Colts 2013

[Hugh Jarse]

I am far from a uni apologist, however maybe I have been brainwashed from talking to a couple of them recently.

I have the impression that clubs like Gordon, Manly and Randwick with about 8 or so scholarships have a rather similar programme as that of Uni. The players who may receive financial assistance receive such from the Sydney Uni Sports Foundation not the University itself, and there aren't too many of those contrary to popular perception.

What Uni does well is that they assign a mentor from somewhere within their alumni to motivate and assist, where necessary, a Uni player to achieve their study objectives. Many of the uni players are studying at TAFE and other institutions. These kids are similarly lined up with a mentor to help them complete their apprenticeship or degree.

Every club should be encouraging their players to gain qualifications to fall back on post rugby.

IIRC even Mungoland mandates that their U20's must be at TAFE or Uni to maintain their registration. I think I read somewhere that St Andrews College at Sydney Uni has two places reserved for young Mungo players.

There is no reason why other clubs can not match Uni and establish similar mentoring programmes for their boys in Colts. As posted earlier, rather than whinge about Uni's advantages, do something internally at the club like Belly has at 2 Blues, and Manly etc have done to attract and retain kids to your programme.

Bloody defeatist attitudes are killing Oz rugby.

 

[Nos Tradamus]

HJ. could not agree more. getting these kids a formal education to fall back on is essential. 1% will make money from footy. and surely not enough to retire. Gordon has UTS, Uni has...well..Uni, Manly has ICMS etc.

Some sort of formal partnership with Unis/TAFE is something the ARU should put on it's "to do" list. Great way to attract kids to the game and to higher education.

Mentoring programmes is a phenomenal idea.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Hi Bruce,

I really admire your knowledge of your club and game but I really should have written my words more carefully which is my error, we had a respectful discussion after introducing ourselves about the one sided contest we both just witnessed and briefly about the changing landscape of the playing population compared to a by gone era.
He doesn't seem to be the type to retreat to ivory towers but grass roots feed back should be part of his brief as it's in the interest of the game that we have a solid foundation. Anyway I was up front enough to say G' day and to have a brief conversation with the top corporate official of our game in Australia.

PS: His son has a lovely service game at half.

Franky, it seems as if "cornered" was not the most appropriate choice of word for you to have used. It was certainly what caught my attention.

With regard to the younger Pulver, one thing I immediately noted about his game the first time I watched him is that he weights his passes very well. It is a rather rare and valuable skill.
.
.

 

[Franky]

Totally agree Bruce, while he isn't currently Uni's 1st grade half his passing is top notch as it seems to be delivered at the right height and speed to his 5/8 or ball runners. Thou as an ex half myself it would be great to be delivering passes behind a pack which can win ball as they do.

 

[MACCA]

What about the Woodies beat Manly at home? Is/were Manly joint title favourites this year? Did they have some players out? Perhaps it is that Eastwood are dark horses for the title given they just lost to Randwick the previous round.
I also had the impression that Norths were red hot this year - maybe some of the unheralded sides are a tad better than they are being given credit for.
Who are the title favourites now?

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

What about the Woodies beat Manly at home? Is/were Manly joint title favourites this year? Did they have some players out? Perhaps it is that Eastwood are dark horses for the title given they just lost to Randwick the previous round.
I also had the impression that Norths were red hot this year - maybe some of the unheralded sides are a tad better than they are being given credit for.
Who are the title favourites now?

One round doesnt ruin a season. I think we should wait a little longer to decide.
I still say Manly is an exceptional side but obviously there are more sides in with a chance than maybe we first thought

 

[Done that]

For the final 4.
Sydney Uni.
Manly
Norths
Eastwood.

Maybe more than you first thought.

 

[Tah and feathered]

Souths play Norths this week and that will tell a lot on how Souths are going
They should be close to full strength this week unless the Aust 20 players don't play as the CHS players are back from there NZ your

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

T

Souths play Norths this week and that will tell a lot on how Souths are going
They should be close to full strength this week unless the Aust 20 players don't play as the CHS players are back from there NZ your

The first camp for u20's is from may 1 so those players may not be available

 

[The Raging Potato]

To complete the colts round up for the weekend....

2nd Colts Norths 63 Penrith 5
1st Colts Norths 72 Penrith 0

 

[The Raging Potato]

As an aside, as mentioned in the Shute Shield thread... Norths 3s played a "friendly" on Saturday against a Gordon side put together with a couple of Norths boys playing for the oppo. The score was irrelevant but the most important thing was boys from both sides got game time. Let's hope that these "friendlies" can continue throughout the season.

 

[The Raging Potato]

On a wider note, rumour suggests that the ARU are banning Under 20s squad members from playing club rugby. If this is true, it is a major joke and needs to be reversed immediately if we aren't to suffer a complete humiliation.

 

[qwerty51]

They should all be playing grade and as much as possible.

 

[the coach]

Early days but the Wicks leading Colts 1sts table: long time since that's happened!

 

[MACCA]

Early days but the Wicks leading Colts 1sts table: long time since that's happened!

Pity they have yet to play the big guns...That will sort them out.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ Wicks Beat Easts, who by all accounts were a little unlucky against the Students.

While Easts may not a Big Gun per se, they must qualify as Snipers Rifle. In the right hands a snipers rifle is an extremely lethal long range weapon that can have a significantly disproportionate effect based on the the rate of fire and size of projectile when compared to that that the Big Guns can produce.

They may continue to surprise teams that take them lightly.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Easts play manly this week. Given last weeks results it will be interesting to see how both teams go.

 

[Tah and feathered]

Early days but the Wicks leading Colts 1sts table: long time since that's happened!

Should check on how the colts at Randwick have gone over the past few years. They have gone very well especially after coming basically last in 2009.
Be interesting once they play a top 6 side instead of bottom 6 and in most cases bottom 4

 

[More Better]

Early days but the Wicks leading Colts 1sts table: long time since that's happened!

The Wick 1st Colts have done pretty well in the past couple of years. I believe they won their first 9 matches in 2011 to lead the competition until they were beaten by Uni.

 

[MACCA]

The Wick 1st Colts have done pretty well in the past couple of years. I believe they won their first 9 matches in 2011 to lead the competition until they were beaten by Uni.

Depth may be a problem for the Wicks. They have 5 colts in Grade, plus a hefty injury list.