NSW AAGPS Rugby 2010

[Thismybrotha]

You know what would be funny?

If New lost to Joeys and View, Joeys lost to Shore, and Shore and Scots lost to Kings.

Them it would be a 4 way premeirship between New, Kings, View and Joeys.

 

[oldboy]

Don't see all of that happening

 

[Thismybrotha]

One can dream.

 

[sackballs]

Great report from a great match, it sounds like there were two phenomenal games played this weekend, would have liked to have seen both. In regards to the incident behind the southern goalposts, the two schools old boys' were situated behind the same goal line, at first only resulting in a bit of competitive banter. You could tell both teams old boys were there as there was noise coming from that end regardless of who was kicking, and Joeys flew the 'Class of 95' banner at the start of the second half. I think this is a growing problem in schoolboys rugby, the riverview old boys in 2009 an example of this. There is an on setting trend of old boys going back years after graduating and getting ridiculously smashed, and disgracing their school name. It's double-standards really, these boys come back acing in a manner completely contradicting the values instilled by both these colleges, yet they feel they deserve the right to celebrate the victory, even running onto the field to embrace the players. If anyone should be entering he ground, shouldn't it be the boys who have gone to school with these boys for up to eight years?

But more importantly, I'd like to point out the turn in tide, as I think the most disgraceful act today was at the end of the game. Last year the were complaints that riverview were insensitive when they prolonged their celebrations whilst the joeys team waited to tunnel them off the field, but this year after the riverview team had walked back across the field to thank the crowd and do a cheer, joeys old boys taunted the shattered team, dancing infront of them.

This lack of respect and decency was a drastic change to a school renowned to be so humble in victory or defeat, and just goes to show how it really isn't fair that drunken old boys have the ability to tarnish a schools name to the extent that they do.

Who knows, perhaps we could see another article in the mosman daily arise from this? I'm merely speculating.

 

[northman91]

good to see that there were some great games of rugby this weekend. but i really do hope that newington do not win the premiership. undeserved. how many of these boys have been there since year 7? i can bet you that there will be very few 13As from 2005 in that team. yes i do know that they have natural talented players such as hugh roach. but the other tongan players on scholarships make it such an unfair playing field. i feel bad for the boys in the 2nds who have dreamt of playing in the 1sts since year 7 and get denied there chance because of some boy on a scholarship. they havent developed any of their own talent at all. all that giving scholarships will do is ruin the morale of the rest of the playing group. lets hope joeys can hand it to them next week.

 

[The Blindside]

good to see that there were some great games of rugby this weekend. but i really do hope that newington do not win the premiership. undeserved. how many of these boys have been there since year 7? i can bet you that there will be very few 13As from 2005 in that team. yes i do know that they have natural talented players such as hugh roach. but the other tongan players on scholarships make it such an unfair playing field. i feel bad for the boys in the 2nds who have dreamt of playing in the 1sts since year 7 and get denied there chance because of some boy on a scholarship. they havent developed any of their own talent at all. all that giving scholarships will do is ruin the morale of the rest of the playing group. lets hope joeys can hand it to them next week.

Actually 11 of the Newington team have come up through the age group ranks together. They were first identified as special when they were undefeated in the 14A's some years ago. And yes there are some Tongans in the Newington team but they aren't mercenaries. Joel Luani's father and uncle went to Newington in the 1970's and both were great rugby players. Tongans have been attending Newington since the 1890's. One Tongan lad in the Seconds is third generation. So enough of the scholarship/Tongan garbage - it denigrates a group of boys who have worked hard over many years to get to where they are today.

 

[Spewn]

Would you be able to tell us the four players who did not come up through the ranks?

 

[lincoln]

The question is how many of the XV are on "all-rounder" scholarships, which can start in year 7, not why does Newington have a longstanding relationship with Tonga. I am close to a number of people at the school and it would seem not all of the school favours having these "scholars".

 

[pitbull]

1,3,8 and 12 are on scholarships at newington, the rest of the team have all played rugby for the school since year 7...this scholarship argument got extremely stale on sportal, and as previously mentioned, is quite insensitive in regards to the players themselves. They are talented athletes who are given an opportunity to attend schools that most parents give an arm and leg for, and at the end of the day who cares? Every school has done it in the past, is doing it presently, and will continue to do so in the future.

 

[barbarian]

1,3,8 and 12 are on scholarships at newington, the rest of the team have all played rugby for the school since year 7...this scholarship argument got extremely stale on sportal, and as previously mentioned, is quite insensitive in regards to the players themselves. They are talented athletes who are given an opportunity to attend schools that most parents give an arm and leg for, and at the end of the day who cares? Every school has done it in the past, is doing it presently, and will continue to do so in the future.

I agree about the scholarship argument- it can get tedious and go in circles. However, if I was to give you my four best players yesterday from Newington it would be 1,3,8 and 12. When I found out they were new boys on scholarships my heart sank just a little bit. Whilst I know all the arguments for scholarships and I am certainly not having a go at the boys themselves it is still a bit disappointing to find out the star players aren't Newington born and bred so to speak.

 

[pitbull]

Hugh Roach? Mark Bannon? Mark Baldwin etc.
And what about Brogan Roods...you can hardly argue that those four are newingtons best

 

[barbarian]

Whilst I agree Newington have good players across the park I thought those four were the standouts yesterday. Roods was good but the props were dominant, Luani was dynamic and Apo was titanic.

 

[pitbull]

yeah based on yesterday, I agree with you. I was slightly dissapointed with the kings forwards, with the exception of the second rowers and Reid. Boyd was outclassed by the much younger Pryor-Lees and Connor seemed to dissapear after the first 10 minutes. McCormack was very impressive though, aswell as the wingers.

 

[qwerty51]

Does anyone know why Brogan Roods try was disallowed yesterday? I suspected held-up but a penalty was given?

 

[barbarian]

Yeah it was held up, not sure what the penalty was for. I thought it might have been backchat because some of the boys appeared unhappy with the decision, which I thought was a good one.

 

[sportsfan]

The question is how many of the XV are on "all-rounder" scholarships, which can start in year 7, not why does Newington have a longstanding relationship with Tonga. I am close to a number of people at the school and it would seem not all of the school favours having these "scholars".

Lincoln, appreciate your comment, but lets have a reality check;

A small number of boys are selected in year 6 for all rounder scholarships (which are advertised widely and selected after a transparent and open selection process) for admission in year 7. This process applies to alll GPS schools and the majority of independant schools. Do you think that "hey presto" they all become 1st XV players 4 or 5 years later.? A bit of a stretch dont you think?

Seeing you are "close to a number of people at the school" you will know that yeterday the team included 7 boys who joined Newington in Prep school, they were obviously identified early!

Then there were 4 boys who joined in year 7, rising stars of course, 2 who came in year 9 and 2 who came in year 10 (a big intake year at Joeys Kings and Riverview as well).
8 of these boys have brothers at the school, or followed thier brothers into the school. You would know that also of course.

Part of the fabric of any school community is having a work ethic, team work, loyalty and support for your peers etc. Is there a problem that Newington are getting it right in the last few years?

Northman91 should have a good hard look at himself, re read his post and decide if the comments related to developing talent are fair and reasonable, because to this observer, it is exactly how these boys got themselves in a position to suceed; working together over a number of seasons and developing their game and their skills to be able to match it with the big schools. I'll be very interested to hear the EVIDENCE of anything else (rather than the populist nonsense that generally gets trotted out by supporters of teams that have not been fortunate enough to achieve their own potential). I reckon if you actually ask the boys that play from every school team, they will say they enjoy their footy, enjoy the challenge, and look forward to matching it with the best players in every test.

 

[barbarian]

Thanks for that sportsfan. That makes me feel a lot better about Newington- was cheering for them yesteday and will continue to do so in coming weeks. They play a good style of footy, and it makes a refreshing change to see the premiership not fought out by the usual suspects.

What it also shows is how close the GPS has become. With the sad exception of Grammar every school has had a good crack at the title in the last 5 years.

 

[northman91]

I dont doubt one bit at all that the newington boys have worked their asses off this year and that all 15 of them are the best of mates. I'm glad that newington have been successful as well. Newington this year have developed many of their own players (i.e. roach, bannon etc). But all I am trying to say is that it creates an unfair playing field for the rest of the year group and the other schools when boys on scholarships are brought in. You can't tell me that plays such as ben volavola and apo etc have been at the school since year 7. Dont get me wrong they are probably great blokes but this must damage the morale of the players who were previously in the A teams throughout their age groups when some superstar comes in and takes their place. And i know that newington have a strong relationship with Tonga but how many students are at newington of Tongan descent that arent in the 1st or 2nds rugby? are there and tongans that play soccer or in lower grade rugby teams? and there for academic reasons?

My dad is and old boy from newington and here is an extract from an email that he was sent from Mark Bland (President of ONU):

"The aim of this year's dinner is to raise funds for the ONU scholarship program and there will be a raffle held with a great selection of sports memorabilia prizes. FYI, two of the ONU's current scholarship boys are not only in the First XV but have also been selected in this year's Australian Schoolboys rugby team."

I'm sure that these boys deserve to be in these teams but it is an unworthy claim for newington. (Yes i know Hugh Roach is the other).

But just imagine the excitement that would be going throughout all of the GPS schools right now if Newington had a team full of home grown talent with players such as roach bannon ratcliffe leading the team and still with the success they have at the moment. That would be a truly deserved premiership if they were to remain unbeaten.

 

[PhD96]

good to see that there were some great games of rugby this weekend. but i really do hope that newington do not win the premiership. undeserved. how many of these boys have been there since year 7? i can bet you that there will be very few 13As from 2005 in that team. yes i do know that they have natural talented players such as hugh roach. but the other tongan players on scholarships make it such an unfair playing field. i feel bad for the boys in the 2nds who have dreamt of playing in the 1sts since year 7 and get denied there chance because of some boy on a scholarship. they havent developed any of their own talent at all. all that giving scholarships will do is ruin the morale of the rest of the playing group. lets hope joeys can hand it to them next week.

Yep, there's nothing like sour grapes from the completely uninformed and ignorant. Nothing's as easy as teeing off on kids and their circumstances, particularly when you know nothing about either.

This is a symptom of the envy that surfaces once the traditional dynamics of GPS Rugby shift a little.

The one feature in all of these discussions is the complete absence of posts from Newington students and for that, they need to be congratulated. Best to leave it to the usual suspects

 

[mostlikely]

Just so we are all clear
Boyd Killingworth- Kings scholarship
Benn Melrose- Kings scholarship
Tom Connor- Kings Scholarship
Ed Wylie- Kings Scholarship
im not sure guy millar may also be on a scholarship