Canberra Vikings - Offical NRC Team Thread

[Tomikin]

There are never likely to be any hard and fast selection rules for these sort of teams.

It's not a representative team. It's a brand new team in a brand new third tier competition that is aimed at bridging the gap between Super Rugby and club rugby.

I guess I'm more looking at ways to engage the Canberra Rugby and maybe strengthen the weaker teams in 1st.

Who knows, just win the comp and the fans will follow

 

[Slim 293]

Yep you are right, but what the UC Vikings are trying to say is that it is a representative team of the best of the best of the Canberra region, something that isn't shown in the selection of this squad.

You've yet to back up your case that it isn't..........

 

[Slim 293]

definitely think that the Brumbies should start allocating the players who ain't in the 23 out too the weaker teams to make them stronger.

They already distribute their talent evenly, but unfortunately for some of those weaker sides their Brumbies contingent are now in Wallaby camp, or in regards to the NRC they've been allocated to other teams - Alexander (Uni Norths), Fardy (Wests), White (Queanbeyan), To'omua (Royals), Kuridrani (Queanbeyan).........

 

[mst]

Being perfectly honest i was 50/50 before the selection of the squad. I would of gone to watch games but would never buy supporter apparel. Happy with the ground, undoubtedly the best venue for such a team to play at. The name is not ideal, I get the reasons for it. It is a three way venture though and I think the Brumbies should of grown a set and stood up for the betterment of all ACT Rugby. When I heard whispers of the squad a while back that's when I decided I wouldn't be supporting the team. The main reason I am so annoyed with it is the fact that it will make the local comp even more uneven. We at QBN hold our own against Tuggeranong I feel, something that we are extremely proud of considering our limited resources. But what message does it send to a young bloke leaving school. Something that a club like Easts could offer blokes before, is a shot at playing first grade very early. With blokes being selected out of Tuggeranong lower grades, not even that can be used. I know this team will do very well in the competition, but that shouldn't be used in a few years time when measuring the success of the team. What it does for the local rugby scene should be a priority for this team and all I can see this doing is making Tuggeranong even stronger to the point that it might see a few clubs go under.

On the other hand you might notice that some of us think you argument has merit but are trying to be optimistic. I am hoping that with good support the Vikings concept will be driven to be neutral and unbiased as the implications of alienation of its client base and memberships, damage to reputations (included with the Brumbies, UC and other Canberra corporate entities who support rugby) is too higher risk. If the NRC team fails it may undo Vikings rugby, but there is a huge risk it may take down others.

Personally I ask that you do support the concept and by being a part of it you can help shape it and people like me on the outside can then see clearly if its being run transparently, (as best it can with politics and financial pressures) and also so I can hear a voice from other clubs advocating their players, which some of us have never head of. You see, until you got on here and said your piece I had no idea about the players you mentioned etc.

Now to be clear - my motivation is not to any club, but to see the game survive and grow for purely selfish reasons - so I can watch it and enjoy the game - I have little to no interest the BS off the field. What is confusing me and really turning me off this whole thing is for a tough game, my god there are so many winging about feelings, and being precious and he or she is being mean, turfing the toys out the cot, the dummy spitting and worrying if the colour of the shirt suit me, my complexion and handbag and if it clashes, compliments or makes you look fat; can I been seen to be associating with northside, southside or Queanbeyan people without my social group judging me.....

FFS - you, me, Tomikin, and Slim etc should be there, beer in hand coaching and managing the team on the sideline at the opening home game! Or, do you leave "them" unsupervised and without your's or our voice to argue the point?

 

[Tomikin]

They already distribute their talent evenly, but unfortunately for some of those weaker sides their Brumbies contingent are now in Wallaby camp, or in regards to the NRC they've been allocated to other teams - Alexander (Uni Norths), Fardy (Wests), White (Queanbeyan), To'omua (Royals), Kuridrani (Queanbeyan)...

I know there farmed out evenly but I'm thinking unevenly and people who might play some games not the guys who can't.

 

[Slim 293]

I know there farmed out evenly but I'm thinking unevenly and people who might play some games not the guys who can't.

Check out the list of departing players, and which clubs they're assigned to:

Cronje (Gungahlin)
Hoffman (Gungahlin)
Murphy (Gungahlin)
McCaffrey (Royals)
Mowen (Vikings)
Power (Queanbeyan)
Rathbone (Easts)
Van Der Walt (Easts)
A Smith (Easts)
Wetton (Wests)

Mann-Rea also plays for Gungahlin, but he's not listed in the Vikings' NRC squad.........

All of the players assigned to Tuggeranong were core Brumbies' squad members........

The fact is, the Brumbies already prop up the weaker JID teams with players unlikely to make the Brumbies' 23..........

 

[Tomikin]

On the other hand you might notice that some of us think you argument has merit but are trying to be optimistic. I am hoping that with good support the Vikings concept will be driven to be neutral and unbiased as the implications of alienation of its client base and memberships, damage to reputations (included with the Brumbies, UC and other Canberra corporate entities who support rugby) is too higher risk. If the NRC team fails it may undo Vikings rugby, but there is a huge risk it may take down others.

Personally I ask that you do support the concept and by being a part of it you can help shape it and people like me on the outside can then see clearly if its being run transparently, (as best it can with politics and financial pressures) and also so I can hear a voice from other clubs advocating their players, which some of us have never head of. You see, until you got on here and said your piece I had no idea about the players you mentioned etc.

Now to be clear - my motivation is not to any club, but to see the game survive and grow for purely selfish reasons - so I can watch it and enjoy the game - I have little to no interest the BS off the field. What is confusing me and really turning me off this whole thing is for a tough game, my god there are so many winging about feelings, and being precious and he or she is being mean, turfing the toys out the cot, the dummy spitting and worrying if the colour of the shirt suit me, my complexion and handbag and if it clashes, compliments or makes you look fat; can I been seen to be associating with northside, southside or Queanbeyan people without my social group judging me...

FFS - you, me, Tomikin, and Slim etc should be there, beer in hand coaching and managing the team on the sideline at the opening home game! Or, do you leave "them" unsupervised and without your's or our voice to argue the point?

I'm with you, I'm just a fan of the Brumbies don't know local Canberra Rugby from a bar of soap. My reason is to cheer on a Canberra team in my comp. I live in Brisbane these days but I still have a Brumbies membership and will probably get a Vikings jersey and a members ticket and try and make some games when in town. I'll be going to ballymore to watch Brisbane City with some mates but my team will be the Vikings

 

[Tomikin]

Hence my questions about the support.. And hey who doesn't want to get drunk and thrown out of the Vikings club..

 

[Braveheart81]

I think people are making a mistake looking at the NRC and thinking what does this team have to do with the club rugby side I follow and determining their level of support based on that.

Rugby fans should be thinking that there isn't a 3rd tier team that they follow because it's a brand new competition and instead thinking I'm from Canberra (or wherever else) so I'm going to follow the Canberra team.

 

[Tomikin]

Check out the list of departing players, and which clubs they're assigned to:

Cronje (Gungahlin)
Hoffman (Gungahlin)
Murphy (Gungahlin)
McCaffrey (Royals)
Mowen (Vikings)
Power (Queanbeyan)
Rathbone (Easts)
Van Der Walt (Easts)
A Smith (Easts)
Wetton (Wests)

Mann-Rea also plays for Gungahlin, but he's not listed in the Vikings' NRC squad...

All of the players assigned to Tuggeranong were core Brumbies' squad members....

The fact is, the Brumbies already prop up the weaker JID teams with players unlikely to make the Brumbies' 23....

Yeah looks like your right, so I'm guessing some of the players coming in will go to those teams as well.

 

[mst]

Hence my questions about the support.. And hey who doesn't want to get drunk and thrown out of the Vikings club..

I cannot like this enough!

 

[mst]

I think people are making a mistake looking at the NRC and thinking what does this team have to do with the club rugby side I follow and determining their level of support based on that.

Rugby fans should be thinking that there isn't a 3rd tier team that they follow because it's a brand new competition and instead thinking I'm from Canberra (or wherever else) so I'm going to follow the Canberra team.

True, So ACT and region people, there's a a new 3rd tier team in Canberra to support which gives us and a whole bunch of new reasons to sledge NSW and QLD! (carefully due to player allocation ).

Even better its another excuse to get out and watch good games at a low price and its family friendly! (its fenced and kids can run wild!)

 

[Braveheart81]

I'll be cheering for NSW Country and the Stars based on the Country team being where a few Easts players are playing and the Stars based on their home ground being relatively close to home.

I'll enjoy the fact that all of you will be cheering for Ita Vaea in the Country team hoping he goes really well!

 

[mst]

I'll be cheering for NSW Country and the Stars based on the Country team being where a few Easts players are playing and the Stars based on their home ground being relatively close to home.

I'll enjoy the fact that all of you will be cheering for Ita Vaea in the Country team hoping he goes really well!

Nasty but I love it! I don't mind NSW country, close to the ACT and region in so many ways, the rest of NSW forget it. Oh, of course we will cheer for the Canberra region based players that are allocated to prop up the other teams and carrying them.

 

[Brumby Jack]

The pricing for tickets has been released:

$30 for a season ticket to the 4 home games - available from the Brumbies HQ only or call 1300 733 899.

Pre sale tickets - $10 for Adults + BF , U18's $5 + BF , available online at http://www.eventopia.co/wafform.aspx?_act=clientprofile&_pky=2547389

Tickets available at the gate - $15 Adults, U18's $5

 

[mst]

The pricing for tickets has been released:

$30 for a season ticket to the 4 home games - available from the Brumbies HQ only or call 1300 733 899.

Pre sale tickets - $10 for Adults + BF , U18's $5 + BF , available online at http://www.eventopia.co/wafform.aspx?_act=clientprofile&_pky=2547389

Tickets available at the gate - $15 Adults, U18's $5

At $7.50 a game if you buy the season ticket its pretty damn cheap and gets you out of the house!

 

[No.8]

Anyone know who will be playing in the Curtin Raisers?

I know its a long shot - But once the comp grows I wonder if there would ever be a place for a Nominated Brumbies/QBN/Monaro Side in the NRC - with the home ground being Seiffert Oval.

 

[mst]

Anyone know who will be playing in the Curtin Raisers?

I know its a long shot - But once the comp grows I wonder if there would ever be a place for a Nominated Brumbies/QBN/Monaro Side in the NRC - with the home ground being Seiffert Oval.

Its not impossible, and for me, I would love to see a Nth CBR team, a Sth CBR team, and a QBN / Monaro region team, then steal a good idea from the ITM and have like a Ranfurly Shield concept with these three, the NSW country team, and the Rebels NRC team.

For me I would prefer the curtain raisers to be either school boys or 7's so we don't have club alignment issues.

OR ........how about a 4 game round robin of the best of the rest like a NRC "B" concept - pick 2 or 3 all star teams ( must be mixed from clubs around the region and shadow NRC squad) and let them play each other.

 

[BlueBagger]

Yep you are right, but what the UC Vikings are trying to say is that it is a representative team of the best of the best of the Canberra region, something that isn't shown in the selection of this squad.

Grant i must admit, initially i echoed your sentiments completely.
Obviously Vikings isn't the most loved club in the Canberra comp (Tuggeranong that is). And i didn't really like that they kept the same name and colours initially. But i think that by denying the team your support, you are only going to encourage the issues that you have raised. If the supporters of every other club in Canberra turned their back on it and only the Tuggeranong fans supported the team then we will definitely start seeing a divide in the rugby community. However if the whole of Canberra gets behind their CANBERRA team and shows support to all of their Canberra players, no matter which local club they play for then hopefully this competition can last and do what is has set out to do. Provide an appropriate pathway from club rugby to super rugby.
Yes i'm aware that for you personally there is only 1 QBN player in the squad, and for me there are only 2 Royals players but maybe next year that will grow. And maybe more the year after.
Certainly some players who may have deserved a spot have missed out but that part and parcel in rugby. I'm sure you haven't completely agreed with every Brumbies or Wallabies team that gets named.
But i think the best solution to your problem is to not turn your back but to at least support your team from Canberra, maybe show up to a game or 2 (if it's only to cheer on Les) and hopefully stop NSW from getting a clean rugby sweep this year.

 

[Grant Jones]

Grant i must admit, initially i echoed your sentiments completely.
Obviously Vikings isn't the most loved club in the Canberra comp (Tuggeranong that is). And i didn't really like that they kept the same name and colours initially. But i think that by denying the team your support, you are only going to encourage the issues that you have raised. If the supporters of every other club in Canberra turned their back on it and only the Tuggeranong fans supported the team then we will definitely start seeing a divide in the rugby community. However if the whole of Canberra gets behind their CANBERRA team and shows support to all of their Canberra players, no matter which local club they play for then hopefully this competition can last and do what is has set out to do. Provide an appropriate pathway from club rugby to super rugby.
Yes i'm aware that for you personally there is only 1 QBN player in the squad, and for me there are only 2 Royals players but maybe next year that will grow. And maybe more the year after.
Certainly some players who may have deserved a spot have missed out but that part and parcel in rugby. I'm sure you haven't completely agreed with every Brumbies or Wallabies team that gets named.
But i think the best solution to your problem is to not turn your back but to at least support your team from Canberra, maybe show up to a game or 2 (if it's only to cheer on Les) and hopefully stop NSW from getting a clean rugby sweep this year.

The problem is that based on these selections, there is even less of a chance of Royals or QBN players getting selected in the future, if there is new talent coming out of school or out if town and they are coming here because of an opportunity to play NRC, what club do you think they are going to go and play for? It's been 25 years since royals have won the comp, it will be at least that again if we all get behind this, Tuggers will become so dominate in the local comp that the other clubs will become unsustainable!