Dave Beat
Paul McLean (56)
On The Money, lets look at the season once complete.
Shute Shield 2013
- Thread starter Hugh Jarse
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On The Money, lets look at the season once complete.
sidelinesid
Jimmy Flynn (14)
well put qaz
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
No 1 oval has a nice grandstand and lights.
Not so quality when it rains.
St Andrews oval. Not so quality with another bloody cricket pitch.
St Johns Oval. Goat track and 1/2 a building site.
St Pauls oval. Not too bad - not sure if there is a cricket pitch there or not.
Things will change according to Bruce Ross report of a proposed development on No 2 oval (to be shared with all sports). Then the Students will have access to "quality sporting fields".
This does beg the question - Which club has the best fields?
Rat Park and Concord/St Lukes must be up there.
Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
I've been verballed. The new development at Uni No.2 will not "be shared with all sports". I think we have 47 sporting clubs at Sydney Uni.
The new field should have a top class turf surface basically used for just rugby and soccer - men's and women's - except that there will probably be drop-in wickets enabling it to be used for cricket in summer.
.
Dave Beat
Paul McLean (56)
TG Milner.
Yeah biased, but, Manly gets good crowds, kids enjoy the day, and Hill is unrivalled in club rugby when full.
The Galah
Darby Loudon (17)
Far be it from me to speak for the Beat Boy Wamberal , but I think the 3 of us are in furious agreement re Dave Porecki . He was arguably best on ground for MMM's v Easts last week and a casual glance at the Marlins' front row playing roster this week shows how highly regarded he is.
The Galah
Darby Loudon (17)
Problem being that the Village Green great and well attended community venue that it is , is but one field and at the whim of the 3rd tier of government. Keirle Pk in tandem has huge potential .
Turning the top ovals at Milner into a carpark was a questionable move. Reluctantly
I'd say Rats but they too have local government bureaucrats to battle
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
West Harbour have the best.Rats 2nd best.
Third is daylight
Third is daylight
Tah and feathered
Watty Friend (18)
If the criteria is just playing field then Coogee oval is up there but if its the whole package, Playing field, food, parking, dressing sheds, warm up area, closeness to the playing field for spectators, warm up areas then I would go for TG Milner and Forshaw in that order
I don't go to all the grounds but what would be the worst?
Late Starter
Allen Oxlade (6)
I'd have to put my vote in for Rat Park. Good playing surface and the steeped banks on each side make for a great atmosphere when the crowd's in.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
I started this sub-thread about the best park in response to a comment that Uni have quality sports fields.
My assessment of Rat Park, TG Millner and Concord/St Lukes is based on the whole package (similar to Tah and feathered criteria).
In no particular order:
Playing field surface - especially drainage and absence of a rock hard clay cricket square
Canteen - food, BBQ, liquid refreshments
Parking, and access to major roads
Public Transport
Dressing sheds
Warm up area
Training facilities for Colts and Grade (particularly surface and drainage on the training ovals if they are not at the main location)
Lighting (for training primarily)
Spectator convenience and atmosphere
Space/facilities for the Club Administration
Medical Facilities - Pre-game strapping and other Physio stuff, emergency vehicle access and treatment/assessment/triage areas while waiting for the ambulance.
Local Government Attitude - primarily wrt wet weather training and games.
While Uni have a superb overall package and lead the way in many components of the total rugby package, some of their infrastructure aspects from both a training and spectator point of view are not competition leading: Parking, Playing and training surfaces being two areas that could be improved.
Forshaw Park probably deserves a mention as well, but it kind of loses points because of the "vibe" of getting there. It kind of seems to be a real effort to find it, twisting and turning into the depths of suburbia. That being said, Rat Park and TG Millner are probably similarly "tucked away" off the main track. Maybe it's just a Shire/hobbit thing.
My assessment of Rat Park, TG Millner and Concord/St Lukes is based on the whole package (similar to Tah and feathered criteria).
In no particular order:
Playing field surface - especially drainage and absence of a rock hard clay cricket square
Canteen - food, BBQ, liquid refreshments
Parking, and access to major roads
Public Transport
Dressing sheds
Warm up area
Training facilities for Colts and Grade (particularly surface and drainage on the training ovals if they are not at the main location)
Lighting (for training primarily)
Spectator convenience and atmosphere
Space/facilities for the Club Administration
Medical Facilities - Pre-game strapping and other Physio stuff, emergency vehicle access and treatment/assessment/triage areas while waiting for the ambulance.
Local Government Attitude - primarily wrt wet weather training and games.
While Uni have a superb overall package and lead the way in many components of the total rugby package, some of their infrastructure aspects from both a training and spectator point of view are not competition leading: Parking, Playing and training surfaces being two areas that could be improved.
Forshaw Park probably deserves a mention as well, but it kind of loses points because of the "vibe" of getting there. It kind of seems to be a real effort to find it, twisting and turning into the depths of suburbia. That being said, Rat Park and TG Millner are probably similarly "tucked away" off the main track. Maybe it's just a Shire/hobbit thing.
199madmave
Ward Prentice (10)
Manly is a cricket oval...terrible to watch Rugby from the flying saucer! Even worse upstairs in the 200 club!!! Rat Park, Coogee, Concord get my vote
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Coogee oval negatives are parking, cricket pitch and parking. Only one oval, no co-located and simultaneous colts fixtures.
VIPS are looking directly into the sun as the day wears on (not such a bad thing I hear many snigger). Ball Boys are dodging traffic to return conversions. No lighting for evening matches or training.
It is usually superbly presented by Randwick council. Love the Mark Ella Stand. Plenty of opportunities for post match entertainment at the club or the Coogee Bay or Palace Hotel, or elsewhere along Coogee Bay Road. Handy to the beach on hot days.
I don't think that anyone has the equal of the Mark Ella Stand in Australia.
The Counties Manukau oval in NZ (Pukekohe Stadium) has similar where they have the goat on the hill munching away while the game is in progress, and some back yard BBQ's going on in the houses overlooking the oval.
VIPS are looking directly into the sun as the day wears on (not such a bad thing I hear many snigger). Ball Boys are dodging traffic to return conversions. No lighting for evening matches or training.
It is usually superbly presented by Randwick council. Love the Mark Ella Stand. Plenty of opportunities for post match entertainment at the club or the Coogee Bay or Palace Hotel, or elsewhere along Coogee Bay Road. Handy to the beach on hot days.
I don't think that anyone has the equal of the Mark Ella Stand in Australia.
The Counties Manukau oval in NZ (Pukekohe Stadium) has similar where they have the goat on the hill munching away while the game is in progress, and some back yard BBQ's going on in the houses overlooking the oval.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
Millner used to be a chook farm. When I was a kid, regular working bees were held to prepare the ground, particularly a lot of work picking up stones etc from the ground.
I played there the first day that senior rugby took place there, 1963. We played Parramatta, IIRC.
Ken Bull, the son of Eastwood's longstanding groundsman, Harold, scored the first try for the club on the new ground.
Apart from Council restrictions (not sure what they are), I am pretty sure there are restrictions imposed as part of the terms of the original gift of the ground to the Club.
In hindsight, they really should have positioned the main pitch 20 or 30 metres to the south, to allow for a bigger grandstand on the northern side of the ground.
I played there the first day that senior rugby took place there, 1963. We played Parramatta, IIRC.
Ken Bull, the son of Eastwood's longstanding groundsman, Harold, scored the first try for the club on the new ground.
Apart from Council restrictions (not sure what they are), I am pretty sure there are restrictions imposed as part of the terms of the original gift of the ground to the Club.
In hindsight, they really should have positioned the main pitch 20 or 30 metres to the south, to allow for a bigger grandstand on the northern side of the ground.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Great recollection wamberal. It is important that these stories and recounts are maintained and passed on to future generations.
What we have now is solely due to the blood, sweat, tears and efforts of others. This knowledge can help reduce the sense of entitlement that many of today's privileged elite seem to have.
What we have now is solely due to the blood, sweat, tears and efforts of others. This knowledge can help reduce the sense of entitlement that many of today's privileged elite seem to have.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Gordon v Southern Districts @ Chatswood Oval 3pm
Hobbits by 15-20. Powerful team from the Hobbits.
Penrith v Randwick @Nepean Rugby Park 3pm
Wicks by plenty.
Northern Suburbs v Sydney University @North Sydney Oval 3pm
Uni by 15-20. Enough starpower from Uni to win by 50 but Norths are tough buggers and will not give up easily.
Warringah v Manly @Pittwater Rugby Park 3pm
MMM by 10. Should be lots more, but tribal hatred will add 6 inches, 10 kg and 3 extra paces to the Rats players.
Eastwood v Parramatta @ T G Millner Field 3pm
Woodies by 20-25. Injuries at Mighty 2 Blues has drained plenty of petrol from their tank.
Eastern Suburbs v West Harbour @ Woollahra Oval 3.10pm
Beasties by 8-15 in a ding dong battle. Home field advantage will bring them home.
Hobbits by 15-20. Powerful team from the Hobbits.
Penrith v Randwick @Nepean Rugby Park 3pm
Wicks by plenty.
Northern Suburbs v Sydney University @North Sydney Oval 3pm
Uni by 15-20. Enough starpower from Uni to win by 50 but Norths are tough buggers and will not give up easily.
Warringah v Manly @Pittwater Rugby Park 3pm
MMM by 10. Should be lots more, but tribal hatred will add 6 inches, 10 kg and 3 extra paces to the Rats players.
Eastwood v Parramatta @ T G Millner Field 3pm
Woodies by 20-25. Injuries at Mighty 2 Blues has drained plenty of petrol from their tank.
Eastern Suburbs v West Harbour @ Woollahra Oval 3.10pm
Beasties by 8-15 in a ding dong battle. Home field advantage will bring them home.
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