Joeys have 1000 students
Barker have 2,100 students.
Tradition. dedication and expectation are the hallmarks of Joeys rugby.
NSW CAS Rugby 2021
- Thread starter rod skellet
- Start date
Joeys have 1000 students
Barker have 2,100 students.
Tradition. dedication and expectation are the hallmarks of Joeys rugby.
rod skellet
Desmond Connor (43)
As a reasonably well connected ex Barker student, I can reliably inform all GnG contributors and readers that Barker did not pull out of this weeks game against Shore. Students coaches and senior staff were surprised when the information was relayed. 1st XV matches are planed well in advance and this game was in both CAS & GPS schools calendars.
If anyone thinks its in Barkers interest or the students desire, to play a U18 colts fixture at 1.30pm rather than heading down to Shores ground at Northbridge to take on a school with a wonderful rugby heritage clearly has no idea on the passion within Barker rugby.
Hard working sports masters from all schools do a admirable job week in week out to ensure all teams get games against appropriate opposition. Usually that is against the school in the calendar, but when you come up against a wonderful school like Joeys which has amazing depth through all age groups then things get a bit jumbled.
In terms of last weeks games against Joeys from Barkers perspective, hindsight suggests that maybe the Barker 13As should have played the Joeys As. This was a call made by sports masters and coaches and was agreed in advance.
It is not our position to criticise sports masters who really do have the best interests of all students at heart here.
Pulling a 1st XV game 5 days out is pretty unusual, unless it is a player wellfare issue.
If the reason is as some here suggest that Shore had other things planned that day, then it is pretty poor communication, not only with Barker but with their GPS rivals.
If anyone thinks its in Barkers interest or the students desire, to play a U18 colts fixture at 1.30pm rather than heading down to Shores ground at Northbridge to take on a school with a wonderful rugby heritage clearly has no idea on the passion within Barker rugby.
Hard working sports masters from all schools do a admirable job week in week out to ensure all teams get games against appropriate opposition. Usually that is against the school in the calendar, but when you come up against a wonderful school like Joeys which has amazing depth through all age groups then things get a bit jumbled.
In terms of last weeks games against Joeys from Barkers perspective, hindsight suggests that maybe the Barker 13As should have played the Joeys As. This was a call made by sports masters and coaches and was agreed in advance.
It is not our position to criticise sports masters who really do have the best interests of all students at heart here.
Pulling a 1st XV game 5 days out is pretty unusual, unless it is a player wellfare issue.
If the reason is as some here suggest that Shore had other things planned that day, then it is pretty poor communication, not only with Barker but with their GPS rivals.
Geez, I was going to report the claim that tax payer funds are being used to fund scholarships at Barker to the Feds - and you went and destroyed the evidence!
AroundTheAnkles
Banned
A Shore Parent with a boy in one of the games concerned told me at least three weeks ago that Shore would not be playing Barker and that the reasons why had been communicated clearly. For Barker to be claiming it is a last minute surprise is a bit silly. Perhaps Barker don't want to acknowledge the reason behind the decision and perhaps they thought Shore wouldn't follow through. Either way there should not be a shocking surprise about any of this.
Crashy
John Solomon (38)
You do realise that half of Barker is also made up of girls who do not appear to play rugby in the boys teams.....
Flavio
Ward Prentice (10)
There is one girl playing in the 14A's !!!!
About third are girls but when you limit the number of Soccer teams to 2 as does Joeys and the demographic profile of the two schools it does allow a much larger pool of rugby players to draw from.
AroundTheAnkles
Banned
Barker4Peat
Stan Wickham (3)
Just want everyone to understand that what I said about "going against Snort's rules" was a comedic joke, not sure if you older fella's understand that sort of thing.
Flavio
Ward Prentice (10)
Thats not what I was told from a Joeys dad
Assuming +103 is not a typo ... feel free to call me soft, but...
I don't understand how the Joeys coaches, sports department, parents & school could let a score like that happen in an under 13's trial match. Given they are a fantastic rugby nursery with an amazing rugby history, I would have thought that they would have more respect for the game than to let that happen. I wonder how many St Pat's boys, siblings & parents have now been lost to rugby. If it meant that Joey's had to go out of their way to actively stop trying to score tries, then so be it.
The other thing that amazes me is what would St Pat's say to the parents if a boy was severely injured at, say, 90-0. It would be a case of gross negligence too me.
And no, this is not the fault of the 12 year old Joey's players...
Well it is a bit of both really.
As someone who has had a association with the College now over 45 years, I have been informed by the sportsmaster that is a combination of the following.
1. Students who attend Joeys know that Rugby is Religion and Football is supported. Hence when you go to Joeys, you generally want to play Rugby as everyone else is doing so. Hence team numbers are low.
2. Joeys say that there will say three teams in Under 13. Some parents who have no formal Saturday sport experience often will want their son to play in a code that exposes them to the whole "Joeys experience" and they chose rugby. Those who are fine footballers will go and play anyway.
3. In the senior years with bigger numbers, they still can only make four teams. The A team genrally can hold their own, but when a B or C team play another school's B or C team (and they have massive football teams) Joeys get flogged. Even A teams sometimes get walloped like the Joeys 15A's who lost 12-0 to Newington in 2018.
Am guessing that as a proud Joey's old boy, you are deep down not comfortable with a score like this. The wonderful history and tradition of the Joeys rugby program doesn't benefit from games like this.
Everyone involved in rugby needs to understand that we are all following a sport which is increasingly shrinking and collectively we need to consider what we can do to help stop that. Allowing genuine floggings at the school (and club level) is not the way forward.
AroundTheAnkles
Banned
Yes, 100%, this group of boys is desperate for a hard game. They might get it this weekend vs Oakhill. To be honest, the mismatch bs Barker would have been much worse and they seriously put the breaks on in the second half anyway.
Number 7
Darby Loudon (17)
Shore just put out a message about why the game isnt being played. I will paraphrase it:
1. Shore had a planned offsite for 1sts/2nds scheduled for this weekend. I know this is right because it was flagged in writing by the HO Rugby at the start of the season, albeit with no date mentioned apart from it was going to be on a Saturday mid-trials.
2. Shore offered Barker a game at 10am this Saturday in the form of a combined 1sts/2nds trial. Barker refused this offer.
3. The communication about whether there would be a 1sts or 2nds game came out late as there was apologies included in the comms, noting they had been trying to negotiate a game for 1sts/2nds.
What doesn't make sense is why it has taken until a week before the scheduled game for this to come to a head and why Shore could only offer a combined 1sts/2nd trial (rather than 2x full games).
Anyway Shore will play Barker across all other age groups from 3rds down.
Haha yep I saw it first hand in the mid 90's at Barker. Following the stellar early 90's / centenary teams; 95-97 were lean years at Barker - not helped by people like Ryan Cross carving up the field + the excellent Cranbrook 95 team. Anyway I think those years seemed to be the catalyst for improving the Barker Rugby program; as it certainly became more professional in late 90's. And yeah - I remember watching Shore pump us by 90 odd points or something ridiculous at Northbridge in 97 courtesy of Phil Waugh & Hercus. It's clear the school's approach to "recruiting" players has changed from my day when there was staunch opposition to do this. But hey, if you can't beat 'em, join em. The Marist boys have been doing it forever, so seems like a level playing field to me.
WTF?
Tom Lawton (22)
Thanks Number 7, Shore offered 4 x 20 minute quarters, 2 for the 1sts and 2 for the seconds. You can see why Barker refused - hardly a stellar preparation/trial for the upcoming season.
Anyway, good luck to all teams this weekend, I hope that some great rugby is played by all, no blow outs and no injuries.
Hankspank
Larry Dwyer (12)
Saturday should be good rugby all round. Joeys may give Oakhill a touch up but from an ISA perspective with Joeys 2nds playing St Augustines both schools will get a good look at each other. Joeys set the benchmark in regards to rugby development from Yr7 - 12 each year (will also include Riverview in that). Others must be very good at developing the boys later in their school careers.
The younger age divisions will be very interesting as Oaks have been belting most in all divisions in yr's 7 , 8 & 9
The younger age divisions will be very interesting as Oaks have been belting most in all divisions in yr's 7 , 8 & 9