will probably return to Parra when back in Aust.

A very interesting off season. Mass defections from Gordon, Wests, Penrith and Warringah. Build ups by Manly, Parra, Eastwood and Souths and not much change at Uni, Norths, Easts and Randwick. Add the extended Super season to the mix and it could be an a topsy turvey year.

 

[MrBump]

Volavola was always going to follow Apo to Souths. Considering they were both Souths Colts, its good to see them back at their local club. The last of the Southern Districts Juniors left at another club is Sipa Taumoepau. I wonder if they are looking at him as well

 

[rugby_man]

I can confirm Lee Grant's post that Grayson Hart has moved to the Waratahs and will play for Souths. Ben Volavola (Waratahs Academy) has moved to Souths as well and Jai Ayoub to Randwick. Easts have signed Campese Ma'afu (Fiji rep), Kuki Ma'afu (Tonga 7's), Eddie Paea (ex-NRL Souths player) and Fine Moekiola (Waratahs pro academy). I've also heard Brock McGarity is on his way out of Rat Park and will link with either Easts or Manly.

 

[Lee Grant]

I don't think that Moekiola is in the Tahs pro academy (or more correctly now - the Super Rugby Training Group). He's not even in the amateurs. He could have been added to the original list, of course.

I hear that there is one added to the professionals - Tom Kingston, who was previously with the amateurs. My guess is that he is in the "ARU Sevens Program" section of the Tahs as he has been added to the Oz 7s team.

 

[topo]

I don't think that Moekiola is in the Tahs pro academy (or more correctly now - the Super Rugby Training Group). He's not even in the amateurs. He could have been added to the original list, of course.

I hear that there is one added to the professionals - Tom Kingston, who was previously with the amateurs. My guess is that he is in the "ARU Sevens Program" section of the Tahs as he has been added to the Oz 7s team.

I have heard the same about Kingston at the tahs.

 

[Lee Grant]

From Rugby News:

Scott Gourley to lead Warringah Rats on Kenya Tour

The Warringah squad will fly out on February 4 for the two match tour of Kenya.
DUAL international Scott Gourley will come out of retirement in February to play for Warringah in a two-match tour of Kenya.

The unusual circumstance will pitch Gourley against a Kenyan national team, believed to be their A squad, and Kenyan universities.

Both games, on Feb 6 and Feb 12, will be played in Nairobi at Kenya\'s National Sports Stadium in front of what is expected to be a sellout crowd of 5000.

Gourley retired in 1998 after a successful career in both league and union which saw him represent Australia in each code.

The 42-year-old will lead a squad of 21, including ex-Marlin Phil Reber and Warringah first grade backs Ed Doyle and Dylan Smouha.

NOT JUST RUGBY, THE TOUR IS TO HELP THE IMPOVERISHED CHILDREN OF THE KIBERA ORPHANS SCHOOL IN NAIROBI

Registered Charity Oasis Africa Australia recently appointed the Warringah Rugby Club as official Ambassadors for the Oasis Africa Australia school, caring for over 1200 orphaned children in Africa’s largest slum - Kibera, in Nairobi Kenya

The Rats undertook major fundraising programs in 2010 including its innovative ‘Books and Boots’ program and will travel to Kibera with 40 club members and Oasis Africa Australia founders and directors in early February 2011.

Warringah Rugby Club will undertake a number of building and educational projects within the slums of Nairobi. These include the building of a bridge over a river of affluent to allow easy access to St John’s school and the building and stocking of a library within the school.

Working with the local Moran Rugby Club they will run Rugby training clinics for the local children, and with over 1000 registered, it will be a massive undertaking.

Gourley, who looks in very good shape, is under no illusions as to how tough a tussle the games against Kenya could be.

"I think the games will be quite hard," he said. "Talking to one of the guys over there, he said they will be keen to play well."

Although the Rats squad have had training runs there may be a difference in fitness levels. As we know, the Kenyan athletes and International Sevens Team can run all day and the next day.

Congratulations to Warringah Rugby for their efforts and assistance in a fantastic humanitarian project. They have been involved in many fundraising events to make this happen.

 

[en_force_er]

So is he committing to the entirety of the season Lee?

I'm always a bit curious about what would happen if we saw guys like this step back into the playing ranks, admittedly \I've never heard of Gourley but I've been thinking more along the lines of players like Jeremy Paul.

Jeremy Paul played a game style that front row purists didn't find too appealing but he certainly was a terrific and well respected player, at 33 who wouldn't like to see him make a return in the Shute Shield. Surely it wouldn't effect his media commitments too much.

 

[lily]

En force er Gourley played for the Wallabies in the late 80's before defecting to league. He finished his football career with the Marlins lower grades. He will be 43 in this year so I doubt he will be a regular contributor. He was awesome against the Lions in 89 before he switched to St George.

 

[observer]

Gourley was a very good player in both codes. I remember he got into a couple of stouches with the lions pair of locks Wade Dooley and Paul Ackford and didn't fare too well.

You can always tell a club isn't travelling too well when they dust off an old legend and attempt to play him. The Rats will be wooden spooners this year. They will have good competition from Gordon and Penrith.