The Ghost of Raelene
Simon Poidevin (60)
Righto BudHe is not a good player
Righto BudHe is not a good player
It's crazy to think that their still missing 2 Roosters/Waratah players- Blake Steep and Grayson Reimer.To say that's he's not a good player and not back it up with anything at all is crazy if you watch the Scots, Gen blue and roosters games from the past couple years you'll know he's definitely a gun player. I haven't been able to seen all the scot's games this year but from what I have watched he's been very impactful in my opinion. I think Scot's can use him/their whole backline in a different way as it's a top tier back line which hasn't performed as well as it could this season. I'm keen to see how they go in the last 4 games.
ThiapThese days it is all too complicated with Gen this and that with Under 18 this with NSW Schools and Presidents.
I still have no idea which is the best level. Is it Gen Blue, NSW 1 or NSW Under 18 or Aus Schoolboys?
Will someone ever do a flow chart starting with school at the top and then work downwards.
To my old and failing eyes it seems that the best team a schoolboy can make is no longer Aus Schools.
ln the old days it was simple.
School----->AAGPS (1, 2 or 3) ----> NSW (1 or 2)-----> Australian Schoolboys
Example. David Azar in 1995
View attachment 16711View attachment 16712View attachment 16713View attachment 16710
still not sharp enough. Compare our pathways to what is on offer in France and the UK etc. It is little wonder that Aust and NZ U20’s were thumped on Thursday night by France and Ireland. We are falling behind very quickly. A proper U20’s Super comp needs to happen quickly. Otherwise in 20 years we will look back with regret.Should be a simple two-route pathway for schools and/or U18. Having a combined GenBlue U18 squad has taken any prestige out of the NSW and Aust schools pathway. They are only U18 and can still have both opportunities with a simple tweak:
1. Schools - via NSW I/II to Aust Schools Championships with the best schoolboys at the tournament and trying to get selected in the Australian Schoolboys team.
2. U18 XV's - a NSW U18 XV made up of all the boys either not at school, or at a school with no pathway, or finished school last year but only U17 (i.e. picked after City vs Country).
This would provide 60 boys for the Waratahs to call 'GenBlue' and have a look at anyway in the off season for the following years U19 Championships teams (37 from NSW Schools I & 2, and 23 from the NSW U18 XV). More than enough without all the disruption of the current system.
They can even play 'Australian Schoolboys' vs 'Australian U18 XV' match annually if they need to select a combined schools and U18 side (which seems the trend).
You’d be surprised. At U18 Gen Blue are getting better at not picking players that are already either confirmed NRL recruits or biased towards it. That doesn’t mean a few won’t get through but retention is a focus.Nah I don’t. Could go through the Colts/Grade team sheets and try figure it out but I reckon it’s a lot less than what you’d want.
This makes sense.100%. Let all the best schoolboys play in the Aust Schools championships. It still goes ahead these days anyway but has been massively devalued.
The U18 two pathways ('schools' vs 'U18 the rest') can come together at the end of the year, rather than in the middle of the year, and form the wider squad the the U19's next year.
Absolutely. I was on the thinking path that there are a number of boys that just stop playing all together by the time there 20/21 which is a shame.You’d be surprised. At U18 Gen Blue are getting better at not picking players that are already either confirmed NRL recruits or biased towards it. That doesn’t mean a few won’t get through but retention is a focus.
I agree Aus Schools holds a special place in Rugby but I fully support the move to Aus U18s.This makes sense.
The Aus Schoolboys was once seen as the cream of the schoolboy crop. It was a sense of pride if your school produced 1 or 103 (as in Joeys case). Such a shame.
Here is the best Aussie Schools team of all time. Recognize any famous faces? Can you pick the year? Was this Australia’s greatest rugby team? You can very easily argue that it is- not just because of their exceptional record, but more importantly that how they performed had such a major impact on the local game.
View attachment 16716
Will do my best but sometimes ( especially today) I get a little caught up in the gameA small request.
If anyone is watching the schools/Gen/Under 18 (whatever it is) today, could you please kindly update those who do not have access with scores.
As someone who sat for four games at Knox, posting updates, a little love this way would be appreciated.
Anybody?
JokerA small request.
If anyone is watching the schools/Gen/Under 18 (whatever it is) today, could you please kindly update those who do not have access with scores.
As someone who sat for four games at Knox, posting updates, a little love this way would be appreciated.
Anybody?