Galloping Greens

[sidelinesid]

You are right the long fellow went on in seconds. He must be 125 to 135 kg and has improved his mobility in two weeks. If he keeps improving his mobility he will be have a big future .
Reserve judgement on how good he could be till the end of the season but he is definitely on the improve.
The other chap played a couple of first grade games last year but got injured today. How bad - don't know.
Agree the the wicks coach has to re asses his squad.

 

[the coach]

I think the other try scorers were Halangahu for Wicks and Tom Kolo for Easts (replacement), but not certain.

 

[MACCA]

Inspired by the coach, the magnigicant Autumn Day and a little ANZAC spirit after Dawn Service and a wee nap, I ventured to Coogee Oval today.

David Horwitz was spotted in 2nd grade wearing #18 as inside centre in the second half making his Wicks debut. With what appeared to be a rather heavily strapped knee which didn't seem to hamper his movement on the field, he seemed to perform adequately if somewhat unspectacularly. A couple of mistakes, and a couple of good things. No real hint of nerves. Things will get better for this young fellow with more time on the field.

I thought Horwitz was very good. The speed of the ball through his hands and his line running impressed me.
It will be interesting for the coaches as the 2nds are running hot which must be putting pressure on the ist selections. I think the young half should be replaced with James Helliwell - having said that Helliwell didnt have one of his best games last round.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Funny mob the Wicks. Sam Bartlett is a reasonable sort of #9 who has played a handful of 1st grade games and is languishing in the 4ths. Helliwell was 1st choice First Grade #9 for a large chunk of last year. While he is a little diminutive in size he seems to have a large ticker from what I have seen in the ABC games last year.

Possibly he is a simple victim of the Change is Good, Out with the Old philosophy that the Galloping Stallions have adopted this year.

 

[Tah and feathered]

Helliwell is a Waverley boy and the 1st grade number 9 is a Scots boy so Helliwell has no chance

 

[sidelinesid]

Coaches have a problem when they first take over a club. They have to put their stamp on the club. If they are successful ,no problems , if not then every move is scrutinised and advice freely given.
On the plus side for randwick , they look pretty good with ball in hand , not counting the twenty minutes with easts. On the minus side , they don't have enough beef at the breakdown and quite frequently lose the ball at this point.
I agree that Heliwell is a better half back at this time, he is tough and in a pack going backwards that is what is required. I would beef up the pack if possible I think the front row is possibly the problem. No prop I have ever talked to thinks the second row pushes so therefore that cannot be the problem. warringah will be a challenge so it will be interesting to see if the coach changes anything.

 

[the coach]

I'd suggest Coach Kelly wants to give the young guys with potential time to develop but that approach will become more difficult to sustain as the losses mount up, especially given the success of the 2nd grade. Boileau will probably end up a better player than Helliwell and Helliwell was the 1st choice last year and Bartlett is also associated with the past lack of success. I agree the scrum needs some bulk and maybe the big bloke in 3rds is the answer once he finds his feet, but I'm not sure how long he's here for. The Wicks have a lot of potential in backrowers ie Lam, Connor, Baldwin, Bennett and Samu (who returned from injury off the bench on Thursday), but none of these guys are that big. So this puts more pressure on the locks and front rowers and with the exception of Aho they aren't very bulky either. The Wicks have succeeded in the past whilst being smashed in the scrums but I don't see any budding Ellas or Campeses in the backline at the moment!

It's a work in progress and I don't expect any miracles this year but certainly the playoffs has got to be the pass mark.

 

[the coach]

Can anyone confirm whether Easts final try last Thursday (in the NE corner) was a tight head pushover?
I was sitting a long way away and it looked to me like Randwick won the scrum but then had the ball taken from the half or he dropped it. Was anyone in a better position to confirm what actually happened?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I was close. I see so much footy, and after a while it all blurs.

Pretty sure it was an out and out monstoring by the Beasts. Pauli T definately scored.

There were Wicks bodies everywhere typical of a pushover tighhead.

 

[sidelinesid]

Could be wrong,but I thought the ball came out on the side between the second and third row and the easts back rower picked up unhindered . As you say - bodies everywhere. And yes it was a wicks feed.

 

[the coach]

Could be wrong,but I thought the ball came out on the side between the second and third row and the easts back rower picked up unhindered . As you say - bodies everywhere. And yes it was a wicks feed.

Thanks Hugh and Sid, Sid's version was close to what I thought I saw, but in any case the Wicks scrum fell in a heap one way or another. Turning point of the game perhaps as the Wicks had showed signs of a fight back early in the second half. No question the better side won though.

 

[the coach]

Helliwell is a Waverley boy and the 1st grade number 9 is a Scots boy so Helliwell has no chance

Some bloke called Cyril Towers went to Waverley College and he could play (and coach) a bit!

 

[the coach]

David Horwitz debuts in 1st grade this week: interesting to see how he goes!
Cayden Matehaere (Aussie schoolboys and Rebels Rising) is also making his 1st grade debut at #10 (Toby Browne is in 2nds).
Pete Samu also back from injury at #8 and Tom Connor back in firsts at #7.
Lots of potential talent but also very young and a lightweight pack again!
I think the Rats will have too much experience and size, but I like the coach's thinking!

 

[qwerty51]

I'm sure the Tahs coaches would've liked to have been keen onlookers there

 

[2bluesfan]

Cayden Matehaere (Aussie schoolboys and Rebels Rising) is also making his 1st grade debut at #10 (Toby Browne is in 2nds).

Harsh for Toby Browne (a very, very good player), but I was very impressed with Matehaere (albeit in the twos) when the Two Blues ventured to Coogee recently. A nice problem for the coaches. Browne has played 15 IIRC?

 

[the coach]

Harsh for Toby Browne (a very, very good player), but I was very impressed with Matehaere (albeit in the twos) when the Two Blues ventured to Coogee recently. A nice problem for the coaches. Browne has played 15 IIRC?

Yes, he has, but not for sometime, and he may be a little too slow for #15.
On the plus side Browne hasn't missed a kick at goal this year.

I think the Wicks backline has been too predictable this year.
Last week Browne passed the ball every time in the first half and Hepetema hit it up.
The Easts defence (I reckon Bakewell had studied the tapes) isolated him and pinched the ball on several occasions.
In the second half Browne ran a few times and the defence didn't look as well organised.
I reckon the change is about providing more varieity in attack as Matehaere (and Horwick who is at #12) will definitely chance their arm.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Interesting that Horwitz is being reborn as a #12.

All his school footy he was a #10, for 2011 Aust Schoolboys debut, and his Yr 12 NSW Schools I team where he was Captain, but unwanted for 2012 Schoolboys.

I wonder what Cheika has in mind for him following the work he did with the Tahs in the preseason - #10 or #12?

 

[the coach]

Interesting that Horwitz is being reborn as a #12.

All his school footy he was a #10, for 2011 Aust Schoolboys debut, and his Yr 12 NSW Schools I team where he was Captain, but unwanted for 2012 Schoolboys.

I wonder what Cheika has in mind for him following the work he did with the Tahs in the preseason - #10 or #12?

Might be just an easing into the higher level.

 

[Torn Hammy]

That is a very, very young backline. Will they serve 'fairy bread' at half time?

All very classy, though. Smart coach.

 

[MACCA]

That is a very, very young backline. Will they serve 'fairy bread' at half time?

All very classy, though. Smart coach.

In my humble opinion, you are correct, very classy backline - I think the half would be better after a season in colts, put Helliwell up - Toby Browne very unlucky. Forwards are losing the collision, they all have good CVs, wonder why they have yet to produce. Jack Littlejohn looks the goods and will be up to first grade standard when he learns the game a bit more. Great to see the lower grades shining