grievous
Johnnie Wallace (23)
Watched finals out there before, got 13,000 but still pretty empty. Maybe 4000 today?, why so low? Stay at Concord but we should be getting 10k out there. I didnt go, was moving but will attend next year
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Watched finals out there before, got 13,000 but still pretty empty. Maybe 4000 today?, why so low? Stay at Concord but we should be getting 10k out there. I didnt go, was moving but will attend next year
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
and the first ever game in a rugby world cup was played there too
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
Lots of good performers for Eastwood, particularly their scrum which ripped Uni a new one for the first 60 minutes of the game. The big flyhalf from the Woodies Holah (?) liked the chip kick a little too much, but he led them well around the park. Deserving winners. Turner was solid, but gees, I would love to see him break a tackle or two. At this level he should be more dominant, although the weather didn't suit him. White was also good, he loves to be involved.
Uni's best was probably Pat McCutcheon, and he was probably the best loosie on the field, even if he played like an openside despite playing at 8. Interesting that Waugh has been on the bench for Jenkins. Waugh did get involved, but his impact was a bit disappointing - he's not the player he was a few years back.
Uni's best was probably Pat McCutcheon, and he was probably the best loosie on the field, even if he played like an openside despite playing at 8. Interesting that Waugh has been on the bench for Jenkins. Waugh did get involved, but his impact was a bit disappointing - he's not the player he was a few years back.
2bluesfan
Nev Cottrell (35)
Congratulations to Eastwood on a well deserved premiership. I commented after their demolition job on the Two Blues in the second round that they had produced the best performance of any team I had seen this season. They had to battle today but that will only make the victory sweeter.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Please don't give out the result of a match in a thread title.
I was just settling down to watch my recording of the game and opened up the Rugby Discussion thread whilst the preliminaries were on, safe in the knowledge that the Grand Final would be discussed in the Shute Shield thread of Grassroots. If someone did use the wrong forum well, they wouldn't put a spoiler in the thread title would they?
Wrong and wrong Lee.
Don't be so precious Lee.
You're talking to yourself again old fella - you feeling OK?
I forgot to take my blue pill.
Before I do I'm merging this thread with the Shute Shield thread.
I was just settling down to watch my recording of the game and opened up the Rugby Discussion thread whilst the preliminaries were on, safe in the knowledge that the Grand Final would be discussed in the Shute Shield thread of Grassroots. If someone did use the wrong forum well, they wouldn't put a spoiler in the thread title would they?
Wrong and wrong Lee.
Don't be so precious Lee.
You're talking to yourself again old fella - you feeling OK?
I forgot to take my blue pill.
Before I do I'm merging this thread with the Shute Shield thread.
topo
Cyril Towers (30)
Well, it's no secret I'm a Uni tragic. I was in Italy (on a boat to Capri) when the game was on, but I got some txts and twitter updates from other Uni tragics. Sounds like a cracker of a game deserving of a grand final. Well done to Eastwood. They have led the way all year and have played good rugby. Deserving premiers.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Time for a back-handed Phil Waugh tribute. Phil's first grand-final appearance was in 1999, against Eastwood. Eastwood won (their first ever first grade title, incidentally). So he experienced defeat in his first and last GFs at the hands of the mighty Woodies.
Lots of success in between, of course. Well done, Phil Waugh, you were a champion club man. One of the best ever.
Lots of success in between, of course. Well done, Phil Waugh, you were a champion club man. One of the best ever.
U
Upright
Guest
Well done to Woodies it was a great result and well deserved. Also to all the other premiership winning teams, good to see it shared around. For those not there on Saturday (and there were too many of you!) all games were of a high quality which made for a good day. I would also report that about one minute after the final bell in 1st grade a well known rugby identity wearing blue and white was heard to call out "how much does a 3rd grade premiership cost?" he then answered "Ask Sydney Uni".
Knuckles
Ted Thorn (20)
Absolutely love it............
I left after reserve grade as I had to work unfortunately. But the 2nds game was a great game and well done to Southern Districts for winning their first ever grade title.
DPK
Peter Sullivan (51)
McCutcheon had another cracker IMO.
rugbyvet
Chris McKivat (8)
Great game and great to see the best team all year win. I thought the weather really planned into Universitys hands and their coach even said that at half time so for Eastwood to out Uni, Uni was a tremendous effort. Eastwood backs (who have been their strength all year) hardly got sighted- was it really wet ? I only watched on tv and noticed light showers but both teams definitly played conserverative rugby which is very unlike Eastwood.
Regardless thrilling game and as a Eastwood fan i was very happy.
Did they give a man of the match? they normally do don't they
Regardless thrilling game and as a Eastwood fan i was very happy.
Did they give a man of the match? they normally do don't they
DPK
Peter Sullivan (51)
I think Sydney Uni just approached the game as business as usual and played their normal gameplan tightened up for finals footy: nothing wrong with that, it definitely played to their strengths. Eastwood saw those who failed against Uni and recognised the importance of the breakdown. They had the backrow up to the task of taking on Uni's backrow, but crucially they focused on the forwards battle over the backs.
Knuckles
Ted Thorn (20)
Agree. What surprised me was the introduction of Matt Dunning. Now I know that having an ex Wallaby on the bench would be too good to resist, but Barry Fa'amasili was completely dominating Talakai at scrum time...............he was all over him. So when Dunning came on, Uni swapped Tilse and Talakai around and their scrum steadied. Perhaps Uni should've swapped Tilse and Talakai around earlier, but I do believe that Dunning coming on when he did, with all due respect, did not have the impact that Fa'amisili was having.
I also felt, where Uni lost it, was the lack of impact from their locks, Mumm and Dennis. They are clearly backrowers, and when push came to shove in the trenches, they needed to play a more dominant role around the fringes rather than play as backrowers at the tackle/ruck.
Agree Eatswood forwards were the deciding factor but believe it was a complete team effort which resulted in the victory and that includes the coaching. They played the right tatics, executed well enough annd got the chocolates. Interesting stories from the game included Tim Bennets being sick all week which makes his effort on top of the ankle injury pretty special. Also heard in the grandstand prior to the game that halfback Nic White was in doubt till run on with a bad back.
Agree with earlier comments on Hand contribution and but also thought Alcock, Perret and McCaffery were dominant at breakdown as post game ruck and maul stats indicated so whilst McCutcheon played well IMO Eastwood forwards won the day.
Agree with earlier comments on Hand contribution and but also thought Alcock, Perret and McCaffery were dominant at breakdown as post game ruck and maul stats indicated so whilst McCutcheon played well IMO Eastwood forwards won the day.
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