NSW JRU State Championships & Representative Teams 2013

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^ At least I am not the only one.

The reality is that at Under 16 and 17 level, the boys know who is a good player and who is not so good.

They also know which players are getting unfair advantages, and can see through most shams.

Despite not listening to their parents much, they actually know a lot more than Adults give them credit for.

Behaviours like this only serve to confirm how out of touch the current junior structures are, and will only play into the hands of the reformers from ARU who seem hell bent on restructuring and reorganising the junior environment.

In terms of a yet another trial, are the people at SJRU aware that ARU guidelines limit kids to no more than 90 minutes game time per day? Having this rather silly trial is only going to force the players to choose between playing their club games on Sunday (or CCC/ISA/CHS School trials) and having another tilt to prove themselves in front of the selectors yet again.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a number of kids decide to give the Trial a miss, preferring the Schools pathway.

The favoured boys will then get to strut around proudly in their SJRU strip while they get dusted up by the Country boys.

Little surprise that Opens Junior Club rugby is in the shape that it is in.

 

[Kama]

We know that once boys start their secondary schooling (& often in new schools) they want to play with their 'mates' which means some movement between village clubs and I believe should be acceptable.

What is not acceptable is when active 'recruitment' occurs to win tournaments which is especially gaulish is when it occurs in young age groups U11/12/13s. What is alleged at Lindfield has teken this 'recruitment' to new levels when players are being 'paid' on a weekly basis (albeit in food vouchers) and they need to travel from the other end of the Sydney basin.

The point that has been slightly missed here is that the current Manly U12 team who won the grand final against Gordon on the weekend ( and the U11 final against Gordon last year) with local Manly players have beaten Gordon in the U10, U11 and U12. They were well supported and had a great team spirit.

 

[Sideline Eye]

Interesting timeshifting going on at SJRU web site.

Pretty sure that earlier today the 41 nominated U17 trialists were required for a game on Friday night at 6:30 pm. I now see that this has moved to Sunday night at 6 30 pm.

This imposes an interesting workload on the selected boys. Most are playing either Colts or junior club games this weekend. Some have School games, and a couple have School representative games.

Those playing SJRU Opens A have games on Sunday 16 June starting as late as 3:40 pm at Porter Reserve. They are then expected to high tail it across town to Dural by 6:30 pm to play a trial match for selection for the Sydney Team.

Any boys in CHS I or II , ISA I or II or CCC will also be having a NSW Schools Trial Match at Pittwater Park on Sunday Afternoon.

I hear the Sydney trial game may now be moved to the evening of Friday 21st at Dural. This is an even worse option than this Sunday, given the Schools match schedule for Friday 21st at Knox:

CNTY V AICES 10.30AM
GPS III V CCC 11.40AM
CAS II V ISA II 12.50AM
GPS II V CHS II 2PM
CAS I V ISA I 3.10PM
CHSI V GPS I 4.20pm

A number of boys in the Sydney Team trial squad will be playing in these matches (at least 6 by my count, probably more).

Apart from backing up for a potentially 'make-or-break' trial match (presumably around 15 boys need to be cut from the Sydney squad) after a major game earlier in the day, some boys in the Sydney Team trial squad might not make the game at Dural (ISA I and II, and CHS I & II - given all of IIs reserve for Is).

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I hear the Sydney trial game may now be moved to the evening of Friday 21st at Dural. This is an even worse option than this Sunday, given the Schools match schedule for Friday 21st at Knox:

CNTY V AICES 10.30AM
GPS III V CCC 11.40AM
CAS II V ISA II 12.50AM
GPS II V CHS II 2PM
CAS I V ISA I 3.10PM
CHSI V GPS I 4.20pm

A number of boys in the Sydney Team trial squad will be playing in these matches (at least 6 by my count, probably more).

Apart from backing up for a potentially 'make-or-break' trial match (presumably around 15 boys need to be cut from the Sydney squad) after a major game earlier in the day, some boys in the Sydney Team trial squad won't even make a 6.30pm game at Dural (ISA I and II, and CHS I & II - given all of IIs reserve for Is).

Just move it under lights @ Knox!
They can put the mungoballers up on the big screen - dont think there's any Heaven's Game that night

 

[Sideline Eye]

Just move it under lights @ Knox!
They can put the mungoballers up on the big screen - dont think there's any Heaven's Game that night

Hopefully the Curagul ground at North Turramurra has lights (does it ???) because the 4.20 CHSI v GPSI match will certainly need them - full time whistle due around 5.35pm. Sunset that day will be 4:53pm.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Classic move from Juniors to reschedule to a day when the "better" boys are all involved in Rep School footy.

This just gets funnier and funnier. I am almost lost for words.

It is almost as if we are part of the set of "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" with the SJRU collectively playing the role of Frank Spencer.

I really love Junior Village Club footy and would love to see it thrive, but fair dinkum, these guys are madder than tree full of Galahs and make it bloody difficult to support anything that they do.

We are in for a great treat of farcical absurdity when the horse trading starts over the SJRU vs NSW Schools Team allocations in the Under 16's.

Little wonder that the ARU are looking to reform (or remove) the National Under 16's Championships.

Might as well send the surrender note for the Under 17's to NSW Country Juniors now.

 

[the baz]

Classic move from Juniors to reschedule to a day when the "better" boys are all involved in Rep School footy.

This just gets funnier and funnier. I am almost lost for words.

It is almost as if we are part of the set of "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" with the SJRU collectively playing the role of Frank Spencer.

I really love Junior Village Club footy and would love to see it thrive, but fair dinkum, these guys are madder than tree full of Galahs and make it bloody difficult to support anything that they do.

We are in for a great treat of farcical absurdity when the horse trading starts over the SJRU vs NSW Schools Team allocations in the Under 16's.

Little wonder that the ARU are looking to reform (or remove) the National Under 16's Championships.

Might as well send the surrender note for the Under 17's to NSW Country Juniors now.

don't send the surrender note just yet Hugh. Country is in just as bad a state. My understanding is that the ARU are looking to reform the nationals, having a NSW 1&2. And with the 17's, Country have had many pull out already. The country players are looking to sydney and schools for a "proper" pathway, as the country program is not well thought out. We certainly do want to encourage both village rugby and country club rugby to thrive, but until we get better administrators of both, this will not occur. Time for some direction and guidance ARU.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I have also heard that ARU are gunning for reform at Nationals as well.

If you and I have heard this, then the Colonel Blimps running Junior Rugby in NSW must also have heard similar. Instead of doing anything about it and taking control of their own destiny, they seem to be doing their absolute best to make themselves totally irrelevant.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Hopefully the Curagul ground at North Turramurra has lights (does it ???) because the 4.20 CHSI v GPSI match will certainly need them - full time whistle due around 5.35pm. Sunset that day will be 4:53pm.

Sure does - from memory

 

[Inside Shoulder]

http://www.knox.nsw.edu.au/senior-campus.html

 

[Rahrah]

Here's an idea...why don't the selectors and administrators man-up, admit they have handled this poorly, announce an U17 Syd team based on the ample opportunity they had to view players at the State Champs and get on with training so they can whip some Country butt.

 

[Sideline Eye]

http://www.knox.nsw.edu.au/senior-campus.html

View attachment 3740

Nice, ... except this is a picture of the main oval in the Knox school grounds ("KG1 Oval, located on the Senior School campus, is pictured" ). The schedule of matches on Friday 21st are slated to take place at the Curagul field, which is out on Bobbin Head Road in North Turramurra, corner of Curagul Road. I don't think this field has lights - can't see any light poles in Google Earth Street View. Anyone got a torch?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Rahrah, look out your window.

See any of these?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Nice, . except this is a picture of the main oval in the Knox school grounds ("KG1 Oval, located on the Senior School campus, is pictured" ). The schedule of matches on Friday 21st are slated to take place at the Curagul field, which is out on Bobbin Head Road in North Turramurra, corner of Curagul Road. I don't think this field has lights - can't see any light poles in Google Earth Street View. Anyone got a torch?

Wouldnt rely on Google earth there's no lights on the main field either on google earth.
Pretty sure no lights down there.
Doesnt that mean the last game even as presently scheduled will be in the dark?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Here's an idea.why don't the selectors and administrators man-up, admit they have handled this poorly, announce an U17 Syd team based on the ample opportunity they had to view players at the State Champs and get on with training so they can whip some Country butt.

I'm assuming that you are associated with the Manly boys. Let me offer my congratulations. I really enjoyed watching your boys play at St Lukes and at TG Millner. They just seemed to be having fun and played an attractive brand of footy, although they could work on their kicking from hand. It was a little erratic at times.

I think the selectors may have been looking for reasons to select their pre-anointed ones rather than selecting the best of the product on display. Your mob in their borrowed jerseys, paint splattered tarp, and schoolboy coach have embarrassed them a little. Interesting that some boys from districts without teams entered in the champs got off their chuff and registered with your team, whereas the 2 lads from Hobbitsville somehow have special exemption status.

There didn't seem to be such special treatment granted to the Randwick Under 16 boys last year - This is the same team that has folded and is not in the U17's after being involved in a very public incident down in the Shire. As far as I know the boy in question still has not been given any opportunity to account for his actions in front of a rugby judiciary. Read all about it in the Schoolboy Rugby Violence Thread.

There are no Jarses involved with that former Coogee Seahorses U16 team, so the only axe that I am grinding is one of a fair go and level playing field. Rugby is a small world and I do know a couple of the parents in the Seahorses, and a couple of the shoeless ones from the Shire as well. They are all fairly decent folk.

Back to the "trials" palavar, from what I saw your mob probably deserved a few more players nominated in the squad than are listed, and IMHO several other mobs are significantly over represented based on individual performances that I saw over the weekend.

I might be on a crusade and are likely to be as successful as breaking wind in the face of thunder, however I will say cream rises to the top and unlike the sh!t full of air that also floats, cream doesn't smell.

The MMM would be well advised to lock your boys up in their colts programme quick smart. There are some keepers there.

As Captain James T Kirk is rumoured to have said, "Beam me up Scotty. There is no sign of intelligent life here."

 

[blackie]

don't send the surrender note just yet Hugh. Country is in just as bad a state. My understanding is that the ARU are looking to reform the nationals, having a NSW 1&2. And with the 17's, Country have had many pull out already. The country players are looking to sydney and schools for a "proper" pathway, as the country program is not well thought out. We certainly do want to encourage both village rugby and country club rugby to thrive, but until we get better administrators of both, this will not occur. Time for some direction and guidance ARU.

Your assessment of Country Rugby is a bit harsh.

At least they have been able to select a team after seeing the same number of games as Sydney Juniors. Four good players have pulled out and have been replaced by another four good players who are grateful for the opportunity.They have held their All Age Training Camp and played a trial game, they tour Victoria in July for games against Victoria A and B.

While some of last years incumbents did not participate at this years Country Championships, they were never guaranteed a position in this years Country team as was the case with a number of last years team who did participate and were not selected.

While there are always hard luck stories with good players missing out at least the Country selectors are consistent with the winning zone providing the most players.

I would suggest the Country Administration is a long way ahead of their Sydney counterparts.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

blackie look out for those Mexicans.

They were a very competitive bunch at the U16's, and if the Country boys take them lightly, they will find themselves frequently under their own goalposts waiting for the conversion to be taken.

Rugby tours. Stuff of legends. They boys will enjoy it regardless of the outcome. Good luck to them.

 

[Rugby Mum]

Your assessment of Country Rugby is a bit harsh.

At least they have been able to select a team after seeing the same number of games as Sydney Juniors. Four good players have pulled out and have been replaced by another four good players who are grateful for the opportunity.They have held their All Age Training Camp and played a trial game, they tour Victoria in July for games against Victoria A and B.

While some of last years incumbents did not participate at this years Country Championships, they were never guaranteed a position in this years Country team as was the case with a number of last years team who did participate and were not selected.

While there are always hard luck stories with good players missing out at least the Country selectors are consistent with the winning zone providing the most players.

I would suggest the Country Administration is a long way ahead of their Sydney counterparts.

Harsh but True. CA needs to familiarise and follow ARU guidelines rather than being their own entity. Kids pull out as the program is in excess of 2000+ and full of "fluffy tours." After doing the program for three years and not progressing further some boys saw it as useless. Some kids are told they have to withdraw if they cannot miss Year 11 school exams, and attend camp! It's about time rugby development and progression was the foremost goal rather than feathering one s own nest.

 

[forwards4ever]

And we wonder why less boys are playing junior club rugby. The best 4 boys from a team go to a 'super' team and most of the other 16 stop playing rugby.

And by the time the super team or teams are in 16s, no one else wants to play them, so they ruin 2 perfectly good B & C competitions, by collapsing them into 2 (including the A div), so no team gets thrashed every week its only every 2nd or 3rd!
And we wonder why at 16s & 17s boys are dropping out of club rugby!!!!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Some one has posted on another thread (OK it was me) that some of the predatory village club teams and districts are as bad as the worst excesses of the AAGPS rugby "arms race".

Their quest for vicarious victory is destroying the very sport that they profess to love.