Galloping Greens

[Hugh Jarse]

I think many of the NSW U20's from the Wicks will be in the Australian team. They will be required for an Oceania tournament on the Gold Coast, and then the actual Jnr RWC in early July. Throw in a training camp or two and they may only become regularly available towards the end of the season.

The lads who don't make the National U20's will make an impact when they return to clubland. Rappy has had them in a pretty intensive programme since before Christmas. Their fitness and skill levels should be very sharp.

 

[MACCA]

Loved the win yesterday.
Whilst they were very rusty, also thought the Wicks have HUGE amounts of improvement. It was just a gritty focused grind with flashes of things to come.
IMO Horwitz played his best game for the Club, the new 9 was great. Apart from a few blunders the 15 was OK as was the midfield. The Piggies went well - set pieces worked although the breakdown was a little undermanned at times.
Hopefully they can draw some confidence from this.
Could be a challenge if the fringe Waratahs & Oz Under 20s aren't about.

 

[sidelinesid]

Wicks building depth. There are some very good players in reserve and threes who would not look out of place higher up.
Beatle had another good game in threes. In twos Bennett good as usual. Harris strong in the hit up. Thought the 9 did very well in cover defence, Good to see Connor back. Still need some speed out wide.liked the look of Norton ( fast feet)at flyhalf with Horwitz outside.
Clean outs still a problem throughout.

 

[the coach]

The 2 18 year olds (Latinipulu and Melipo) went well in the centres in the 1st half for the Wicks before Ma'afu replaced Melipo at half time. Horwitz looked really sharp at 10 and it was easy to see why the Waratahs signed Auvasa -- he adds a new dimension to the half back role ie he runs with the ball and puts the defence in 2 minds. The scrum held up really well against the big Wests pack and Talakai looked good in the open as well. Jack Johnson made a strong contribution off the bench. Early days but I think Lewie Catt will be a good gain from Newcastle, having played against the Lions in 2013 he obviously has some talent. Tom Coupland had some nice touches and the "old stagers" Baldwin, Munro, and Eden-Whaitiri were strong in the forwards. I also like the look of the young guys up from 2014 colts -- Kennedy and Vea.

 

[the coach]

I think many of the NSW U20's from the Wicks will be in the Australian team. They will be required for an Oceania tournament on the Gold Coast, and then the actual Jnr RWC in early July. Throw in a training camp or two and they may only become regularly available towards the end of the season.

The lads who don't make the National U20's will make an impact when they return to clubland. Rappy has had them in a pretty intensive programme since before Christmas. Their fitness and skill levels should be very sharp.

Below are the Wicks players in the U20s extended squad:
Ned Hanigan, Olly Kamp, Andrew Deegan, Andrew Kellaway, Henry Hutchinson and Lukhan Lealaiauloco.

Hanigan, Deegan and Kellaway will obviously be challenging for 1st grade spots when (and if) available. Good to see Kellaway running the water on Saturday.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Lukhan Lealaiauloco: I saw this lad running around for the Hobbits last year in the Colts 3's and 2's and for the CHS schools team. He impressed me as a large lump of a lad who was a little confused with some of the technical aspects of rugby. A mini-Will Skelton. He wasn't selected for any state schoolboy team but got a lifeline into the National Schoolboys Championships after a lad pulled out of the Combined States team. He obviously caught someone's eye there but not that of the ASRU selectors.

Fast forward to now, and over the preseason he has worked his arse off at Moore Park Bus Loop to such an extent that he was selected over some former Aussie Schoolboy and Club Colts 1 locks a year older than him into the State Under 20's and now he has scored an invite to dine at the big table with the National U20 Squad. Well done to the lad and whomsoever has been training and advising him to get him to that stage in such a short space of time. It is an extremely impressive effort and I hope he survives the cut to rip open some defences in Italy in July.

My question is related to the announcement of the squad. He is still listed there as a Hobbit and not a Wick, although one of my young blokes told me a long time ago that he had crossed the Tarren Point Bridge out of the Shire and would be with the Wicks. Is he still a Hobbit or is he a Galloper?

 

[the coach]

Lukhan Lealaiauloco: I saw this lad running around for the Hobbits last year in the Colts 3's and 2's and for the CHS schools team. He impressed me as a large lump of a lad who was a little confused with some of the technical aspects of rugby. A mini-Will Skelton. He wasn't selected for any state schoolboy team but got a lifeline into the National Schoolboys Championships after a lad pulled out of the Combined States team. He obviously caught someone's eye there but not that of the ASRU selectors.

Fast forward to now, and over the preseason he has worked his arse off at Moore Park Bus Loop to such an extent that he was selected over some former Aussie Schoolboy and Club Colts 1 locks a year older than him into the State Under 20's and now he has scored an invite to dine at the big table with the National U20 Squad. Well done to the lad and whomsoever has been training and advising him to get him to that stage in such a short space of time. It is an extremely impressive effort and I hope he survives the cut to rip open some defences in Italy in July.

My question is related to the announcement of the squad. He is still listed there as a Hobbit and not a Wick, although one of my young blokes told me a long time ago that he had crossed the Tarren Point Bridge out of the Shire and would be with the Wicks. Is he still a Hobbit or is he a Galloper?

Hugh, my info was from the Wicks website. Sorry, can't add any more than that.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Wicks Website is probably correct. I just wonder why ARU still list him as a Hobbit.

 

[MACCA]

Great win @ Coogee Oval over a classy Warringah side that appeared shell shocked as the game went on.
Thought the Wicks were superior in every facet.
Defence was rock solid and mostly fierce. This mob had plenty of tiger in the tank.
Big improvement over last year, hope the young blokes can keep it going.

 

[sidelinesid]

Funny game to watch as I think the rats took wicks a bit lightly early on. Thought Munroe had a much improved game this week. Halfback was good again.
Seconds a torrid affair not helped by the scoreboard that influenced decisions in the last few minutes. Rats very tough as both teams went at each other.
Thirds half back played well behind a dominant pack. Score did not translate though.
Fourths getting better but you would not want to be outwide as the ball never gets there.

 

[the coach]

The Wicks lead 19-0 after 11 minutes even though the Rats were camped in the Wicks red zone. Over the next 69 minutes each side scored 17 points. Strange game.

 

[MACCA]

A good win over Parra today. After a slow start the boys just ran them off their legs. For mine, the usual suspects did as they have done over the last few weeks - high work rate in the forwards and crisp back line play. Thought Toa is getting his Mojo back and looking better every week.
Thought Parra looked a little unfit - many of the piggies had paunches that Buddha Handy would have been proud of.
Lets hope the lads don't get too carried away given the status of the opposition thus far.

 

[the coach]

Good to see Sam Figg back on the paddock after what looked like it may have been a career ending injury last year.

 

[qwerty51]

What did he do?

 

[the coach]

What did he do?

I think he busted some vertebrae in his neck.

 

[sidelinesid]

Figg brought some good energy when he came on. The blooding of young guns continued with the young prop as well as the winger as reserves.
Depth building nicely for the Wicks but a coaches headache as to where to put them all.

 

[refugee]

Wicks getting younger by the week

 

[the coach]

Wicks getting younger by the week

Yep, but a few "old heads" up into 1sts this week ie Kuki Ma'fu (27), David Horwitz (20), Will Munro (22?), Sam Figg (22?), and Vuni Fifita (18?).

 

[refugee]

looking at the teams on the website.
Harris in thirds? He was most improved in first grade last year- injured or on the outer?
seems all the u20's getting time and displacing more seasoned combatants

 

[the coach]

looking at the teams on the website.
Harris in thirds? He was most improved in first grade last year- injured or on the outer?
seems all the u20's getting time and displacing more seasoned combatants

It does look that way doesn't it?
I guess given the success of the Colts last year they were always going to put pressure on for grade spots this year. Ed Kennedy has been playing 1st grade but has been relegated to make way for Figg and the return of Munro, and Hanigan was the star player in the Colts playoffs last year so both of them have been preferred to Harris in 2nds. It may all change shortly when the Aust U20s squad is finalised and several of these young rock stars disappear for several weeks. As Sid pointed out above there's some good depth building, especially in the forwards. (Note also that Tom Connor is a reserve for 3rds and he was one of the best week-in week-out in 1st grade last year.) Not so much depth in the backs -- hopefully Roods can stay fit to fill in for Kellaway later on.