CAS Rugby 2014

[rugbynut647]

Before the 2013 season everyone was predicting a big season from Knox due to their new coach, however we have all seen how a new coach cannot turn a team around in one season. Nick Makas did not make much of an influence this season and went unnoticed in the CAS representative games that he played, and other than Summerhayes, cranbrook do not have any players returning with enough quality to succeed in the competition.

I am not confident with predicting Waverley finishing 1st. However I cannot see any other teams taking it off them apart from maybe Knox. I'm very confident in putting Cranbrook in the bottom two however, as I can't see them winning again for another few years.

Fair points but this Waverley side also have no one returning who made any sort of impact. In addition to that the class of 2014 finished 2nd in the U16 CAS comp behind Cranbrook, who lost Summerhayes to the 1sts for the season, and the class of 2015 finished bottom (I think) in their CAS comp, once again with Cranbrook finishing 1st. Im not saying Waverley will come last or Cranbrook will win but it looks like Cranbrook are in a better position coming into next year's competition than Waverley.

 

[william_wolfgang]

Before the 2013 season everyone was predicting a big season from Knox due to their new coach, however we have all seen how a new coach cannot turn a team around in one season. Nick Makas did not make much of an influence this season and went unnoticed in the CAS representative games that he played, and other than Summerhayes, cranbrook do not have any players returning with enough quality to succeed in the competition.

I am not confident with predicting Waverley finishing 1st. However I cannot see any other teams taking it off them apart from maybe Knox. I'm very confident in putting Cranbrook in the bottom two however, as I can't see them winning again for another few years.

I would have to disagree with you s.pilson. whilst Waverley produce a consistently strong outfit, they seem to lack that winning combination and force that is required for a CAS title. I think Waverley will, again, finish second. knox I believe will benefit from coach matt Williams year experience in the cas competition and will take out the title with relative ease. Cranbrook is the big improver with a third place. inexperience in their line up will prevent them winning crucial games towards the back end of the season and thus the cas title. barker, alloys and trinity to battle in out for fourth. barker will be weak this year with the core of the dominant 2012/2013 playing group basically gone.

my predictions:
1 knox
2 Waverley
3 Cranbrook
4 alloys
5 barker
6 trinity

 

[rugbynut647]

I would have to disagree with you s.pilson. whilst Waverley produce a consistently strong outfit, they seem to lack that winning combination and force that is required for a CAS title. I think Waverley will, again, finish second. knox I believe will benefit from coach matt Williams year experience in the cas competition and will take out the title with relative ease. Cranbrook is the big improver with a third place. inexperience in their line up will prevent them winning crucial games towards the back end of the season and thus the cas title. barker, alloys and trinity to battle in out for fourth. barker will be weak this year with the core of the dominant 2012/2013 playing group basically gone.

my predictions:
1 knox
2 Waverley
3 Cranbrook
4 alloys
5 barker
6 trinity

Whay Trinity last rather than Aloys? Any reason?

 

[S.Pilson]

I would have to disagree with you s.pilson. whilst Waverley produce a consistently strong outfit, they seem to lack that winning combination and force that is required for a CAS title. I think Waverley will, again, finish second. knox I believe will benefit from coach matt Williams year experience in the cas competition and will take out the title with relative ease. Cranbrook is the big improver with a third place. inexperience in their line up will prevent them winning crucial games towards the back end of the season and thus the cas title. barker, alloys and trinity to battle in out for fourth. barker will be weak this year with the core of the dominant 2012/2013 playing group basically gone.

my predictions:
1 knox
2 Waverley
3 Cranbrook
4 alloys
5 barker
6 trinity

you make good points william wolfgang, however i think you are underestimating barker's strength for next year. They have returning players such as burkett, smeardon, kirkby, and Klennan (i believe recovering from the injury that put him out of last season). I believe they can carry through some momentum they had last year and make a strong 3rd place finish, i don't think that Cranbrook has the strength to finish above them.

 

[william_wolfgang]

can anyone confirm the return of Ferrero (K) in 2014. I believe he was out most of last season due to an art project or something similar?

 

[RuckingGoodTime]

My thoughts
1. Knox
2. Barker
3. Cranbrook
4. Waverley
5. Aloys
6. Trinity

Most interesting teams i think will be Knox and Cranbrook. Knox definitely have the talent to take out the premiership and should be more comfortable with a second year under Matt Williams. They need to sort out their set piece though as their lineout last year was far too complicated and didn't provide enough quality ball, but watching this age group come through the years they have always been strong. Barker with the return of key players such as Smeardon, Burkett and Kirkby will also be strong, they are well coached but a lack of firepower in the backs with the likes of Jones and Davis gone will hurt their chances. Cranbrook will be the big improvement, there fowards will be very strong, especially their backrow with Summerhays, Mahony and Makas as well as H.Wales in the second row who can dominate any collision. I believe their new coach took care of Scotland school boys and if they avoid the injury crisis that plagued them last year they should be very competitive. I think their backs will let them down though, with no real explosive players who can beat tacklers present. As for Waverley, they have lost a lot of players especially in the fowards which will hurt their ability to utilize their weapons in the centres, Smirnotis and Patterson. This and the loss of O'Donnell i think will see them drop to 4th. As for Trinity and Aloys, i don't know enough about the two teams to separate them other then that Trinity has lost most of it's core group and struggled both in the 2nds and 16s last year.

 

[william_wolfgang]

Whay Trinity last rather than Aloys? Any reason?

I think the poor depth down at Summerhill along with the loss of satiu and mcclean will lead to an average season from the men in green. The return of Barkley-brown will boost trinitys attack and defence, however one man alone cannot do it all. Aloys always seem to produce at least one upset during te season and always lift for Knox. Therefore aloys above trinity

 

[PG!]

you make good points william wolfgang, however i think you are underestimating barker's strength for next year. They have returning players such as burkett, smeardon, kirkby, and Klennan (i believe recovering from the injury that put him out of last season). I believe they can carry through some momentum they had last year and make a strong 3rd place finish, i don't think that Cranbrook has the strength to finish above them.

Kennan* (B) is likely to make a return after suffering a bad case of kenpartment syndrome.

 

[Done that]

Kennan* (B) is likely to make a return after suffering a bad case of kenpartment syndrome.

Do you mean compartment syndrome ?

 

[Elfster]

Some stuff from the past - some footage of Barker vs Knox 1930

 

[Ncfooty]

With the likes of Cranbrook’s new coach, their cultural problem is likely to be turned upside down throughout the course of the year. Cranbrook’s opens side contains the winners of the U16 premiers of 2012 and 2013, proving a promising side in the opens competition. Despite Waverley’s consistency is likely to repeat itself in 2014, They have lost key players in their forward pack including Koutsoukis (Australia A hooker), Lindsey, Hooper and Powter. They do although have a promising upcoming U17s group (U16s in 2013) particularly their forwards (Cardasalaris currently in the Roosters SG ball squad). Dion Naryan also returning in 2014. I would predict Waverley will finish in a similar position to Cranbrook in mid table, with the likes of Cranbrook’s promising previous years and Waverley’s consistency and upcoming young forwards.

 

[Bill Rivers]

I'm interested to see if any boys are going to be playing their third year in 1st XV rugby next season?

 

[Bill Rivers]

And can we get a vote tally system for who we think will win next season...GPS have it and it looks like a great idea

 

[Ncfooty]

High

I'm interested to see if any boys are going to be playing their third year in 1st XV rugby next season?

Hugh Summerhayes from Cranbrook playing his 3rd year this year, as his Dave Smerdon from Barker

 

[william_wolfgang]

A reliable source has informed me that Knox have already started full training. It leads to me questioning the nature of schoolboy rugby at Knox grammar and whether it is becoming the schools number one priority over all round education and development for young men. Rumours circulating that boys in 2013 who chose to participate in summer sports at the school were immediately ruled out for contention in the schools 1st XV poses serious issues at the core of the intentions of the rugby program. I believe that the CAS competition provides the perfect balance between seriousness and character building for teenage boys across sydney. We all know what the success and greed fuelled GPS competition has led to with the politics and scholarships surrounding the tournament, obviously culminating in the negative attention surround Scots presently. I sure hope the CAS competition doesn't turn out like GPS. Is Knox taking things too far? Should the headmaster put his foot down and demand a more holistic approach to schoolboy sport? Is Knox the next Scots college?

 

[HowardL]

I'm interested to see if any boys are going to be playing their third year in 1st XV rugby next season?

For Knox Van Zyl will be in his third year. He was the U16 captain before being promoted to the 1st XV. He scores frequently and put up the first 2 tries against Barker in the final game last year. Played CAS 1sts. He was their players player of the year. Knox potentially have a good side, their forwards in particular. Their outside backs are also good, Watson in particular. They are light at 9 and 10, unlike Barker who are very strong there. Barker in general will have a very good side although there are no real names in the forwards aside from Burkett.

If the Knox coach has adjusted to handling schoolboys rather than professionals they should have a good year, they are too green at this stage to be over analysed. None of the CAS sides are without a chance, almost all are well coached and almost all have good players. I wouldn't write off Cranbrook. Because mainly of club rugby and a more competitive outlook, players in the CAS comp are gradually creeping up to GPS level. Unfortunately it will take more than that for the entrenched management in the ARU to recognise that.

 

[Quade4King420]

Word on the street is that Knox have introduced rugby training as a summer sporting option. They'll certainly be looking to capitalise on the success of their 16's team earlier this year. What I'm wondering is why everyone is knocking Cranbrook and Trinity? Cranbrook's 16's took out the unofficial CAS premiership in 2013, and they certainly have some good players coming through. I believe Trinity tied for second with Knox in the u16's, and have some real strengths in some of their younger players. Despite the fact that they've lost a few of their big name players like Satiu, McLean and Whicker. Making assumptions based purely on the form of the under 16's teams from 2013, I'd have to predict Barker to slip down the table and Cranbrook and Trinity to move up.

 

[CatchnPass]

A reliable source has informed me that Knox have already started full training. It leads to me questioning the nature of schoolboy rugby at Knox grammar and whether it is becoming the schools number one priority over all round education and development for young men. Rumours circulating that boys in 2013 who chose to participate in summer sports at the school were immediately ruled out for contention in the schools 1st XV poses serious issues at the core of the intentions of the rugby program. I believe that the CAS competition provides the perfect balance between seriousness and character building for teenage boys across sydney. We all know what the success and greed fuelled GPS competition has led to with the politics and scholarships surrounding the tournament, obviously culminating in the negative attention surround Scots presently. I sure hope the CAS competition doesn't turn out like GPS. Is Knox taking things too far? Should the headmaster put his foot down and demand a more holistic approach to schoolboy sport? Is Knox the next Scots college?

WW I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments, but can reliably report that at least some of the 1st XV, incl Van Zyl, are happily and successfully engaged in Knox Water Polo. I very much doubt they will be dropping him from Rugby any time soon.

 

[Man on the hill]

I think if you sniff hard enough that you will find each school doing some sort of out of season "work"; weight sessions, light skill sessions and the like.

 

[CatchnPass]

I think if you sniff hard enough that you will find each school doing some sort of out of season "work"; weight sessions, light skill sessions and the like.

Bang on MOTH - my understanding is that Knox are offering optional (maybe less optional for 1sts and 2nds) weight sessions and pre season skills to all rugby players. Personally I think boys should be allowed to focus on their summer sports and come back to rugby refreshed and enthusiastic for pre-season in Feb. But it seems that any school claiming to have a serious rugby program is doing the same thing. So long as the 'dial-a-title' set don't get any sort of genuine foothold in CAS rugby I can live with some extended training.