Sydney Colts - 2017

[OldColt]

SD won 29-10

Yes - after a couple of disappointing losses in 3rds & 2nds earlier in the day, it was good to see our 1sts Colts continuing their recent run of good form with an entertaining 4 tries to 1 victory over the previously 2nd placed Rats.

Once again, the Souths pack were good in the set pieces, dominating the scrums with a couple of tight-heads and a nice push-over try in the second half, and winning their own line-outs with relative ease.

One cheeky throw to the lock at the front of a line-out 12m in Souths territory gave our hooker the space for a nice 25m charge up the near sideline, which then sparked a great ensemble effort, with the ball going through the hands to the far side where the right-winger beat two defenders before throwing a Hail Mary backhander to the centre as he was taken in to touch - the ensuing breakdown saw the ball swing back with 3 long passes to the near side, where the left-winger did very well to stand up his opposite man and stay inside the touchline long enough to offload to the No. 8, who then threw another Hail Mary to the other lock, who managed to stay infield and lay the ball back for the No. 8 to pick up and dive over for the try.

The Souths backs are well-drilled and polished in attack and defence, and but for a couple of slightly misdirected passes and a couple of slips, they might have added another couple of tries. Its certainly encouraging to see a group of players who can display such skill with the ball in hand then turn around and provide some brutal defence when required.

It was great to see the Warringah players stay around for the after-match function and hopefully we'll see more of it as the season progresses!

 

[lightning rod]

Inst it funny the rush to check players points and the discussion of the fairness of "the system" a couple of weeks ago when Randwick had their arses handed to them.
last week Manly 2nd Grade were beaten by a Randwick 2nds 104-0
in what universe does this represent a good competition
I don't know the players, but it has been reported to me that there were several Aus school boys in that Randwick 2s in what way does a training run like that help player development
Clearly the point system works for two clubs and a couple of blokes at Moore Park that probably have too close a relationship with those clubs
Maybe a points system that limits the number of registered points per club rather than team would only need to be managed once a year and produce a competition that helps all players develop
No colts team or club should have rep level players in second grade.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Inst it funny the rush to check players points and the discussion of the fairness of "the system" a couple of weeks ago when Randwick had their arses handed to them.
last week Manly 2nd Grade were beaten by a Randwick 2nds 104-0
in what universe does this represent a good competition

Precisely.
And this is an issue at all levels of the game in this country for which we are now paying a price: if the players do not play close hard games won by skill execution under pressure then they will have no experience of executing skills under pressure to win games when they get to Super or Test rugby. 3 hard games a season is not cutting the mustard.
That Randwick team of which you speak is full of non randwick juniors: those responsible for recruiting at randwick should be asked what they have done for oz rugby lately.
Regrettably its the same people and the same approach from eras past: Randwick 1st and everyone else can do their best.
We are paying the price for naked self interest over decades - residing mainly at Uni and Randwick.

 

[tooldtoplay]

Inst it funny the rush to check players points and the discussion of the fairness of "the system" a couple of weeks ago when Randwick had their arses handed to them.
last week Manly 2nd Grade were beaten by a Randwick 2nds 104-0
in what universe does this represent a good competition
I don't know the players, but it has been reported to me that there were several Aus school boys in that Randwick 2s in what way does a training run like that help player development
Clearly the point system works for two clubs and a couple of blokes at Moore Park that probably have too close a relationship with those clubs
Maybe a points system that limits the number of registered points per club rather than team would only need to be managed once a year and produce a competition that helps all players develop
No colts team or club should have rep level players in second grade.

There is ambitious Reps players in 3rd colts at Randwick as well and they are not very happy.

 

[tooldtoplay]

There is ambitious Reps players in 3rd colts at Randwick as well and they are not very happy.

Randwick 3rd 70+ 0 manly

 

[Inside Shoulder]

There is ambitious Reps players in 3rd colts at Randwick as well and they are not very happy.

well they should have looked around the first training session and summed it up - I imagine there'd be 2nd grade colts not too happy with things either.
You can transfer mid-season boys!!!!

 

[Rugbybloke123]

Continuing on this, both of the Melbourne Rebel's debutants (esei Ha'aangna and Harrison Goddard) this weekend were Colts aged players from Randwick however Ha'aagna was a West Harbour junior and Goddard I believe (don't quote me) an eastwood junior. West Harbour Colts have only beaten Penrith this year and their other teams have struggled to notch a win. By removing the talent pool from these clubs it not only results in them struggling however more importantly it frames them as a lesser club which then sees better players look elsewhere. I believe that a way to combat this is that if a person has played juniors for a club for 4 or more years and live in the area of that club and then move to a different club their points should be multiplied by two. As everyone has said its not healthy seeing teams like Randwick put cricket scores on stronger clubs such as Manly.

 

[lightning rod]

Maybe if players were dropped to twos for their club they were automatically dropped from rep teams players may be a bit less inclined to spin the barrel

 

[lightning rod]

I rely don't know what that meant either

 

[lightning rod]

Randwick 3rd 70+ 0 manly

so 229-5 over three sessions does look like a cricket score

 

[Wood Rat]

Wow 5-29 after drinks in the last session looks almost desirable
I am sure Randwick will have plenty of spinners for this deteriorating pitch

 

[Rugbybloke123]

Maybe if players were dropped to twos for their club they were automatically dropped from rep teams players may be a bit less inclined to spin the barrel

I reckon the easiest way to spread the talent pool is for gen blue selection to have a minimum of 2 players from each club giving 24 players then say another 6 'wildcards'. Then you wouldn't have uni and randwick dominating the clubs and players would be more likely to go to the lesser clubs as they have more of a chance of making gen blue and getting recognised!

 

[Blazing Saddles]

Maybe if players were dropped to twos for their club they were automatically dropped from rep teams players may be a bit less inclined to spin the barrel

This is where the recruitment officers arrive. You won't get recognised unless you play for Uni or Randwick (this is what the clubs tell the players). Dont worry its reality, just wait until the next gen blue squad will be announced. And they wonder why talented players go to other codes or interstate franchises.

 

[the baz]

This is where the recruitment officers arrive. You won't get recognised unless you play for Uni or Randwick (this is what the clubs tell the players). Dont worry its reality, just wait until the next gen blue squad will be announced. And they wonder why talented players go to other codes or interstate franchises.

Point in case..norths make the GF yet get not one player in..not even invited to training squad..

 

[Hans]

Rather than pointing the blame at Randwick or Sydney Uni, who have proactively built attractive club structures (and no not everyone is on a scholarship at these two clubs), should we not instead be asking what the powers at Manly, West Harbour, Gordon have done to create an environment where people are so ready and willing to walk away?

The proposal of capping the number of players in the squad is a great idea, although will get no traction while clubs have poor colts programs in place, hence the desire to warehouse them with Randwick, Uni.

The Gen Blue selections i believe are driven by club nominations, so anger in this department is probably best directed at the Norths Colts managers, not the Gen Blue coaching staff. If what has been posted earlier is correct, i think you will find a large portion of those Norths colts from 1XV last year were too old for the Gen Blue side this year.

 

[lightning rod]

Point in case..norths make the GF yet get not one player in..not even invited to training squad..

oh Baz again
How are Norths going this year, that would be the collection players that needed to be invited. I don't know what the situation was in 2016 when North had the strong cohort.... or is that the group you mean

 

[I like to watch]

Rather than pointing the blame at Randwick or Sydney Uni, who have proactively built attractive club structures (and no not everyone is on a scholarship at these two clubs), should we not instead be asking what the powers at Manly, West Harbour, Gordon have done to create an environment where people are so ready and willing to walk away?

The proposal of capping the number of players in the squad is a great idea, although will get no traction while clubs have poor colts programs in place, hence the desire to warehouse them with Randwick, Uni.

The Gen Blue selections i believe are driven by club nominations, so anger in this department is probably best directed at the Norths Colts managers, not the Gen Blue coaching staff. If what has been posted earlier is correct, i think you will find a large portion of those Norths colts from 1XV last year were too old for the Gen Blue side this year.

Not much point even being nominated if you wear the wrong socks at the trial.
Not all trialists are treated equally.
But the stats will say that each club had X amount of players that were looked at...

 

[the baz]

oh Baz again
How are Norths going this year, that would be the collection players that needed to be invited. I don't know what the situation was in 2016 when North had the strong cohort.. or is that the group you mean

I actually cant answer how they are going as i am no longer in sydney..

 

[Dexter]

Since Randwick hired new coaching staff following their 2014 premiership their results have gone backward despite their roster growing relatively stronger each year.

2015 - Grand Final loss
2016 - Semi Final loss
2017 - 69-5 loss to Uni (with a stacked roster)


Is this being recognised and how do we have so much faith in this program to produce a majority of the future NSW based Wallabies? The recruitment is winning games. Not the so called elite development program.

 

[lightning rod]

Rather than pointing the blame at Randwick or Sydney Uni, who have proactively built attractive club structures (and no not everyone is on a scholarship at these two clubs), should we not instead be asking what the powers at Manly, West Harbour, Gordon have done to create an environment where people are so ready and willing to walk away?

The proposal of capping the number of players in the squad is a great idea, although will get no traction while clubs have poor colts programs in place, hence the desire to warehouse them with Randwick, Uni.

Realy .... come in spinner ... thanks Wood Rat

almost back to the school boy scholarship thread stuff

Push factors instead of pull factors a bit like the argument "it was her fault she was dressed like a prostitute" lots of chicken and egg here.

Take one or two (of the better) players from six -eight clubs diminishes those clubs, If they are from a developing club...Wests Parramatta Penrith this is deadly. If it is from a nursery club Eastwood Gordon Southern districts there is a bit more depth and will maintain a certain competitiveness with reduced numbers. Stick all the selected players in one or two clubs and you can pretend you have a great program.