Australian Schoolboys & National Championship 2010

[Lee Grant]

Thats why we so badly need a provincial comp so there is more pathways for juniors to play some professional footy, instead of just taking off to league.

Agreed - but if there's not going to be an ARC for the youngsters to get into eventually we should at least look at a way to give the elite school leavers some grocery money for the two years after they leave school, otherwise they would be silly to stay in union if they are 50/50 players who like to play both codes.

Only the pro academy guys get grocery money in union. Now and then you get a kid like Rob Horne or Greg Peterson who earns a bit of cash in the S14 pro academy the year after leaving school - and a bit of boot money from the club or even Oz 7s, but there's not many of them.

For the other guys we want to hold onto, Clubs would have to pay a modest amount to some of their best players in 1st Grade Colts which should include a lot of schools stars from the year before. The ARU would have to dish out more money to the State unions to pass onto the clubs for this. A bigger deal should be made of the 1st Grade Colts comp also, to mimic the Toyota Cup in league.

Perhaps elite U/20 players should get a bonus for moving up from Colts to 1st Grade also; not a huge amount.

After that, the best should be in the academies and if not, they will have to fend for themselves.

It's full of holes but in that way, or something similar, we could compete money-wise with rugby league at the junior level, but it is doubtful if the ARU could pay the freight for such a scheme.

 

[I like to watch]

The Australian Schools Rugby team should consist of the best 15 regardless of their future. It should be a reward for their outstanding play. It is not their fault that their are only a very samll number of places for them.

cannot agree Lily, I think there is something morally wrong when someone takes advantage of a rep touring spot, when they ALREADY have a League contract.
they have made their choice for whatever reason & should "pick & stick"

 

[rugbyfan]

Quick question - what is the average amount of money paid to a 1st Grade Player? + A Super 14 player + Wallaby? Roughly?

 

[observer]

Alex Northam, Killarney HS has been picked for the Presidents team. He played CHS and Combined States this season. Updated list;

1 Jack Jones, ACT, Marist College/Allan Ala'alatoa NSW Newington College
2
3 Phil Kite, QLD, Nudgee College
4 Dean Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College
5 Michael Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Michael Wells, NSW, St Ignatius College
6 Williams, NSW, St Josephs College
7 Gordon Broome, NSW, Asquith BHS
8 Caleb Timu, QLD, Nudgee College
9 Jock Merriman, NSW, SHORE/ Clint Dale, ACT, MacKillop Catholic College
10 Ulupano Seuteni, QLD, TSS
11 Jason Seage, NSW, The Hills Sports HS
12 Usaia O'Sullivan, NSW, Trinity College
13 Brogan Roods, NSW, Newington College
14 Alex Northam, NSW, Killarney HS
15

 

[I like to watch]

It's full of holes but in that way, or something similar, we could compete money-wise with rugby league at the junior level, but it is doubtful if the ARU could pay the freight for such a scheme.

Lee, I think you would be surprised at how little the Toyota Cup players receive. There are very few players in the T cup squads that could live off their contract payments alone.I know some clubs insist that Toyota cup players are either @ uni or doing apprenticeships whilst in T cup.
maybe the Mungoes sell the upside & the opportunity better than Rugby do, but the actual pickings for squad members is very limited for the vast majority.

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks for that. I knew it wasn't a lot which is why I mentioned grocery money for the rugby guys; and I meant, literally, grocery money.

But right now, without any real knowledge, I reckon the average 1st Grade Colts guy gets less than the Toyota Cup guy and we are shooting ourselves in the foot with 50/50 players if we don't have parity.

I'm not talking about youngsters who want to go to league because that is their preferred code. To try to compete against that would be like going against the tide at the beach.



The other thing we have to compete against with 50/50 youngsters is that there are more paid spots open in Oz in the NRL than there is in Super rugby. With more chances of making a living in the other code as a professional footie player, the 50/50s or even 60/40s (for union) are likewise more willing to serve a virtual apprenticeship for a couple of years in league.

Some folks have deplored the addition of the 5th Super team in Oz because it dilutes the chances for an Oz team to win the Super comp and it has to be true, at least short term, but one advantage it will have is to provide more footie jobs including those for youngsters in pro academies.

If Super rugby expands further as is mentioned from time to time there will be still more jobs going. Whether expansion is a good thing or bad thing need not concern us on this thread, but it may dilute the "there are more jobs in the 13 man code" thinking of youngsters.

 

[Informer]

Alex Northam, Killarney HS has been picked for the Presidents team. He played CHS and Combined States this season. Updated list;

1 Jack Jones, ACT, Marist College/Allan Ala'alatoa NSW Newington College
2
3 Phil Kite, QLD, Nudgee College
4 Dean Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College
5 Michael Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Michael Wells, NSW, St Ignatius College
6 Williams, NSW, St Josephs College
7 Gordon Broome, NSW, Asquith BHS
8 Caleb Timu, QLD, Nudgee College
9 Jock Merriman, NSW, SHORE/ Clint Dale, ACT, MacKillop Catholic College
10 Ulupano Seuteni, QLD, TSS
11 Jason Seage, NSW, The Hills Sports HS
12 Usaia O'Sullivan, NSW, Trinity College
13 Brogan Roods, NSW, Newington College
14 Alex Northam, NSW, Killarney HS
15

Cam Clarke is apparently fit again so he should be first choice for the no 15 spot

 

[observer]

Cam Clarke is apparently fit again so he should be first choice for the no 15 spot

Yes, he would be good. I was thinking James Vaka and Stuart Dunbar as well.

 

[Elfster]

I can't find any reference to the President's XV apart from here. So there is no official announcement yet? Any media releases? Team training..it is just two weeks away. Or is it very hush-hush and the players get to introduce themselves to each other in thechange room just prior to the start of the game. (Sometimes I wonder what the marketing department actually does at the ARU and associated keepers of the game. Gripe and grumble....)

 

[Lee Grant]

These things are like state secrets aren't they?

Thank goodness we have observer and his mail.

 

[pitbull]

Both of Newingtons props were selected for the presidents

 

[FTS]

Yeah I have also heard Ezrah A from Newington was picked alongside Allan.

 

[rugga10]

Yeah I have also heard Ezrah A from Newington was picked alongside Allan.

Is Ezrah in yr 12 or yr 11 this year ? if he is in Yr 12 will he be doing pathways next year ?

 

[pitbull]

in year 11, and alan is in year eleven but hes a year young. 16 years old

 

[rugbyfan]

I thnk Ezrah is in year 11 - he was selected for NSW under 17s club.

 

[observer]

These things are like state secrets aren't they?

Thank goodness we have observer and his mail.

I dare not take all the credit. There have been a number of contributors and I think we have done well to piece the team together. I don't think they have made the team public yet as they are probably checking player availability, injuries etc. Thanks for the Ezrah info. Updated list below;

1 Jack Jones, ACT, Marist College/Allan Ala'alatoa NSW Newington College
2
3 Phil Kite, QLD, Nudgee College
4 Dean Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Ezrah Amituanai, NSW, Newington College
5 Michael Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Michael Wells, NSW, St Ignatius College
6 Williams, NSW, St Josephs College
7 Gordon Broome, NSW, Asquith BHS
8 Caleb Timu, QLD, Nudgee College
9 Jock Merriman, NSW, SHORE/ Clint Dale, ACT, MacKillop Catholic College
10 Ulupano Seuteni, QLD, TSS
11 Jason Seage, NSW, The Hills Sports HS
12 Usaia O'Sullivan, NSW, Trinity College
13 Brogan Roods, NSW, Newington College
14 Alex Northam, NSW, Killarney HS
15

 

[rugbyfan]

I dare not take all the credit. There have been a number of contributors and I think we have done well to piece the team together. I don't think they have made the team public yet as they are probably checking player availability, injuries etc. Thanks for the Ezrah info. Updated list below;

1 Jack Jones, ACT, Marist College/Allan Ala'alatoa NSW Newington College
2
3 Phil Kite, QLD, Nudgee College
4 Dean Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Ezrah Amituanai, NSW, Newington College
5 Michael Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Michael Wells, NSW, St Ignatius College
6 Williams, NSW, St Josephs College
7 Gordon Broome, NSW, Asquith BHS
8 Caleb Timu, QLD, Nudgee College
9 Jock Merriman, NSW, SHORE/ Clint Dale, ACT, MacKillop Catholic College
10 Ulupano Seuteni, QLD, TSS
11 Jason Seage, NSW, The Hills Sports HS
12 Usaia O'Sullivan, NSW, Trinity College
13 Brogan Roods, NSW, Newington College
14 Alex Northam, NSW, Killarney HS
15

Ah...isn't Ezrah a 1,3, or 8?

 

[observer]

Oops!

1 Jack Jones, ACT, Marist College/Allan Ala'alatoa NSW Newington College
2
3 Phil Kite, QLD, Nudgee College/ Ezrah Amituanai, NSW, Newington College
4 Dean Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College
5 Michael Oakman-Hunt, ACT, Erindale College/ Michael Wells, NSW, St Ignatius College
6 Williams, NSW, St Josephs College
7 Gordon Broome, NSW, Asquith BHS
8 Caleb Timu, QLD, Nudgee College
9 Jock Merriman, NSW, SHORE/ Clint Dale, ACT, MacKillop Catholic College
10 Ulupano Seuteni, QLD, TSS
11 Jason Seage, NSW, The Hills Sports HS
12 Usaia O'Sullivan, NSW, Trinity College
13 Brogan Roods, NSW, Newington College
14 Alex Northam, NSW, Killarney HS
15

 

[skullring]

Did Sam Muller get the call up for this team?

 

[Nusadan]

Would Roods be suspended for his red card showing yesterday?