Shute Shield 2012

[wamberal]

Gordon would go closest.

Their captain is Fijian. Gordon has had quite a few Fijians over the years, lots of them worked in the licensed club, still did last time we were there.

 

[latrell247]

This is peculiar, there's no SS clubs in my knowledge without at least a few polynesian players.

I think Warringah only have one polynesian, Salesi Manu from Western Force

 

[I like to watch]

I think Warringah only have one polynesian, Salesi Manu from Western Force

In the 1's,

 

[qwerty51]

Their captain is Fijian. Gordon has had quite a few Fijians over the years, lots of them worked in the licensed club, still did last time we were there.

Yeah I'd say they'd have the least PIs though, throughout all colts and grades.

 

[AussieDominance]

Yeah Gordon only probably have 6 or 7 in the whole club which is not many these days. Only 2 in Colts I am pretty sure.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Stone cold motherless last in the Shute Shield.

Anyone hazard a guess about what is going on in the Brook Street bunker at Randwick?

No money in the kitty to pay ground rental last year. Licenced club in some trouble - probs like many of the smaller clubs struggling to make ends meet due to the pokie tax but that is another story. Bugger all rep players and staring down the barrell of a relegation to Shute Shield "second division". Inside Shoulder has pointed out some structural problems with their Juniors programme as well.

The Randwick burghers must be afraid....very afraid of what is happening in the West and the South.

I suspect there is a certain amount of schadenfreude being taken at points to the West, South, NorthWest and North of Coogee Oval this year.

 

[qwerty51]

They just don't have the players, I wouldn't say their team is under performing.

 

[en_force_er]

For a club like Randwick success is inevitable. They'll put it back together, but I doubt it will be this year.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

For a club like Randwick success is inevitable. They'll put it back together, but I doubt it will be this year.

It could be a long road back for the Wicks. During my time in their juniors the entire rep team came from just two teams in Clovelly and Sth Coogee. While they lucked out with the talent levels in both these squads it never boded well for the future. Add this to some perplexing recruitment and selection decisions in their colts program and the writing was on the wall for this season performances for some time. When someone like the Wick's No.13 who spent most of his time in Colts in the now defunct 4th grade and 3rds can be a 1st grade starter there's something wrong.

By the way, my apologies to Finau (the Wick's 13) as he's a nice enough guy.

 

[en_force_er]

It could be a long road back for the Wicks. During my time in their juniors the entire rep team came from just two teams in Clovelly and Sth Coogee. While they lucked out with the talent levels in both these squads it never boded well for the future. Add this to some perplexing recruitment and selection decisions in their colts program and the writing was on the wall for this season performances for some time. When someone like the Wick's No.13 who spent most of his time in Colts in the now defunct 4th grade and 3rds can be a 1st grade starter there's something wrong.

By the way, my apologies to Finau (the Wick's 13) as he's a nice enough guy.

Being completely unaware of the quality of grades in Sydney but wouldn't you say he'd have been better off playing 2nds/1sts Colts than 4ths/3rds for his development. That'd be about how the standards match up?

That being said, players do mature at different rates and if you let them surprise you sometimes they do.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Being completely unaware of the quality of grades in Sydney but wouldn't you say he'd have been better off playing 2nds/1sts Colts than 4ths/3rds for his development. That'd be about how the standards match up?

That being said, players do mature at different rates and if you let them surprise you sometimes they do.

Yes. It would have been better for his development to have played in one of the top two Colts grades. The quality of fourths was good without being a intense as the top two. However, at the same time a lot of the clubs tended to place their younger guys (16 and 17 y.o) in the 4th to develop and encounter some of the older less talented Colts on their way up. This is how my brother was initiated and the next year before a run of injuries he was pushing hard for a 1st Colts starting spot.

Finau was always a good solid player (was actually a wing when I played with him) but there were others that had a greater degree of playing career potential. That said, it's been a few years since I'd seen him play until this season and he has certainly developed his play.

 

[Torn Hammy]

Yes. It would have been better for his development to have played in one of the top two Colts grades. The quality of fourths was good without being a intense as the top two. However, at the same time a lot of the clubs tended to place their younger guys (16 and 17 y.o) in the 4th to develop and encounter some of the older less talented Colts on their way up. This is how my brother was initiated and the next year before a run of injuries he was pushing hard for a 1st Colts starting spot.

Finau was always a good solid player (was actually a wing when I played with him) but there were others that had a greater degree of playing career potential. That said, it's been a few years since I'd seen him play until this season and he has certainly developed his play.

Quite a few players found themselves in 1st Grade as Randwick had as many as 35 players on the sideline due to injuries. The fact that they can still turn out 5 teams (plus 10 reserves) indicates a very strong club.

Regarding the age of Randwick Colts you will find that the current 13 and two tight forwards were playing 1st Colts last year at the age of 17. USyd are terrific at developing very young kids quickly as are Manly.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Quite a few players found themselves in 1st Grade as Randwick had as many as 35 players on the sideline due to injuries. The fact that they can still turn out 5 teams (plus 10 reserves) indicates a very strong club.

Regarding the age of Randwick Colts you will find that the current 13 and two tight forwards were playing 1st Colts last year at the age of 17. USyd are terrific at developing very young kids quickly as are Manly.

Strong in numbers not in quality. There's a difference. If player numbers meant success then they'd not be sitting at the bottom of the table. Which tight forwards are those? That's a positive for the future. I think your thinking of a different player than I am. I've just checked the team sheets and the player I am referring to starting at 13 at the beginning of the season Finau Makamaka.

There were guys at 16 and 17 who were playing higher than 4th's in my time but the majority of the younger guys were.

 

[Torn Hammy]

Strong in numbers not in quality. There's a difference. If player numbers meant success then they'd not be sitting at the bottom of the table. Which tight forwards are those? That's a positive for the future. I think your thinking of a different player than I am. I've just checked the team sheets and the player I am referring to starting at 13 at the beginning of the season Finau Makamaka.

There were guys at 16 and 17 who were playing higher than 4th's in my time but the majority of the younger guys were.

Sorry WCR. I am talking colts and you are talking grade.

 

[AussieDominance]

Who cares if he played a certain grade at whatever age. Some players develop slower and we should be thankful to have experienced players playing in the Shute Shield this is what develops the quality. My club Gordon have most of the team if not all under the age of 22 in 2nd grade.

Good sign for the future but not a great chance for success if this continues. The best young players should have to earn their way into a higher grade position.

 

[Tahboy]

Working class you don't know what you are talking about regarding Makamaka
He did play 1st and 2nd colts and even if he didn't if he is the next best centre for 1st grade then he gets selected
What perplexing recruitment and selections in colts are you going on about?
That's a very broard comment but doesn't give any substance to back up your comments. Randwick might be having some problems in grade but not in colts

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Working class you don't know what you are talking about regarding Makamaka
He did play 1st and 2nd colts and even if he didn't if he is the next best centre for 1st grade then he gets selected
What perplexing recruitment and selections in colts are you going on about?
That's a very broard comment but doesn't give any substance to back up your comments. Randwick might be having some problems in grade but not in colts

During my time he didn't. Perplexing recruitment and selection decisions. When there are better players ( and I'm not including myself) stuck in lower grades below guys that were selected on the reputations from their time in age grade Rugby and its obvious, that is what I mean by perplexing recruitment and selection policies.

Don't take this the wrong way. I'm very happy for Finau. I'm glad to see someone from the age grade group I played with make it to 1st grade (I'm fairly certain no one else has but I could be wrong). What I am saying, and perhaps I have not made this clear and come to think of it, I haven't. Is that, it was unfortunately clear several years ago that the current weakness in the grade (again, playing numbers don't equal success, quality not quantity) were to come.

The point of these clubs and their various age grade set-ups through to Colts and then onto Grade is to set up a continuous stream of talent. Randwick faltered several years ago. They had the talent available but selections were probably not the best. They lost a good deal of talent to other clubs, League or they just quit. If the Colts program was an abundantly healthy as you have asserted, then surely a club of the likes of Randwick would never find itself in its current position. For a good example of what I am saying just look at Uni. A strong sustained Colts program has lead to a strong and frankly dominant Grade setup.

 

[sandy]

whatever problems randwick are currently having many of them will be shared by other clubs around the world . however i believe they lost more than one senior player just as the season was about to start and that is something akin to shooting yourself in the foot .

 

[qwerty51]

Sydney looks a much stronger side than country, tipping them 20+

I noticed there's only 1 Uni player in both Sydney and Country and he's on the bench. Any reason for this?

 

[Intruder]

Sydney looks a much stronger side than country, tipping them 20+

I noticed there's only 1 Uni player in both Sydney and Country and he's on the bench. Any reason for this?

There had been talks that a number of Uni players were approached and surprisingly turned down the offer to play.