NSW JRU State Championships & Representative Teams 2014

[Hugh Jarse]

U17's squad with West Harbour who made it to the grand final only having half the amount of players selected vs Eastwood who only made it as far as the semi's gets 14 players in the squad?? Does not seem quite right, but this is rugby union.. same same

Last year it was the U17 Champions Manly that seemed to miss out on the "to the victor goes the spoils" selection largesse. Given that there is also the Selectors "god clause" enshrined in the eligibility criteria, I can see a repeat of the shenanigans we saw in last year's U17 reps.

To be fair to the Woodies and others nominated for the Possibles vs Probables trial, the U17 Semis were very tight games, and West Harbour were comprehensively beaten in the Final.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Buggered if I can work out who is in on this conspiracy - which may be a sign of its inherent brilliance.
A Gordon team is being cut slack on the basis that they don't really want to play and are only currying elligibility confronts a Norths bias in selections.
This where most of Norths is Hunters Hill and they are the estranged former child of Gordon JRU.
So in exchange for allowing the Chatswood club to cynically flaunt the rules Norths gets the choice at selection time: in circumstances where the only reason you would want to flaunt the eligibility rules is to get selected.
And its suggested that one mob is running the show for their own benefit.
Which mob?
Not a promising set of facts by which to obtain a conviction.
Arthur C Clarke gave a better explanation.

 

[Slugga]

I have the same issue, but rules is rules.

The best you can do is to lobby your club officials to propose an amendment to the eligibility rules, or volunteer for SJRU duty yourself (as has been suggested).

Until there is sustained growth in player numbers, you should be aware that the harder you make it for the rockstars to qualify for Juniors championships, the lower the standard of the representative representative team will be.

As the perception becomes more prevalent that SJRU rep team is a poor cousin to Schools association reps, the less motivation there will be for the better kids to remain on the juniors "rep pathway", and the standard drops lower.

Not that it is such a bad thing for more kids to be exposed to high level skills development opportunities, but hypothetically would you be prouder of the achievement of representing NSW or Tasmania in Rugby?

We need to be careful that the Sydney Juniors Rep teams don't become the equivalent of the Tasmanian State Rugby Team.

Understand what you're saying HJ, the only problem is it puts public school kids at a disadvantage and two pathways allows talented kids a second chance if they're not getting recognised in their school comp and visa versa.

As far as volunteering for SJRU duty that's all well in good but I have some issues with Govt policy too, does that mean I should stand for parliament as well?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

SJRU MNZ Under 16 Squad

Tim ANSTEY, Warringah
James ARMSTRONG, Gordon
James BASHA, Northern Suburbs
Fynn BAVEYSTOCK, Gordon
Rhett BUTLER, Gordon
Lucas CHOI, Gordon
Matthew DAINTON, Gordon
Jericho ENDEMANN, Northern Suburbs
George FEROS, Northern Suburbs
Will GLASCOTT, Gordon
Louis GRAY, Northern Suburbs
Edward GREGORY, Northern Suburbs
Jake HEDGE, Northern Suburbs
Piers LORIGAN, Warringah
Kav NAATI, Gordon
Jack ONGOSIA, Gordon
Dylan PIETSCH, Gordon
Jake PIRINA, Gordon
Luke RIXON, Northern Suburbs
Lachlan ROSE, Warringah
Charles SHEPPARD, Gordon
Josh SMITH, Northern Suburbs
Josh ZUBAK, Northern Suburbs

 

[Hugh Jarse]

SJRU MWZ Under 16 Squad

Sean ANESE, Eastwood
Clayton ANSTEE, Eastwood
Ethan HADLEY, Parramatta
Ben HARKIN, Parramatta
Mitchell KOROL, Penrith
Saimone LASALO, Penrith
Sam LIMBREY, Penrith
Daniel LOMBARDI, Eastwood
James LYNCH, Eastwood
Delahoya MANU, Penrith
Seru MAR-TUVUNIVONO, West Harbour
Brad MAURER, Eastwood
Matthew ORPEN, Eastwood
Luke OSBORNE, Eastwood
Ryan OWEN, Eastwood
Barton PICONE, Parramatta
Angus SPICER, Eastwood
Chayse TARANTO, Penrith
James TURNER, West Harbour
Dylan VALENI, Parramatta
Beni VALU, Penrith
Samuel WATKINS, Parramatta
Dominic WILSON-SOUTHON, Eastwood

 

[Slugga]

Slugga , thats why from next year they should start a district based comp so that there is a central pooling of players and teams picked from there. If you have the numbers by all means stay together. Otherwise the district organizes the process if the in house politics of clubs can't get it together.
Most districts seem to have done this this year, one has not and the boys and rugby will end up suffering. As said before in this age group you need 25boys min and you still struggle to field teams at some stage

My preference is to maintain the village club comp but as you say the trend is towards district comps so perhaps dividing the comp from under 16's is the way to go.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

SJRU MSZ Under 16 Squad

Daniel BELL, Southern Districts
Guy BEYNON, Randwick
Max FREEMAN, Southern Districts
Isaac GENSCHER, Randwick
Thomas GREVILLE, West Harbour
Cooper HARRIS, Southern Districts
Mitchell HOWSE, Southern Districts
Ben LEWIS, Southern Districts
Reece MACINTOSH, Randwick
Sam MATENGA, Randwick
Jordan MORRIS, West Harbour
Chase PAEA, Randwick
Patrick PELLEGRINI, Randwick
Christian POIDEVIN, Randwick
Liam PORTER, Southern Districts
Karaitiana SA'U, Southern Districts
Tom SERHON, Randwick
Liam SMITH, Randwick
Alex SPOONER, Randwick
Zach STEWART, Southern Districts
Willem THOMPSON, Southern Districts
Harry TODD, Randwick
Rhys WHENUAROA, Randwick

 

[Hugh Jarse]

SJRU Barbarians Under 16 Squad

Sean BENNETT, Penrith
Franele BETHAM-MISA, Penrith
Byron BLAIK, Gordon
Kyle BROWN, Gordon
Jonathon CROUCH, Gordon
Vaiusu DEMPY, Parramatta
Sam GILFEDDER, Northern Suburbs
Matthew GRANT, Northern Suburbs
Beau GRIMLEY, Southern Districts
Fili HAVEA, Parramatta
Cameron HORNE, Northern Suburbs
Sunny KIM, Gordon
Austin LATU, Penrith
Billy LENIU, Penrith
Tametai LOMAX, Penrith
Hamish MATTHEWS, Penrith
Brad MEEHAN, Eastwood
James RAMM, Northern Suburbs
Nick SHANNON, Randwick
Alec SHELDON, Northern Suburbs
Peter SLAVEN, Gordon
Desmond TIPENE, Penrith
Hunter TOVEHI, West Harbour

 

[Hugh Jarse]

<snip>

As far as volunteering for SJRU duty that's all well in good but I have some issues with Govt policy too, does that mean I should stand for parliament as well?

Go for it. Probably wouldn't do a worse job than some of the current bunch down there in Canberra.

 

[Quick Hands]

Buggered if I can work out who is in on this conspiracy - which may be a sign of its inherent brilliance.
A Gordon team is being cut slack on the basis that they don't really want to play and are only currying elligibility confronts a Norths bias in selections.
This where most of Norths is Hunters Hill and they are the estranged former child of Gordon JRU.
So in exchange for allowing the Chatswood club to cynically flaunt the rules Norths gets the choice at selection time: in circumstances where the only reason you would want to flaunt the eligibility rules is to get selected.
And its suggested that one mob is running the show for their own benefit.
Which mob?
Not a promising set of facts by which to obtain a conviction.
Arthur C Clarke gave a better explanation.

It sounds like the kind of conspiracy normally aired by Brian Wilshire on 2GB night time radio.

 

[Quick Hands]

My preference is to maintain the village club comp but as you say the trend is towards district comps so perhaps dividing the comp from under 16's is the way to go.

Play the reps after the village season and the problem doesn't exist.

 

[Quick Hands]

We need to be careful that the Sydney Juniors Rep teams don't become the equivalent of the Tasmanian State Rugby Team.

Become?

They're reduced to trawling through colts for boys who once played village rugby to pick their teams. Holy heck, is this a monty python sketch or a major sport?

 

[In the lineout]

"Spattered", 10 Eastwood boys in the MWZ team and only 5 from Parramatta and 6 Penrith, . You would think that Eastwood was the best performed western zone team,. No sorry "obvious who's running the show on the north side"west side.
As for your other issue join SJRU and change it so next year it can't happen

Fair call 10to12 on the MWZ numbers.

 

[Brainstrust]

Re the 16's HJ, which I am sure you are referring to above. 11 players picked in the MNZ and 5 in the BaaBaa's.

Firstly - they only played four games to qualify for the JSC. The forfeited every other game leading up to.
Secondly - Guaranteed we will see this team have these players "sign on" for one game between now and the SJRU Regional Tournament. Forfeit the rest.
Thirdly - Guaranteed we will see further selected players "sign on" for one more additional game...forfeit the rest..and on it will go.

I note that the Horses mouth states the additional games to qualify for further rep honours is only games from the State Championships, not from one tournament to the next.

Further to this I note 14 Nothern Suburbs players make 16's Zone teams (9 in MNZ). Warringah, who finished effectively one place behind them (and I believe a very close pool match) secure only three rep spots...come on folks, isn't it obvious who's running the show on the north side?

Penrith, who dominated the Western Zone only secured 6 in the MWZ, with it spattered with Parramatta and Eastwood. Maybe a fairer and more even spread across the Zone the way i read it.

From what I've been told, there were about 2 ? Warringah players in the 16's that would have probably been selected or gone close, but were not available for further rep duties therefore not ultimately considered. That would have given a more balanced split if that's what you're on about. I watched most of those games, and while Warringah were in it, Norths looked the better and played a more constructive game, which I'm sure would have been noted by the selectors. In fact Norths, actually pushed Penrith and actually had their chances but got out muscled in the end.

 

[tavytoo]

or put another way welcome to the state of some country rugby teams . some clubs are just too far from the regional hub to even consider getting players to training due to the cost- unless you own a fuel bowser ... even with car pooling.some lads now have part time jobs which they juggle around sport and school if they can too and when they cant rugby gets the drop kick especially when mums and dads want day off too .the equation doesn't add up any more even when they can get themselves to training and matches . all work and no play makes for some unhappy henrys and no play makes unhappy rugby clubs

 

[Brainstrust]

Just to add, Penrith looked beaten against Parra until the big 8, and particularly the 13, got them home. Those boys were rewarded with selection, and a number of the others who really didn't play mature rugby weren't. Sorry but let's call it for what it is. You would have seen what Gordon, a well drilled and structured side, did to Parra in the semi final. It was no doubt, and a great result to see the 2 sides that played the better controlled and structured rugby in ACT and Gordon play out a fitting draw in the GF. I have no particular connection these days with any of the districts so now really only care about the development of good players, and watching good quality rugby. If you just want to see big kids crash it, there's plenty of LOIG on offer out there.

 

[10to12]

Just to add, Penrith looked beaten against Parra until the big 8, and particularly the 13, got them home. Those boys were rewarded with selection, and a number of the others who really didn't play mature rugby weren't. Sorry but let's call it for what it is. You would have seen what Gordon, a well drilled and structured side, did to Parra in the semi final. It was no doubt, and a great result to see the 2 sides that played the better controlled and structured rugby in ACT and Gordon play out a fitting draw in the GF. I have no particular connection these days with any of the districts so now really only care about the development of good players, and watching good quality rugby. If you just want to see big kids crash it, there's plenty of LOIG on offer out there.

I'm with you Braintrust. my reply was aimed at the belief that good selection policy is second to politics. Just not true. Unfortunately on the odd occasion the process in place doesn't live up to this as was the case in the 15s last year at the Sydney level. Very unfortunate. This year I think they have got it pretty right

 

[Brainstrust]

I'm with you Braintrust. my reply was aimed at the belief that good selection policy is second to politics. Just not true. Unfortunately on the odd occasion the process in place doesn't live up to this as was the case in the 15s last year at the Sydney level. Very unfortunate. This year I think they have got it pretty right

I agree that there has been plenty said about last years 15's, and probably with good reason. From what I have been told, the selection process in this years 16's was well considered with a number of selectors seen viewing club games and rep trials. I think the final lists, irrespective of splits from various district teams looks pretty fair, and done on the individual's form. There are always going to be a few close calls, but from I witnessed on the weekend there don't seem to be too many howlers, if any. It's certainly not an enviable job, but for the selectors and coaches who give their time with no child or vested interested in the age group, as it should be, well done on a tough job and thanks.

 

[Slugga]

Just to add, Penrith looked beaten against Parra until the big 8, and particularly the 13, got them home. Those boys were rewarded with selection, and a number of the others who really didn't play mature rugby weren't. Sorry but let's call it for what it is. You would have seen what Gordon, a well drilled and structured side, did to Parra in the semi final. It was no doubt, and a great result to see the 2 sides that played the better controlled and structured rugby in ACT and Gordon play out a fitting draw in the GF. I have no particular connection these days with any of the districts so now really only care about the development of good players, and watching good quality rugby. If you just want to see big kids crash it, there's plenty of LOIG on offer out there.

I think your on the money Braintrust. Penrith looked a little shakey against the rats as well until the 13 turned it around. There strength was based around a couple of players so while they can consider themselves a little unlucky not to get one or two more in MWZ they did get a good representation in bar bars.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

As I understand it the 15 for each zone is picked and then the Barbarians side is picked. The reserves for each zone and then ba bas are picked.
If that's right then unless you're in the selection room and given that all the teams are announced in alphabetical order, you can't know the pecking order. So marginal calls get may be apparent or difficult to identify by the time the teams are announced A-Z.
In 15s last year I am told - I was not involved - that the coaches made decisions from the first training session that cut across the apparent order of selections.
There needs to be complete independence in order to avoid complaints of bias but are there enough disinterested volunteers to fill those spots?