2018 Colts 1 Home and Away Report Card
1 Brothers - Have done a superb job to go undefeated since Round 2 after GPS took it to them in the first game when they were a bit underdone. Their backs were dominant scoring almost 80% of the season’s tries with their kick returns outstanding. A great tight five was always setting up a great platform and made some good forward packs look very ordinary.
2 Wests - Almost always written off during the first half of the season, mainly due to very ordinary trial form, so always surprised. The only team they lost to during the season was Brothers. A very good all round team that get the basics right and then seem to be able to score from anywhere with great support play.
3 Sunnybank - As usual with a big set of forwards and a good compliment of backs. Started slower than they were expecting, but it seems after some tweaking of the back positions in the second half of the comp they have come home with a wet sail and look ominous going into the finals.
4 Souths - Great recruitment in the off season after a dismal 2017 season performance saw this team become the most improved year on year. However, have not delivered as well as their roster would suggest. Have not beaten any other team in the finals but made a statement by defeating Uni in their must win game in the last round. They also have a dominant front row who can sniff a try from a mile away.
5 Uni - Disorganised during the off season and a lack of recruitment has seen last year’s Premiers fall off a cliff. Injuries and other commitments saw 39 different players start during the season and probably resulted in more effort in the bonding or get to know you sessions than the games and it all became too much. Cruising in third place after the First Round the lack of good pre season prep bit hard and saw the wheels fall off winning only three of their last nine games. (I note Frotter picked this very very early)
6 Bond - This team could cause an upset on any given day but probably relying on too few very good players and held back by a massive player turnover, with 43 players starting for the team over the season. They lost the most games (four) of any team in the comp by 7 points or less.
7 GPS - Up there with Uni for the disappointing team of the season. After the upset win of the year against Brothers in first game, injuries to several key players including their best playmaker saw no wins between round 5 until round 11. They are the only team outside Brothers to have beaten two out of three top teams for season but discipline let them down very badly with 12 cards in 2018 (average per team was just over 5).
8 Easts - Thought they had recruited well in Colts this season only to see their best player head to NZ and the other play only in First Grade. Then problems with approach to season left the team without a win until Round 7. I heard changes to coaching staff brought some stability and the results improved a little in back half of the season.
9 Norths - After giving Souths a major scare in the third week, things just fizzled. At different times they lost key players up to First Grade, but just did not have the go forward up front to provide any good ball to do anything with.
10 Logan - The great thing I can say about this team is that they never gave up. In the couple of games I saw them they did not stop and still took it to the opposition team even when winning the game was well out of reach. They do have talent but need structure in their play, conditioning and training to become competitive from week to week.
Now on to the finals. This time of the year is a whole different ball game to the Home & Away rounds. Good luck to all the teams in all Colts divisions this weekend at Ballymore.