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Marbig
Chris McKivat (8)
This may seem like a silly question, but was it an Ashgrove v Villa game?
David Connors
Sydney Middleton (9)
it was against St Laurences
H
Hands in the ruck
Guest
Eddies Vs Peters should be the one to watch this weekend. At Peter's great ground, with Peter's looking to secure sole premiership and Eddies desperate for a win after last weekend's loss and to have a share of the premiership. Predictions? Where will it be won and lost? From what I've been hearing around the traps it'll be a battle of the backs? Surely it won't be a repeat of the 34-16 Eddies win Suncorp trial, yet who could call it. Any which way, should be a great and tense Saturday arvo at Indro.
xxxx
Larry Dwyer (12)
Marbig the way I understand it it was a ASH vs Lauries GF at villa park.
I believe they played GF at neutral grounds.
xxxx
Larry Dwyer (12)
yep it should be a cracker might even head out myself to witness it first hand, certainly a great ground to watch from.
As for the game it's I hope Peters can get away with the win ( I hate tied Premierships) however my money would be on Eddies.
Both teams strengths are in their backs however Eddies in front, Eddies 2 is a very dangerous ball runner and will find holes beside the ruck, quick ball to the backs and away they go.
As I said after watching Eddies Vs Villa the only team capable of beating Eddies was Ash because of the well structured forwards.
My fingers are crossed for Peters but I think Eddies by 12
B
Biffking
Guest
I always enjoyed playing at peters, made me feel like the big dog with the grandstand there.
B
Biffking
Guest
I'd always get intimidated out at Eddies, drive for like an hour and get a bit carsick to play on crappy dead grass and play against imports
1 - Ashgrove at Ashgrove is always good especially on McMahon oval. Beating Ashgrove on their home turf in front of that massive granstand is surreal.
2 Andrew Slack Oval - villa - impeccable field and great setup and always a good atmosphere for first XV.
3 Peters - Great place to watch footy and have a great atmosphere, in the years they are competitive
4 Padua - Great when it has a good crowd, especially this saturday on derby day vs pats. should be great atmosphere
5 Pats - Basically the same as Padua. Everything roughly in the same place, grandstands for home team and the hill for the away team. Always good atmosphere
6 Iona - No real designated place to sit for opposition and atmosphere is usually not as good as the above.
7 Lauries - Everything is all over the place and supporters are a bit too far away from the field in comparison to the other grounds
8 Eddies - For obvious reasons
2 Andrew Slack Oval - villa - impeccable field and great setup and always a good atmosphere for first XV.
3 Peters - Great place to watch footy and have a great atmosphere, in the years they are competitive
4 Padua - Great when it has a good crowd, especially this saturday on derby day vs pats. should be great atmosphere
5 Pats - Basically the same as Padua. Everything roughly in the same place, grandstands for home team and the hill for the away team. Always good atmosphere
6 Iona - No real designated place to sit for opposition and atmosphere is usually not as good as the above.
7 Lauries - Everything is all over the place and supporters are a bit too far away from the field in comparison to the other grounds
8 Eddies - For obvious reasons
I'd have to agree with you on this one macdaddy.
Marbig
Chris McKivat (8)
I think in overall quality of the grass and fields, Villa takes the cake. That is being quite pretentious, however.
1. Ashgrove is always an intimidating place to play given the isolation of the main field and the fact that the stands are almost always full of Ashgrove boys however opposing players are given a bit of relief in the fact the supporters aren't right on top you calling you colorful names.
2. Villa as mentioned has great facilities and a great setup yet is still slightly intimidating if you go anywhere near the right side of the grand stand as the students are pretty relentless and always pretty loud and are right on top of you.
3. In my experience, I've found Lauries an annoying place to watch footy as the hill there isn't really big enough to get a good view from the distance of the fence, however, an intimidating place to play. Have vivid memories of having garbage hurled at a group of opposing students a while ago.
4. Iona has good vantage points from all around thus providing a great viewing experience. Not a fan of playing on dust.
5. Peters has good vantage points and has a good atmosphere.
6. Eddies is good for watching and is mostly a good atmosphere.
7. Padua is very flat, and unless you get a seat in the grand stand isn't much fun for watching. Fields are pretty average too.
8. Pats rates the worst for me. While it is pretty good for watching, I've witnessed some incidents involving Pats students which just completely ruins the place for me.
1. Ashgrove is always an intimidating place to play given the isolation of the main field and the fact that the stands are almost always full of Ashgrove boys however opposing players are given a bit of relief in the fact the supporters aren't right on top you calling you colorful names.
2. Villa as mentioned has great facilities and a great setup yet is still slightly intimidating if you go anywhere near the right side of the grand stand as the students are pretty relentless and always pretty loud and are right on top of you.
3. In my experience, I've found Lauries an annoying place to watch footy as the hill there isn't really big enough to get a good view from the distance of the fence, however, an intimidating place to play. Have vivid memories of having garbage hurled at a group of opposing students a while ago.
4. Iona has good vantage points from all around thus providing a great viewing experience. Not a fan of playing on dust.
5. Peters has good vantage points and has a good atmosphere.
6. Eddies is good for watching and is mostly a good atmosphere.
7. Padua is very flat, and unless you get a seat in the grand stand isn't much fun for watching. Fields are pretty average too.
8. Pats rates the worst for me. While it is pretty good for watching, I've witnessed some incidents involving Pats students which just completely ruins the place for me.
H
Hands in the ruck
Guest
It's a shame that the hill at Eddies is at the wrong end of the field but if you can deal with the slope, it makes for some good viewing. In saying that I do like the 'bowl' like feel to the ground. Peters and Ashgrove and Villa - no other grounds really compare.
For history devotees I will reply to this one, though as per my earlier posts, all of this is third party stuff based on conversations with others ...
I believe Ashgrove first approached GPS for membership back in the late 1970's. Those elderly folk like myself would remember that Ashgrove had a couple of cracking rugby teams back in the mid 1970s (1975 & 1976 I think??) One Ashgrove old boy claimed to me that in 76 the team won all trials (including against BGS & BSHS who were GPS Premiers with Wally Lewis in Yr 11) and only conceded one try in the whole season ... trials included! I have no reason not to believe this and this may give younger readers an idea of how strong Ashgrove used to be ... I think future Wallaby great Brendan Moon was in that team though someone else maybe able to confirm that?
Anyway on the back of this they applied to join GPS and allegedly got the support of all schools EXCEPT Nudgee and Terrace who did not want the enrolment competition of another Catholic school in GPS. As it required the consent of all GPS schools that was the end of that ....
The next rumour was back in the early 1990s the State Govt put a Headmaster into BSHS who was not supportive of GPS sport and for a couple of years the wheels began to fall off BSHS in terms of numbers of teams and committment to GPS. Some of the other GPS schools were getting very concerned with this (I know this part to be absolutely true) and a couple of GPS Headmasters allegedly sounded out the Ashgrove Headmaster about their interest in re-applying for GPS membership. I don't know what happened from there ....
I know for lots of the current school students on this forum this may all seem pretty boring and old hat and I apologise if this is so however I write as I figure some might be interested to know where the roots of AIC come from.
From what I can see, AIC (rugby at least) seems to be improving generally and it is great that lots of schools have obviously significantly lifted their standard. However, as someone who has watched for a long time, the only downside I can see is the slide in standard at St Laurences and Ashgrove in particular. This seems to be particulay so over the last 5 years?
The best outcome for AIC would be the continuing rise of the likes of Padua, St Edmunds and St Patricks together with St Laurences and Ashgrove returning to their best ...
TheBigDog
Nev Cottrell (35)
As an Ashgrove old boy and still having relatives who attend the school i've had a close eye on the way the rugby program has developed. It seems to me that the whole rugby program needs an overhaul, simply because the players they have on-hand need more developing and skills work than those from previous years. In the past, great Ashgrove 1st XV teams have been able to win off the back of great players and culture. I believe the last year they had a dominating season would be 2007 and in that year there were 6 or 7 boys who made QLD schools and 1 who made Aus Schools. From then on I believe they've been lucky to get more than 2 or 3 playing State rep and virtually no one in the National side. Looking back from 1998-2007 there were consistantly better players and they were recognised through rep selection.
A team doesn't need to be full of superstars to win, but they do need to work hard and I think thats where the coaches might be letting the players down. You can't coach the Ashgrove team of 2012 the same way you did the teams of 2005/06/07 and from what I understand, thats exactly what goes on and its clearly not working. Ashgrove have been blessed with a good run of quality players but for one reason or another they just don't seem to be coming through as often. If Ashgrove wish to remain a dominate school in AIC Rugby then they need to address the problems starting with the makeup of the program.
No disrespect to the players of the 2008-onwards teams but it seems they don't have the same ability or superstars of the previous generations. I have no doubt they all train hard and have the passion to win but there hasn't been that x-factor in the games I have seen during these recent years. The way to get around this problem is much like what Eddies started doing a few years ago and invest more resources and effort into the rugby program itself. For starters, I don't think it would hurt bringing in a 1st XV coach from outside the school. There has been talk about the captain this year being the coaches son etc etc. To be honest that doesn't bother me but bringing in a neutral coach with no ties to the academic side of the school would eliminate the whinging that goes on about players being favourites in the classroom etc. For most other AIC sports (volleyball, basketball, waterpolo, swimming) Ashgrove use an independant coach to run the programs so I don't see why not for rugby.
A team doesn't need to be full of superstars to win, but they do need to work hard and I think thats where the coaches might be letting the players down. You can't coach the Ashgrove team of 2012 the same way you did the teams of 2005/06/07 and from what I understand, thats exactly what goes on and its clearly not working. Ashgrove have been blessed with a good run of quality players but for one reason or another they just don't seem to be coming through as often. If Ashgrove wish to remain a dominate school in AIC Rugby then they need to address the problems starting with the makeup of the program.
No disrespect to the players of the 2008-onwards teams but it seems they don't have the same ability or superstars of the previous generations. I have no doubt they all train hard and have the passion to win but there hasn't been that x-factor in the games I have seen during these recent years. The way to get around this problem is much like what Eddies started doing a few years ago and invest more resources and effort into the rugby program itself. For starters, I don't think it would hurt bringing in a 1st XV coach from outside the school. There has been talk about the captain this year being the coaches son etc etc. To be honest that doesn't bother me but bringing in a neutral coach with no ties to the academic side of the school would eliminate the whinging that goes on about players being favourites in the classroom etc. For most other AIC sports (volleyball, basketball, waterpolo, swimming) Ashgrove use an independant coach to run the programs so I don't see why not for rugby.
TheBigDog
Having watched the Ashgrove teams from 1998 to 2006 (ish) I would be VERY surprised if it were the same coaches and methods now? The teams around 2002 (?) to about 2006 were VERY disciplined and structured ... something not evident to me recently .... but maybe I am wrong?
Having watched the Ashgrove teams from 1998 to 2006 (ish) I would be VERY surprised if it were the same coaches and methods now? The teams around 2002 (?) to about 2006 were VERY disciplined and structured ... something not evident to me recently .... but maybe I am wrong?
TheBigDog
Nev Cottrell (35)
From my knowledge the coaches have a 'rotation' policy. The same coaches have been in place from 2007-today. Before that, another group of coaches were there from 2001-2006 (I believe) and then prior to that it was the current (07-12) coaches. I may be off by a year or so with some of the starting and finishing years but essentially thats how it looks.
My point isn't so much that the coaching has declined recently. Its that the method isn't suiting the current crop of players. The program needs to be stripped down to built up again.
OK - that makes sense - the 2001 (or 2002) teams had a very different (& successful !) pattern to the last 5 years ...
xxxx
Larry Dwyer (12)
I do agree with you TheBigDog certainly think that parent coaches should be avoided at any cost,
Saecom and TheBigDog certainly seem to have their finger on the pulse of Ash rugby so I would love their comment on below.
I have often contribute Marist Ash dominance to being right next door to GPS Rugby.
I have assume that the majority of Ash rugby players would play also for GPS who are, as we all know a very strong club.
It must help when you can just grab the majority or whole div1/2 team and slip on a Marist A jersey.
Whereas other schools seem to have 2/3 Rugby clubs and 2/3 League clubs feeding into the one school team.
Surely it's a advantage particularly with the short school season if the majority of the school players are playing the same code at the same club together.
i would also suggest that the game style at GPS club and Ash Marist is identical.
I would love to know from others what they think is the break up of the school teams are.
Saecom and TheBigDog certainly seem to have their finger on the pulse of Ash rugby so I would love their comment on below.
I have often contribute Marist Ash dominance to being right next door to GPS Rugby.
I have assume that the majority of Ash rugby players would play also for GPS who are, as we all know a very strong club.
It must help when you can just grab the majority or whole div1/2 team and slip on a Marist A jersey.
Whereas other schools seem to have 2/3 Rugby clubs and 2/3 League clubs feeding into the one school team.
Surely it's a advantage particularly with the short school season if the majority of the school players are playing the same code at the same club together.
i would also suggest that the game style at GPS club and Ash Marist is identical.
I would love to know from others what they think is the break up of the school teams are.
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