John I Dent Cup and ACT competition - 2012

[Brumby Jack]

They could be known as the Eastern Cape.

 

[en_force_er]

They could be known as the Eastern Cape.

Read my mind.

 

[canberra2011]

2013 allocation of Brumbies players to the John I Dent Cup.

The players who played last year will remain at their existing clubs whilst the new additions are:

Easts: Etienne Oosthuizen, David Pocock, Jordan Smiler, Ruan Smith, Stephan Van Der Walt, Clyde Rathbone

Gungahlin: Josh Mann-Rea

Royals: Mark Swanapoel

I don't understand why Easts have been given 8 Brumbies players? Although they were winless last year, they still received bonus points for losing by less than 7 and were within reach in several games so they are certainly not that far off the pace.

Are they trying to make the competition closer? How is it then that the top 3 teams still have 5 Brumbies and the teams that placed 4th, 5th and 6th last year only have 4?

Hardly fair if you ask me?

 

[Brumby Jack]

Not sure on that one Canberra2011, maybe it is an attempt to make the comp closer but the Brumbies would have worked with the clubs to work out their needs before the allocations

So the allocations will look like this:

Uni-Norths
Forwards: Ben Alexander
Backs: Tom Cox, Ian Prior, Joe Tomane

Wests
Forwards: Fotu Auelua, Peter Kimlin, Scott Sio
Backs: Pat McCabe, Jesse Mogg

Royals
Forwards: Sam Carter, Siliva Siliva
Backs: Matt To'omua, Mark Swanapoel

Queanbeyan
Forwards: Leon Power
Backs: Robbie Coleman, Tevita Kuridrani, Nic White

Easts
Forwards: Stephen Moore, Etienne Oosthuizen, David Pocock, Jordan Smiler, Ruan Smith
Backs: Andrew Smith, Stephan Van Der Walt, Clyde Rathbone

Vikings
Forwards : Colby Fainga'a, Ben Mowen, Scott Fardy
Backs: Zack Holmes. Christian Lealiifano

Gungahlin
Forwards: Dan Palmer, Ita Vaea, Rory Murphy, Josh Mann-Rea
Backs: Henry Speight

 

[Empire]

I don't understand why Easts have been given 8 Brumbies players? Although they were winless last year, they still received bonus points for losing by less than 7 and were within reach in several games so they are certainly not that far off the pace.

Are they trying to make the competition closer? How is it then that the top 3 teams still have 5 Brumbies and the teams that placed 4th, 5th and 6th last year only have 4?

Hardly fair if you ask me?

Winless is the key word here - not a single win. Whether by a point or over fifty, a loss is a loss. Nothing but losses is catastrophic for morale. Easts weren't far from completely folding.

By the end of the year, there were barely enough players to fill 2nds. 4ths and 3rds had ceased to exist, either due to injury, or players having to play in the higher grades. In turn, players that weren't up to the higher grades became increasingly injured/disillusioned with playing above their appropriate level.

It was so bad that I continued to play (stupidly), albeit with a fractured ankle and prior to going on to a chemotherapy regime - it was that bad.

Hopefully this move by Jake White and the Brumbies does something to shore up the oldest club in the competition. It won't be permanent - one will think that EPS players will be used to shore up the weakest clubs on a year to year basis.

 

[en_force_er]

Yeah, if a club consistently loses the score doesn't matter. If they were winning one week and losing by 20 the next it's still better then losing by a small margin consistently because that creates a trend or a losing culture.

Plus, it seems to me that there's been a deliberate effort made to keep the SA contingent together. It COULD simply be because they're all new but if I had to guess perhaps these blokes have bonded strongly or maybe they're sharing a house?

Point is, there seems to be plenty of reasons to load Easts up with players. Good thinking.

 

[canberra2011]

I heard during the week that Tim Cornforth is back in Canberra? I'm assuming he will be playing for Royals next year?

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

I heard during the week that Tim Cornforth is back in Canberra? I'm assuming he will be playing for Royals next year?

He is back in Canberra, but from all reports, heading back to NZ for the Club and ITM Cup season with Southland again. Still cant understand how he cant get a look in with the Brumbies or any other franchise when he consistantly been one of Southlands best this season and last.

 

[BrumbiesPolynesian]

I don't understand why Easts have been given 8 Brumbies players? Although they were winless last year, they still received bonus points for losing by less than 7 and were within reach in several games so they are certainly not that far off the pace.

Are they trying to make the competition closer? How is it then that the top 3 teams still have 5 Brumbies and the teams that placed 4th, 5th and 6th last year only have 4?

Hardly fair if you ask me?

So I take it Easts will be the new Tuggies of the ACT Comp in terms of having players from all over the place barring their own back yard??? Why cant Easts keep their own players??? Just a question I would like to know.

 

[Empire]

So I take it Easts will be the new Tuggies of the ACT Comp in terms of having players from all over the place barring their own back yard??? Why cant Easts keep their own players??? Just a question I would like to know.

Regarding new players - many will be locals, with a mixture of former old boys and new faces coming back to the club. A select few will be players brought across by Jeremy Osborne, who has coached/played with them in League, and they are seeking an opportunity in Rugby. The budget for this however, is likely under 1/10th of what Vikings would spend on their yearly recruitment (excluding ongoing wages, flights, coaches wages etc), so perhaps the assessment is off the mark.

The vast majority however, are old boys returning and retained players.

In terms of our own 'back yard' - the influx of Boys Grammar players is testament to Easts developing local players - this will bear fruit over the next couple of years as they filter into the various grade teams.