School sporting scholarships/recruitment
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Mudgee Mudcrab
Peter Burge (5)
Hunt, Little and Strachan all from Hunter Valley Grammar School
OleMan
Allen Oxlade (6)
I think you may have heard wrong at least with Kings anyway. I believe one started year 9 in term 4 last year from Trinity and another started y10 from Oakhill this year. Not sure if either of those boys came because of the Rugby but both playing U16s. I don't believe there have been any new recruits for the Opens this year, but I could be wrong 
Barker have picked up a great player in Tommy J with the U15s but I expect he will skip the 16s and go straight into Open next year.
Barker have picked up a great player in Tommy J with the U15s but I expect he will skip the 16s and go straight into Open next year.
Maul of Duty
Ted Fahey (11)
Not sure about Newington but I believe that a number of boys have decided to go into the CAS system (Barker) due to be offered positions compared to not being offered by a number of GPS schools. There are also a number of boys that I am aware of that simply decide that they want to move schools and are full fee paying students but are most likely getting confused as being on scholarship.
Reminder from someone who worked within the AAGPS system, sporting scholarships are not a thing. AAGPS schools use other forms of inducements to get students in. (Old Boy Unions TKS, Rugby Bursary Fund TSC and Tongan Advancement Organisation NC). Plus there are many schools who now use Leagues Clubs to park players (Newington, Kings) and those who use "boosters" were current or older parents pay fees. (Scots have been doing this for over a decade in many sports, basketball worse offender)
Joeys have a "Boys from the Bush" Bursary but these are decided over time and not quickly. The hard part is getting the mums to agree to let their lads go. Contrary to some, the Joeys Old Boys Union only provides hardship funding for current students. Normally these are for families on the land who have sons in the senior years. Indigenous scholarships are only given in year 7 and for actual indigenous students.
Joeys have a "Boys from the Bush" Bursary but these are decided over time and not quickly. The hard part is getting the mums to agree to let their lads go. Contrary to some, the Joeys Old Boys Union only provides hardship funding for current students. Normally these are for families on the land who have sons in the senior years. Indigenous scholarships are only given in year 7 and for actual indigenous students.
I spoke with Dr Collier (Shore) last year and he mentioned that the section around sports scholarships in the AAGPS Code of Conduct had quietly disappeared. I'm not sure if it used to sit in 6.9 and it was removed in the 2023 revision?
There is definitely a lot of false accusations of boys being on scholarships, especially boys who come in later years. Some of us can't afford six years of fees and can only do two.
There is definitely a lot of false accusations of boys being on scholarships, especially boys who come in later years. Some of us can't afford six years of fees and can only do two.
GPS Observer
Herbert Moran (7)
I hope you are correct about the section around sports scholarships disappearing.
If the GPS want to market themselves as the premier school grouping then they need to show they are the best in every competitive experience...inside and outside the classroom. They have a brand to protect.
If the GPS want to market themselves as the premier school grouping then they need to show they are the best in every competitive experience...inside and outside the classroom. They have a brand to protect.
RushingRob
Ted Fahey (11)
Have a whinge that Scots imported some players, but we won 5 years in a row and you can't blame it on the fact we had 1 or 2 imports. Every bloody GPS school has imports but because we won then you throw the toys out of the cot.
1993 I'll admit was bad but apart from that it's fine.
As you guys have stated, you don't just win from imports; school culture, coaching, etc, all play a far bigger role.
So keep crying about Scots but what about Kings in 2023? What about every other school with imports? I think 1 or 2 is fine, but nothing more like the 1993 Scots, or 2013 Newington, or 2023 Kings, etc.
Thank you.
1993 I'll admit was bad but apart from that it's fine.
As you guys have stated, you don't just win from imports; school culture, coaching, etc, all play a far bigger role.
So keep crying about Scots but what about Kings in 2023? What about every other school with imports? I think 1 or 2 is fine, but nothing more like the 1993 Scots, or 2013 Newington, or 2023 Kings, etc.
Thank you.
master
Frank Row (1)
hey joker,
do you know what big names from joeys are on 'boys from the bush' scholarship in the 1st XV.
cheers
In 2024 there were zero I was told by the bursar last year.
Maul of Duty
Ted Fahey (11)
Agree with you here Joker. There does seem to be a slow progressive change that I am seeing and hearing. Even with other form of inducements, in many cases this still does not even work as they are never for 100% and the remaining costs are very limiting to families. Even with Leagues Clubs, unless they are covering 100% it does not work as I am aware that there are schools in the CAS system that are funding the 100% tuition fee and boys are starting to go there instead. With the new system ISA vs CAS for the top 3 in each, I think that you will only find that this only becomes more prevalent into the future.
Backintheolddays
Billy Sheehan (19)
I’ll have a rant, apologies upfront if not within guidelines.
As a recipient of a scholarship personally and for two of my boys they are fantastic opportunities to be exposed to a holistic educational environment that is unsurpassed.
My recent experience is from a Kings perspective but I have trusted friendships through the GPS, NSW schools and rugby community.
2023 Kings was disappointing (by volume) but in the context of a departing principal so hopefully an aberration.
My problem with scholarships is they are abused for self interest for those that run rugby programs. The quality of junior rugby coaching at Kings is appalling (especially lower grades where it is non existent) but they pat themselves on the back by the performance of the Opens squads and tell themselves the program is working, happily turning a blind eye to the tactical acquisitions. I’d much rather see investment in coaching rather than poaching the next 15yo from Scone or Oakhill.
Kings are not alone in this regard and all schools are guilty (except High). The focus of the GPS should remain on the kids and their all round education, not buying premierships.
Hilarious the familiar faces at Dubbo and Orange for the 14s and 15s country week carnival and where those kids end up the following year. Similarly of the 2018 PSSA rugby team 6 ended up at the one GPS school.
Will be interesting what happens in the next couple of years at Kings. Some tension between the executive and old boys on this topic, combined with Tony George coming up on a decade in the role and a bicentennial in 2033.
The GPS code on sports scholarship is meaningless as there are numerous ways to circumvent. Ultimately goes to the principles of the school- do you buy premierships or invest in youth development.
As a recipient of a scholarship personally and for two of my boys they are fantastic opportunities to be exposed to a holistic educational environment that is unsurpassed.
My recent experience is from a Kings perspective but I have trusted friendships through the GPS, NSW schools and rugby community.
2023 Kings was disappointing (by volume) but in the context of a departing principal so hopefully an aberration.
My problem with scholarships is they are abused for self interest for those that run rugby programs. The quality of junior rugby coaching at Kings is appalling (especially lower grades where it is non existent) but they pat themselves on the back by the performance of the Opens squads and tell themselves the program is working, happily turning a blind eye to the tactical acquisitions. I’d much rather see investment in coaching rather than poaching the next 15yo from Scone or Oakhill.
Kings are not alone in this regard and all schools are guilty (except High). The focus of the GPS should remain on the kids and their all round education, not buying premierships.
Hilarious the familiar faces at Dubbo and Orange for the 14s and 15s country week carnival and where those kids end up the following year. Similarly of the 2018 PSSA rugby team 6 ended up at the one GPS school.
Will be interesting what happens in the next couple of years at Kings. Some tension between the executive and old boys on this topic, combined with Tony George coming up on a decade in the role and a bicentennial in 2033.
The GPS code on sports scholarship is meaningless as there are numerous ways to circumvent. Ultimately goes to the principles of the school- do you buy premierships or invest in youth development.
Nailed. It. Hear Hear! Some real green shoots out there in "coaching focus starting earlier", but not enough
fortheloveofthegame
Stan Wickham (3)
There was 1 in the 24 team, not 0. Was at the school from year 8.
try_scorerr
Frank Row (1)
Only Sydney Grammar does not import, High imports like rest of GPS.
In Sydney Grammar's year 12 cohort, only about 5-7 kids arrived after year 7. Rest of GPS like High have like 40+, some even 50+ kids arrive after year 7.
RushingRob
Ted Fahey (11)
Applies exactly to Scots, younger grade coaching absolutely shocking, ever since Marcus Blackburn left. And then, I won't say 'rely' but more hope some NRL team gifts some boys to the school and help them get some premierships in the upper grades. And this hasn't even worked in recent years, with the 2's & 3's getting the premierships instead. Anyway I'm sure this applies to Shore, View, maybe not Joeys but.