Shute Shield 2010

[RugbyReg]

Pffft, don't know why I'm the one starting this but thought this was interesting...

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby/beasties-of-fear/story-e6frey4i-1225818201463

EASTERN Suburbs have appointed a full-time coach for the first time in a decade in a bid to end a premiership drought stretching back to 1969.

Former Gordon mentor Lachlan Fear has been appointed to take over the club's Shute Shield side for 2010.

Joining Fear's coaching ranks at Eastern Suburbs is former Wallabies fly-half Tim Wallace and fullback Glen Ella. The trio will usher in a new era at Easts after both 2009 senior coaches, Jason Aldwinckle and Murray Cox, quit for personal reasons on amicable terms.

"I'm sure there will be differences," Fear said yesterday.

"I like to do things my way."

Eastern Suburbs are hoping their three coaching appointments will see them threaten Sydney University's stranglehold on the Shield.

Despite being the first full-time coach at the club since Mark Bakewell left for France in 2001, Fear said he did not feel extra pressure for his side to perform.

"I've got to discuss with the board and others around the club what the expectations are for this new role," the former Australian under-21s player said.

"There are nerves but it's more to do with excitement than worries."

Fear, who coached Gordon to last year's Shute Shield semi-finals, begins pre-season training with his new players on Thursday and is signalling his intent to drive Eastern Suburbs further than their 2009 final series first round exit, when they lost to Sydney University 26-10.

"We want to win and there's no reason we can't win it," he said.

"The backline is wonderfully talented and I'm excited to be dealing with a Waratahs player in Brendan McKibbin. Usually I have to do a lot of work with the forward pack but Easts already have a stable pack so I'm excited to be working with the backline we have."

2010 will be Fear's fifth season as a head coach after four years at Gordon and two years as Warringah's assistant coach

 

[Lee Grant]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Who's that old prop on the right?

Fear is a good coach who was poached by Gordon from the Rats. I was sitting in front of him once at Rat Park and he said into his radio, "Nifo's having a shocker, try to find some blood on him."

That's my kind of coach. He did well for Gordon with a fairly unspectacular roster and one of those young coaches who would have benefited a lot with an ARC gig as a stepping stone in a coaching career. The Beasts have done well to get him - and Tahs Academy scrummie McKibbin. To'omua and McKibbin will form a good halves combination.

In other club news Manly are feeling cocky after getting new Tah Cam Jowit to join them and poaching another Tah, Nemani Nadolo, from Randwick.

Another new Tah, "Dud" Roodt, will play for Gordon.

 

[Lindommer]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Is Tim Wallace having a rest from schoolboy rugby? Or is the Easts job in conjunction with his commitments at Shore? I noticed somewhere he coached a schoolboys side this year, Australia A or NSW IIs, or somesuch.

 

[eddo]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

I'm stoked for Lachie.. Good guy who deserves to get a few good rides out of the Sydney Prem Rugby before moving up.


I'm mostly just glad we didn't lose him to Japan or some other black hole for Aussie talent.

 

[AussieDominance]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

 

[TheRiddler]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

You talking points or players?

I am still amazed that Gordon werent able to keep him on their books. You would have thought that given their location and their alumni there would have been enough cash floating around. Obviously not!

 

[eddo]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

I haven't heard of any players yet...

but then - I haven't asked around.


It'll be interesting to see Rossco go up against Lachie. Assistant Coach v Coach is always a good tussle. Both forwards style coahces too.

 

[AussieDominance]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Players? Roodt might offset a few....

Hopefully we keep the majority and attract a few of our schoolboy junior players who made the Australian Schoolboys this year and produce through the Colts....

The field will even out this season a bit more as the points system takes a bit more effect right???

Can someone please clarify that rule with me please?

 

[gone]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

Absolute pure speculation with little to no substance but I'd expect the guys that could potentially follow him would be be:
Ofa, Nath Nicol, Marty Plotskys, Kingsley Seale, Nifo, Craig Thomas, Vinny Byrne, Dave Harvey...
I'm just basing that on who he was close to at the club. Of that list I would say Ofa is the biggest risk to leave as he twice led a player revolt when the club tried to get rid of Fear, one at the end of 2006 and again at the end of last season. (obviously the 2nd time he was unsuccessful)

If Gordon continue to struggle financially there is a risk of a big walkout.

 

[Lee Grant]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Is Tim Wallace having a rest from schoolboy rugby? Or is the Easts job in conjunction with his commitments at Shore? I noticed somewhere he coached a schoolboys side this year, Australia A or NSW IIs, or somesuch.

He was assistant coach for Oz Schools.


AD

I don't know the details of the points system except that it applies to 1st and 2nd grade and that players have points registered for them prior to the season. There is a points cap for all teams at any time during any game.

Points are given for rep players. How many for what level - and are they increased for a high number of rep caps? - I don't know. Points are also given for the numbers of years players are at a club. My guess would be it would be 0 for old timers and scaling up for new club players. Again, there are no details.

Maybe a bit of googling would get some more facts, but I'm too lazy to do it.

 

[AussieDominance]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

Absolute pure speculation with little to no substance but I'd expect the guys that could potentially follow him would be be:
Ofa, Nath Nicol, Marty Plotskys, Kingsley Seale, Nifo, Craig Thomas, Vinny Byrne, Dave Harvey...
I'm just basing that on who he was close to at the club. Of that list I would say Ofa is the biggest risk to leave as he twice led a player revolt when the club tried to get rid of Fear, one at the end of 2006 and again at the end of last season. (obviously the 2nd time he was unsuccessful)

If Gordon continue to struggle financially there is a risk of a big walkout.

Lets have a look at that list –

Usually what happens though is if two or three go a whole cast of them go.

Ofa – Would be very hard to replace

Nicol – Fringe first grader

Plotskys – Fringe first grader

Seale – Two seasons ago hard to replace, less important with the solid recruitment over the last few years though.

Nifo – Fringe first grader

Thomas – By the sounds of it was only kept in towards the end of the year because of Fear, when Alcock deserved it.

Byrne – Turner could be available a lot of the time.

Harvey – Huge loss

When Fear started Gordon had 20 players who could play first grade when he left Gordon now have 30 + and that’s why we are doing so well.

Isn’t a rule in place where you can’t recruit more than two players who have played first grade for a rival club in a previous season to play first grade at another club?

I.e the problem Gordon had when Nifo came & Beau Robinson was forced out?

The problem with the coaches appointed though is that they do not bring players from other clubs... An outside appointment would do that, this is something Fear had great success with...

 

[gone]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Pretty much agree with your thoughts on that list AD (apart from thinking you are a bit harsh on Nicol who was next in line for the Tahs last year) - the big issue would be the effect on our depth. You can't lose that many first graders and continue to field 4 competitive teams. Obviously this was complete speculation on my behalf but I hope the club realises the threat and addresses it before anything happens.

That rule about 2 imports went out the window last year with the introduction of the points system. This led to a mass poaching of almost the entire Parramatta first grade side last off season. Gordon for example had David Alo, both Ma'as and Josh Kiel as imports last year (although I don't know if Keil actually counted as an import).

 

[gone]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

Absolute pure speculation with little to no substance but I'd expect the guys that could potentially follow him would be be:
Ofa, Nath Nicol, Marty Plotskys, Kingsley Seale, Nifo, Craig Thomas, Vinny Byrne, Dave Harvey...
I'm just basing that on who he was close to at the club. Of that list I would say Ofa is the biggest risk to leave as he twice led a player revolt when the club tried to get rid of Fear, one at the end of 2006 and again at the end of last season. (obviously the 2nd time he was unsuccessful)

If Gordon continue to struggle financially there is a risk of a big walkout.

And the first one to jump ship to Easts is Big Ofa. Big loss for us at Gordon, could be a tough year.

 

[TheRiddler]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

And the first one to jump ship to Easts is Big Ofa. Big loss for us at Gordon, could be a tough year.

Bugger!

 

[tranquility]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

was Laurie Weeks ever contracted to the Tahs in an academy position? The reason I ask is I just can't understand why Dayna Edwards was signed ahead of him for the Reds?
looking for some club rugby heads to fill in the gaps..

 

[Lindommer]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Was Laurie Weeks ever contracted to the Tahs in an academy position? The reason I ask is I just can't understand why Dayna Edwards was signed ahead of him for the Reds?

Weeks was born and brought up by Wests Junior Rugby before being poached by those thieving bastards at Sydney Uni. A junior Pirate through and through.

 

[AussieDominance]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

Absolute pure speculation with little to no substance but I'd expect the guys that could potentially follow him would be be:
Ofa, Nath Nicol, Marty Plotskys, Kingsley Seale, Nifo, Craig Thomas, Vinny Byrne, Dave Harvey...
I'm just basing that on who he was close to at the club. Of that list I would say Ofa is the biggest risk to leave as he twice led a player revolt when the club tried to get rid of Fear, one at the end of 2006 and again at the end of last season. (obviously the 2nd time he was unsuccessful)

If Gordon continue to struggle financially there is a risk of a big walkout.

And the first one to jump ship to Easts is Big Ofa. Big loss for us at Gordon, could be a tough year.

Confirmed or not??? Saw him shopping a few weeks ago at Chatswood..... Not the most pleasant time for Fear to be making signings in the midst the Gordon Club is in at the moment with Dan Robinson....

 

[Bruce Ross]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Was Laurie Weeks ever contracted to the Tahs in an academy position? The reason I ask is I just can't understand why Dayna Edwards was signed ahead of him for the Reds?

Weeks was born and brought up by Wests Junior Rugby before being poached by those thieving bastards at Sydney Uni. A junior Pirate through and through.

"born and brought up by Wests Junior Rugby" - a most extraordinary statement. I think his mother who lived at Lilyfield might have some counter claim in relation to the circumstances of him being "born and brought up."

And what did "those thieving bastards at Sydney Uni" do to poach him? Initially they had no involvement at all. After he left Joeys at the end of 2003 West Harbour doesn't seem to have figured in the story. Easts tried to recruit him and then Randwick made him an offer which he accepted. After training with them for some weeks he approached Uni and asked whether he could get a run.

Uni gave him no inducements and no scholarship. All we gave him was advice. With the Colts coach Nick Ryan I sat down with Laurie and his mum and we advised him to re-do his HSC. To his credit he enrolled at Randwick TAFE and sufficiently improved his marks to gain entry into the University.

Fiendishly clever poaching by "those thieving bastards". It didn't cost them a zac. Merely some advice to a kid who needed to get his education back on track. As to why "a junior Pirate through and through" didn't turn to the club which had "born and brought [him] up" I have no idea.

 

[gone]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

How many will Gordon lose to Easts?

Absolute pure speculation with little to no substance but I'd expect the guys that could potentially follow him would be be:
Ofa, Nath Nicol, Marty Plotskys, Kingsley Seale, Nifo, Craig Thomas, Vinny Byrne, Dave Harvey...
I'm just basing that on who he was close to at the club. Of that list I would say Ofa is the biggest risk to leave as he twice led a player revolt when the club tried to get rid of Fear, one at the end of 2006 and again at the end of last season. (obviously the 2nd time he was unsuccessful)

If Gordon continue to struggle financially there is a risk of a big walkout.

And the first one to jump ship to Easts is Big Ofa. Big loss for us at Gordon, could be a tough year.

Confirmed or not??? Saw him shopping a few weeks ago at Chatswood..... Not the most pleasant time for Fear to be making signings in the midst the Gordon Club is in at the moment with Dan Robinson....

Confirmed by the man itself. Had a feeling big Ofa would follow him, he always felt Fear was instrumental in launching his career. Also Paulie Tuala is in talks to go to Randwick, nothing confirmed or signed yet.

The Gordon club put on drinks for Dan Robinson last Friday, unfortunately I couldn't make it but apparently it was a good night and celebrated Robbo's life and career. A number of tears were shed.

 

[AussieDominance]

Re: 2010 NSW Club Rugby

Anyone heard anymore lately signings etc?