NSW AAGPS 2025 (banter and commentary)

[Eyes and Ears]

He had a good game I thought. The game was back and forth and allowed to breath.

Have to feel for Rugby refs when they need to interpret a rule book that makes Finnegans Wake look like a scratch and sniff. Rugby has too much riding on how refs read the game themselves. I don't really know how you fix it but as long as the School Boys game and generally the Club game stays away from the pro officiating style I think we can all live with it.

He's the most experienced schoolboy referee in the NSW Association and referees more for flow than strict interpretation of the Laws.

 

[Choc&blue]

He's the most experienced schoolboy referee in the NSW Association and referees more for flow than strict interpretation of the Laws.

Not having a dig against any one referee but when was the last time a penalty was given for not putting the ball into the middle of a scrum? Has the law actually been rescinded? One of the good things about rugby was the possibility of a turnover of possession and the sudden rearrangement of back lines! Unpredictably still exists (a little) in line outs but scrums are no more than a push fest. Unpredictability was a great leveller and if I may say so it’s demise harms the game.

 

[Here for the advice]

Wow. If that is true, that's absolute madness and actually really sad at the same time.

Makes you wonder why there was no injury time, not a single second, despite the game being literally riddled by injuries. View threatening, scoreboard clock hits zero, whistle immediately blown. It really surprised me at the time. You would expect 5 or more minutes in a situation like that..

And a few of the other decisions like Joeys pretty much not releasing a tackle all day. Scored a try off it.

If true, very disappointing if just for appearances.

Plenty of games at View done by old boys but hard as I am sure they are not growing on trees - top level Ref’s

 

[Rugbynbeers]

Not having a dig against any one referee but when was the last time a penalty was given for not putting the ball into the middle of a scrum? Has the law actually been rescinded? One of the good things about rugby was the possibility of a turnover of possession and the sudden rearrangement of back lines! Unpredictably still exists (a little) in line outs but scrums are no more than a push fest. Unpredictability was a great leveller and if I may say so its demise harms the game.

Spoke to multiple refs on the weekend, there has been no change in the feed law….

To sum it up if it looks half okay refs are just going to let it go For speed of the game.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Not having a dig against any one referee but when was the last time a penalty was given for not putting the ball into the middle of a scrum? Has the law actually been rescinded? One of the good things about rugby was the possibility of a turnover of possession and the sudden rearrangement of back lines! Unpredictably still exists (a little) in line outs but scrums are no more than a push fest. Unpredictability was a great leveller and if I may say so it’s demise harms the game.

That's one of those rules that will only be enforced when they get a trickle down message from above them. You see it happen all the time at every level but we would also scream and shout that the refs are slowing it down if they started calling it and slowing the game down...

You can trace this sort of thing back to how technical and slow the set piece has become and I get it's due to safety but you've forced their hand. With how strong players are getting now and the way they set up so perfectly each time and re set if needed, if we then sat the ball dead centre and let them compete it could sit there for ages and become a push fest, collapse, re set and bam 10 mins gone. Go watch a Super Rugby game from 2007-2012. I think Rugby wants the 9 to get it in and get it out. If the defence can push you off it, good on them.

I think an improvement would be involving the touchies more in enforcing offsides personally in stead of relying on the interpretation of one guy in the middle amongst 30 better athletes than him. Letting teams push the offside is slowing the game down when the attack can never get front foot ball.

 

[The Observer]

Shore missed the front row strength of Armstrong this year, hoping he can return next year but you never know with knees.

16As looking strong but not dominant, with a few players that will sift through into the 1XV. The likes of Baxter and Lyne are some 16s playing up in the opens this year are consistently performing in the age above. But apart from those 2 there isn’t any other boys playing up from the 16s, nothing of the numbers that Joeys has.

Shore will really benefit from the big number of players in year 11 that gained 1st XV experience this year, Green, Sidwell, Scammell, Leahy, Squire, Strachan, Robertson, Wendt, Powell, Bremner, plus the inclusion of Baxter and Lyne. Some real positives at Stirling Bridge

 

[TonyTackle01]

From the list above I think SHORE’s injury crisis this year will have a silver lining, so many year 11 players gaining 1st XV experience this year.

 

[wisemaan]

From the list above I think SHORE’s injury crisis this year will have a silver lining, so many year 11 players gaining 1st XV experience this year.

Sidwell, Squire, Green, Hawke, Bremner? Murdoch early on. Is that it. I predict only 4 out of those 6 will play 1s next year.

 

[TonyTackle01]

Sidwell, Squire, Green, Hawke, Bremner? Murdoch early on. Is that it. I predict only 4 out of those 6 will play 1s next year.

I’m pretty sure all those listed in The Observers post are year 11’s and more then just those 4-6 will be playing firsts next year.

 

[The Chairman]

I would like to hear around the forum for people's ideas of performances of the season.

I have one in mind but would be keen to hear some others.

Which player had the best individual performance of the season in your view?

 

[ruckandscrums]

O’Connor has been the one of the biggest improvers I have ever seen, U15 he wasn’t even a certainty to get selected for the A’s. U16’s saw most of his cohort move to opens a year early. First year in Opens he was stuck in the thirds. This year he was recognised as best back. He does have size and speed but he has always had those things. The more important factor is work ethic, as a distant observer i’d say he has that by the truck load.

O'connor's rise up the ranks and year in the 3XV at may have highlighted a coaching issue at Joeys. O'Connor has improved this year however was still heads and shoulders above the 3XV comp standard last year. Should've at least been in the 2XV - was put down to politics and coaches opinions

 

[Meaty Michael]

It's fascinating to think that this time last year, the forum was on page 461. It has really highlighted the impact of one of the most disappointing seasons ever for Shore Rugby! (is it...idk, I'm just waffling)

Anyway, I thought I'd just let everyone know that Shore is still, and will always be, shit at footy.

Thanks,

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Thread had a large hiatus and we got lucky to get it back. Killed off a lot of posts during that time and the garbage in the return.

 

[fortheloveofthegame]

O'connor's rise up the ranks and year in the 3XV at may have highlighted a coaching issue at Joeys. O'Connor has improved this year however was still heads and shoulders above the 3XV comp standard last year. Should've at least been in the 2XV - was put down to politics and coaches opinions

the politics angle seems unlikely, the coach that picked him in the 1’s this year would have been a major voice in leaving him in 3’s last year. Sometimes selections are too pick and stick, and early in year 11 he would not have been ranked ahead of the 2’s players. He was certainly given a go in 1’s very early in the year.

 

[ruckandscrums]

the politics angle seems unlikely, the coach that picked him in the 1’s this year would have been a major voice in leaving him in 3’s last year. Sometimes selections are too pick and stick, and early in year 11 he would not have been ranked ahead of the 2’s players. He was certainly given a go in 1’s very early in the year.

He was overlooked when any injuries occured in the 2's backline last year, he also started in the 1's trial game last year against barker before being dropped to 3's.

 

[wisemaan]

It's fascinating to think that this time last year, the forum was on page 461. It has really highlighted the impact of one of the most disappointing seasons ever for Shore Rugby! (is it...idk, I'm just waffling)

Anyway, I thought I'd just let everyone know that Shore is still, and will always be, shit at footy.

Thanks,

You can say this but they beat a team on the weekend who were contenders to win the prem half way through the season…

 

[fortheloveofthegame]

He was overlooked when any injuries occured in the 2's backline last year, he also started in the 1's trial game last year against barker before being dropped to 3's.

If you are implying the coach of the 2’s was the block then you are wrong. i’ll leave it at that .

 

[MoneyScrummer]

Lots of king's players were exposed to xenon-135, and uranium-238 in a training session four weeks ago, this is the reason they have not performed well due to xenon and uranium poisoning.

 

[twister29]

From the list above I think SHORE’s injury crisis this year will have a silver lining, so many year 11 players gaining 1st XV experience this year.

Shore will really benefit from the big number of players in year 11 that gained 1st XV experience this year, Green, Sidwell, Scammell, Leahy, Squire, Strachan, Robertson, Wendt, Powell, Bremner, plus the inclusion of Baxter and Lyne. Some real positives at Stirling Bridge

I know it’s something, but will 5 mins when you’re 30+ down amount to much experience? Sidwell, Green, Strachan, Robertson, Wendt, Powell (6) really the only starters from year 11.

I agree that some boys have a bit of experience, but you can say this for just about every school and Shore is in now way dominant in this domain, eg Joeys who is littered with 10s and 11s and actually has multiple years left with some of their best players.

 

[The Chairman]

I do worry for the next two years of Shore rugby.

The 15s and 14s are strong age groups though so highly looking forward to 2028!