John I. Dent Cup 2017 - ACT Premier Rugby

[Istanbul]

Expecting a very high quality game next Saturday. Home and away form won't count for much. Royals will go in as favourites but I wouldn't bet the farm against that Wests team that is hitting its straps at just the right time. Can't wait!!

 

[Green grass]

Comp will have rules around injury dispensations, which I suspect Jones will satisfy. If allowed he will be a big in for the Whites next week.

1s decider could be a huge game if Wests can limit their errors. Their style will take Royals out of their comfort zone if they execute well. Royals will cut them to shreds if they don't though, and would be thoroughly deserving premiers.

What's the over/under on Tuggies player budget for next season? A new front row might just be the start.

I wonder if they would try and lure McInerney back for another stint in red.
Blue baggers by 18 next weekend, comfortable.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Wests scrum was something else today.taula, Henry and Liam are not first graders anymore.think def Henry and Taula are done.

Have never seen such a dominant scrum as Wests were over the Vikings, but not come away with tight head wins. Admittedly, only watched the second half, and different things might have occurred in the first stanza, but Wests really had to overcome the ref at scrum time as well as the Vikings.

 

[Istanbul]

How do Royals and Wests match up for next week? Wests a slight advantage in the scrum, Royals with stronger locks, fairly even backrow and halves with Royals having an edge in the outside backs. If it is a free flowing shoot out Royals should hose the Lions but if it becomes an arm wrestle Wests are a big shot. Cussack a fair bet for the McDougal?

 

[Green grass]

Wests pack goes pretty well, but their backs do not match up well at all with Royals. As we saw in 2015 though, funny things can happen come GF day. Not sure how many of the Wests blokes are hanging round next year, and without much coming through the grades, could be the Lions best shot for a while next weekend.

 

[No.8]

Vikings:
Andrew Robinson
Angus Wagner
Ben Hyne
Darcy Swain
Dean Oakman-Hunt
Ernest Suavai
Fred Dorrough
Jordan Jackson-Hope
Michael Oakman-Hunt
Ryan Longergan
Sione Taula
Sam Thomas
Len Ikitau

Royals:
Andrew Muirhead
Ben Johston
Pedro Rolando
Sione Faalelei
Tom Cusack
George Morseau

Wests:
Brodie Leber
TP Luteru
Rob Valetini
Angus Allen
Harry Lloyd
Liam Rasch

Queanbeyan:
Josh White
Les Makin
Liam Mosely

Uni-Norths:
Max Bode
Lolo Fakosilea

Easts:
Blake Enever
Robbie Abel

Gungahlin:
Mack Hanson


Unsure:
Falou Faainga - New Signing
Lausi Taliauli
James Daraville
Tom Banks
Wharenui Hawera


Just saw the Canberra Vikings squad - very interesting picks - just going to leave it at that. . . .

 

[Istanbul]

Is it April Fools day? Taula and Wagner.... clearly it was all Henry's fault that the Tuggies scrum was like a shopping trolley.

No way I'm supporting that team! What a joke.

 

[bluebags]

Vikings:
Andrew Robinson
Angus Wagner
Ben Hyne
Darcy Swain
Dean Oakman-Hunt
Ernest Suavai
Fred Dorrough
Jordan Jackson-Hope
Michael Oakman-Hunt
Ryan Longergan
Sione Taula
Sam Thomas
Len Ikitau

Royals:
Andrew Muirhead
Ben Johston
Pedro Rolando
Sione Faalelei
Tom Cusack
George Morseau

Wests:
Brodie Leber
TP Luteru
Rob Valetini
Angus Allen
Harry Lloyd
Liam Rasch

Queanbeyan:
Josh White
Les Makin
Liam Mosely

Uni-Norths:
Max Bode
Lolo Fakosilea

Easts:
Blake Enever
Robbie Abel

Gungahlin:
Mack Hanson


Unsure:
Falou Faainga - New Signing
Lausi Taliauli
James Daraville
Tom Banks
Wharenui Hawera


Just saw the Canberra Vikings squad - very interesting picks - just going to leave it at that. .

Hmmm...and we used to be critical of Brad Harris but at least his sides were in the top 2.
Lets go through the Vikings:

Andrew Robinson- A standout...well deserved
Ben Hyne- No problem here
Darcy Swain- dito
Dean Oakman-Hunt- Played mainly 2nds while should have been in 1st grade. Obviously out of favour with the coach but now obviously back in.
Ernest Suavai- Really...did anyone watch his last few games.
Fred Dorrough, Ryan Longergan, Len Ikitau - Looking to the future I guess, but none really impressed.
Jordan Jackson-Hope- yep.
Michael Oakman-Hunt- Solid when not injured...but?
Angus Wagner, Sam Thomas- Again, looking ahead but the Vikes front row was owned all year.
Sione Taula - Not looking to the future here. Part of the aforementioned front-row that was largely going backwards.

 

[Istanbul]

It reflects everything that is wrong with Australian Rugby at the moment. The ACTRU screams and squeals with outrage when only 2 of the Champion ACT boys make the Australian school boys but is happy to reside over this. We are very quick to point to old boy clubs in Sydney and Brisbane but the hypocrisy of a side like this seems missed. Tuggeranong manages to get more players selected than the combined of an undefeated Royals team and a Wests side that will battle them for the John I Dent cup.

And we wonder why the All blacks will run up a cricket score this weekend!

 

[No.8]

I wont go into the whole Vikings domination thing - I really believe about 10 of those players are either def no's or only maybe's for the starting 23.

I guess we need to remember this is only the squad and most wont feature in the game day team - but still extremely disappointing some of the selections made. . . if guys like Taula get picked over players like Harry Lloyd in the game day squad it will be terrible.

Surprised these guys missed out;
Sua Tonga - would take him over Oakman-Hunt twins from the Vikings squad/Think he has been the best Vikings forward

Joost - Must be unavailable?

Carl Elliot - A maybe better to have him there than someone like Sam Thomas (no disrespect)

Connell - He must be close to being signed for a professional contract?

 

[Istanbul]

Apart from picking Oakman - Hunt out of second grade I also wonder why George Morseau gets in when he can't crack Royals first grade?

 

[bluebags]

It reflects everything that is wrong with Australian Rugby at the moment. The ACTRU screams and squeals with outrage when only 2 of the Champion ACT boys make the Australian school boys but is happy to reside over this. We are very quick to point to old boy clubs in Sydney and Brisbane but the hypocrisy of a side like this seems missed. Tuggeranong manages to get more players selected than the combined of an undefeated Royals team and a Wests side that will battle them for the John I Dent cup.

And we wonder why the All blacks will run up a cricket score this weekend!

What....are you saying there is something wrong with Australian rugby?

 

[bluebags]

Apart from picking Oakman - Hunt out of second grade I also wonder why George Morseau gets in when he can't crack Royals first grade?

Even guys like Leber,and again no disrespect...what position is he earmarked for. He has played 13 for much of the season and found it difficult. If as a loosie, then how is his form gauged in that he hasn't played there consistently.

 

[bluebags]

I wont go into the whole Vikings domination thing - I really believe about 10 of those players are either def no's or only maybe's for the starting 23.

I guess we need to remember this is only the squad and most wont feature in the game day team - but still extremely disappointing some of the selections made. if guys like Taula get picked over players like Harry Lloyd in the game day squad it will be terrible.

Surprised these guys missed out;
Sua Tonga - would take him over Oakman-Hunt twins from the Vikings squad/Think he has been the best Vikings forward

Joost - Must be unavailable?

Carl Elliot - A maybe better to have him there than someone like Sam Thomas (no disrespect)

Connell - He must be close to being signed for a professional contract?

I would say 4 defs and 2 fringe and like you was surprised Tonga is missing.

 

[macka_au]

Wests scrum was something else today.taula, Henry and Liam are not first graders anymore.think def Henry and Taula are done.

Surely the scrum isn't the sole responsibility of the front row? Can someone explain to me the difference between the two props? I can't tell you how many times I got told on the weekend that mcgrath prefers loosehead. I don't really understand the difference. Wests definitely had a dominant scrum (we all knew this surely tuggeranong did as well) From my perspective the tuggies forwards did their job, yes it was ugly but they won all of their own ball and in a couple of instances even looked solid.

I thought their backs were pretty woeful. I don't think dorrough is up to 1st grade standard yet (maybe i've just been spoiled watching isaac thompson)
With 13 men on the field tuggeranong were unable to score any points and in fact leaked 6. Having said that wests were very smart playing off the nine and hanging onto the ball forcing tuggeranong to make the mistakes.

In any case a well deserved win by wests.

Word is Ben Coutts has been handed a one week suspension for his 3rd yellow card of the year and will miss the grand final. If this is true i believe it will be tough for wests as he is so important to their scrum and platform.

 

[griffins]

Surely the scrum isn't the sole responsibility of the front row? Can someone explain to me the difference between the two props? I can't tell you how many times I got told on the weekend that mcgrath prefers loosehead. I don't really understand the difference. Wests definitely had a dominant scrum (we all knew this surely tuggeranong did as well) From my perspective the tuggies forwards did their job, yes it was ugly but they won all of their own ball and in a couple of instances even looked solid.

I thought their backs were pretty woeful. I don't think dorrough is up to 1st grade standard yet (maybe i've just been spoiled watching isaac thompson)
With 13 men on the field tuggeranong were unable to score any points and in fact leaked 6. Having said that wests were very smart playing off the nine and hanging onto the ball forcing tuggeranong to make the mistakes.

In any case a well deserved win by wests.

Word is Ben Coutts has been handed a one week suspension for his 3rd yellow card of the year and will miss the grand final. If this is true i believe it will be tough for wests as he is so important to their scrum and platform.

I don't think the impact of the loss of Gareth Clouston from the Tuggies pack should be overlooked when considering their troubles up front. They would have loved his experience and physical presence on Sat. In saying that the two young locks (Holt and Swain) have performed brilliantly all year and will benefit hugely from the experience.

Re: potential NRC candidates, wasn't Elliott also part of a front row that got a bath from Wests recently?

 

[Istanbul]

Hey Griffins do you know what the story is with Tonga? As others have noted I would have thought he should have been picked in the NRC. Is he unavailable or out of favour with the coach?

That is a huge loss for Wests if Coutts is suspended.

 

[Istanbul]

Also agree about the impact of Clouston. He is a large human and I loved his clashes with Staniforth. Where has he gone and how is he doing? Retired or bigger and better things?

 

[griffins]

Also agree about the impact of Clouston. He is a large human and I loved his clashes with Staniforth. Where has he gone and how is he doing? Retired or bigger and better things?

No idea re Tonga, Brums influence on the selection process may have plumped for the twins? Clouston has been coaching/running messages, must have retired last year.

 

[Istanbul]

The Canberra Times has confirmed Coutts' suspension for 3 yeallow cards over the season. Royals' 7 Luke Kimba is in the same boat and is also ruled out. In another blow for Wests flanker Rob Valetini is sidelined due to the concussion rule.

I think Kimba only came on to replace Cussack when he was injured against Vikings so not a major loss for the Royals starting 15. Two key players out of the Wests pack makes an already difficult task a lot harder!