Rich_E
Ron Walden (29)
Spot on. Clifton at 6 and Rugless at 7 would be very interesting experiment. Imo both should be in team somewhere.
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NSW AAGPS 2019
- Thread starter SonnyDillWilliams
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Spot on. Clifton at 6 and Rugless at 7 would be very interesting experiment. Imo both should be in team somewhere.
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Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
With the exception of Kings, I don't think there's very many schools which have more than one full size field.
Newington don't, Shore don't, Riverview don't, Joeys don't, Scots don't, High don't, Grammar don't, Trinity don't, Waverley don't, Barker not sure but I think not, Knox not sure but I think not, Alos don't and Cranbrook don't.
I find the whole "this field isn't big enough" a little tiresome actually. The simple fact is that all of the schools have limited space and they adjust the length and width of fields to maximise the number of fields that they have. Some schools move games off-site to accomodate games and then some people complain that their offspring are playing away from the main site. A few years ago Newington used to play the 16s age group at Marrickville Oval (which is a full side field) and we had this complaint. You can't win mate, no matter what you do some people will whinge and whine.
Note that the correct "full size" of a rugby field is 144 metres in length - 100 metres of playing space and an in goal of 22 metres at each end, and 70 metres wide.
Black & White
Vay Wilson (31)
Hello SDW
Regarding ovals, its not size that matters but the atmosphere of the grounds to me, that is important. In that the embarkment at Newington produces a superb atmosphere for the watching of Schoolboy Rugby.
Up the Guts
Steve Williams (59)
It’s better when you have schools on either side of the field. Joeys vs Shore at Shore is very good because you have Shore in the grandstand and Joeys lining the length of the field on the opposite side. Games at Joeys tend to be good in this respect as well. Despite being cramped there’s still a nice stadium atmosphere at Scots.
Especially when this happens....
Mind you, Riverview may have you way back from the action, but what a cauldron it is when the Catholics beat each other up.....like this.
The 2018 miracle in the dark
No word I have heard yet from across the River. View were unlucky in many ways last year with the draw that ruled them out after early losses to heavyweights TSC and Kings. Really should have won the Joeys game too but sometimes God flips a coin and it comes down Marist. Best game of 2019 will be the SJC v SIC at Hunters Hill.
formerflanker
Ken Catchpole (46)
Interesting to read that Rugby Australia is in discussions with Fox Sports to televise GPS games - before mentioning it to GPS schools.
Joker is right about View’s tough draw last year, and the excruciatingly close few years against the Marists across the river.
In terms of next year there are a number of very handy Year 11 and even Year 10 (Bird) footballers from View’s 2018 1st XV.
Equally exciting is the batch of 16’s age group coming through, like Easy, Cressey, and Delaney. To put this particular age group into perspective, in the fours years of competition with their Joeys age group counterparts, they are almost equal in terms of the win/loss ratio. Bearing in mind that the 2018 undefeated Joeys 16a’s had all 15 of the team selected in GPS 16’s 1’s or 2’s, then another 9 of the starting 15 in NSW schoolboys. An incredible and maybe unparalleled statistic, which doesn’t include another player who made the NSW league 16’s Origin squad instead of the rugby version, and another from the Joeys 16b’s who also made the NSW schoolboys having never played in A’s. His 16b’s team haven’t lost a game in their whole schoolboy career. Point being, Riverview can play - and given the size of the school population, have talent to burn. The challenge for them this year is to focus for the whole season, improve their levels of fitness (noticeably at a discount to several opposition teams last year), muscle up and prosecute an 80 minute game against every team in the competition, not just when they line up against their natural enemy.
SonnyDillWilliams
Nev Cottrell (35)
Wow not a single game in the As ... and making NSW schoolboys!!
If that was my son, I'd be blowing up.
Must be politics ... it has always struck me that Joeys is a place where if you are a later bloomer, it is hard to come from nowhere to make the 1sts. It (the team selection) is all so stitched up ... and if you are red hot it is easy to get lost in strong lower grade teams.
I have on occasion seen kids in Joeys C teams and thought who is that ... and the attitude is that's no-one.
If you dad's name was Jorgensen or some well-known Joeys name you are a shoe in ... otherwise you are relegated to playing lower grades and contributing to the usual cricket-score carve up.
If that was my son, I'd be blowing up.
Must be politics ... it has always struck me that Joeys is a place where if you are a later bloomer, it is hard to come from nowhere to make the 1sts. It (the team selection) is all so stitched up ... and if you are red hot it is easy to get lost in strong lower grade teams.
I have on occasion seen kids in Joeys C teams and thought who is that ... and the attitude is that's no-one.
If you dad's name was Jorgensen or some well-known Joeys name you are a shoe in ... otherwise you are relegated to playing lower grades and contributing to the usual cricket-score carve up.
Joeys do have very strong B and C teams. In fact, if you are selected in the B team, you are pretty much guaranteed a pennant at the end of the season. The B teams actually train with their A teams. My son was a member of a B team last year after coming from the D's the year before. He did though show more promise as season 2017 went by and was looking good for 2018. When he made the B team in 2018 he trained with and against the A team and did their same S & C training with them. The thought is that if an A player is unavailable, a B player will be able to easily slot into place. He did this one weekend when one of A players was unavailable.
The selection process is pretty wide open at the start of season. Players do not get simply placed in the same team from the year before. In the past there have been players who have come from no-where to make the 1st XV. Best known case was Lieutenant Colonel Michael Calhoun who was in the 16F's one year, 6th XV and then 1st XV.
The boys play many internal games (this when the most injuries take place I'm afraid) and all want to impress. Christ, they bash the crap out of each other. No one holds back. As I said, my son started in the C and D squad and after three weeks of trials he was moved up to the A and B squad and others moved down. Generally speaking when the season proper starts the teams had about a dozen hit outs against other schools and each other. This is when the policy seems to be you stay with what you have (or who survived!), only changing if there is an injury of if God touches player one weekend and he scores 5 tries and kicks 10 goals. Changes in selection always happens early.
Jorgo has his sons there and he likes to make a lot of noise as well, but he has found being a former Wallaby gets your son no favours. They are though very handy footballers, but so is the cohort. Remember, "in class full of Einsteins, there is always an Einstein at the top and Einstein has to be at the bottom"
The selection process is pretty wide open at the start of season. Players do not get simply placed in the same team from the year before. In the past there have been players who have come from no-where to make the 1st XV. Best known case was Lieutenant Colonel Michael Calhoun who was in the 16F's one year, 6th XV and then 1st XV.
The boys play many internal games (this when the most injuries take place I'm afraid) and all want to impress. Christ, they bash the crap out of each other. No one holds back. As I said, my son started in the C and D squad and after three weeks of trials he was moved up to the A and B squad and others moved down. Generally speaking when the season proper starts the teams had about a dozen hit outs against other schools and each other. This is when the policy seems to be you stay with what you have (or who survived!), only changing if there is an injury of if God touches player one weekend and he scores 5 tries and kicks 10 goals. Changes in selection always happens early.
Jorgo has his sons there and he likes to make a lot of noise as well, but he has found being a former Wallaby gets your son no favours. They are though very handy footballers, but so is the cohort. Remember, "in class full of Einsteins, there is always an Einstein at the top and Einstein has to be at the bottom"
Black & White
Vay Wilson (31)
Jorgo, is that either Michael or Peter Jorgensen, good to see that they have become Joeys stalwarts. But before they were Joeys boys they spent some time at Newington. Clearly, the Joeys Rugby culture won them over. And I remember there was some bitterness within certain areas of Newington about their lost. But the reality is that Joeys was a vastly superior Rugby Machine, compared to Newington at the time, who regrettably could have taken their Rugby more seriously.
These days Newington is far more professional (although still a long way off from Scots or Joeys). Interestingly, Newington has less teams now, than back then going down to the !3Is and 13Js in 1984 and 1985. Hence, the lesson is that the quality of training a team, is more far important than the number of teams.
A friend of mine from the UK, who coached Schoolboys here in Australia and the UK, felt that the UK Schools were better coached, by virtue that their teams had two coaches, a forwards and backs coach. Further, we are not talking about 1st or 2nd XVs. But rather 16Ds and 13Es.
Oh by the way at a Newington Rugby dinner that launched the 2010 season, I noticed on the seating arrangements the names of both Michael and Peter at one table. So I guess they hadn't completely forgotten their Rugby connection with Newington.
I didn’t attend the school, so have no personal reference, but from what I’m told, it’s the exact opposite now SDW. As Joker opines above, it really doesn’t matter who you are, what representative teams you have or haven’t made, or who your old man is. The NSW schoolboy from the b’s is behind Greer and Sutherland who are highly likely to play 1sts this year - just how it is. I think he may have even played d’s in year 8 and 9. So is firm evidence of being able to come through the system and get noticed if you are good enough. Parents are a bit shocked at how little access (like absolutely zero) they get to the coaching and selection process, but from what I’m told, the boys don’t have an issue with it. The teams lists are physically published on outdoor boards each Monday afternoon, and you find out where you are at that time like everyone else. The best example I can think of re the lack of politics (which wasn’t the same at the school I attended some time ago!) is this year’s 1st XV, where two of the most royal of Joeys families (Daltons and Ryans), had their respective boys dropped from the 1sts having played A’s their whole schoolboy life at the school! Tim Dalton (the boy’s father) was last year the President of the P&F, played 1st XV at the school along with his 3 brothers, played NSW and Australian Schoolboys and eventually the Wallabies I recall. Pat Ryan (the other boy’s father) also played (with jorgensen in the Premiership winning 1st XV), then NSW and Aust Scoolboys. Not sure if he was a Wallaby, but you get the drift. Like Tim, Pat is a big supporter of the school and collectively, arguably, no two families could have done more for the school in recent years. But notwithstanding this, both sons were dropped in the old fashioned way. Not sure there are many other schools where this would have taken place? Could be wrong, but certainly wouldn’t have been the case where I attended. For completeness, Jorgensen’s eldest son (part of the freak 16’s cohort), is a fine 5/8 but hasn’t been able to break into the A’s. Yet. Pat Ryan’s youngest son in the same age group, was a NSW PSSA halfback, and after 3 years as the A’s half back, lost his spot for 2018. Both boys want to play 1sts, and neither will have given up; knowing that if they are good enough, they’ll get noticed, and get a shot. If not, irrespective of who they are related to, they won’t. There are many reasons why the boys at Joeys play in teams below where maybe they are talented enough to play. Competition and discipline are high on the list. If a boy has an attitude problem (scholastically or on the sporting field), dropped. Gone. Post try celebrations or other examples of poor sportsmanship are other reasons I’ve heard of and witnessed being reprimanded on the spot, and then on the selection team sheets the following week. The halfback for the 1st XV this year played on the wing in the 6th XV the year before. It appears from afar that Br. Anthony’s philosophy of yesteryear, that is picking the best 15 athletes and then working out positionally where to play them, is still alive and well in those cerese and blue colours.
Best example I knew off was a classmate of my eldest son. The boy in question (who I wont name) was a freak of an athlete. He had never played basketball till yr 9 and then went straight into the 1st's. He was the school high jump record holder and played 2nd Xv in yr 10 and then 1st XV in yr 11. Then he was shown the door I believe for a major misbehavior issue. Didn't matter that he could have played NSW or even Schoolboys, he was punted. Joeys have a zero tolerance policy for this. Br Anthony has said Joeys have had some amazing players in the 3rd Xv during his coaching 1st XV days as no matter how good they were, he would never take a player OVER a team.
Barkerdad101
Frank Row (1)
Joker , awesome mate . love your work. interesting and totally agree, it is the best playing surface in Sydney
Thanks Sonny Bill. Mind you Knox Grammar has a damn good field as well. A longer, English style of playing surface. Great drainage. Horrible trains and some issues with viewing at the ends of their stand.
One grizzle .maybe minor . the other HH fields all seem too small. a bit like Newington
Yes, 3 and 4 are smaller in length, but width is ok. Terribly short in goals. Joeys back ovals are appropriate sizes for Under 13's and 14's. You find most Under 15's onward played at the Park.
Interesting to note that the Joeys sports master likes to give all boys a chance to play on Number 1 at least once in their time at the College. When Joeys play away you find teams like the mighty 13G's lining up on the halfway line at 9am. Nothing makes a Joeys boy prouder than playing on this field. (I played my last ever game at Joeys on their field)
Have seen some lower age group A fixtures ruined by the field size
There is a tradition that College A (Cardiff Arms Park is the nickname) is the venue for the 13A's and 14A's. A wider pitch would be better. This is why you must muscle up on these pitches as you wont be able to go round Joeys.
And I for one would love if joeys improved their stands, but I suspect they like The ramshackle feel
Joeys do have a design for a new Brother Henry stand which looks like the one at Shore. But they do not have the money and it would be an enormous cost. The new stand would be higher and covered for the entire length of the field. I agree, the old girl does look ramshackle but it does provide enough seating for the boys and an intimate feel being close to the ground. The change rooms I feel could be made bigger as they are very small. Some teams (like TSC) like to use the more modern change rooms located next to the tennis courts (if available as they are used for the football teams)
And consistent with their gym, Altgh the gym I saw at a joeys fair, didn’t look too bad
The gym used to be the old laundry. Before that it was once located within an old indoor basketball court. This is the biggest gym they have ever had. The weights program in their is based more of free weights rather than expensive shiny machines and chambers. The strength and conditioning coach is Kevin O'Kane (former Waratah) who is "old school" in his approach. Just have to spend a session in there listening to his "old school" motivational techniques to get the gist.
And unless I am mistaken there is an outdoor pool. something I am a fan, despite it not being as all season
The War Memorial pool was opened in the 1950's. It was actually used as part of the movie "The Year of Living Dangerously" I have been told though it will be gone soon. The College wants to redo the Hall and create a sports prescient like Scots have done including indoor pool, Basketball court and all the bells and whistles. I would hate myself. It was a 50 yrd pool and it a great location for a swim in summer. In winter many rugby teams would jump in after games as Joeys did not have ice pools, so a bloody cold outdoor pool had to do. I have spent many summers in that pool before the insurance Nazis' came in and took away the diving boards and closed it to the public during summer. Before then there were days when you could have the whole pool to yourself.
Joker is that really scots facility?
Oh yes, that is the hyperpoxic chamber at Scots located within the Solomon High Performance Centre. They have some amazing facilities and not just sport.
I have seen a pic of their ice baths that look smik
Never seen those, but check out the Science rooms they now have! Amazing facilities.
Also,
The St Aloysius' College Oval has a very nice surface. Stands might not be up to scratch but I hear there are big development plans.
The Ballkid
Herbert Moran (7)
Hi guys! Just an FYI - Australian Schools Rugby (ASRU) has just recently started a new official Facebook page. As the schoolboys season gets more into full swing it should have a load of relevant stuff come onto it about Nationals, schoolboy test sides but also schoolboy footy more generally so feel free to give it a like!
https://www.facebook.com/ausschools...9KFu90nonPtAXneX1QoiBj89PwQRTca-nUBt0f0etmIFZ
https://www.facebook.com/ausschools...9KFu90nonPtAXneX1QoiBj89PwQRTca-nUBt0f0etmIFZ
For those who like film trivia.
Not rugby related but here is part of the scene from the movie, "The Year of Living Dangerously" starring Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver. Has any other GPS school been used a film location for a movie?
This shot was filmed at the Joeys pool. Old boys would recognize it.
Back to the rugby
Not rugby related but here is part of the scene from the movie, "The Year of Living Dangerously" starring Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver. Has any other GPS school been used a film location for a movie?
This shot was filmed at the Joeys pool. Old boys would recognize it.
Back to the rugby
The Honey Badger
Jim Lenehan (48)
formerflanker
Ken Catchpole (46)
"Looking for Alibrandi" (2000) was partially shot at Scots.
I know those old style tracksuits anywhere. You can catch The Scots College on one of them.
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