Shute Shield 2013

[the coach]

Dark horse Randwick - everybody BEWARE, they are staying under the radar.

When does Brisbane Premier Rugby finish?

Does SRU endorse Sport Parachuting?

The Wicks could indeed be a dark horse if we see a repeat of 2005 (or whatever year it was) when they embraced Sport Parachuting.

We're so far under the radar that we haven't left the ground yet which also makes parachuting very risky!

Dave, as much as I'd like to agree with you we really don't have the experience of the top 4's S15 players. On a dry track we'll score some tries, but so will the opposition.

 

[Dave Beat]

We're so far under the radar that we haven't left the ground yet which also makes parachuting very risky!

Dave, as much as I'd like to agree with you we really don't have the experience of the top 4's S15 players. On a dry track we'll score some tries, but so will the opposition.

Coach - any club with depth will challenge, you are not sitting top of 2 for no reason. Season starts again come finals.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Don't forget about the impact of returning Soup Players.

Results to date only get the entry ticket to the finals series, when the good china will be used.

Unlike many other clubs, this season the Wicks don't have too many returning Soup Rockstars to rely on for the business end of the season. I think that this year they can only call on Beale (maybe injury/rehab), Mitchell (when is he off to Frogland?) and Kepu.

Other clubs will be orchestrating parachuting displays that the Second Parachute Regiment would be proud of.

 

[Rugby Central]

Slight redirection but important for the future of Shute Shield.

"The real objective is to re-energise club rugby," Pulver said.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...n-match-payments/story-e6frg7o6-1226687181180

I call Bullshit on that one.

This statement comes after the statement "There is also speculation the ARU was looking to cut funding to premier rugby clubs in Brisbane and Sydney, but Pulver said that was yet to be determined."

If you want to save money and develop rugby, remove academy's and forget the "Super B" debacle. Half the money wasted could be added to Clubs and still save enough to square the balance sheet.

Going on the most recent discussion here, imagine how much Clubs could improve their facilities with some of that cash. Hell, the ARU could tie the money to infrastructure grants. Can any Club out there say the money would not be handy?

 

[Pete King]

Dark horse Randwick - everybody BEWARE, they are staying under the radar.

My heart wants to follow you but my head say we dont have the power up front to match the full time professionals at Uni, Souths and Manly. Can Eastwood prove that combinations can beat all that???

 

[Pete King]

Don't forget about the impact of returning Soup Players.

Results to date only get the entry ticket to the finals series, when the good china will be used.

Unlike many other clubs, this season the Wicks don't have too many returning Soup Rockstars to rely on for the business end of the season. I think that this year they can only call on Beale (maybe injury/rehab), Mitchell (when is he off to Frogland?) and Kepu.

Other clubs will be orchestrating parachuting displays that the Second Parachute Regiment would be proud of.

Mitchell gone, beale out for season with shoulder injury and not sure about kepu. Be a welcome addition.

 

[wamberal]

My heart wants to follow you but my head say we dont have the power up front to match the full time professionals at Uni, Souths and Manly. Can Eastwood prove that combinations can beat all that???

Nup. Unless a few smokies suddenly appear from somewhere.


The SS is settling into a very predictable and sad competition, frankly. As an Eastwood tragic, I would like nothing more than to see a team like West Harbour or Parramatta win the comp. But I know I won't.

 

[the coach]

Mitchell gone, beale out for season with shoulder injury and not sure about kepu. Be a welcome addition.

Also don't forget the Wobblies are back in action from 17/8 (round 18) and I would assume the squad will be put in cotton wool after next week so it's unlikely Kepu will be seen at Coogee. We might see Mitchell for a game or 2 after the Argentina trip depending on when he has to be in France and how willing he is to risk another injury.

 

[the coach]

Coach - any club with depth will challenge, you are not sitting top of 2 for no reason. Season starts again come finals.

Big gap between 1sts and 2nds Dave!

 

[Stag XV]

Been attending club rugby since the late 70's and this is what I would say. Not many ovals are on a main road that's for sure. Not many have parking within a 1 minute walk for less than the national debt. Try parking at Manly, Coogee without taking out a loan- Uni you can run the gauntlet or try and get some undercover parking- Wests is good luck with the local streets- Rat park, perfect, Forshaw- there are cheap options and free if you know where you are going, NSO- good luck, Penrith and Parramatta easy but never really a problem while TG Milner is very good. Woollahra- no chance unless you get there for 4th grade( and oval by May is crap) and lastly Chatswood( see NSO, Woollahra).

Facilities/food- all seem pretty good standard and I cant recall anyone being sued for food poisoning- some good cheap options while others charge like a wounded bull. An arvo at Coogee oval sitting in the sun can be an issue- same at Rat Park and Woollahra while Uni, Chatswood , Manly and NSO you are a fair way from the action. Forshaw - options on club house side and the same for Concord and TG Milner. But sitting in the sun on some winters afternoons with nice cold beer makes for a good day out

Change rooms- too small at some grounds like Penrith and Chatswood - some of the old ones at Coogee where you had to duck to get in. Again TG, Concord, Rat park and Forshaw all good( interesting that the smallest room at Forshaw is used by there 1st grade sides) Like the rooms at NSO though. Parra and Penrith last time I was there were poor . Uni good size as is Manly and Easts

No doubt you are all protective of your clubs and no one is hosting the Wallabies vs. All Blacks test so take the grounds for what they are and it is obvious some are on a standard while others need a lot of work. It would be better though if every week ALL grounds were full of people watching some great rugby.

My top 4 - TG Milner - Forshaw- Rat Park and Concord

Got to disagree on change rooms. Chatswood can't be that bad for a visiting side when compared to Penrith & Granville. Manly is also tough for a visiting team with half your side virtually in a separate room altogether! And don't even get me started on the chiropractor's nightmare that is Coogee.

Any oval with a pitch will be rubbish at some point in the season - either too hard, or too soft.

Chatswood may be tough for the drivers, but it surely must be the best going around for public transport, a critical factor when an afternoon on the cans is likely.

 

[the coach]

Slight redirection but important for the future of Shute Shield.

"The real objective is to re-energise club rugby," Pulver said.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...n-match-payments/story-e6frg7o6-1226687181180

I call Bullshit on that one.

This statement comes after the statement "There is also speculation the ARU was looking to cut funding to premier rugby clubs in Brisbane and Sydney, but Pulver said that was yet to be determined."

If you want to save money and develop rugby, remove academy's and forget the "Super B" debacle. Half the money wasted could be added to Clubs and still save enough to square the balance sheet.

Going on the most recent discussion here, imagine how much Clubs could improve their facilities with some of that cash. Hell, the ARU could tie the money to infrastructure grants. Can any Club out there say the money would not be handy?

Can't see how cutting funding to Premier clubs is going to save much.
What's half of bugger all?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

the coach, I suspect that the budget line entry in the ARU Accounts entitled "Brisbane Premier Rugby/Sydney Shute Shield Grant" or whatever it is called may in fact be a rather large figure, contrary to popular opinion.

Where popular opinion is correct is that at individual Club level they see do see bugger all.

The Gap between what ARU budget for, and what feeds the roots of Clublands grass, is consumed by the faceless men and women at levels between the benevolence of Fortress ARU and the training paddocks of clubland.

"Middle management" organisations have been siphoning off ARU grants for "administration" and "other stuff" in Junior Rugby for donkeys years, and every indication I have had is that similar practices have been followed with respect to the bucket of gold that ARU allocate for Syd/Brissie club footy.

There was hope that Arbib's report into governance would result in change. All the right words were in the Arbib report, in more or less the correct order as well.

Down at Clubland level, the Arbib "revolution" seems to be a rather hollow promise of good times that is talked about in hushed terms and anticipation that something good may happen in the future if we behave. Meanwhile like Oliver Twist, we hold our bowl out for more of the same old sloppy gruel from Fagan.

"MORE, ... MORE,......... YOU WANT MORE" roars Fagan The Pulveriser.

 

[the coach]

I see the NSWRU website is as accurate as ever!​

The review of round 15 reports 3 tries to Nio (even though he didn't play) and 2 to Paia. This should be 3 tries to Patrick Hodgetts (whose dad will be very disappointed that the NSWRU has not recognised his first first grade tries) and Paia only scored 1 try, the other was a penalty try. Strange that the Shute Shield section has this correct. Left hand doesn't know what the right hand's doing at the NSWRU, aint that a surprise!​

 

[Dave Beat]

7 out 7

 

[rugbyvet]

My heart wants to follow you but my head say we dont have the power up front to match the full time professionals at Uni, Souths and Manly. Can Eastwood prove that combinations can beat all that???

On paper Eastwood certainly seems the weakest of the big four teams. What's happening with the western force players? That could help the woodies. Uni named a very powerful team on weekend- hard to see them being challenged at full strength.

 

[Dave Beat]

Long live the Shute Shield

 

[topo]

I see the NSWRU website is as accurate as ever!
The review of round 15 reports 3 tries to Nio (even though he didn't play) and 2 to Paia. This should be 3 tries to Patrick Hodgetts (who's dad will be very disappointed that the NSWRU has not recognised his first first grade tries) and Paia only scored 1 try, the other was a penalty try. Strange that the Shute Shield section has this correct. Left hand doesn't know what the right hand's doing at the NSWRU, aint that a surprise!​

Good to hear about Pat Hodgetts. He kept Damien Fitzpatrick out of the Joeys 1sts in 06 and got a tight head scrum win in every comp game that year.

 

[Zander]

Alex Gibbon has 9 tries in his last 3 games.

 

[2bluesfan]

Alex Gibbon has 9 tries in his last 3 games.

I was very impressed with this guy when Souths scraped home against us at Forshaw a few weeks ago.

 

[The Galah]

NO!

Agree it will come from current top 4 and picking up on the Manly kicking problem it could very well decide MMM's fate.Will have a pack capable of stretching any of their rivals but if position ain't converted to points in tight ones forget it .

I'm struck by how well Uni kick through the grades. Yet another example of attention to detail and the need in those clubs who aspire to devote resources in that direction.