NSW AAGPS 2024

[ItsNotPink]

3rd XV Round 1 Preview
Well the wait is finally over, and the 3rd XV competition starts this Saturday 1 June.
Eight teams; seven rounds and another chance for one of these schools to lift the Col Windon Shield in August.

Scots 3rd XV v Joeys 3rd XV
An absolute blockbuster to open the season as defending premiers Scots take on last year’s joint runner up, Joeys at Bellevue Hill. Scots have performed well through the trials and will need to be at their best to defeat this strong Joeys side that has really switched into top gear in recent weeks, playing with pace and precision. This should be a classic match at Bellevue Hill in front of a big Scots home crowd. It will be no surprise to my regular readers that I am tipping the Cerise & Blue by a converted try.
Joeys by 7

Riverview 3rd XV v High 1st XV
Riverview have also been trialling well and will certainly prove too much for a Sydney Boys High 1st XV that was beaten convincingly by Joeys 3rds last week. The High 1sts are a team of great character and determination but will be playing a strong Riverview side who are almost certain to open their campaign with a big win.
Riverview by a lot

Kings 3rd XV v Grammar 1st XV
An intriguing match-up at Gowan Brae with both sides having lost their most recent trials. Kings copped a heavy defeat from Shore last week while Grammar lost by a similar margin to St Pats 1sts. It appears that Grammar may have been facing tougher opposition in recent trials so I think they can notch their first win here, but it could go either way.
Grammar by 3

Shore 3rd XV v TAS 1st XV
We have seen very little of The Armidale School in the trial season and it’s really hard to know how they are going. They had an early loss to Kinross and now they make the first of four trips to Sydney for this season, to play Shore at Northbridge and I think it should be an interesting match. Shore are coming off good wins over Kings and Knox and I like their chances, but TAS always puts up a good contest in this competition.
Shore by 5

Good luck to all players for the competition ahead.
INP

 

[ItsNotPink]

Good luck to the 1st and 2nd XI and the 3rd XV teams who start their competition this weekend. Does anyone have any predictions in regards to these competitions.

Yes. I just posted the 3rd XV preview as I usually do. You wont see soccer discussion on this forum (usually).

 

[CasualObserver]

Pp

Agree but the reality is private schools prep rugby quality is low. I’d take the Gordon and Norths juniors any day of the week. Kings fed by Parramatta and Eastwood of whom very few find their way (directly ) to Kings.

Rugby used to be the only winter sport offered at Kings Prep. I understand that this is no longer the case.

 

[CasualObserver]

Joeys has more than one soccer team per age group.

It would be very helpful if people refrained from making up BS stories about Joeys to support their flawed arguments.

Facts matter

You are correct:
Opens - 6 teams
16s - two teams
15s - one team
14s - two team
13s - two teams

 

[moa999]

WTF did GPS sports masters ever let AFL invade their sporting programs? Letting soccer in all those years ago was bad enough, but AFL?

Put simply $s from the AFL for coaching and equipment.. and pressure from some well connected parents who grew up playing it

 

[blindsideflanker92]

GPS schools need to cut all funding for soccer and AFL programs and bring the GPS schools back to their roots. Bring GPS footy back to the glory days

 

[Darth Maul]

Yes. I just posted the 3rd XV preview as I usually do. You wont see soccer discussion on this forum (usually).

Gods work

 

[CasualObserver]

Don’t think so, looks like 2023 was the first and only firsts tennis for SJC.

You are correct. I think i was getting it mixed up with the 2nds that went back-to-back in 1977, 1978, 1979 & 1980.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

King's, Grammar and Newington all have two prep schools while Joeys and High don't have one. Correct me if I'm wrong but Riverview's junior school starts in year 5. E, G, K, N and S start their rugby programs well before the other three, they should be much better in the 13s and 14s.

WTF did GPS sports masters ever let AFL invade their sporting programs? Letting soccer in all those years ago was bad enough, but AFL?

The AFL pump millions into Aus Kick and get 4 year olds into the game. Some of these kids naturally get enrolled into Schools and they want to play the sport they grew up with and may have never played Rugby before.

Whether we like it or not the Schools are accommodating the customer.

 

[Hardyardmenrugby]

Gps 1st XV 2024:

1. Lavercombe (K)
2. Warner (E)
3. Taggart (J)
4. Brial (S) C
5. Fonua (K)
6. Logan (J)
7. LeMaitre (E) VC
8. Taumoepeau (J)
9. Grover (I)
10. Bassingthwaighte (E)
11. Makasini (N)
12. Gough (J)
13. Hartman (I)
14. Mackenzie (S)
15. Jacques (S)


16. Fowler (J)
17. Graham (I)
18. Greer (J)
19. Callaghan (E)
20. Baxter (E)
21. Rodwell (N)
22. Conick (E)
23. Tombs (J)

I expect controversy so feel free to speak your mind, but I also thought I'd give a bit of reasoning. What previous predictions have failed to do is also factor in the likely preferences of coaches. Lavercombe and Warner I beleive to be locks. Osborne (I) deserves a mention as he is lifting the riverview forward pack and playing great footy, but I think a year in the 2s will be the approach as he still has next year to acheive that GPS 1sts jersey. Currently, Taumoepeau is the best 8 in the comp. Regardless, it's almost impossible to leave Brial out due to previous performance and the fact he's still playing well. I give Fonua the edge over competitors, but captain of the dominant looking joeys side Greer and Shore's powerhouse Baxter will be making statements for this a jersey. With Cleverly (N) injured, Logan takes the 6 jersey maybe for good performing outstandingly so far. LeMaitre's versatile impact can't be overlooked, also a lock IMO. HM Dempsey (I) who I believe will take this jersey in the future. Grover's a lock IMO. Bassingthwaite takes #10, I don't think he's had a game without scoring. Could make a serious argument for fowler but what would give him the edge is his kicking game, something I don't think is needed with a backline filled with strong kickers. Gough has been a key player for a dominant joeys side IMO making him the front runner but Conick and Fenwicke are looking to conquer that. Hartman playing well just as predicted. If we see him on the wing doing what he did last year I think Mackenzie will take the #14 jersey. Regardless of team performance I've still got Jacques at 15. Let me know what you think fellas.

 

[Flat out]

You are correct:
Opens - 6 teams
16s - two teams
15s - one team
14s - two team
13s - two teams

I would not have posted my comment if it was not correct - there are already too many clowns posting BS on this site.

 

[FastNFurious]

The AFL pump millions into Aus Kick and get 4 year olds into the game. Some of these kids naturally get enrolled into Schools and they want to play the sport they grew up with and may have never played Rugby before.

Whether we like it or not the Schools are accommodating the customer.

The customer? Quiet man. The schools are supposed to be helping these boys develop into fine young men. It’s a complete dereliction of duty to not take the opportunity to correct the error of exposing the lad to that southern game made by the parents in the most formative years. It takes a village after all and it’s a foul taste in my mouth that we err to leave these young men on a life path guided by a game that is so soft you can play it in a singlet.

 

[Goosestep]

GPS schools need to cut all funding for soccer and AFL programs and bring the GPS schools back to their roots. Bring GPS footy back to the glory days

The Main object of GPS schools is to foster the talent and education of the students, no matter what sport they do … GPS isn’t a branch of RA, (even thought it’s technically its best development system ) .

And again, I use Joeys as the example, They dominate rugby , but are also successful at soccer … So this proves offering other sports doesn’t hurt your rugby program.

 

[Flat out]

The people who complain the most about kids doing something other than rugby within the GPS schools, were typically the low achieving players themselves.

 

[Horseprop]

The Main object of GPS schools is to foster the talent and education of the students, no matter what sport they do … GPS isn’t a branch of RA, (even thought it’s technically its best development system ) .

And again, I use Joeys as the example, They dominate rugby , but are also successful at soccer … So this proves offering other sports doesn’t hurt your rugby program.

I think that's a very fair point. Joeys also won Head of the River too...

 

[GottaLoveFooty]

Gps 1st XV 2024:

1. Lavercombe (K)
2. Warner (E)
3. Taggart (J)
4. Brial (S) C
5. Fonua (K)
6. Logan (J)
7. LeMaitre (E) VC
8. Taumoepeau (J)
9. Grover (I)
10. Bassingthwaighte (E)
11. Makasini (N)
12. Gough (J)
13. Hartman (I)
14. Mackenzie (S)
15. Jacques (S)


16. Fowler (J)
17. Graham (I)
18. Greer (J)
19. Callaghan (E)
20. Baxter (E)
21. Rodwell (N)
22. Conick (E)
23. toombs (J)

I expect controversy so feel free to speak your mind, but I also thought I'd give a bit of reasoning. What previous predictions have failed to do is also factor in the likely preferences of coaches. Lavercombe and Warner I beleive to be locks. Osborne (I) deserves a mention as he is lifting the riverview forward pack and playing great footy, but I think a year in the 2s will be the approach as he still has next year to acheive that GPS 1sts jersey. Currently, Taumoepeau is the best 8 in the comp. Regardless, it's almost impossible to leave Brial out due to previous performance and the fact he's still playing well. I give Fonua the edge over competitors, but captain of the dominant looking joeys side Greer and Shore's powerhouse Baxter will be making statements for this a jersey. With Cleverly (N) injured, Logan takes the 6 jersey maybe for good performing outstandingly so far. LeMaitre's versatile impact can't be overlooked, also a lock IMO. HM Dempsey (I) who I believe will take this jersey in the future. Grover's a lock IMO. Bassingthwaite takes #10, I don't think he's had a game without scoring. Could make a serious argument for fowler but what would give him the edge is his kicking game, something I don't think is needed with a backline filled with strong kickers. Gough has been a key player for a dominant joeys side IMO making him the front runner but Conick and Fenwicke are looking to conquer that. Hartman playing well just as predicted. If we see him on the wing doing what he did last year I think Mackenzie will take the #14 jersey. Regardless of team performance I've still got Jacques at 15. Let me know what you think fellas.

No Hasani Bloomfield (K)?

 

[TheMaulester]

heard from my good mate sam gregory, hes been having some technical issues on the forum for the past few weeks, looking to get it sorted ASAP.
@Joker His tips are - Shore +10, Scots +7 and Joeys +10

 

[CasualObserver]

The AFL pump millions into Aus Kick and get 4 year olds into the game. Some of these kids naturally get enrolled into Schools and they want to play the sport they grew up with and may have never played Rugby before.

Whether we like it or not the Schools are accommodating the customer.

Given the existing rugby cultures and traditions, if the rugby programs and overall level of competition is strong then kids will be attracted to rugby regardless of what they played beforehand. Joeys have loads of AFL kids including lots of Swans Academy kids that choose to play rugby because they want to be a part of it and enjoy training and playing with mates at a good level. Riverview has similar kids and they have some very passionate coaches that take it serious. They have attracted kids back to rugby and now go down to the G's in many age groups.

From the outside it looks like Newington rugby is losing kids to other sports through the kids' frustration, not through them having a burning desire to play soccer or AFL. No kid enjoys losing by 50+ every week to teams that train, prepare and playing at a more serious level. Joeys As and Bs teams train 4-6 times a week and the boys work very hard to be selected and stay in these squads. Having spoken to parents of NC kids, they would love to match that level of commitment but there does not seem to be the opportunity, structure nor desire to do it. If their sporting commitments aren't taken seriously by the school itself then how can they expect the kids to commit, and as a result they are playing other sports so they can muck around with mates and win some games.

 

[Mungo1866]

Joker
Joeys 12+
riverview 6+
shore 12+

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

The customer? Quiet man. The schools are supposed to be helping these boys develop into fine young men. It’s a complete dereliction of duty to not take the opportunity to correct the error of exposing the lad to that southern game made by the parents in the most formative years. It takes a village after all and it’s a foul taste in my mouth that we err to leave these young men on a life path guided by a game that is so soft you can play it in a singlet.

"Customer" doesn't inherently mean anything negative about either side. You are just the recipient of of a product or service.

Given the existing rugby cultures and traditions, if the rugby programs and overall level of competition is strong then kids will be attracted to rugby regardless of what they played beforehand. Joeys have loads of AFL kids including lots of Swans Academy kids that choose to play rugby because they want to be a part of it and enjoy training and playing with mates at a good level. Riverview has similar kids and they have some very passionate coaches that take it serious. They have attracted kids back to rugby and now go down to the G's in many age groups.

From the outside it looks like Newington rugby is losing kids to other sports through the kids' frustration, not through them having a burning desire to play soccer or AFL. No kid enjoys losing by 50+ every week to teams that train, prepare and playing at a more serious level. Joeys As and Bs teams train 4-6 times a week and the boys work very hard to be selected and stay in these squads. Having spoken to parents of NC kids, they would love to match that level of commitment but there does not seem to be the opportunity, structure nor desire to do it. If their sporting commitments aren't taken seriously by the school itself then how can they expect the kids to commit, and as a result they are playing other sports so they can muck around with mates and win some games.

I can't stand Aussie Rules and have been pleased to hear Rugby teams are growing in some schools but I also don't have an issue with it being an option. I don't really think it's a talent stealer like Rugby wouldn't be at Xavier in Melbourne.

Best thing Rugby can do is focus on it's own product to survive and thrive. I worry it's more a long term issue about sport participation if you aren't considered elite at something. Look at community sport and it's slowly withering away. Off topic now.