CAS Rugby 2023

[Running_rugby_1954]

Let's just be happy for the boys who receive such an opportunity to attend a great school, that can develop kids academically, and athletically etc. and let's be happy we get to watch good footy.

Except they already had exceptional opportunities coming from private schools. Barker just made it free so they can win a footy comp.

 

[Halfbackenthusiast]

Except they already had exceptional opportunities coming from private schools. Barker just made it free so they can win a footy comp.

Oh no they lost one to league!!!! Look at the gen blue 15s from 2019. Where are all those boys who stayed at public schools and sports highs now? That back row they had was exceptional and none of them are playing union and I promise you it's not cause of lack of ability but opportunity. Even non-GPS and CAS players, they've fallen through the system and all play league or don't play footy anymore. The system doesn't work it's over reliant on private schools and we have all these football nurseries in Western Sydney getting pilliged by league.

 

[dusk]

Kids like Poynton who are already enrolled at a private school are brought across for the Barkers rugby team to win matches. Plain and simple. That type of mercenary attitude is shit.

Exactly, this is the stuff that needs to be changed and insinuates that barker and other schools see these kids as products, not students.

 

[RedOrDead]

Except they already had exceptional opportunities coming from private schools. Barker just made it free so they can win a footy comp.

Don't be daft... Pollard, Katoa, Finau, Liam Jones etc were at public schools...

And let's not act like all private schools are equal. There are very few schools in the state on par with Barker... There's a reason parents accept the scholarship... if Lachlan Hooper's parents for example thought Stannies was a better school for him then they would have kept him there.

 

[RedOrDead]

They all just happen to be in gen blue programs and in other private schools before they make those decisions… seems a bit ridiculous. Your head coach goes to u16’s tournaments and walks up to players offering them positions at your school to win a rugby comp. At least Oniti came from a public school and was actually offered a better opportunity to go to a great school - rugby gave him that chance. Kids like Poynton who are already enrolled at a private school are brought across for the Barkers rugby team to win matches. Plain and simple. That type of mercenary attitude is shit.

Knox have as many scholarships as Barker this year. I hope you keep the same attitude champ. What a disgrace.

 

[Erastos Luccassen]

They all just happen to be in gen blue programs and in other private schools before they make those decisions… seems a bit ridiculous. Your head coach goes to u16’s tournaments and walks up to players offering them positions at your school to win a rugby comp. At least Oniti came from a public school and was actually offered a better opportunity to go to a great school - rugby gave him that chance. Kids like Poynton who are already enrolled at a private school are brought across for the Barkers rugby team to win matches. Plain and simple. That type of mercenary attitude is shit.

Poynton's older brother was a Barker student, pretty sure the rugby wouldn't have been the only reason he wanted to go there. The boarding starting in year 10 would definitely be the major factor in him moving at that year I'd say

 

[RedOrDead]

Poynton's older brother was a Barker student, pretty sure the rugby wouldn't have been the only reason he wanted to go there. The boarding starting in year 10 would definitely be the major factor in him moving at that year I'd say

Yes exactly what I was about to say. Poynton's brother graduated in 2019 and played 2ndXV. I have spoken to his parents about the school before and they love it, I'm sure his parents always planned on sending him considering his brother was already there.

 

[RedOrDead]

RoD,

Aside from whether it is or isn't good for Rugby, my gripes are as follows...

While I don't necessarily agree with everything you've said WLF3, I respect your opinion. I'm glad someone can critique this situation logically and in a mature manner.

 

[RedOrDead]

Doug Philipson from Barker signed into the Force Academy. Anyone know his playing history?

Don't know where he played his club footy, but I know he played his rep rugby for Central West and played 1stXV for Stannies in year 10 I believe (2020). He moved to Barker in year 11, and played 1stXV both years at halfback. Played NSW and was selected for Aus Schoolboys. He's a good kid, deserved every opportunity he's got. Natural leader and a real workhorse, will chase everything, and plays bigger than he is. Will throw his body at anything. Tough as nails too. Played the whole season last year needing a shoulder reconstruction. Watched him punch his shoulder back in place after dislocating it, get to the next ruck and throw a pass that made his shoulder pop out again... but he played the next week.

I imagine he will be the first choice academy halfback for Force, he is miles ahead of Tizzano IMO. Quite literally better in every aspect of the game, but Tizzano has been there longer so maybe that will play a factor.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Dog chasing it's tail here. Scholarship/Import/Bursary... whatever you want to call it, is part of the sport and it isn't going away. If some school chose not to do it, great, good for them. But people shouldn't necessarily be naming and whinging about kids by name IMO. Almost everyone can put the pieces of the puzzle together for themselves without a bunch of adults (by age) naming children on a Rugby forum.

I actually don't mind the idea of a cap if your school is going to do it. Might take away the criticism and speculation that ends up spraying the kids name and puts it straight back at the administration.

 

[Hankspank]

Dog chasing it's tail here. Scholarship/Import/Bursary... whatever you want to call it, is part of the sport and it isn't going away. If some school chose not to do it, great, good for them. But people shouldn't necessarily be naming and whinging about kids by name IMO. Almost everyone can put the pieces of the puzzle together for themselves without a bunch of adults (by age) naming children on a Rugby forum.

I actually don't mind the idea of a cap if your school is going to do it. Might take away the criticism and speculation that ends up spraying the kids name and puts it straight back at the administration.

My personal favourite is price matching. "Would you like your son to come to school X to play rugby?" No way we can afford the fees there mate. " How much are you paying now?" $12,000. " What if instead of the $35,000 we charge everyone else you pay the same as what you're paying now?"
Sounds good
With all the names you rolled out for the enducement systems you should add the Bunnings price match guarantee for a good player.

 

[AroundTheAnkles]

Oh no they lost one to league!!!! Look at the gen blue 15s from 2019. Where are all those boys who stayed at public schools and sports highs now? That back row they had was exceptional and none of them are playing union and I promise you it's not cause of lack of ability but opportunity. Even non-GPS and CAS players, they've fallen through the system and all play league or don't play footy anymore. The system doesn't work it's over reliant on private schools and we have all these football nurseries in Western Sydney getting pilliged by league.

To be fair the system has changed very dramatically in the past 12 months. The Academy games for U15 and U16 are examples of this, as is the way the contracting of certain high profile players was managed last year vs 2 years ago. The changes will continue and with the money coming into the game fewer will be lost. IDK why we worry so much about the NRL, rugby is a superior opportunity by any measure. Globally it eats league, provides better earning potential and much better post playing global networks and opportunities.

 

[Snort]

This is all pretty silly.

There are boys who see the two Rugby codes as interchangeable career opportunities. Many of them will go to League regardless of what school they went to, because League tends to offer professional opportunities earlier. League has 17 professional sides looking to fill a roster: Union has five professional franchises. So kids straight from school go on to six-figure contracts in the hope that they'll amount to something. For the most part, Union can't compete with that - and I actually think that's healthy. Yes, some talent is lost. But the best 17 year-old won't necessarily be the best 21 year-old, and League tosses a whole heap of 21 year-olds onto the scrapheap (by which time they may have missed an opportunity to acquire some other marketable skills). It's not a bad thing to earn a professional contract through something other than running around a few schoolboys. And handing kids big money contracts at a very early age can create a big social problem, which may partly explain why ex-NRL players are far more likely to be arrested than ex-Union players.

Look, it's a competitive market, and Union will always lose players to League. That's life. But it's not entirely a bad thing, because the players who stick with Union tend to do it because they prefer the game and because they're ready to step up to professional football. Long term, that produces healthier outcomes.

 

[The Front Rower]

Charlie Poyton a good example of this. A player Barker developed over years in their rugby system.

Charlie joined Barker in either year 9 or 10, previous to that he was at St Auggies.

 

[RedOrDead]

Charlie joined Barker in either year 9 or 10, previous to that he was at St Auggies.

Think the comment you are replying to is sarcasm.

 

[WLF3]

This is all pretty silly.

There are boys who see the two Rugby codes as interchangeable career opportunities. Many of them will go to League regardless of what school they went to, because League tends to offer professional opportunities earlier. League has 17 professional sides looking to fill a roster: Union has five professional franchises. So kids straight from school go on to six-figure contracts in the hope that they'll amount to something. For the most part, Union can't compete with that - and I actually think that's healthy. Yes, some talent is lost. But the best 17 year-old won't necessarily be the best 21 year-old, and League tosses a whole heap of 21 year-olds onto the scrapheap (by which time they may have missed an opportunity to acquire some other marketable skills). It's not a bad thing to earn a professional contract through something other than running around a few schoolboys. And handing kids big money contracts at a very early age can create a big social problem, which may partly explain why ex-NRL players are far more likely to be arrested than ex-Union players.

Look, it's a competitive market, and Union will always lose players to League. That's life. But it's not entirely a bad thing, because the players who stick with Union tend to do it because they prefer the game and because they're ready to step up to professional football. Long term, that produces healthier outcomes.

Spot on Snort,

The reality is there are many footy boys who need an array of footy opportunities as they aren't necessarily academic or trade focused, so the fact that they have 2 code options is a benefit to them. You could also probably count AFL in this mix as there are transferable skills.

Whilst I prefer Union at school level, I do adhere to the saying that the best Rugby game is better than the best League game (just), however I believe there are many more better League games typically.
As a Roosters fan I get to watch many more terrific footy games than I do as a Tahs fan!

On the other hand, Union does offer many more worldly experiences than league and more international contracts.

On a fanciful note, imagine if we only had 1 footy code ie Union, so all the League and AFL players were in the Union pot.
Good luck to all the other Union counties!

 

[Hankspank]

Spot on Snort,

The reality is there are many footy boys who need an array of footy opportunities as they aren't necessarily academic or trade focused, so the fact that they have 2 code options is a benefit to them. You could also probably count AFL in this mix as there are transferable skills.

Whilst I prefer Union at school level, I do adhere to the saying that the best Rugby game is better than the best League game (just), however I believe there are many more better League games typically.
As a Roosters fan I get to watch many more terrific footy games than I do as a Tahs fan!

On the other hand, Union does offer many more worldly experiences than league and more international contracts.

On a fanciful note, imagine if we only had 1 footy code ie Union, so all the League and AFL players were in the Union pot.
Good luck to all the other Union counties!

Never thought of it that way WLF. Wow, be some sort of team if rugby was first choice and the others were fringe sports.

 

[Hippo]

Spot on Snort,

The reality is there are many footy boys who need an array of footy opportunities as they aren't necessarily academic or trade focused, so the fact that they have 2 code options is a benefit to them. You could also probably count AFL in this mix as there are transferable skills.

Whilst I prefer Union at school level, I do adhere to the saying that the best Rugby game is better than the best League game (just), however I believe there are many more better League games typically.
As a Roosters fan I get to watch many more terrific footy games than I do as a Tahs fan!

On the other hand, Union does offer many more worldly experiences than league and more international contracts.

On a fanciful note, imagine if we only had 1 footy code ie Union, so all the League and AFL players were in the Union pot.
Good luck to all the other Union counties!

It would be a seriously competitive side alright, good luck to the others indeed. Australia has 4 football codes all looking to sign skilled youngsters.

 

[Hercules Von Grimmelshaus]

They all just happen to be in gen blue programs and in other private schools before they make those decisions… seems a bit ridiculous. Your head coach goes to u16’s tournaments and walks up to players offering them positions at your school to win a rugby comp. At least Oniti came from a public school and was actually offered a better opportunity to go to a great school - rugby gave him that chance. Kids like Poynton who are already enrolled at a private school are brought across for the Barkers rugby team to win matches. Plain and simple. That type of mercenary attitude is shit.

You’re living in a Machiavellian fantasy land, the truth is these kids want to come to Barker why wouldn’t they, co-ed, broader subject choice, amazing facilities and the best head teacher in NSW.

 

[Waleed Aly]

If Aloys and Trinity went co-ed would they attract better players? Maybe that's the way forward