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Sydney Subbies 2022

Mangoman

Allen Oxlade (6)
The main issue I see is that it’s a guy that, by all accounts, should be in the NRL.

70+ NRL caps. Not NSW Cup, not Shute Shield, not Jersey Flegg. The NRL. The top level of domestic rugby, league or union, in Australia (don’t argue this one guys ). The ONLY reason he is not there is because of off field issues. He wasn’t dropped for performance reasons.

He played this past weekend against an Kings Old Boys outfit that train once a week. Maybe an extra once or twice a week in the gym depending on personal preference/commitment.

No one else here seeing the issue with that?
 

Uzi1989

Stan Wickham (3)
Sheesh - talk about missing the point entirely here...

How can you have an established NRL player, in the prime of life, with the skills, athletic ability, power and strength that he has - playing at that level of rugby?!

What if Burra now make a late charge into the fast approaching semi's, and win games due to this guy - don't you think the beaten clubs have a right to say "hang on, this just ain't right here"

Also what if he tackles someone and physically hurts them due to said skill?

Having said all of this, if he has been cleared by Subbies to play, then so be it - but I still don't think its right for him to play such a level where its about playing the game we all like and care for, and not professional
No burraneer don’t need him to do that because they are well on there way to the finals starting in a few weeks but its a great way for him to keep fit
 

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
No one else here seeing the issue with that?

Potential issues with anything like this.

For example, I personally would not like to be tackled by, or try to tackle, some of the gigantic fast blokes half my age in our Division. Yet I get out there and play by my choice and do my very average best anyway.

What's a good stand-down period in your opinion? Should we make Shute Shield 1st Grade wait 1 year, and any level of full professional (Super Rugby, NRL, etc) wait 2 years? Even if they've been play ing second-tier pro rugby in somewhere like Romania or Russia?

Don't think we have the resources to check everyone. I know of at least one ex-pro rugby player getting around for a First Division side, and nobody has said anything. EDIT: he hasn't played pro for a couple of years, I should add.
 
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The Wombat

Allen Oxlade (6)
Potential issues with anything like this.

For example, I personally would not like to be tackled by, or try to tackle, some of the gigantic fast blokes half my age in our Division. Yet I get out there and play by my choice and do my very average best anyway.

What's a good stand-down period in your opinion? Should we make Shute Shield 1st Grade wait 1 year, and any level of full professional (Super Rugby, NRL, etc) wait 2 years? Even if they've been play ing second-tier pro rugby in somewhere like Romania or Russia?

Don't think we have the resources to check everyone. I know of at least one ex-pro rugby player getting around for a First Division side, and nobody has said anything. EDIT: he hasn't played pro for a couple of years, I should add.
David Horwitz has been running around for Maccabi in Halligans
 

thetraitor

Chris McKivat (8)
Don't think we have the resources to check everyone. I know of at least one ex-pro rugby player getting around for a First Division side, and nobody has said anything. EDIT: he hasn't played pro for a couple of years, I should add.
I don't think it's a bad thing, if they're not being paid for it.

Forest has Sam Lane at 10 who was a Super Rugby player many years ago, but it seems that he's genuinely having a good time playing with his mates. He's a good player, but it's not like it's unfair to other clubs who also have really good 10s, and it's not like Forest are hammering their competition. The core of the first grade squad is a former Colts side who won several championships and have been playing together since Juniors.
 

WoodyWoodsman

Sydney Middleton (9)
We could do this for every team and list players with professional/semi-professional contracts. Does it matter? Is Burraneer paying Curtis Scott to play outside centre and semis in the Jeffrey Cup?
Yep, Forest have Sam Lane and Daniel Alley (ex-Marlins 1st Grade) playing.
St Pats had Adrian Musico playing for them, fresh off a year in the Shute Shield and I think ex-Catchpole Medallist.
Blue Mountains have Gavin Duncan running around at fullback.
Hunters Hill have Harrison Orr (ex-Western Force) playing 6.
Waverley pinched Rory Garrett from the Two Blues first grade last year and he is now playing 2s.

UNSW have ex-Rabbitohs contracted player and reigning Barraclough Medallist, Devon Makaore-Boyce, running around in third grade.
Hawkesbury Valley have a number of Two Blues higher graders, including last year's Shute Shield captain, Riley Jacobsen.
Hills are so stacked in the centres that they can afford for Josh Fergusson to play 3rd grade. Here's a bloke that should have been playing professionally.

What's the point of worrying about Curtis Scott again?
 

WoodyWoodsman

Sydney Middleton (9)
Without a doubt this is the case at many, I would say a majority, of clubs. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. It’s more having a person that SHOULD be at the professional level playing against guys who are there on the weekend for a casual run around.

If the person in question was late 30s and retired from professional sport or late teens/early 20s and a former rep then fair game. But by all rights this guy should be in the NRL and is only playing park footy because of an ongoing investigation and court case.

Again, if he played Kentwell or Barraclough it probably wouldn’t get things too fired up because the playing level is such that at least the guys he’s playing with and against train 2 nights a week and are generally pretty damn good players in their own right.

Speaking as someone who has played in the Jeffrey competition before, it’s a shit mix of guys who probably wouldn’t be out of place in a Kentwell/Burke or Barraclough/Stockdale environment (I.e. 80 min rugby fit, well drilled, footy smart) and some guys who honestly would struggle for a starting spot in any given 4ths or 5ths side.

It just doesn’t sit right.
Please see my comment above regarding Devon Makaore-Boyce.
 

Eastcoast

Ted Fahey (11)
Devon Makaore-Boyce is playing third grade? That has to be a joke right?
So UNSW are stacking lower grades - Werent there people here disputing me last week? Lucky we dont have to play them anymore and have decent competition up in DIV 1. With this bloke we played him back in 2020 and he did nothing. Out of position and runs across field. I spose in 3rd grade that doesnt matter.
Disappointing that people talk about an average NRL player playing against First Grade players but happy to put forward First Grade players against 3rd and 4th grade players - This is more of a safety issue.
Each to their own.....
 

Eastcoast

Ted Fahey (11)
Big win - will give that one a look at some point this week. Looks like some starters were back from various duties including the new dad.
Unfortunately I ended up watching this game - Slow night. Iggies had some opportunities but lack the polish to finish off. The 15 from Harlequins is very good. Was always difficult to handle when he was playing at HAC
 

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
Graduated from uni at Richmond and then moved into the city to do a PhD. Top bloke and wish him all the best!!

PhD - great stuff!

Years ago when I was working in the city, Quins looked like a good option to get off the train at Redfern and walk down to make training. Never got around to it because... well because I was too lazy :)
 

Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
Unfortunately I ended up watching this game - Slow night. Iggies had some opportunities but lack the polish to finish off. The 15 from Harlequins is very good. Was always difficult to handle when he was playing at HAC

Also skimmed it - Quins took the game in hand during the first quarter with some good offloading and hard running. Iggies a little slower in attack but their 12 looks very handy.

29-14 at halftime looked competitive but lot of territory going the way of Harlequins and Iggues chasing the game shortly after halftime.
 

Eastcoast

Ted Fahey (11)
Thank god we have some rugby back this week
Div 1 shaping up ok this week - Although clear favs in all the games.


Knox - Petersham - Hopefully the sun will help Lofberg return as the best surface in subbies. Everyone loves playing on an angled synthetic cricket pitch when play Kentwell games. Reminds me of how horrid Yattenden is as a ground. Knox are finished for the year. Petersham have been poor in recent weeks, so expect a dour game. Petersham by 14
Colleagues - St Pats - Pats were put back in their place by a strong Waverley on another poor surface. For a club with all that money to play on a ground as bad as Hudson - I wonder where that money goes..... Back to the rugby. Colleagues are fresh after an easy win over Knox and last week off. Colleagues to win this by 20.
Forest - Mosman - Mosman will make this trip look easy. Expect the sideline to be pretty quiet at Melwood as they dream of better times when they burgled a premiership in 2019 after being the 5th best side in the comp. Mosman are coming good at the right time of the year. Mosman by 20
Drummoyne - HH - Short trip for the boys across the bridge. Unsure how to take the dirty reds or if the girls have kissed and made up which has the boys back on track. We should take this by 10+
Waverley- Blueys - Bus Trip brings the best out of Blue Mountains - So they might stay close to Waverley for 60 minutes. This could get ugly late. Waverley 30+
 
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