John I. Dent Cup 2016 - ACT Premier Rugby

[RoffsChoice]

Went out to Eagles-Easts, it was closer than the scoreline suggests but Eagles are definitely deserving winners. Both sides liked to run it out of their 22, and there were quite a few short kicks, every Eagles kickoff was short (and it paid off about half the time), and even Robbie Abel put in a nice kick-and-chase in the first half.

Easts were putting a lot of pressure on Eagles in defence, with at least three key interceptions, two of them resulting in tries. Kotz (it appears Eagles had to make changes before kickoff, the Stampede lineup was wrong) got himself four tries, and his opposite winger, Ferrini, was really damaging as well; from one kickoff, he forced a messy take, grubbered it through, and then tackled the Eagles player into touch in their own 22.

"Rocky" Ilolahia was a machine, you can see that he could have a future at higher levels. Goal kicking was good from both sides.

 

[No.8]

Went out to Eagles-Easts, it was closer than the scoreline suggests but Eagles are definitely deserving winners. Both sides liked to run it out of their 22, and there were quite a few short kicks, every Eagles kickoff was short (and it paid off about half the time), and even Robbie Abel put in a nice kick-and-chase in the first half.

Easts were putting a lot of pressure on Eagles in defence, with at least three key interceptions, two of them resulting in tries. Kotz (it appears Eagles had to make changes before kickoff, the Stampede lineup was wrong) got himself four tries, and his opposite winger, Ferrini, was really damaging as well; from one kickoff, he forced a messy take, grubbered it through, and then tackled the Eagles player into touch in their own 22.

"Rocky" Ilolahia was a machine, you can see that he could have a future at higher levels. Goal kicking was good from both sides.

Was the same in the Whites V Eagles game - Eagles wanted to run it from anywhere - so good to watch!


@The Blindsider ;

Charlie Abel to played 8 yesterday for Easts and absolutely fed JP Fenikitau all day!! Surely looking at higher honours, one of the hardest hitters in the comp. The number 7 for easts looks like a star of the future too.

Charlie Abel - Is he generally a prop? Will be interested to see him play in acouple of weeks when the Whites play Easts.

I think the No.7 is a 1st XV Grammar boy from last year and an ACT Schoolboy player - I am sure they had recruited a decent 7 from Grammar (may be a different guy though)

 

[No.8]

Scores from all grades over the weekend -


Getting some fairly mixed results in the new Monaro/Act 3rd's/4th grade comp - Vikings are currently the front runners - after that due to the number of teams in the comp not sure who would be running 2nd, 3rd, 4th - will need to look at the ladder later this week...

Saw abit of the 4th grade Qbn game on Saturday and they seem to have an extremely strong side....must be some ex-1st graders, league players etc in the side - The Young 'Yappies' though had some good structure though...

Still think Wests/Vikings/Queanbeyan will be there are the end of the year - with possibly Cooma or Goulburn making up the 4.




ACT Rugby Round 3 Competition Results
Premier Division

Queanbeyan v Uni Norths
1s: Queanbeyan 15 Uni Norths 14
2s: Queanbeyan 31 Uni Norths 3
Colts: Queanbeyan 62 Uni Norths 0



Wests v Tuggeranong
1s: Tuggeranong 40 Wests 29
2s: Tuggeranong 45 Wests 7
Colts: Tuggeranong 40 Wests 18
Gungahlin v Easts
1s: Gungahlin 45 Easts 26
2s: Gungahlin 43 Easts 10
Colts: Gungahlin 41 Easts 0
1st Division
Queanbeyan v Young
1s: Queanbeyan 24 Young 12
2s: Queanbeyan 45 Young 14
Goulburn v Uni Norths
1s: Goulburn 50 Uni Norths 5
2s: Goulburn 31 Uni Norths 12
Wests v Hall
1s: Hall 50 v Wests 5
2s: Wests 102 hall 5
Cooma v Tuggeranong
1s: Cooma 20 Tuggeranong 14
2s: Tuggeranong 70 Cooma 11
ADFA v Royals
1s: Royals 40 ADFA 0
2s: Royals 57 ADFA 12
Gungahlin v Easts/RMC
1s: Gungahlin 31 Easts 7
2s: RMC 43 Gungahlin 17

 

[Istanbul]

Not an easy task setting the draw for the year and trying to ensure good competitive comps throughout the grades for all Canberra and Monaro clubs. Three weeks in and seeing scores in the 50's, 70's and over the 100's is a concern. I don't have a simple fix. Some of those teams are going to have a massive battle maintaining enthusiasm and numbers once cold weather and injuries hit.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Was the same in the Whites V Eagles game - Eagles wanted to run it from anywhere - so good to watch!

It's working for them, hopefully they keep it up! Heard similar things from the Vikings game, and goal kicking was the only margin there.

 

[No.8]

Not an easy task setting the draw for the year and trying to ensure good competitive comps throughout the grades for all Canberra and Monaro clubs. Three weeks in and seeing scores in the 50's, 70's and over the 100's is a concern. I don't have a simple fix. Some of those teams are going to have a massive battle maintaining enthusiasm and numbers once cold weather and injuries hit.

Yea not sure what to think about the combined 3rd/4th grade ACT/Monaro Comp yet - as mentioned think you will have your front runners basically all the way through the comp - Vikings/Wests/Whites - then the rest unsure of - think as you said once the cold weather kicks in start to see some forfeits as it will be possibly better for some teams to forfeit some games rather get 50,60,70+ points against them.....

Saying that Young had good numbers to Queanbeyan on Saturday and seemed up for the game/s - as did Goulburn when they played Vikings acouple weeks back at Vikings Park....see what happens though....

 

[Istanbul]

The Wests v Hall results seem a bit odd. The Hall firsts are a 45 point better team than Wests yet the Wests seconds rolled Hall by the best part of 100 points. Is there really that big of a difference between the grades? I wonder if next time they meet whether one or both clubs might attempt to blend the talent across both grades? Or was it a case of Wests being down on numbers and having guys backing up and playing both grades?

 

[No.8]

The Wests v Hall results seem a bit odd. The Hall firsts are a 45 point better team than Wests yet the Wests seconds rolled Hall by the best part of 100 points. Is there really that big of a difference between the grades? I wonder if next time they meet whether one or both clubs might attempt to blend the talent across both grades? Or was it a case of Wests being down on numbers and having guys backing up and playing both grades?

Yea when I saw it I thought it was a typo - I have seen a few Hall games and of course a heap of Wests games and both sides have strong squads across 3rd/4th grade but as you would imagine plenty of cross-over between the grades/backing up etc...

Only thing I can think of is that Hall had abit of a weaker side in 4th grade and Wests possibly had a stacked side because alot wanted to get to the John I Dent 1st grade game to watch the boys - then 3rd grade game against a strong Hall side and Wests had lack of numbers...possibly?

Very strange - from what I have seen from both sides - there def isn't a 50 point difference...so something either way was going on...

 

[The Blindsider]

Was the same in the Whites V Eagles game - Eagles wanted to run it from anywhere - so good to watch!


@The Blindsider

Charlie Abel - Is he generally a prop? Will be interested to see him play in acouple of weeks when the Whites play Easts.

I think the No.7 is a 1st XV Grammar boy from last year and an ACT Schoolboy player - I am sure they had recruited a decent 7 from Grammar (may be a different guy though)

Yeah Charlie is normally a prop, some good front rower depth at easts though and their normal 8 was injured. And yeah I heard the same I think John Ross got the open side straight out of school. He looks the goods

 

[No.8]

Yeah Charlie is normally a prop, some good front rower depth at easts though and their normal 8 was injured. And yeah I heard the same I think John Ross got the open side straight out of school. He looks the goods

Good stuff for Easts and good for the young guy getting a 1st Grade gig straight out of school to hopefully give him some more exposure.

 

[No.8]

After 3 rounds - the ladder is looking like so -


Points -
Vikings - 14
Eagles - 11
Uni - 10
Whites - 9

Royals - 9
Easts - 7
Wests - 5

Full ladder - http://www.rugbylink.com.au/common/...px?gradeid=18107_1&seasonid=97&entityid=53001



Round 4 Games -


Royals V Wests

Uni V Tuggers

Whites V Eagles


Easts - BYE



Predictions -


Royals to win in a close one - by 3 points


Uni to sneak a win V's the mighty Vikings - by 2


Whites to bounce back after their loss to Eagles acouple of weeks ago - Whites by 10

 

[Accidental Offside]

Predictions

Royals should comfortably get over Wests, I expect it will be a long year for the Lions. Royals by 15

The Owls surprising a lot of people early in the year, putting in two solid performances against more fancied opposition. I expect the might of Tuggeranong will be too much for them however, even at the Barn. Vikings by 20

Queanbeyan and Gungahlin should be the match of the round, depending on whether or not the Whites have a few returning players from injury. If the Whites get players back I expect them to avenge the loss of a couple of weeks ago, but not by much. Whites by 3

Loving how close this years competition seems to be, it seems as though anyone can beat anyone on their day.

No.8 what's the word out of the Whites camp with injuries this week?

 

[No.8]

Predictions

Royals should comfortably get over Wests, I expect it will be a long year for the Lions. Royals by 15

The Owls surprising a lot of people early in the year, putting in two solid performances against more fancied opposition. I expect the might of Tuggeranong will be too much for them however, even at the Barn. Vikings by 20

Queanbeyan and Gungahlin should be the match of the round, depending on whether or not the Whites have a few returning players from injury. If the Whites get players back I expect them to avenge the loss of a couple of weeks ago, but not by much. Whites by 3

Loving how close this years competition seems to be, it seems as though anyone can beat anyone on their day.

No.8 what's the word out of the Whites camp with injuries this week?

Hey mate - not sure what is going on with the injuries - have not seen any updates on fb/the website - I would expect their fullback and hooker to be out for awhile - looked to be pretty bad injuries when they played the Eagles.

Penca possibly back this week - not sure - Same goes for Sok and the rest on the injury list.

Possibly being so early in the season you might find even though some of these guys could possibly come back they may be rested another week.

Find out when the Stampede comes out on Friday!

 

[No.8]

Brumbies Stampede is out for this weekends games -

http://d3kax65kav2deu.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Stampede-Round-04.pdf?645be1


Some major changes for the Whites side - Where do you begin?

Nadruku back, no Oj Noa, Darmody and Akkersdyk coming up from 2nd's, Douch back at half and Hawke down to 2nd's (this will be interesting - think Hawke has been one of their best).

J.White the normal 10 is listed at 15 in 2nd's, Billy Chalker the normal 12 has been listed at 10, that means Tarrant comes up from 2nd's into 12, Tiatia stays at 13, N Moa again at 14 and Spears named at fullback.

So some major changes for Queanbeyan - of course what is named in the Stampede could be totally different to what team shows up on the day - but some interesting changes...

So still on the injury list from the looks of things -

Sok
Penca
Elliot
Mathews
Valeni
Oj Noa?


Think the Whites will need to dig deep to get the 'W' this weekend...


Vikings look to be nearly at full-strength again - anyone know who I.Tonga is listed at 6 - never heard of him?

 

[ACTRugbyInsider]

Iosua Tonga played Colts for Vikings last year im fair sure

 

[MonkeyBoy]

What Whities recruiting players from Tuggeranong ohhh where will it end, must corporate sponsorship, pokies, bribery corruption ;P

 

[RoffsChoice]

Whites-Eagles will be another close one, hopefully, and Gungahlin will be trying to take the double for the season on the back of their form. Queanbeyan are a strong side, but a narrow loss to the Eagles two weeks ago and a close-run-thing against the Owls last week have raised some questions as to their usual top-two status. Eagles by four.

I'm excited for Royals-Wests, and it will probably be the game I go to this week. The semi final last year was very exciting and hopefully we can see some of that return to form in both teams. Royal's round one loss to Queanbeyan may have had an inflated score, but the result was fair, and their performance against Easts left a lot to be desired. Wests have been the underachievers so far, especially their loss to the Owls two weeks ago. Royals by eight.

Uni, along with Easts, have been the surprise contenders so far this season, outdoing Wests at the set piece and nearly toppling Queanbeyan at their home ground. Vikings, well, are Vikings, but will not be happy with their opening game against Gungahlin being decided by the goalkickers, or conceded as many tries as they did against Wests. Moving Andrew Robinson back into the centres should help tighten the defence. Vikings by nine.

 

[RoffsChoice]

I've ended up at Owls-Vikings, 2nds has been a real spectacle. Got some back rowers chipping and chasing the length of the field, some nice wide play going on from both sides. Hope the 1st can replicate this entertainment!

 

[mst]

Apparently Nadolo (Crusaders) was keen to watch a John I Dent game. He was asking what's on via twitter earlier. be an interesting spectator to have on the sidelines.

 

[mst]

Great to see Super Rugby stars out and about at local rugby. Nadolo watching the action at Vikings v Uni Norths.