NSW AAGPS 2020

[Masked Crusader]

The original note from Chris Hayes at Joeys made clear that as schools the GPS take their guidance on health matters from the NSW Education department and not NSW Sport, hence the issue. You can see how every action that Gladys, Kerrie and co are taking is to do everything they can to minimise the likelihood of ANY shutdown of schools during the HSC period. Their way of doing that is to shutdown (in a very blunt fashion) any activity that could lead to cross contamination of students. It would seem that arguments that these schools already draw students from a wide-cross section of Sydney will only further reinforce their predisposition that these schools should definitely not mix, a view not particularly well informed by having regard to how that risk is actually being managed.

If there is to be any hope, the least risky position would be:

only 5 teams get to play - 1sts, 2nds and 3rds (Rugby) plus 1sts and 2nds Football
no spectators or parents

AAGPS should be arguing from that position as a bare minimum with a view to trying to get something more than that up. If they do, that will be a big positive.

Next step would to argue for all Year 12/Open age group teams to be able to play - on the grounds that there a limited numbers and that they will never have the opportunity again and that they have already run successful trials without issue (as far as I know).

Arguments about Public Vs Private are pointless and unhelpful.

There have been 0 issues after a minimum 3 external trial games at most schools. Not surprisingly the players in my son’s under 13 community team also attend school. They end up playing other players who also attend school. So allowing community sport but not school does nothing to reduce the possibility of Covid impacting schools. I would argue that school rugby should continue and community rugby should not. Why? The school environment has many more controls in place and no spectators. Arguments about wide catchments are silly. Last Sunday community teams from the north shore travelled to Blacktown..... pretty wide catchment.

 

[The Coyote]

If you want to know about irony, consider the north shore community rugby team that had its game against a neighbouring suburb cancelled and a new game scheduled against a team in south west Sydney... this happened last weekend.

What age group are we talking here??

 

[Masked Crusader]

What age group are we talking here??

What age group are we talking here??

11’s

 

[Vintage Red]

Absolutely right. Fairly naive letter in both its timing and language.

What could be more naive from a timing and language perspective than suspending school sport during the HSC Trials?

Bravo Mr George! At least he is putting up a fight!

 

[The Coyote]

11’s

The opens are a bit messed up this year , there are a few clubs that aren't travelling
to the Western and Southern clubs

 

[Crashy]

The Kings Headmaster was on radio 702/ABC this morning. He spent a lot of the time laughing loudly (nervously I thought) and trying to be very chummy with Wendy Harmer. Really weird interview.

 

[Big Papi]

The Kings Headmaster was on radio 702/ABC this morning. He spent a lot of the time laughing loudly (nervously I thought) and trying to be very chummy with Wendy Harmer. Really weird interview.

Why are kings going all public with their approach, I don’t really see any benefit of this show unless there was some sort of large announcement.

 

[SonnyDillWilliams]

the fact that Kings headmaster gone public , I suspect is because he is not optimistic

so last resort stuff

I am not so focused on the 14As or 14Gs .... for that matter ... they will get more opportunities

I am focused on year 12s .... as they won't get another chance

and graduation ceremonies same thing ... I know at Waverley they do a great send off to the whole year culminating in Dux announcement

I would understand (and agree) if NSW's numbers were in some way bad .... but they are negligible ... 6 I believe was todays new cases

anyway it's a 100:1 .....and yes I guess far bigger inequities .... the small businessman in say Victoria ... gee got to feel for him/her ....I just don't know where that blog is

 

[Rudderless]

For those of you that think Mr George has gone rogue, what evidence do you have ? Could it not be a concerted effort with the one spokesperson ?

 

[Masked Crusader]

For those of you that think Mr George has gone rogue, what evidence do you have ? Could it not be a concerted effort with the one spokesperson ?

There is none at all although his tone and method is very different to the AAGPS chair (Ticehurst). Who knows, bad cop and good cop routine. Fair to say Kings would be desperate to play given their form vs Scots. I think Joeys Vs Kings would be a block buster.

 

[RaRaMum]

Looks like Kings have done the GPS zero favours with that latest article.….the associated posts/comments are blowing up about the whole private v public school thing and the point has now been completely missed. This will only make the "Elite school exemption" far less palatable for the feuding ministers - what a mess this has turned into - with the real losers being the boys

I agree. Kings has contradicted the AAGPS announcement made on Friday. It sends a message of disunity to the Health Minister. Kings' announcement to families was clearly meant for the media and the media isn't your friend, Mr George. I disagree with his method. At the end of the day, the question is, will his actions get the boys back on the sport field faster or slower and the answer is slower because his wording is inflammatory + disunity. Some of the wording in his email doesn't achieve anything, "the School has been seeking to work with the NSW Gov...." Kings is a member school of the AAGPS and the AAGPS is member of Independent Schools - why does he think he can go outside his associations to make a point to the gov? "Either ban sport or don't" "double standards", "inequity" does he want all sport to banned? this private school vs public school wording in flaming the fire and unhelpful.
If his email said something like,...Kings and a number of other schools want to continue to play to winter sport but there are some other GPS schools who don't.....but we will keep trying because we think that we can run a covid safe comp....then all is good. Instead, he has made a long and inflammatory announcement via the media which will help no one.

 

[KOB1987]

I agree with the view that it’s probably a last ditch throw at the stumps to get the decision overturned. It has nothing to do with private v public, and everything to do with the fact that there were 5 cases in NSW today, 3 yesterday, etc, etc, and to anyone’s knowledge 0 transmitted through sport since the whole thing started. The crackdown on schools, and sport, and year 12 celebrations, arose from kids at a girls school and their parents going on a religious retreat and breaching all of the Covid rules. Nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with sport, or even responsible socialising.

It’s totally ludicrous.

 

[RaRaMum]

I agree with the view that it’s probably a last ditch throw at the stumps to get the decision overturned. It has nothing to do with private v public, and everything to do with the fact that there were 5 cases in NSW today, 3 yesterday, etc, etc, and to anyone’s knowledge 0 transmitted through sport since the whole thing started. The crackdown on schools, and sport, and year 12 celebrations, arose from kids at a girls school and their parents going on a religious retreat and breaching all of the Covid rules. Nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with sport, or even responsible socialising.

It’s totally ludicrous.

I agree that the situation is totally ludicrous. If the health minister had attended any gps sporting event they would have seen how safe the comp is especially vs other events going on.
It’s not a last ditch effort-if rules aren’t relaxed on 30th sept, then Kings actions could also impact T4 sport.
If winter sport returns because of kings efforts then I’m very happy to be wrong.
If these rules arent relaxed Kings has no other gps or cas schools in its educational region and could be the most impacted. Perhaps that’s why they are taking such as aggressive stance-still don’t think it’s helps Kings or anyone.

 

[formerflanker]

Alan Jones is reporting that "sensible discussions with NSW Health resolved the issue about GPS sport."
That's all I heard.

 

[RaraTragic]

This note went to the CEO of Catholic Schools today from NSW Health. While there is some flexibility around what a region is considered to be and also around the number of schools, it clearly doesn’t apply to GPS Schools since they aren’t Catholic schools (bar 2). Here’s hoping the AAGPS got a more specific letter of their own!View attachment 11771

Definitely a step in the right direction given this is looking at schools as separate to community rugby and pushing it back to the principals to come to an arrangement (within guidelines of course).
I hear that the schools are now petitioning their headmasters to push this along for a resolution to be able to play this Saturday. Fingers crossed

 

[RaraTragic]

Not sure who is a parent, teacher or old boy at what school - but the word is that everyone needs to email the respective headmaster to get them on board for the 2020 season to go ahead.
If anyone has any sway at these schools now is the time to show your support of these year 12 boys (not to mention the 1,000s of other boys) and ask the headmaster to support the commencement of the season.
NSW Health is now on board but the final say remains with the headmasters - gotta assume Kings and Joeys are on board.....can we get the others to agree?

 

[Masked Crusader]

This thread is at risk of turning into a kooky conspiracy blog. Hopefully we have some AAGPS rugby to comment on soon

 

[TheBlumpkinEnthusiast]

Not sure who is a parent, teacher or old boy at what school - but the word is that everyone needs to email the respective headmaster to get them on board for the 2020 season to go ahead.
If anyone has any sway at these schools now is the time to show your support of these year 12 boys (not to mention the 1,000s of other boys) and ask the headmaster to support the commencement of the season.
NSW Health is now on board but the final say remains with the headmasters - gotta assume Kings and Joeys are on board...can we get the others to agree?

Let's get the ball rolling.

 

[Masked Crusader]

Let's get the ball rolling.

If certain schools don’t want to play let them forfeit. Let those that want to compete do so.

 

[KOB1987]

If certain schools don’t want to play let them forfeit. Let those that want to compete do so.

I agree completely. I actually even don't care if all we get out of this is 3 rounds of Kings v Joeys, it's better than nothing. I'm biased though, being a Kings parent, but I honestly hope the other schools all want in.