AIC Rugby 2019

[Bob McCarthy]

AIC Team of the year

1. Ollie Harris (1) Villanova College
2. Angus Sawtell (2) St Laurences
3. Bryce Huddy (3) St Laurences (Injured)
4. John Bryant (8) St Laurences
5. Will Markham (6) Iona
6. Nick Baker (6) Ashgrove
7. Lachlan Howse (7) Ashgrove (C)
8. James Livingstone (8) Villanova College
9. George Stokes (9) Villanova College
10. Max Plath (12) Iona College
11. Floyd Aubrey (15) Ashgrove
12. Josh Radford (12) Ashgrove
13. Campbell Moller (13) Ashgrove
14. Robert Agnew (11) Villanova College
15. Hamish Muir (15) Villanova College
Reserves
16. Jack Horan (2) Villanova College
17. Luke Mekea (3) Ashgrove
18. Taelyn Nukunuku () St Patricks College
19. Lucas Boylan (6) Villanova College
20. Will Webster (8) St Peters Lutheran College
21. Sam Ma'au (6) Padua College
22. Poasi Manu (8) Padua College
23. Sam Stephens (9) Ashgrove
24. Charlie Kwok Sun Barker (13) Iona College
25. Gus Godwin (13) Villanova College
26. Declan Ries (12) Villanova College


Some early predictions for this weekend

SLC vs VNC (Villa by 10+)
PAD vs SEC (Pad by 40+)
ASH vs IONA (Ash by 25+)
SPLC vs SPC (Pats by 35+)

Good Luck to all!

 

[AICRUGBY2019GUnna]

SPLC flyhalfs have been getting smaller and smaller each year. Would be interesting to move their current 10 to fullback and add some size in to fly half.

 

[Vik]

Ok so here we go.

SLC V Villa will be fascinating. Villa leak points but are capable of scoring fast. SLC are probably the dominant pack. Last game of the year and bragging rights (and probably mental edge) going into season 2020. SLC at home.
I would think Laurie’s start as favourites , just. But in reality way too close to call. Heart says Villa by a smidgin. Head says don’t place a bet on this one.

Regarding season 2020. Ashgrove , Villa and SLC will be strong. Villa are coming into their two very strong age groups but will miss Livingstone and Stokes in particular with , according to my mail, a potential weakness in the halves. Although pack will be solid and outside backs excellent. Patrick Cox (Jim Tucker’s pocket rocket) will give Villa a selection headache at flanker and is a busy busy pilferer to replace Boylan at 6 maybe ? But a good replacement for Jack Horan in Winsbury who has been the regular bench front row replacement and playing the house down in the seconds. So if he joins Harris and Santos in the front row Villa lose nothing there. Villa front row has been really strong in 19. Although I will say again Villa need to find a strong 9 and 10 to win the flag in 2020. Villa also lucky with injuries this year

One would think Iona will be better next year to throw more into the stew pot.

Congrats to Ashgrove (hope I’m not putting the mockers on them) well deserved premiership. Can’t see them getting beaten on Saturday.
Question for MCA supporters. Which was the better team ? 2017 or 2019?

 

[Galloper]

Ok so here we go.

SLC V Villa will be fascinating. Villa leak points but are capable of scoring fast. SLC are probably the dominant pack. Last game of the year and bragging rights (and probably mental edge) going into season 2020. SLC at home.
I would think Laurie’s start as favourites , just. But in reality way too close to call. Heart says Villa by a smidgin. Head says don’t place a bet on this one.

Regarding season 2020. Ashgrove , Villa and SLC will be strong. Villa are coming into their two very strong age groups but will miss Livingstone and Stokes in particular with , according to my mail, a potential weakness in the halves. Although pack will be solid and outside backs excellent. Patrick Cox (Jim Tucker’s pocket rocket) will give Villa a selection headache at flanker and is a busy busy pilferer to replace Boylan at 6 maybe ? But a good replacement for Jack Horan in Winsbury who has been the regular bench front row replacement and playing the house down in the seconds. So if he joins Harris and Santos in the front row Villa lose nothing there. Villa front row has been really strong in 19. Although I will say again Villa need to find a strong 9 and 10 to win the flag in 2020. Villa also lucky with injuries this year

One would think Iona will be better next year to throw more into the stew pot.

Congrats to Ashgrove (hope I’m not putting the mockers on them) well deserved premiership. Can’t see them getting beaten on Saturday.
Question for MCA supporters. Which was the better team ? 2017 or 2019?

Just my opinion, but I think that the 2017 MCA team had a few more top line talents than the 2019 version which explains their dominance that year, including in particular Emosi Tuqiri and Brayden Law in the forwards and guys like Jaz Day, Sean Anderson, Ben Bucknell, Kale Van Dugteren and Lachy Tennison-Woods in the backs.

The MCA team in 2019 has an excellent backrow, very good centre combination and hugely talented 15, but the rest are probably a tier below. Having said that, it’s hard to remember another Ashgrove premiership team having to do it tougher with their three hardest games in 2019 all being played away in front of big Old Boys day crowds, so they deserve everything they get.

MCA is putting a big emphasis on Saturday’s game v Iona, with the Art Show, an Old Boys event and First XI soccer premiership game also happening that day, so there should be a big crowd on hand to celebrate the last day of school rugby for all of the Year 12’s.

Can’t see MCA losing any intensity in approaching the Iona game, they will be fired up to finish a great season on a winning note.

 

[Echidna]

MCA will be hard to beat in 2020 based on the number of year 11s in the 1st and 2nd XVs and a folid 10A team who will add depth. In all there are 11 year 11s in the 1st/2nd XVs and 1 year 10. Floyd and Baker are just 16. They will miss this years 7, but depth is there. Weaker years at MCA in years 9 and 8, then strong again in year 7.

 

[Echidna]

As for team of the year from McCarthy. Only 7 MCA players and 2 from Padua???? Floyd would be 15 and the Villa 15 a bench utility. MCA too dominant to have only 7 selected. Padua in my opinion are a stronger team than both Villa and SLC from watching how they performed on Saturday. Villa No 8 certainly good at AIC schools level, but not great for an 18 year old. Young Baker from MCA has just turned 16, as to the SLC 8 - by way of comparison. Villa's 8 is nothing compared to SPC's Aust Schoolboy / Qld Schoolboy player of the year Connors from 2 years ago.
Tips for last round;
SLC def Villa by 5+ (SLC at home).
Pad def SEC by lots 50+
Ash def Iona by lots 40+
SPC def SPLC by 30+

 

[D'Lite Full]

That squad mentality of blooding year 11s has served MCA well in recent years. First XV experience is invaluable as Iona found in 2018 after copping a few hidings in 2017 with a team that was 2/3 year 11 boys.

I agree with Echidna on team of the year. MCA deserve at least 8/9 spots in the XV and a few more in the overall squad based on their dominance (nobody has got within 17 points of them) and ruthless defence (conceded only 3 tries in 6 games). Some of those next tier players are probably just workmanlike and don't get the notoriety that flashy backs seem to always get.

Even the champion MCA 2017 side switched off against SPC and conceded 27 points and 84 overall for the season. Yes, they had some good individuals but I think you'd go a long way to see a better 'team' than this current one from Ashgrove. They certainly made short work of Eddies, Peters and Pats scoring a combined 188 to nil. And the nil is the impressive bit where most schoolboy teams would have switched off and conceded points, the Marist boys for some reason prized a clean sheet.

 

[D'Lite Full]

And then in their big "grand final" clashes played away on Old Boys Day, they conceded nil against SLC, 10 v Villa and 10 v Padua.

If they have a big win this week, they will crack the 300 mark for Points For.

Scary thing is that MCA will have 4 home games in 2020.

 

[Rugby Lover1234321]

Word has it that there are 4-5 injured SLC 1st 15 players who are coming back from injury this week against Villa. Don’t know if they will play firsts or not. I’m not sure but I think they are the 10,12,13,14. Anyone know this is true?

 

[Wade Thornton]

I'd just like to point out that one of Villanova's strongest players is their 7 (Hamish McKee). I believe that he doesn't receive enough credit, as he is such an impact player. The reason why he doesn't get noticed enough is because he is always fishing for the ball or making a strong tackle against a much larger ball runner. His work rate is always heavily relied upon he truly is Villanova's workhorse.

Mckee does get some good tackles and turnovers but is definitely not Villa’s strongest player.

 

[Vik]

As for team of the year from McCarthy. Only 7 MCA players and 2 from Padua???? Floyd would be 15 and the Villa 15 a bench utility. MCA too dominant to have only 7 selected. Padua in my opinion are a stronger team than both Villa and SLC from watching how they performed on Saturday. Villa No 8 certainly good at AIC schools level, but not great for an 18 year old. Young Baker from MCA has just turned 16, as to the SLC 8 - by way of comparison. Villa's 8 is nothing compared to SPC's Aust Schoolboy / Qld Schoolboy player of the year Connors from 2 years ago.
Tips for last round;
SLC def Villa by 5+ (SLC at home).

Pad def SEC by lots 50+
Ash def Iona by lots 40+
SPC def SPLC by 30+

Ok , to be fair I agree that Ashgrove would deserve more players in an AIC rep team (if one was picked). I can’t agree that Padua is the next best team. That is still to be decided. Villa beat them with a red card in the last 20 minutes of that match. Up to that point Villa was looking dangerous at that point and Padua scored a late try against 14 men to make the score line look more flattering than it probably was.

I agree that SLC are favourites for Saturday a plus 5 score prediction is probably right. It will be close and the trial they played was decided by only a conversion. But Laurie’s are at home and that will matter.

As for the comment regarding MCA having 4 home games in 2020. I agree that’s scary.

Finally the comment made below regarding Villa’s #7. McKee. He has played well this year although has given away penalties at times, mainly due to his aggression at the breakdown. But he is not Villa’s strongest player this year. Muir, Livingstone, Stokes, Harris and Horan have all been better across the paddock. McKee, being in grade 11 should get better next year though.

 

[Wade Thornton]

What is everyone’s thoughts on the firsts subs at each school?

 

[whistler]

What is everyone’s thoughts on the firsts subs at each school?

In regards to MCA, there are lot of boys playing 2nds that would be playing firsts at other schools. I am not sure there is a position where if they lost a player they would find themselves in too much trouble.
Aubrey has been replaced in a couple of games and his replacement would be the equal of any other fullback running around. I am not sure they would want to lose both centres at the same time. The tight 5 has seen no drop off when they have been replaced. When the backrow has been replaced there has been no noticeable drop off.

Will be interesting to see how the SLC 8 goes this weekend against the Villa 8.

 

[melomvp]

MCA to defeat Iona by 45+
Padua to defeat eddies by 60+
Pats to defeat SPLC by 25+
Lauries to defeat Villa by 5+

 

[Confucius Say]

St Laurie by 12 v Villanova
Padua by 15 v St Ed
St Pat by 35 v St Peter
Iona by 2 v Ashgrove

 

[Clarence McLean]

St Laurie by 12 v Villanova
Padua by 15 v St Ed
St Pat by 35 v St Peter
Iona by 2 v Ashgrove

Some bold predictions there, confucius. Any reasoning behind em or just ur gut feeling?

 

[Confucius Say]

Bonjour Clarence,

Laurie are the second best defence in the AIC. They will win at home. Big pack. Local derby.
Padua I expect to have the come down from last week v Marist. Eddy improving. Could be wrong.
Pat should win easily. No surprise.
Black and White win is bold prediction. MCA will have to wear a few yellows and reds.

 

[whistler]

Bonjour Clarence,

Laurie are the second best defence in the AIC. They will win at home. Big pack. Local derby.
Padua I expect to have the come down from last week v Marist. Eddy improving. Could be wrong.
Pat should win easily. No surprise.
Black and White win is bold prediction. MCA will have to wear a few yellows and reds.

I can't see Iona getting near MCA tomorrow. MCA has been away two weeks in a row in front of hostile crowds. A chance to send the yr12s off with an undefeated premiership at home in front of old boys. Just a matter by how much i think. Will be interesting to see if Iona can break the clean sheet MCA has at home this year.

 

[Galloper]

HT @ MCA

MCA 31 v Iona 5

 

[Bledisloe]

Halftime at banyo....Padua 33 St Edmunds 5