Rugby Season
Stan Wickham (3)
I think there were 3 maybe 4 year 10 boys on the field at the end.
My personal opinion is that Joeys have treated all the trials as genuine trials and have given as many boys as they feel are capable an opportunity to impress.
There were mutterings around early form against Marist Canberra and The Southport School. On the scoreboard Joeys lost both (albeit narrowly) but what wasn't recognised was they rotated through 20-30 players through each match!
Joeys settled their squads for what I would call the "competition" trials; Scots, Waverley, Shore, Knox and View. Running on between 3 - 5 reserves per match to test them out.
They however have also called up a range of players due to injury, up to 6 for some games.
Within what I would call their Firsts "quorum" they have moved players around in various positions (some as many as 3 different starting positions) to give other boys the opportunity to be tested.
How many schools can have the luxury to have their front row play, second row! and back row? Jansen, Heaven and Yates
Or able to play in the forwards and backs? Quinn, Scolari and Houston?
Likewise a number of backs interchanging centre, wing or fullback? O'Brien, Chan, Carey and Shortis.
This investment in the season in my opinion is prudent and we will see the merit of that strategy in time.
Joeys have a substantial depth of talent. Some outstanding players have really stepped up giving "nice selection headaches". Some will be disappointed by not making the starting XV but geez they will make for some exciting "finishers"
OK then - that makes sense although have they left their run too late to get the right combinations? Also means that some of the starting side would have rarely played a full game? Can understand the strategy on one hand but can see it could come back to haunt them in the competition because there was much chopping and changing from what you've indicated?
There must be some talent there then because some of those replacements that came on in the second half certainly upped the ante with mongrel and enthusiasm albeit with fresh legs. Wouldn't like to be the selectors when they name the sides.
View will be better for the run but missed Easy who makes a big difference in the backs. The defence needs fixing asap as there were far too many misses. If they can, they will compete very earnestly and could be the surprise packet and should not be written off just yet.