Ok, may I just state a few things,
yes I'm an Ashgrove Man so I don't get to watch the other schools week in week out but my points are still highly valid don't be childish and say that I'm completely biased
1. ASH v PAD: Yes Padua won but that that doesn't make them the "better" team. A re-match would've been nice (Not sure about Padua but Ashgrove is weakened now due to injuries and other reasons) a re-match anywhere none of this depends who is home bullshit, they could played at Ipswich just for the sake of it. So yes congratulations to Padua who on the day won so unless they lose this weekend ((Obviously I want them to loose) but i doubt it because Peters and Padua play a similar game in the first 15 with big bashes to the opposition in the forwards but I have not doubt that peters will drop their heads after the first 15 if they aren't winning like they did against us (ASH)) they will be the undefeated AIC Premiers of 2015 and the first out right for their school.
2. Ashgrove forward pack is by far the most dominant pack this year. Out-scrummed BBC for god sake. Best front row, Rafter, Cuneo and Adams area all machines and although the big-named O'Toole is a gun he is not a shoe-in for AIC 1 THP. Liam Adams' scrum is so much better so LHP would seem better fitted or even an amazing off the bench impact player.
3. AIC 1 mighten have the names or size as GPS 1,2 or 3 but fuck I hope the fortunate 15-23 boys just get some mongrel about them and just go out there wanting to smash the GPS boys of whom I am over them buying teams not earning them like all of the AIC teams (minus peters, sorry peters but its true). So congrats to the AIC schools who just work hard and earn their XV.
4. For all #7's in AIC they are luck Hugh Brosnan (MCA) is injured he has barely been mentioned but he is absolutely the biggest work horse. if you watch each ashgrove break down he was at at least 90% of them. he got numerous pilfa's every game. He has never been the best ball runner but still was one of the only Ash forwards that wanted to run it against Pad. and he doesn't need to run it when his work rate in defence and rucks is immaculate and you have the likes of O'Toole Rafter Adams in your team.
5. McKinnon is small ish as you might say but he is so smart and probably just deserves the AIC jumper as he is the most consistently inform player who reads the play so well and runs brilliant lines. Plus he lost a lot of weight due to a shoulder injury which required surgery and his line outs are the best in AIC. a complete asset
6. Allan Wratten gee-ed up for this year but really he is looking good for next year is his defence is strong and his natural ability to run the ball is exceptional. and I reckon De Flav might make it next year (he is the reason our 16's aren't carving it up completely)
7. The main problem with our 1st XV within recent years is the backs. we have great depth (in all positions) hence why our seconds always win the premiership and make our first contentions a hard pick but the backs just seem to not execute. there were definitely multiple different options for the line-up. Like don't get me wrong all good players with good defence but they seem to worry more about themself than the team at times (goes for all)
8. Not sure why Cuneo has been shunned but he was obviously better than fraser in ASH v PAD and has out played every #2 each week
9. we talk about how important the first round was. I think now if we played Eddies we would win but things would've been different that first round maybe, tough game i really would've like to see what would've happened, we did have home ground 'advantage' but I do believe that the no first round made huge impacts that are forever irreplaceable. Plus it means I can't judge any of the Eddies players because I haven't seen them play
10. Just for the sake of it, people (iona) is Gee-ing up the 2017 team like sure its ages away but ok. I would just like to not that I'm pretty sure our 15's are undefeated (about time I'm pretty sure in previous years they haven't been that good on score but always good on paper) but this year things have changed I guess and with of Mr Miles (cheers eddies, he is a gun coach) if he sticks with them until 2017 they will probably be a solid team but I can't be bother to care about the annoying yr 10's.
11. We have copped it for being shit but we have flogged every team bar the premiership game against Pad and the really impressive game against Pats but we let them in mainly through F-ups. in saying that, this weekend will be huge with a lot of history and passion on the line for both Lauries and Us it'll be a great season finisher
12. Yes fullbacks are good but why are we looking at fullbacks to be AIC wingers, why don't we look at the wingers... logic.
13. The statement/s about how AIC isn't as good as it use to be. Harsh statement true yes but also not entirely. the comp is getting closer and closer with 'upsets' being more occurring but just because we don't have super star teams that flogged everyone doesn't mean we have shit footy in the AIC. and the gap between us and GPS is only increasing because GPS is clearly supplying ridiculous amounts of sporting scholarships.
14. wrong feed but I reckon BBC may choke, BBC v Nudgee will be a cracker (At Nudgee to)
15. agreed: the new game time is shit
16. so yeah, I think it's always tough to pick the AIC 1 forward pack as AIC does have quality forwards but i feel like you guys shouldn't completely rule out the Ashgrovian boys. but i do think AIC still should get an AIC 2 team so the closely matched players don't miss out on representing our competition
just my 2 cents, say what you want but it is a fairly accurate input
You are completely biased. And also quite up yourself. I know that's not what you want to hear but it's true.
1. Padua absolutely have a better team than Marist this year. They won by 11 points in round 2 with only 14 players on the field in the last 30 mins. They only play one game against eachother, and from the results it's clear who has a better team.
2. I agree that Marist has the best front row this year. Adams and Rafter are excellent props, while Cuneo is decent. O'Toole will have the 1 jersey, he played for Combined States last year against the QLD and NSW teams. His experience is irreplaceable.
3. AIC selection is based off who is the most complete in each position. Cuneo is a good hooker but lacks the size and aggression to clear rucks and provide any decent power in the scrums. Schweitzer and Kelly are both leagues ahead of him. Mckinnon has a chance at making it, his jumping is amazing, but his light body weight means he can't add much to the scrum or too a second rowers duty as an enforcer. I would much prefer Harry Enright as the starting #5 for AIC. Wratten is incredibly talented as a flanker, but will not make it over Justin Sikimeti. Wratten can run, but is not an aggressive, lineout jumping mongrel #6 like Sikimeti. Brosnan has potential, but like you said, his lack of running ability means that specialist opensides like Louis Schwenke and even blindsides like Wyatt Setu have the edge over him.
Ashgrove have great talent in their forwards this year, and it will show in the results, but there are players in other schools who have more individual talent.
4. We are looking at fullbacks as wings because there aren't very many talneted wings in AIC this year. Fullbacks have good running game and often are good wings, Mohr is an example of this. Excellent running, loves finishing tries off, will make a good wing. The #14 wing for AIC last year was the fullback for Iona. Happens all the time.
5. It is entirely true that AIC is getting weaker each year. No doubt whatsoever. Padua are curbstomping everyone this year, but would have been curbstomped themselves if they competed 2 years ago in the 09-13 year groups.
6. They have a chairmans XV team every year. It's pretty much a AIC 2 team with mixed AIC and CSS players. Hopefully the talented players who don't make AIC 1 will get a second chance.
