S
NSW AAGPS 2017
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
- Start date
- Status
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
Sideline,
I understand your point about numbers of teams per age group vs the GPS schools. Knox have strong depth as you know, Waverley not as strong but reasonable depth. BUT this is about building the future not things just as they stand today. I assume you don't want current team numbers by age group!
If we want to draw boys away from soccer and AFL then I think this type of change will require these schools to focus more on rugby for all the competitive necessities mentioned.
Otherwise leave everything the same and we will get the same result, further growth in soccer and AFL, and at ALL schools!
Not sure what answer you are looking for in "projected overall strength"
By the way I don't think there is anything wrong with having assumptions and generalisations, and I could say your "projected" overall strength is a similar thing.
I understand your point about numbers of teams per age group vs the GPS schools. Knox have strong depth as you know, Waverley not as strong but reasonable depth. BUT this is about building the future not things just as they stand today. I assume you don't want current team numbers by age group!
If we want to draw boys away from soccer and AFL then I think this type of change will require these schools to focus more on rugby for all the competitive necessities mentioned.
Otherwise leave everything the same and we will get the same result, further growth in soccer and AFL, and at ALL schools!
Not sure what answer you are looking for in "projected overall strength"
By the way I don't think there is anything wrong with having assumptions and generalisations, and I could say your "projected" overall strength is a similar thing.
S
sidelineview
Guest
Yes, I do want current rugby numbers per age group. It's necessary information to gauge competitiveness between schools within Associations and from different Associations.
What makes you assume CAS schools will focus more on rugby with this new competition format? Do you really think it will change the numbers of students playing soccer or AFL?
It's been mentioned before that the sport a student plays outside of school usually determines the sport they choose to play at school. Given there's no rugby league played within the CAS comp, the league players choose rugby.
There's a possibility it could backfire if any given CAS school isn't as competitive as before. Assuming recruitment policies will change to keep up to speed is exactly that: an assumption.
I think this whole thing is like a drunk looking for a lost ten dollar bill under a lamppost because the light's better there, even though he lost it somewhere else.
What makes you assume CAS schools will focus more on rugby with this new competition format? Do you really think it will change the numbers of students playing soccer or AFL?
It's been mentioned before that the sport a student plays outside of school usually determines the sport they choose to play at school. Given there's no rugby league played within the CAS comp, the league players choose rugby.
There's a possibility it could backfire if any given CAS school isn't as competitive as before. Assuming recruitment policies will change to keep up to speed is exactly that: an assumption.
I think this whole thing is like a drunk looking for a lost ten dollar bill under a lamppost because the light's better there, even though he lost it somewhere else.
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
Sideline,
I am not going to look at this season's draws against all schools and add them all up, sorry.
That doesn't prove anything when considering the future.
ALL of the things you have mentioned are possible!
Rather than us all fire back at each other with our own points of view, I think the decision makers should inform the school rugby community as to why, what, etc, and the longer term strategy.
I don't have all the answers, and nor does anyone else, we just have opinions, some want the status quo to remain, others believe change is needed.
It is apparent that the heads of a number of the major rugby schools have met, and they have agreed on change.
I am not going to look at this season's draws against all schools and add them all up, sorry.
That doesn't prove anything when considering the future.
ALL of the things you have mentioned are possible!
Rather than us all fire back at each other with our own points of view, I think the decision makers should inform the school rugby community as to why, what, etc, and the longer term strategy.
I don't have all the answers, and nor does anyone else, we just have opinions, some want the status quo to remain, others believe change is needed.
It is apparent that the heads of a number of the major rugby schools have met, and they have agreed on change.
S
sidelineview
Guest
Someone has the relevant information. Change for the sake of change is never justified.
You can mention any highschool you like, but if a kid started playing soccer or AFL at a very young age he wont suddenly switch to rugby when he enters Year 7.
This had to be part of an overall strategy to improve rugby.
I haven't seen an explanation as to that overall strategy if there is one.
No wonder soccer and AFL are winning the race. The AFL marketing and expansion strategies in particular are very impressive and make that of rugby's look amateurish.
You can mention any highschool you like, but if a kid started playing soccer or AFL at a very young age he wont suddenly switch to rugby when he enters Year 7.
This had to be part of an overall strategy to improve rugby.
I haven't seen an explanation as to that overall strategy if there is one.
No wonder soccer and AFL are winning the race. The AFL marketing and expansion strategies in particular are very impressive and make that of rugby's look amateurish.
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
Yep,
Agree on all counts, the strategy needs to be made public, ie by the school heads, and by the ARU (don't hold you breath on that one).
Agree on all counts, the strategy needs to be made public, ie by the school heads, and by the ARU (don't hold you breath on that one).
S
sidelineview
Guest
The other thing is, even though league gets bagged on this forum it helps to strengthen rugby in a roundabout way.
Thanks to the strong league nursery in the Eastern Suburbs the young league players who go to Waverley naturally choose to play rugby.
I know of several school leavers who cut their teeth on league but have chosen to play colts rugby next year.
Not exactly Darth Vader defecting towards the light but not a bad result for the disciples of the only game they play in heaven.
Thanks to the strong league nursery in the Eastern Suburbs the young league players who go to Waverley naturally choose to play rugby.
I know of several school leavers who cut their teeth on league but have chosen to play colts rugby next year.
Not exactly Darth Vader defecting towards the light but not a bad result for the disciples of the only game they play in heaven.
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
This is a distinct advantage that Waverley has over most schools, that is why I don't think recruitment is so important.
A recently departed sports director at a GPS school, who did not come from the GPS system, said to me recently that if his old school consistently had the natural talent that Waverley enjoys in most years, they "wouldn't lose a game". That comment was just to articulate his thoughts, not reality.
I think league skills are a very strong bonus in union, and I know you know some of these boys who will be in the 1st xv next year!
A recently departed sports director at a GPS school, who did not come from the GPS system, said to me recently that if his old school consistently had the natural talent that Waverley enjoys in most years, they "wouldn't lose a game". That comment was just to articulate his thoughts, not reality.
I think league skills are a very strong bonus in union, and I know you know some of these boys who will be in the 1st xv next year!
Rachet_84
Ward Prentice (10)
Speaking of league, I anticipate there will be certain 1st XV players who could (will) play SG ball from now on due to there being no conflict between the SG Ball and AAGPS rugby competitions.
As it turns out SG BALL kicks off Saturday 11th February 2017 and concludes with Grand Final on Saturday 13th May 2017. The GPS comp kicks off Saturday 17th June 2017. That is a 5-week gap between competitions. If the GPS players play with league clubs that don't make final series there will be an 8-week gap between comps. Plenty of time for GPS players to recover, refresh and prove their worth on the rugby park.
The good players not going to train all pre-season for 5 GPS games, sounds like an opportunity has evolved for rugby league clubs to procure some GPS players, just saying. Mmm this 5 round comp playing right into the hands of rugby league.
As it turns out SG BALL kicks off Saturday 11th February 2017 and concludes with Grand Final on Saturday 13th May 2017. The GPS comp kicks off Saturday 17th June 2017. That is a 5-week gap between competitions. If the GPS players play with league clubs that don't make final series there will be an 8-week gap between comps. Plenty of time for GPS players to recover, refresh and prove their worth on the rugby park.
The good players not going to train all pre-season for 5 GPS games, sounds like an opportunity has evolved for rugby league clubs to procure some GPS players, just saying. Mmm this 5 round comp playing right into the hands of rugby league.
Azzuri
Trevor Allan (34)
Yes indeed. Complete and utter stupidity.....the AAGPS have been hoodwinked by external (and some internal) influencers and royally rodgered by this change, all in the name of supposedly improving the competition. So let's all sit back, relax and watch the brand new reality show called "Mum, Mungo ate my lunch"
.........and there they were, safely tucked away and protected in their walled city, successfully repelling wave upon wave of the great unwashed, when a small band of ignorant, bleating underlings looked out beyond the gate and saw a huge wooden horse....
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
This format is too ludicrous for words.
They could have addressed the issue of the 3rds going to Armidale, but simply implementing the one change - that TAS play all games in Sydney against the teams in the 1sts & 2nds competition and Grammar and High could have continued home and away with TAS in alternate years.
The only thing this has going for it is that it's only been committed to for one year. Hopefully normal service will resume in 2018.
They could have addressed the issue of the 3rds going to Armidale, but simply implementing the one change - that TAS play all games in Sydney against the teams in the 1sts & 2nds competition and Grammar and High could have continued home and away with TAS in alternate years.
The only thing this has going for it is that it's only been committed to for one year. Hopefully normal service will resume in 2018.
Rich_E
Ron Walden (29)
How filthy would you be if you or your son was in year 12 in 2017.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
You'd think the world had ended
Azzuri
Trevor Allan (34)
Fear not Rich....seems the "brains trust" that came up with this sideshow have also nicely anticipated that the new comp won't really appeal to rugby players or aficionados........So they have been secretly working behind the scenes with Reebok to produce a special boot to suit the type of players that will be attracted by a five game, one round "comp".
As luck would have it, one of my business connections has access to the Reebok design crew and I can exclusively reveal the boot that will be used in next years "comp" for the morose delectation of GAGR correspondents......
I don't understand the problem with travelling to Armidale: Sydney schools have to do it only once every two years, TAS have to travel to Sydney every second week. What's the problem? We either consider our country cousins an integral part of the GPS or we don't.
In my time TAS had a fixture against the Firsts and Seconds which was either home or away, my school travelled up to Armidale and promptly flogged them 60-0 in the Firsts. The two round comp with TAS in the Thirds hadn't started when my young bloke was at school, but I would've happily made the trip up country if required. Why are we so set on not travelling out of Sydney? Trips up to Bathurst to tackle Stannies were a highlight of my young bloke's years.
I just don't get it.
In my time TAS had a fixture against the Firsts and Seconds which was either home or away, my school travelled up to Armidale and promptly flogged them 60-0 in the Firsts. The two round comp with TAS in the Thirds hadn't started when my young bloke was at school, but I would've happily made the trip up country if required. Why are we so set on not travelling out of Sydney? Trips up to Bathurst to tackle Stannies were a highlight of my young bloke's years.
I just don't get it.
Armchair Selector
Johnnie Wallace (23)
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
I agree Lindommer.
I understand that Joeys led the charge re TAS and having to go to Armidale. I found it a little odd as they have the most teams and if anyone could afford to have some teams out of town it would be Joeys (and it's only once a year after all). They apparently wanted as many of their teams playing at the same place for logistics and school spirit.
For the smaller schools (i.e. Newington), I'm told that the issue was that when the 3rds went to Armidale, half the 3rds would stay in Sydney, so the 3rds team going to TAS was half 3rds/4ths (which weakened the 3rds) and in turn weakened the 4ths, etc.
The other prong to the Joeys argument was that they have to play too many unmatched fixtures because they have more teams than anyone else. A way to solve this was for New to drop out of 3rds and TAS to play in their place.
After what was probably the best GPS rugby season for quite a few years, this change seems to create many more problems than it purports to solve.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
Rich_E
Ron Walden (29)
After what was probably the best GPS rugby season for quite a few years, this change seems to create many more problems than it purports to solve.
And 2017 has the makings of another closely contested comp, like 2016. Just the sort of comp that suits a two round format. <SIGHS LOUDLY>
- Status