Sydney Subbies 2025

[footy_footy]

The question with the women’s teams is similar to colts. Are clubs not running one cause they don’t want the extra work or is it because of the fact that they aren’t able to recruit the numbers needed?
I know the game is growing rapidly, but there’s not an unlimited number of people playing.
Every club would love to have a women’s and colts side but as we see with Colts it’s not clubs being badly organised they they don’t have a side.
With Shute clubs running multiple sides and more clubs running teams we are going to hit a point where there isn’t enough numbers.
Like colts and with multiple competitions clubs will start warehousing players which takes away from other clubs getting teams.

It's a very good point as even some of the more established and successful JJC teams in 2025 had issues fielding a full squad during the middle of the year. At times Oatley, UNSW, Lindfield and St Pat's (at least that I'm aware of) all had weekends where they were scraping in a maximum of 10 players. The 2025 competitions were a great success but I think a measured and sustainable approach to growth is crucial. Lots of players are or will be very new to the game and the competition needs to accommodate this, which was done well in 2025 with the division split.

 

[Pfitzy]

I think most of us can agree that, one day, we would love to see women's XVs incorporated into Subbies in one form or another.

I believe XVs is more the domain of Premier Rugby, with a view to being a development pathway and player pool for SuperW and Wallaroos.

And Premier clubs in Sydney aren't all fielding XVs at this point.

Tens is a good blend between 7s and XVs, the latter of which I think is going to be too technical for a Subbies team to support. You're talking about resourcing it to a level of a 2nd XV men's side in a higher division IMHO, and clubs don't have that as it is.

 

[Pfitzy]

To sustain a Women's Tens program through a season, you're going to need about 20 players to ensure you can have 10 starting + 5 reserves each week, considering injuries and absences.

Div 1 therefore needs about 150 players and they're necessarily going to have different levels of experience, so the competitiveness is probably not going to be near someone like Hornsby, who have a few years in the Central Coast comp building and learning.

Like a 1-team Subbies mens club, you need to cater for a wide range of skills, abilities, and experience.

 

[Here To Do]

I believe XVs is more the domain of Premier Rugby, with a view to being a development pathway and player pool for SuperW and Wallaroos.

I disagree with this purely on principle - if we can get a couple of men's grades, why could we not also have at least a single women's?

That said, definitely not a "next season" thing but should be an aim for the future so that clubs can eventually be fully integrated across men's and women's

 

[Platypus]

DIV 1 Prelim tips - hopefully the sun is out come Saturday as there should be some good games on show at Concord.
Kentwell - Blue mountains Vs Waverley - Will be a tightly contested game to see who will be runners up in the Kentwell Cup (are either of these teams really a chance against HH?)
Burke - Waverley vs Mosman - Cracking game can see Waverley overpowering Mosman in the forwards here as they are much bigger.
Widdon Waverley vs Mosman - Waverley should get the win here pretty easily.
Judd- Colleagues vs Blue mountains - Colleagues in a close one.

 

[Pfitzy]

I disagree with this purely on principle - if we can get a couple of men's grades, why could we not also have at least a single women's?

We do: Tens.

Pretty much everyone I know of in NSW is Tens unless we're talking Shute clubs or those others enabled by the presence of Shute Clubs in Sydney.

That said, definitely not a "next season" thing but should be an aim for the future so that clubs can eventually be fully integrated across men's and women's

To do that the governance model needs to change - if we're talking about integration across clubs then SWRU is redundant.

 

[Pfitzy]

DIV 1 Prelim tips - hopefully the sun is out come Saturday as there should be some good games on show at Concord.
Kentwell - Blue mountains Vs Waverley - Will be a tightly contested game to see who will be runners up in the Kentwell Cup (are either of these teams really a chance against HH?)
Burke - Waverley vs Mosman - Cracking game can see Waverley overpowering Mosman in the forwards here as they are much bigger.
Widdon Waverley vs Mosman - Waverley should get the win here pretty easily.
Judd- Colleagues vs Blue mountains - Colleagues in a close one.

Don't forget Sutherland!

Colleague v Blueys. I reckon Colleagues have to be hot favourites with a 9-1 record this year compared to 5-5 for the goats.

 

[Odyssey_Park the 2nd]

I see that Beecroft are promoting on their socials that their 8 Luke Meehan won the Clark Medal for Div 3. Is there any update on the other divisions? It’s not something that’s not promoted these days when it used to be part of the end of year presentation. The medal is an addition to the presentation on Grandfinal day and sometimes get lost especially if your from a loosing team. Tough for say Petersham or Redfield to celebrate a players achievement after loosing on grand final day.

 

[HarryElite]

Just a reminder that these opinions are solely mine as per my signature

A lot of disappointment from a Briars perspective - on and off the field. Unfortunately, we lost our composure - one thing to note, though, is players not on the field involved themselves in that fracas as well and it was right in front of where UNSW perched themselves for the day. This was not the only run-in they were a party to, from what I could see from the commentary position.

Our 4th Grade is predominantly an Old Boys team and came up against a much younger Forest - you can argue about the fairness of having to beat a team 4 times to win a premiership v them beating you once but that is the situation, we lost the Grand Final and they are premiers. Same happened later in the afternoon.

Pats currently have 3 minor premierships and 2 premierships on the trot from Barbour through to Robertson. That's incredible but not surprising - they just need it to begin translating into their senior grades.

Watching back the 1st Grade RC - once again the UNSW 7 is the player who draws out a questionable send off. We, as someone so eloquently put it in this thread, s*** the bed after he baited the referee into sending one of our players off. I fear Petersham have had the same thing happen to them and in the Grand Final. I'm not a fan of those antics, personally, but also if you don't lash out at him, he can't be effective and put the referee in that situation.

Saturday has not changed my opinion re: UNSW going up over Petersham despite the CC rankings. Uni are the top Cowboy team in D2, 1st Grade and 3rd Grade Premiers and had the depth to get through 4 Grades on GF day. Petersham have had a great season but are a "top" heavy club in terms of standings, whereas Uni have had success in just about every grade this year.

With the ability to field a heap of fresh reserves, a luxury Uni didn't have, Shammies still fell short, albeit with some chicanery involved. I also think another year in D2 will aid Petersham in terms of depth across their lower grades, rather than having to come up depleted already (I also would much rather play them or head to Camperdown than trek out to Uni).

hearing one of your coaches, mr roache, has left and is pitching himself to join west harbour with a promise of a lot of players, 7s program and sponsors following him?

Briars have done well the last couple of years and play some good rugby.

 

[Pfitzy]

I see that Beecroft are promoting on their socials that their 8 Luke Meehan won the Clark Medal for Div 3. Is there any update on the other divisions?

HVRC reported in their GF wrap up that Liam Tully got the McLean Medal.

Looked like a good crowd.

Hawkesbury Valley Rugby Club

Huge day today at McQuade, saw Hawkesbury Valley 19 defeat Redfield 10 in the 5th Division 1st Grade Grand Final, in front of approximately 300 - 400 enthusiastic supporters. The lead up 2nd game...

www.facebook.com

It’s not something that’s not promoted these days when it used to be part of the end of year presentation. The medal is an addition to the presentation on Grandfinal day and sometimes get lost especially if your from a loosing team. Tough for say Petersham or Redfield to celebrate a players achievement after loosing on grand final day.

I was presenting 4th Div last year at Wills Ground - Hornsby beat Raptors fairly well in the GF, but Raptors got the Club Championship and their flanker got the McLean medal. Bittersweet day for them.

 

[footy_footy]

You'd imagine that a player from UNSW or Petersham won the Barraclough Medal but these things aren't always the most predictable. I'd imagine there will be a Kentwell Cup luncheon this week or next where the various awards are presented in from of the Div 1 faithful.

 

[Never Was Been]

hearing one of your coaches, mr roache, has left and is pitching himself to join west harbour with a promise of a lot of players, 7s program and sponsors following him?

Briars have done well the last couple of years and play some good rugby.

Surely he’s not offering to bring players from Briars over though? With all due respect to Briars, a bunch of second division subbies players won’t make much of an inpact at SS level unless it’s just to bulk up lower grade numbers.

 

[footy_footy]

Surely he’s not offering to bring players from Briars over though? With all due respect to Briars, a bunch of second division subbies players won’t make much of an inpact at SS level unless it’s just to bulk up lower grade numbers.

Whilst I agree, I think the long-suffering West Harbour will take whatever they can get at this point in time.

 

[HarryElite]

Whilst I agree, I think the long-suffering West Harbour will take whatever they can get at this point in time.

if west harbour want to buy that rubbish from people who sell the same story to every club every year, then more on them than anyone else