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The Mighty Two Blues

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blues recovery

Billy Sheehan (19)
Thanks for your support slash. The club needs to now move on from having honourable defeats to winning these close games. If you looked at the stats for Saturdays game Parra was better performing in just about every area accept the scoreboard. The result came down to some poor decision making at crucial times and some undisciplined play from some senior players. Would just like to make comment on the great result in colts 1s where Parra won their first game in a few seasons other than against Penrith. Great effort lads, a testament to your perserverance and loyalty.
 

latrell247

Chris McKivat (8)
A well fought out game on Saturday against the woodies. Scrum time was great to watch. I was very surprised as Sione Taula and Lemarn Ma'a were demolishing Plokstys and Chucky Norris.
 

2bluesfan

Nev Cottrell (35)
The Mighty Two Blues had a four tries to one win over West Harbour at Merrylands RSL Rugby Park today! It was a hard fought win though as Wests were kicking penalties from anywhere and it took a last minute try to Tyler Stevens to secure the victory. And second grade won as well - been a while since we've done that. More news from official sources soon - check their website for match photos and a match report (in a day or two),
 

blues recovery

Billy Sheehan (19)
Great stuff boys in firsts and seconds. First win at home in first grade in over two seasons and first time a senior team has scored over 50 in god knows how long as we did yesterday in seconds. Very sweet against wests for reasons those close to the club know only too well . Thanks to wests for their overwhelming attendance at the post match, typical. Now if we can just stop them stealing our juniors. Now for two in a row next week against a tough Penrith.
 

Slash

Bill Watson (15)
Great stuff boys in firsts and seconds. First win at home in first grade in over two seasons and first time a senior team has scored over 50 in god knows how long as we did yesterday in seconds. Very sweet against wests for reasons those close to the club know only too well . Thanks to wests for their overwhelming attendance at the post match, typical. Now if we can just stop them stealing our juniors. Now for two in a row next week against a tough Penrith.

I spent some time at the Pirates in an official capacity in 2009. They are a soul less club.
 

Done that

Ron Walden (29)
I spent some time at the Pirates in an official capacity in 2009. They are a soul less club.
During my time playing Rugby in the Sydney competition & after , I have been fortunate to make many friends , from all the clubs , including some from West Harbour club.(who I didn't play for )
Wests were always one of the hardest clubs to play against , & played with passion , but off the field always happy to shake hands & have a beer , & a laugh.

I know that their members have the same aspirations & goals as the members of all the other clubs , & I'm sure , work their arses off to try to achieve these.
A Rugby club is made up of it's players , past & present , their families , people who turn up to work in the canteen , wash jumpers , & do all the other many jobs voluntarily , or those that just come to watch , which keep a Rugby club in existance ,
And that's the case in every club , bar none.
For you to say that any club is " soul less" is an insult to all those people .
I understand Wests have been in the first grade competition since 1900 , which I believe makes them one of the oldest clubs in Sydney.
Although they have won competitions in the lower grades & colts on a number of occasions, I understand it is many years since they have been first grade premiers.
Nevertheless they hang in & back up every year , like all the clubs , because they have a soul & because of the spirit of their members.
If you are able to come into a Rugby club , be it Wests or any other , & not recognise it's soul , then I'm afraid that's a sad reflection of you.
 

blues recovery

Billy Sheehan (19)
The programs being developed and the results will be seen this year in the performances of the junior rep teams at this years state champs. The issue the Two Blues have is the grave dancing that was going on last year by a number of clubs cheering on our demise, encouraging players to jump ship because the club was going to fold apparently. One of the main motivators for the true believers at the club is a sense of getting one back on those that went out of their way to kick us out of the comp through absolute self interest. No apologies for this their is a depth of bitter feeling. On the other hand their are some terrific clubs such as Gordon,Warringah and Penrith who understand the bigger picture. Their are 12 clubs in the Shute Shield and all have an important part to play in getting our great game where it needs to be. Self interest will not deliver this.
 

Slash

Bill Watson (15)
DT, a number of your points are quite prudent. But by your own admission, every club has those volunteers performing the duties and many others that you point out. So that is not what gives a club its soul IMO.

I am referring to the fact that they are a VERY rich club ($100K profit in 2010 alone), have an awesome government provided facility (that no other club can compete with) and an excellent playing roster (both this year and in previous years), yet they constantly under perform. The question has to be asked.....why?
 

Slash

Bill Watson (15)
The programs being developed and the results will be seen this year in the performances of the junior rep teams at this years state champs. The issue the Two Blues have is the grave dancing that was going on last year by a number of clubs cheering on our demise, encouraging players to jump ship because the club was going to fold apparently. One of the main motivators for the true believers at the club is a sense of getting one back on those that went out of their way to kick us out of the comp through absolute self interest. No apologies for this their is a depth of bitter feeling. On the other hand their are some terrific clubs such as Gordon,Warringah and Penrith who understand the bigger picture. Their are 12 clubs in the Shute Shield and all have an important part to play in getting our great game where it needs to be. Self interest will not deliver this.

If the Two Blues are in fact developing programs to develop juniors then I applaud this initiative. It is LONG overdue
 

Done that

Ron Walden (29)
DT, a number of your points are quite prudent. But by your own admission, every club has those volunteers performing the duties and many others that you point out. So that is not what gives a club its soul IMO.

I am referring to the fact that they are a VERY rich club ($100K profit in 2010 alone), have an awesome government provided facility (that no other club can compete with) and an excellent playing roster (both this year and in previous years), yet they constantly under perform. The question has to be asked.....why?
Yes , every club does have those volunteers , & others , as I said above .
That's my point.
But you are wrong , because you don't understand that they are what gives each club it's soul & keeps each club & therefore the competition in existence.
As for being a "very rich club " , if you look at the financial reports of all the
clubs you will find that Wests operating budget is certainly not as great as
several other clubs.
The fact that they made an operating profit of $100K last year suggests to me
that they are prudent regarding their finances , & don't spend all their
money buying players .
As far as underachieving goes , no doubt they have been disappointed in their results in 1st grade in recent years , but how many clubs haven't been.
In terms of their "excellent roster" , most followers of the Shute Shield , would
say that making the top 6 is just about the best result that they could realistically expect in recent years.
Certainly this year , few people would back them to make the semis , after they
lost a large number of player from their 1st. & 2nd grade teams from last year.
And I know for an absolute fact , that some of those players went to other
clubs , because they were being offered more money elsewhere, & the Wests club was not willing to match the offers.
This no doubt , partially explains why they were able to make a profit last year.

You also seem to equate "soul" with the number of games & competitions won by a club , so using that criteria it would seem that there are a lot of clubs in the competition without "soul".
Would you say the Two Blues are "soul less" , because they haven't won too many games in recent years ?

Finally , in reference to the Government funded oval , how does that relate to the presence or absence of soul in Wests club ?
Concord oval is crown land , but is maintained by the local council .
And as a past "official " of the club it is surprising that you are not familiar with the history of Concord oval development , which received money from the State government , Rugby's governing bodies , but also a significant amount from the club itself, when at the time it was felt that Rugby should try to develop the
code in the Western Suburbs of Sydney .
Each club in the competition has had varying degrees of success in terms of games won during their respective histories , but suggesting that equates to the
presence or absence of soul in each club is simply not true.
 

Slash

Bill Watson (15)
I dont completely base a club's soul on results, so to answer your question are Two Blues soul less too?........I would say no. They have soul. To me this is based on some other thoughts in what contributes to the soul of a club. Some of these being but not limited to:

volunteers
culture
people sticking by each other in times of need and when times are tough
how well a club welcomes the opposition on game day
how well a club attends the opposition post match function
the work the club does for the local non rugby community......if any.

As I said these are some but not limited to. Other contributing factors are how well the club treats its 'staff',,,being coaches, managers etc. And the respect it affords its entire playing group and their partners, not just the 1st grade/super 15 stars. Rumour has it that there a lot of players currently at the Pirates who feel they are not being respected.

And by comments from other users, it would appear Wests regularly have poor attendance at opposition post match functions.
As for the development of the game in the western suburbs, what was it that Harbour (deliberately leaving out the West here) have done again? Yes they tipped in some coin for Concord Oval, but it wasn't a significant amount. The rugby bodies, state govt, local council paid 95% of it. NSWRU kicked in so much it sent them broke! If indeed they have developed the game in the western suburbs I stand corrected, but the fact remains they still only have 1 junior club, which does not field a team in every age group. I would've thought that at the very least development in the area would see either an increase in the number of clubs within their boundaries or an increase in teams per age group................or both. Before you ask, the club i live closest to in this time created harbord juniors which is now the fastest growing club in sydney. Even Sydney Uni have assisted with the creation of Balmain juniors and Petersham juniors during this time.

Finally, DT, I am not saying the club is not well run, the $100K profit should be an example to every club......or atleast those without millionaire/billionaire benefactors, but I disagree with your inference that they do not go out and buy players, in recent years they have bought Sam Wykes, Steve Mafi, Jeremy Sua, Lote Tiquri, Timana Tahu who all wouldnt have come cheap.
 

Done that

Ron Walden (29)
My final reply.

My original response to you , was following your accusation that a Sydney Rugby Club , in this case the West Harbour Club , was "soul less"
You have given a number of reasons & "facts " to support you opinion.
On examination of your posts , I have found that many of these are irrelevant , & factually incorrect or just speculation.
You say you spent 2009 at the club as an official .
At a guess , I imagine that you may have been a lower grade coach perhaps ?
Whatever , your very brief time there was unhappy apparently & presumably you were unsuccessful in your endeavours , & no doubt this colours your opinions.

As an ex "official" of the club , I suggest that you contact the president of the club ,who you should know , & get the real facts (as I took the trouble to do), you may be very surprised .

You are entitled to your opinions , but I believe that not only is such a comment about Wests or any of the other clubs , not only not shared by the Rugby fraternity of Sydney , but ill considered & detrimental to the game & the many people who love it & keep it alive.
 

Slash

Bill Watson (15)
Parramatta Two Blues with past parra players
1) Sione Taula
2) Tatafu Polota Nau
3) Lamarn Ma'a
4) Sitiveni Mafi - Leicester Tigers
5) Sam Wykes - Western Force
6) Maile Latukefu
7) Winney Paulo - Penrith
8) Junior To'o - Gordon
9) Jeremy Sua - West Harbour
10) Pierre Hola - Eastwood
11) Iese Leota
12) Brian Sefanaia - Manly
13) Damien Fakafanua
14) Dan Yakopo
15) Dave Harvey - Gordon
16) Scott Podmore - Norths
17) Tobias Gukibau - Gordon
18) Andrew Cox
19) Rodney Ma'a
20) Lua Vailoaloa
21) Ben Borg
22) Tyler Stevens

That would of been a good team

It would be a strong team no question. I'd suggest carrying two openside flankers on the bench would change and so too would Hola at 10. I would assume Coach Christini would prefer a 10 who could tackle. Slot Sam Yakopo in there for next year. And I think they'd probably go for keeping the young hooker they have now atleast off the bench behind TPN....

But the real issue is, Parra need to stop focusing their attention on what the side would be if these blokes came back. Coz they aint coming back and its moving away from where their attention should be.
 
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