Sydney Rays .. NRC Team Official Thread

[Dave Beat]

Jones was not selected, Dave can answer re BJ as I am not sure.

Why wouldn't you select a first grade winger who also played for the Rays last year plus Aust 20s this year?

BJ in my eyes and "EARS" is more odd and raises questions

 

[Dave Beat]

Fuck I'm sick of the NRC conspiracy theories that coaches are using it to get players to change clubs.

If you aren't playing 1s you're not going to get a run. Plain and simple.

How many players who aren't starting super rugby get selected for the wallabies?

Further to yesterday's post.
Sione Ala gets picked, as I said he'd struggle to get out of Manly 3rds. I mentioned first grader Harry Jones but forgot to include he's good enough to be with the Tahs training squad(but not Rays?).

That is no conspiracy, it is fact, and there are a number of examples like that.

Best players should be in squad.
Again Mr Townsend why Hill when we have a number of good 12s?

 

[Dave Beat]

I agree with you Dave, I want to see the best player picked in each position and if a club misses out due to a lack of talent then so be it, winning games needs to be the primary goal of any team, should go without saying. However, it’s a very tricky situation when you have 4 clubs contributing/investing an equal amount of money and having to balance the pressure applied from all these different stakeholders.


What if it gets to the point (almost did last year) where Norths have no players in the team and no home games yet invest the same amount of money as Warringah who get 2 home games and half their players in the squad. Again, I agree with you regarding selections but you gotta admit it’s an odd situation.

I have a saying - no one is above the game.

• If we stick to a theme like that, and work together the game will be lifted higher.
• I'm concerned some one is trying to be above the game (Rays in this case) and it's being pushed, squashed and damaged.
• It is important to note that the biggest stakeholders / contributors to the game are it's supporters, lose them and we have a promblemo.

My thoughts.

• Select our best team from our 4 clubs - no matter what the player balance is.
• Use our best team to the best of its ability to lift profile, engagements, and retention of grass roots.
• It might be that our best team, creates better engagement by training at Chatswood, or Norths and 1st 15's of Shore, Knox, Barker etc are all engaged in a training session or 2. (just providing an idea and inviting ideas as to how to balance, grow, each of the consortium of clubs).

So

• I believe our supporters are the biggest stakeholders - engage them, and we lift the game higher.
• I want Manly, Rats, Norths, Gordon to be the strongest 4 clubs in the "Club Championship" SS (Marlins winning the premiership though).
• I have pointed out some very questionable selections and very good players playing elsewhere - how can anyone think that is good for our team.

No one is above the game, screw politics - let's look after and build our game.




Lastly i hate singling out players like i have in a team sport, but I had to show an example, to substantiate for TWAS it wasn't just a conspiracy theory.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Looking at the Rays Roster, it seems as if they only have 2 Super Rugby Contracted players (ignoring the likes of Hooper, Sio and other Wallaby capped marquee players), and both of those are relative Pro Rugby newbies (Jack Dempsey and Reece Hodge).

It is going to be hard to be competitive against the Rising, Spirit, and Vikings which can all field almost 15 Super Rugby players, although Old Man Jarse always used to say a champion team will always beat a team of champions.

 

[Dave Beat]

Looking at the Rays Roster, it seems as if they only have 2 Super Rugby Contracted players (ignoring the likes of Hooper, Sio and other Wallaby capped marquee players), and both of those are relative Pro Rugby newbies (Jack Dempsey and Reece Hodge).

It is going to be hard to be competitive against the Rising, Spirit, and Vikings which can all field almost 15 Super Rugby players, although Old Man Jarse always used to say a champion team will always beat a team of champions.

So true - yes a champion team will often beat a team of champions.

Becomes a little difficult when a team is thrown together on a quota basis and "team combinations"are lost.

Combos are so important with a champion team, a champion team is developed over time and also includes mate-ship and a huge amount of respect for the players either side of you.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

2015 Macquarie University North Harbour Emerging Rays

1. Sean DILLON (Gordon)
2. Sam KITCHEN (Norths)
3. Sio TATOLA (Manly)
4. Andrew DAVIES (Warringah)
5. Jack DAVIES (Norths)
6. Kerry SIMPSON (Manly)
7. Taylor FRANCIS (Norths)
8. Tim POYNTING (Warringah)
9. Pat CURTIN (Gordon)
10. Jerry LEMALU (Warringah)
11. Tom McMILLAN (Warringah)
12. Tommy GILBERT (Norths)
13. Sebastian WILEMAN (Warringah)
14. Lachie CREAGH (Norths)
15. Kurtis QUINN (Gordon)

Bench
Ash GODDARD (Gordon)
Scott WHITE (Manly)
Jack PREECE (Norths)
James LOUGH (Gordon)

Head Coach: Matt NILAN (Norths)
Assistant Coaches: Ed DOYLE (Warringah), Joel RIVERS (Norths), David TELFER (Gordon)

 

[Hugh Jarse]

T-Shirt Amnesty Results

pic: @North Harbour Rays Twitter

 

[Quick Hands]

T-Shirt Amnesty Results

pic: @North Harbour Rays Twitter

They should make that the jerey design and get rid of the hideous harlequin thing.

 

[Dave Beat]

Base on 18 rounds of rugby + Finals, light in locks so i have included local junior Philip because i can.

1. Lewis / OConnor.
2. Holmes / Elliott (Would have been Porecki)
3. Vaai
4. Gower
5. Treloar / Matt Philip
6. Bergelin / Wells
7. Dempsey / Killingworth
8. Ward
9. Donlan / Homes
10. Lane / Angus / Hodge
11. Northam
12. Hodge / Davis
13. Pilu Gaitau / Mike Adams
14. Jones
15. BJ / Feltch.

People might think my selections relate to were the clubs finished at the end of the season, that i have selected players who won lots of games.

Wrong - it is because i don't like crossing the spit bridge that must be the real reason

 

[p.Tah]

They should make that the jerey design and get rid of the hideous harlequin thing.

This. I really hate the current Jersey. That t-shirt design is better. I quite like Quins away jersey. It's a bit like a barcode but I like it



https://shop.quins.co.uk/replica/kit/adult/adidas-replica-away-shirt-adult-201516

 

[qaz]

Base on 18 rounds of rugby + Finals, light in locks so i have included local junior Philip because i can.

1. Lewis / OConnor.
2. Holmes / Elliott (Would have been Porecki)
3. Vaai
4. Gower
5. Treloar / Matt Philip
6. Bergelin / Wells
7. Dempsey / Killingworth
8. Ward
9. Donlan / Homes
10. Lane / Angus / Hodge
11. Northam
12. Hodge / Davis
13. Pilu Gaitau / Mike Adams
14. Jones
15. BJ / Feltch.

People might think my selections relate to were the clubs finished at the end of the season, that i have selected players who won lots of games.

Wrong - it is because i don't like crossing the spit bridge that must be the real reason

You need to relax, take a deep breathe and enjoy the fact that we have an NRC comp that is on at the end of a season, producing entertaining rugby

 

[Dave Beat]

You need to relax, take a deep breathe and enjoy the fact that we have an NRC comp that is on at the end of a season, producing entertaining rugby

Qaz i am - but that is easier on Sat & Sunday when i can fish - you see this year is a bit like a leap year.

Rugby fishing then RWC & Fishing at the same time, then back to fishing.

Now that's awesome - its just every 4 years.

 

[Dave Beat]

Backs for this weekend - hmm was i suggesting a player maybe playing 15 so Hill could play his promised position of 12.

15. Reece HODGE (Manly)
14. Alex NORTHAM (Manly)
13. Dennis PILI-GAITAU (Manly)
12. Tom HILL (Eastwood)
11. Michael ADAMS (Warringah)
10. Sam LANE (Manly) / Hamish ANGUS (Warringah)
9. Josh HOLMES (Warringah)

 

[Train Without a Station]

Just maybe the coaches think he's the best 12

 

[Dave Beat]

Just maybe the coaches think he's the best 12

TWAS is back.

Could be - interesting though that Rebels signed Hodge not Hill though.

 

[I like to watch]

Just maybe the coaches think he's the best 12

To be fair toTownsend,Hill will be the best 12 at Gordon next year........

 

[Lee Grant]

This hoo-haa about the Rays team is well-founded.

I wrote in a blog early last year that there would be a host of matters that would be imperfect with the NRC competition, but give it five years. The Rays' situation is just one of them.

For NSW teams the selection of squads and match day teams was better in the ARC than it has been in the NRC to date, because NRC "ownership" comes with snakes and spiders. The other teams are Super Rugby based, in effect, and don't have the problem.

But give it five years and I trust the invisible hand of the rugby market place will put things to rights and many of the Rays' issues mentioned by Dave Beat will be resolved but for the occasional whinge.

In particular the Rays have to get rid of the "every player gets a prize" selection mentality, and if that is enshrined in the joint venture arrangement, it has to be changed.

That maturity has to be attained in the time frame mentioned and so do many other issues with other clubs and the competition as a whole.

I am confident for the future provided the decision makers demonstrate an ability to recognise road blocks, like the ones the Rays have, and then get rid of them.
.

 

[qaz]

Hill was one of the best on field in the grand final a few weeks ago and by all reports was one of the best on field last week - making the NRC team of the week.. So yeah, I'd pick him again at 12.

With Feltch out, leaves a hole at 15 - lucky that Hodge can play there (and played there for Manly this year). One of those instances maybe where he is a victim of his ability to cover several positions, like AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) over his career.

If Hill was a Manly player, probably wouldn't be too far stretched to suggest that he wouldve played 12 there with Hodge at 15 all year.

As for the rebels signing Hodge (and not Hill) - they have done the smart thing. Hodge is a 21 year old (not 100% sure), coming back from serious injury with plenty of upside. Where as Hill is 25ish (?) and maybe seen by some scouts as not having as much upside considering he is "past it".. which by the way, i think is wrong when teams do that - but i understand it.

 

[Dave Beat]

Just maybe the coaches think he's the best 12

Hill was one of the best on field in the grand final a few weeks ago and by all reports was one of the best on field last week - making the NRC team of the week.. So yeah, I'd pick him again at 12.

Guys, I see 3rd grade to 1st grade every week live, and re watch 7mate every week end, and have done for a few years back to back.

Get to know, see, and also hear quite a bit that you punters are aware of - indicated a couple of pages back this was going to happen and i don't have a crystal ball.

TWAS - Sione Ala would be lucky to crack second grade in either Rats or Manly - you still hanging your hat on conspiracy, he gets chosen over an Aus 20's player that played First Grade and Rays last year - serious.

 

[Train Without a Station]

TWAS - Sione Ala would be lucky to crack second grade in either Rats or Manly - you still hanging your hat on conspiracy, he gets chosen over an Aus 20's player that played First Grade and Rays last year - serious.

Is that the same Sione Ala that played Shute Shield for the Marlins in 2012?