Shute Shield 2019

[WorkingClassRugger]

If the NRC goes as predicted, we could do a lot worse than have a knockout tournament involving the top 4 plus the Brisbane grand finalists the Canberra premiers and the Melbourne premiers and possibly the Perth premiers

Top 4 from both the SS and QPR with either the Premiers and Runners Up from Canberra and a rep side from Melbourne and Perth. Two pools of 6 with the winner of each pool playing in the final. Or the Top 4 from the SS and QPR and a rep side from ACT, Vic and WA. Straight round robin with a 4 team finals series.

RA could set up a 'pro' draft as to evenly distribute players not aligned with one of the participating clubs into other teams. Would change the name. Just the structure. Use rugby.com.au to stream games while working with the respective teams/competitions and RA to find the funding to do a broadcast similar to the one currently in place for the SS but ideally a little later and with more promotion.

 

[The Honey Badger]

If the NRC goes as predicted, we could do a lot worse than have a knockout tournament involving the top 4 plus the Brisbane grand finalists the Canberra premiers and the Melbourne premiers and possibly the Perth premiers

Don't think too many of the better players would be interested in playing for a Non top 4 club.

That would be so detrimental to the comp. Seems we have the closest comp now with a good spread of talent.

I think they need to keep working on the NRC concept.

 

[Quick Hands]

Top 4 from both the SS and QPR with either the Premiers and Runners Up from Canberra and a rep side from Melbourne and Perth. Two pools of 6 with the winner of each pool playing in the final. Or the Top 4 from the SS and QPR and a rep side from ACT, Vic and WA. Straight round robin with a 4 team finals series.

RA could set up a 'pro' draft as to evenly distribute players not aligned with one of the participating clubs into other teams. Would change the name. Just the structure. Use rugby.com.au to stream games while working with the respective teams/competitions and RA to find the funding to do a broadcast similar to the one currently in place for the SS but ideally a little later and with more promotion.

I think you're overcomplicating a simple concept.

Forget a finals series, forget a draft. We're dealing with amateur players, it's not intended to be semi-professional. It's not intended to be a permanent replacement for the NRC. 3 weeks of amateur rugby that's all. Keeping simple minimises costs, minimises disruptions and more importantly perhaps minimises the possibility of infantile turf wars.

Games A and B could be a double header in Sydney, Game C in Brisbane and Game D in Canberra.

For example
Week 1
A Sydney 1 v Perth

B Sydney 2 v Brisbane 2

C Brisbane 1 v Melbourne

D Canberra v Sydney 3

Losers all eliminated

Week 2

E Winner A v Winner D

F Winner B v Winner C

Losers eliminated

Week 3

G Winner E v Winner F

Find a famous Wallaby to name it after - the Nick Shehadie Cup for example.

KISS - Keep it Simple

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Don't think too many of the better players would be interested in playing for a Non top 4 club.

That would be so detrimental to the comp. Seems we have the closest comp now with a good spread of talent.

I think they need to keep working on the NRC concept.

I would like to see it persevered with. I haved suggested it previously but it could used to essentially bring the Force and Fiji together with the 4 Super Rugby teams for a truly professional level NRC. It's also why I support a 2nd Aus based GRR squad.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I think you're overcomplicating a simple concept.

Forget a finals series, forget a draft. We're dealing with amateur players, it's not intended to be semi-professional. It's not intended to be a permanent replacement for the NRC. 3 weeks of amateur rugby that's all. Keeping simple minimises costs, minimises disruptions and more importantly perhaps minimises the possibility of infantile turf wars.

Games A and B could be a double header in Sydney, Game C in Brisbane and Game D in Canberra.

For example
Week 1
A Sydney 1 v Perth

B Sydney 2 v Brisbane 2

C Brisbane 1 v Melbourne

D Canberra v Sydney 3

Losers all eliminated

Week 2

E Winner A v Winner D

F Winner B v Winner C

Losers eliminated

Week 3

G Winner E v Winner F

Find a famous Wallaby to name it after - the Nick Shehadie Cup for example.

KISS - Keep it Simple

If it is going to take the place of the NRC then it needs to run at least 6 weeks in my opinion.

 

[Quick Hands]

If it is going to take the place of the NRC then it needs to run at least 6 weeks in my opinion.

But it's not intended as a replacement.

 

[seven wearing six]

Warringah 47
Eastwood 47
Norths 46
Uni 45

A clear top 4 and from what I’ve seen this year the premiers will come from this group.

Then follow fighting it out for 5th and 6th
Gordon 38
Manly 37
Easts 37

Further back the next group who would seem out of contention.
Souths 31
Randwick 27
Wests 25

The struggling WSTB bring up the rear on 7

Unusual lower order.
Expected much more from Manly, Easts and Randwick at the beginning of the season. Gordon not really too surprising to see near the leaders, given the attention to coaching, recruitment and retention (and their Colts performance last year). Hope this continues into next year and beyond.
Souths just having a shocker.
Great to see the WSTB next year with some greater stability and a proper home ground.
Warringah to recover from embarrassing performance against Northern. Should see them in GF.

 

[wamberal]

Randwick have got a pretty hot Colts team, they thrashed our boys.


So it's you against Warringah in the GF?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Randwick have got a pretty hot Colts team, they thrashed our boys.


So it's you against Warringah in the GF?

A lot of their 1st grade are from the dominany Colts team from last season as well. Give it another season or two and Randwick should be contenders once again.

 

[seven wearing six]

Randwick have got a pretty hot Colts team, they thrashed our boys.


So it's you against Warringah in the GF?

Without doing the math for Finals, Uni would have to lift in consistency to make the Big Dance this year.
That recent loss to Warringah put things in perspective. The Rats with a 51 point turnaround since the last meeting doesn't bode well for the big match-ups. Interesting to see if Easts lift at home this week or if Uni show they really do mean business and don't just talk the talk. Remembering Easts did the business to Uni in Round 1.

 

[I like to watch]

A lot of their 1st grade are from the dominany Colts team from last season as well. Give it another season or two and Randwick should be contenders once again.

They’ve had a dominant colts side for 5 years, without any discernible benefit for first grade.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

But it's not intended as a replacement.

Then why bother? Half of the teams would have to incur the cost of travelling. Chances for just the one game. Setting up a season albeit potentially a short one would allow for each team to host 2 or 3 games (depending on numbers) that would allow them to generate each to generate income.

 

[Quick Hands]

Then why bother? Half of the teams would have to incur the cost of travelling. Chances for just the one game. Setting up a season albeit potentially a short one would allow for each team to host 2 or 3 games (depending on numbers) that would allow them to generate each to generate income.

It's purpose would be to capitalise on the support of the clubs in their local community, while at the same time filling a void.

You wouldn't do it if it was going to cost the teams money. If it can't be funded by sponsors or broadcasts (7two) or RA/state RUs then you wouldn't do it. Rugby loses to much money as it is without creating another money pit. Maybe that vocal sponsor Qantas could cover the airfares? Hardly a huge expense as Sydney to Canberra would be a bus trip anyway and flights between the eastern capitals are dirt cheap. The Perth travel is the only significant one.

It's just an extension of the annual game between the Sydney and Brisbane premiers to be more inclusive and to long term do something about a national club competition.

Anyway, it won't happen. There's no appetite amongst the hierarchy for something along these lines.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

It's purpose would be to capitalise on the support of the clubs in their local community, while at the same time filling a void.

You wouldn't do it if it was going to cost the teams money. If it can't be funded by sponsors or broadcasts (7two) or RA/state RUs then you wouldn't do it. Rugby loses to much money as it is without creating another money pit. Maybe that vocal sponsor Qantas could cover the airfares? Hardly a huge expense as Sydney to Canberra would be a bus trip anyway and flights between the eastern capitals are dirt cheap. The Perth travel is the only significant one.

It's just an extension of the annual game between the Sydney and Brisbane premiers to be more inclusive and to long term do something about a national club competition.

Anyway, it won't happen. There's no appetite amongst the hierarchy for something along these lines.

I'm looking at it as a replacement to the NRC. There's no point in my opinion otherwise. Which means it would require RA assistance. Which I think would be fair enough. And if it's to exist in place of the NRC then it needs to have a bit more to it in order to make it worthwhile from a spectator perspective among others.

 

[wamberal]

The televised game is the Woodies hosting the Gay Gordons (this is the traditional name by which the club was known when I was a kid, no offence intended of course, forgive an old hand's sentimentality).


Always a poignant occasion for me, Gordon is the first opposition team that I remember from my earliest days watching the game at the old Eastwood Oval. And they always beat us!!!

 

[Up the Guts]

Very impressed by Taylor Adams at 10 for the Woodies so far.

 

[wamberal]

He is a pretty handy player. Surely not far from Soup status?

 

[Up the Guts]

Unfortunately, injured his left ankle in the end but in terms of skill he looks like he could easily make it at Super level. Always a danger when he takes it to the line with his quick feet.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Didn't get much of a look in at the Rebels over the past couple of years. Certainly behind Quade this year, b ut I think was in the lineup in 2018 but hardly got on the field if at all.

Meanwhile, that was a much more enjoyable and more highly skilled game than last week's rubbish served up by Warringah and Norths. And in difficult windy conditions too.

 

[Up the Guts]

Aside from Adams I thought Nawaqanitawese also looked the goods whenever he touched the ball and will find himself in a Super team in due course. Muliufi is a handful at inside and won the man of the match award, he may need to be a few kgs lighter if he’s to step up.