Dewar Shield 2018 + Other Vic Comps

[elementfreak]

Souths have been relegated from the Dewar Shield, not sure if a team are replacing them at all though. Also division 2 and 3 are being renamed as Premiership and Championship.

Souths are also contemplating shutting down their senior teams for a couple of years if they don't get enough players to commit to 2 teams.

Haven't heard anything from anywhere else though. You'd imagine Quins and Melbourne are doing some recruiting as well, however Quins might just be trying to retain many players instead of recruiting.

 

[amirite]

I got the impression that was just Souths creating urgency. They'll be a great addition to the 'Premiership'.

I suppose Kiwis could move up to the Shield off quality. Their 2 teams could easily make 3 with limited recruits because they'd be at the same place each week. Eltham too, considering their junior base. Still, neither makes 100% sense, both would probably struggle.

Next year Northern are putting together a side, hopefully Wydnham eventually put together a side (though nothing leads me to believe this is the case). Suddenly, with Souths, D2 would be a great comp.

I say keep the Shield at 8, it'll be fantastic with the Rebels investing in the local game and because they have more contracted players and less clubs for them to play at. Prepare to see a few contracted boys running around!

Seeing as the Quins coach is obviously involved with the Japanese tour this weekend, who knows if he'll be at Quins next year. The 1s there very much revolve around him, so if he leaves who knows what happens? (I am not saying this is the case).

 

[elementfreak]

Can't imagine that Pom leaving Quins will do too much. They all play off the same playbook, and have been doing for 4-5 years. As long as the players all play to the patterns they will have success. It's a simple gameplan, but it's a pretty effective one.

Keeping the DS at 8 is better, 10 in the championship would be good as well. Means that there isn't a bye anymore, but you could always take a weekend off to give all the teams a break if needed.

 

[amirite]

Quins don't win on strategy, they will on player and cultural quality.

If you don't think their HC drives that I don't think we'll agree on much haha

 

[amirite]

More 2 team clubs in that Championship/Premiership mix would be good too.

It's a simple formula for the Dewar, scratch those Friday night games and make them BYE weeks. Those were awful.

 

[elementfreak]

Quins don't win on strategy, they will on player and cultural quality.

If you don't think their HC drives that I don't think we'll agree on much haha

Pom definitely drives some of it, but their leadership group of senior players also play a huge role it in.

 

[elementfreak]

From Quins' FB page:

2018 Senior Rugby Season
Just a quick update to advise the season commencement has been pushed back a month to start on 21 April next year. The Dewar Shield competition has been reduced to 8 teams with Southern Districts dropping back to the newly created 2nd Division competition which will be called the Premiership Competition.
A draft draw has been done - season commences 21 April, there is one BYE which is the Queens Birthday Long Weekend and Finals start on August 4 with the GF August 18.
Colts will play a shortened 13 week season with the GF on June 29 - with Colts then feeding into Senior teams for the remainder of the season.
Advice on preseason commencement will come out soon - with a start date in January at some time.

 

[amirite]

Interesting. I don't think the shortened Colts season was ever particularly successful but playing the GF at AAMI was a kick for the youngsters.

Shame they've opted to go for a shortened season, was hoping they'd have started the season at the same time and had a couple of BYES to rest weary bodies. Still, it will be nice to start watching games when it's actually approaching winter.

 

[elementfreak]

Pre-season cup will be on this year as well. Over two weekends, 7th and 14th of April

 

[amirite]

Pre-season cup will be on this year as well. Over two weekends, 7th and 14th of April

Interesting, are you aware of the format, grades, etc.? Hopefully they don't go back to that rubbish 10s tournament.

 

[elementfreak]

Interesting, are you aware of the format, grades, etc.? Hopefully they don't go back to that rubbish 10s tournament.

Nope, just that we will have a pre-season cup.

 

[lou75]

8 teams in the Dewar Shield and 14 games in the season in stead of 16 games as per last year, so each club loses one home game. For some clubs that's a lot of dosh lost from bbq and bar earnings. Add to that subscriptions increased by $5 per player.
Thank you VRU Board you are really pushing rugby for grass roots rugby.
Grade competition is shrinking just like the national rugby footprint is shrinking - FFS - oh how to grow rugby in this state by Tim North and co

 

[Highlander35]

Lots of good points Lou, but how much money did clubs actually make hosting South's this year? Don't remember whether Box Hill bothered to open up the bar or not.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[lou75]

Well I have heard a figure of 10 k for bbq and bar per home match that will not be earned this year

 

[OneOrThree]

Well I have heard a figure of 10 k for bbq and bar per home match that will not be earned this year

Lou, So most burgers/snags are $5 as are the beers. Are you suggesting that every club would sell 2000 units in total? Most people drive to these games so a burger and two beers from 660-ish individuals is a bit of a stretch. Maybe at a finals games between Quins & Melbourne with the larger supporter bases. My assumption is purely on Dewar games P1-3. Let's keep it positive and constructive on here. I notice you are not aligned with a club unlike others.

 

[lou75]

Lou, So most burgers/snags are $5 as are the beers. Are you suggesting that every club would sell 2000 units in total? Most people drive to these games so a burger and two beers from 660-ish individuals is a bit of a stretch. Maybe at a finals games between Quins & Melbourne with the larger supporter bases. My assumption is purely on Dewar games P1-3. Let's keep it positive and constructive on here. I notice you are not aligned with a club unlike others.

I did think that was a bit high in retrospect, but that was what I was told by a Club Presidento. but dosh is dosh and eight home games is now seven. My interest in club rugby is varied, so I go to different games at different clubs, I am not a member of one club though - soz

 

[elementfreak]

I think it would depend on the club in terms of how many teams are playing there on the one day and how many people they can expect to attend.

A lot of pre-season chatter for the clubs is up on their FB pages so I imagine any coaching changes will be announced soon.

 

[amirite]

Most local clubs have roughly a $200k annual operating budget, and if you've been to a Souths game I doubt they're bringing in 1/20 of that. Souths bring very few players and supporters with them. They also rarely play 3 teams, so there's less of your players and due to the cricket scores there's less of your supporters too. Far less.

I'd say you'd make more on 2 additional well planned club events then the Souths home game. So the clubs need to get planning.

That aside, I don't think Vic local rugby is that dour. A few less 4th grade sides mostly due to the VRU trying to rearrange what grade those teams play in and it not working out. That was probably the reason for such a strong masters comp though. We've also come off our bigger colts comp in years.

Next year there'll be 2 Northern teams added to the comp, and a new junior club. Stuff could be better, but it could sure be worse.

 

[elementfreak]

I think next year, with the wider squad for the Rebels and they lesser teams in the Dewar Shield should see the standard rise a bit with more professional players playing in the comp.

Should be good fun.

 

[jl75]

Most local clubs have roughly a $200k annual operating budget, and if you've been to a Souths game I doubt they're bringing in 1/20 of that. Souths bring very few players and supporters with them. They also rarely play 3 teams, so there's less of your players and due to the cricket scores there's less of your supporters too. Far less.

I'd say you'd make more on 2 additional well planned club events then the Souths home game. So the clubs need to get planning.

That aside, I don't think Vic local rugby is that dour. A few less 4th grade sides mostly due to the VRU trying to rearrange what grade those teams play in and it not working out. That was probably the reason for such a strong masters comp though. We've also come off our bigger colts comp in years.

Next year there'll be 2 Northern teams added to the comp, and a new junior club. Stuff could be better, but it could sure be worse.

Would you be able to name the clubs that run on a $200k budget.
I think most clubs would be lucky to have over $20k in the bank.