Final preview for season 2019.
Riverview v Newington @ Lane Cove
Both teams will have seen this as a season that coulda, shoulda, woulda happened, but never did. Newington are, as usual, their own worst enemy. The big issue has been fitness and this has shown in their late capitulation against Scots and earlier to Joeys. Newington had both of them roasting on the spit, next to the pig, and then let them off. Against the Hobbits of Hunters Hill, the team lost discipline as well, then the petrol when it was needed most. The Joeys boys exposed the 50-minute game that Newington have. Riverview again could have done better this season. They started so brightly with a win against Kings and then reality crashed for them. It was a heartbreaking loss to Scots (I still think they were robbed) and then a loss to the Catholic cousins dented season hopes. While they did get some of the mojo back but “kicking the kitten” (Shore) I am not really convinced they will beat Newington. If the “real” Newington turn up and play for 70 minutes it will be a long afternoon for View. Tough one to call. It will come down to “who wants to impress the girls more” I feel, so hence with the support of the Ladies of Loreto and the Monte Maidens, then View will get home by at least 6. If the girls are too busy to attend as they are scoping out finer “livestock” at Hunters Hill, then the Newington Warriors will run rampant.
Shore vs Kings @ Northbridge
Who would have thought that this weekend will see Kings playing for the wooden spoon? After all the bluff, bluster and chest pumping at seasons dawn, the Kings supporters have nothing but woe. The shield has been dented and the sword broken. I feel they are just bloody unlucky and really should have beaten a couple of teams. The terrible defensive read in the final minute v Kings will haunt them. They gave everything they could last weekend to beat Joeys. At the conclusion both teams were flat out on their backs, totally shattered. Kings had thrown everything at the Joeys lads and came up zero. Pride is what they are the playing for this weekend. To the educated Shore men though, they see a chance to maybe, just maybe steal a win from the Parramatta purists. The Shore boys have been showing up each week with their brave heads held high as they have taken beating after beating but not once ever giving up. There are no braver souls in the Sydney GPS than the Shore lads. I just hope that they will continue to be brave and believe. I so want Shore to win, I think we all do (well maybe not the Scots supporters, they just hate everyone). It would mean the most to the School if they could win something that doesn’t involve an oar. God bless the lads and God speed. I pray for a Shore win by 2.
And so, it comes to this….
Joeys v Scots @ Hunters Hill
In 2018, Dark Lord Lambert was humbled upon the battlements of his Bellevue Bastille when the smaller, smarter army from the West breeched their ramparts and threw down his storm troopers. This season has seen a rebirth of the Scots College brand. It is simple, ugly, brutal and effective approach, built around the premise…
no team can match us for fitness and strength. Ultimately these ideals have seen them prevail with late game victories when the other armies have tired in the last 10 minutes. While the backline has spluttered and sparked at times, it has been the “blunt force” trauma approach of the Uruk-hai forwards that have seen them swarm better opponents at the death. Meanwhile, in the gentler rolling greens of “Hobbit” Hill, the smaller country folk have continued to do what they have done now for a century, that is “be a little cunning”. The Joeys lads, while not blessed with physical attributes that come from Soviet science labs, have used their brains, more rather than their brawn to get results. The simple, quick passing game they have employed have sliced up oppositions who are focusing for the big hit, rather than looking at the actual ball. The Joeys coaches have emphasized it seems a swift ball movement approach and hitting the line at alternate angles. In short, Joeys have devised a game plan which is hard to read but a joy to watch. This plan though has been assisted by a once trusted Mordor insider who now calls Joeys home. Being steered around the park by the best 10 in the business, Joeys have extreme pace and firepower out wide. They also have stubborn, swarming defense which has contained the “Superman” of Kings and the “Tongan Terror” of Newington. At home, in among the leafy green of the park, playing on the soft Santa Anna turf, with 1000 throats all bellowing support, the Joeys lads will be feeling quite confident.
Fitness will be key in this game. Joeys though know how to play 70 minutes flat out and last week against the larger, stronger Kings men they showed their staying power. Can they back it up? Can the Joeys boys save “Middle Earth” for the Dark Lord? No score predication from me this week. I just wish all players the best and I hope all fans enjoyment in this day. See you at Jacks after.
