Southern Inland Rugby 2012

[yourmatesam]

ROUND FOURTEEN PREVIEW:

PREMIER DIVISION

Aggies (2) v Albury (1) – MATCH OF THE ROUND
We are looking at what may well be the 2012 Grand Finalists here this week and there are a number of factors that will influence this game. Pete and Dave Armstrong have both been absent from the Ag College line up in recent weeks which has had an impact on their preparation for this match. The Steamers will be sweating on the availability of Ben Walker for this clash after a hamstring strain sidelined him last weekend as Ben has been an essential ingredient in the makeup of the Steamers to date this year.

There is no doubt that this game will be played at pace and with plenty of pressure at the tackle contest, Louie Levett and James Whiteley are arguably the two form flankers in the zone and they will both be keen as mustard to attack the breakdown and they will take every chance they get in this area of the game.

Set piece will be another highlight of this game as both forward packs are well matched and pride themselves on performance in the scrum and lineout. James Kora has been a revelation for the Steamers so far this year and both front rows have some solid scrummagers in their ranks.

In the backs, Dan Moloney has been maturing under the tutelage of Richard Turnbull with his kicking game becoming a real highlight which has been an asset for the Aggies. Jim Lollback and Justin Wheatley are two experienced campaigners at the back for the Steamers and they will return any wayward kicks with interest this weekend.

All in all there is plenty to watch in this match and given some of the recent scores they have been running up against other teams in the competition, it will be interesting to see what the outcome is and what bearing that will have on the finals series.


City (3) v CSU (5) – Friday Night under lights 7:50pm kick off at CRP
Due to the double headers created by the draw, Wagga City have taken the opportunity to play on Friday Night this week with a 7:50pm kickoff. It’s going to be reasonably fresh at that time of the evening, particularly at the 9:20pm final whistle! I hope both teams have a rigorous warm up for this match, because any injuries at that time of night will bloody hurt.
Hamish Wrafter will play a central role in this match following a very polished performance against the Tahs while CSU will be sure to bring their jerseys this week after leaving them in Wagga when they travelled to Albury! CSU will be stretched without Paul Hood, but have enough handy players to cover his absence this week and City will be without Captain Jarrod Bryant due to a groin injury as well.

Waratahs (4) v Temora (6)
Waratahs just didn’t get into it when it mattered last week and should be wary of a tough Tuskers outfit in this match. Although the score lines have not been favourable to Temora over the past few weeks, they definitely enjoy the contest and will be amped to take on the Tahs. Waratahs have been well served by their RARC recruits Clark Chancellor and Dave Bowden who never stopped having a crack against City and it must be said that these two played with the same passion when they were playing for RARC. These two obviously enjoy their footy and it’s great to see guys who just enjoy playing rugby.



FIRST DIVISION

Leeton (10) v Coota (8)
Leeton put in a full 80min effort against a limping Tumut Bulls outfit last weekend while Coota were pipped at the post by the Blacks. Coota have slipped from 7th position in recent weeks and will be keen to right the ship this weekend. The forward battle will be key here and it will also be interesting to see which Coota side turns up because Leeton will be strong at home given that this is their best chance in recent years of playing some finals footy.

Griffith v Hay – 2nd Grade Only

Tumut (11) v Young (7)
The Bulls host the Yabbies this week after what has been a rough season to date for the Tumut side. Rocked by the retirement of stalwarts Jock Mason and Matt Chapman, the Bulls have been finding their way slowly and will want to get some players on the park this week at home. It appears the Yabbies have hit some form at the right time of year and will come into this match with some wind in their sails as they cruise towards the 2012 Finals Series. Young won’t be taking the Bulls lightly but they have hit their straps in recent weeks and will be keen to build on this momentum.

 

[yourmatesam]

ROUND 14 SCORES

PREMIER DIVISION:

First Grade:

Aggies 38 bt Albury 14
City 36 bt CSU 7
Waratahs 46 bt Temora 5

2nd Grade;
CSU 26 d Wagga City 7, Ag College 39 d Albury 3, Temora 17 d Waratahs 12


FIRST DIVISION:

First Grade:

Coota 17 bt Leeton 10
Tumut 15 bt Young 5

2nd Grade;
Hay 39 d Griffith 14, Coota 21 d Leeton 15, Tumut 27 d Young 24

3rd Grade;
Waratahs 22 d Ag College 17, CSU 31 d City 17

Under 17s;
Griffith 44 d City 7, Waratahs 15 d Young 7, Leeton 45 d Coota 17

 

[yourmatesam]

ROUND 15 PREVIEW:
Well, Round 14 saw a near mirror image of the Round 5 Albury v Ag College clash with Aggies putting it over the Steamers in Wagga by a very similar margin. Only one bonus point separates these two teams as they build towards the Finals Series and you would have to think that that’s how it will stay (or very close to it) for the rest of the season. I wonder what effect the week off will have on Cootamundra with respect to their finals campaign. As we lead towards the 2012 Finals with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, one thing for certain is the fact that the 2012 Finals Series will be very tightly contested particularly in First Division where there is only one point separating 7th, 8th and 9th position on the ladder (and with 10th and 11th tied on points).

PREMIER DIVISION:
Ag College (2) v Waratahs (4) @ Beres Ellwood +10
Waratahs made amends for their efforts against City two weeks ago by racking up some points against the Tuskers but will find they have to step up another level here this week against a rampaging Ag College outfit. In recent years these two teams have been very evenly matched however this is not the case this season as the Tahs have struggled to commit to the season with the same amount of vigour they have shown in recent years. On the other side of the coin, Aggies have built on their performances and are growing as a club. Both teams have players who are capable of performing at a high level, it just comes down to commitment as to how well they perform. Aggies were missing a few players last week against the Steamers and may work on settling some combinations this week as they prepare for the finals series.


CSU (5) v Temora (6) – Friday Night under lights @ CRP
This match will be tight contest if Temora are able to put their strongest team on the paddock, CSU were under par against City last Friday Night but will be keen to step up against the Tuskers this week. This is potentially Temora’s best chance to bag a win in the Premier Division and they would love nothing more than claiming the scalp of the Reddies. Given the forecast for a fresh Friday night, I wonder why these two clubs decided not to play at CSU or Conolly Park on Saturday?

City (3) v Albury (1) – MATCH OF THE ROUND @ CRP
Wagga City were in good form on Friday Night against CSU in what were some pretty trying conditions which should translate into some good form against the Steamers this week. Albury suffered their first loss of the season to the second placed Aggies last week which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Now they’ve lost their first game, they know what they need to work on and will be sure they do everything they can to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

The Boiled Lollies have shown a real focus over the past few weeks as though they have realised they are a chance of competing for the 2012 GF if they put their minds to it. The interesting thing about City is that their playing group has not changed a great deal to what it has been in the past few seasons, they have picked up a few players in some key positions that has made a difference. City’s biggest hurdle over the coming weeks will be attitude and this match is what they need to concentrate on if they are to contest the 2012 GF.

The Steamers have been riding high for the duration of the competition with some stellar performances to date, they won’t be happy about their loss the Aggies and will be hell bent on making amends this week. I believe this match could come down to the set piece execution by both teams as they are reasonably well matched through the halves, Albury are arguably better on the counter attack given the experience they have at the back in Justin Wheatley and Jim Lollback (who allegedly retired this year).

Lars Newman and Scott Hannaford will have their work cut out handling the Lagaali boys in the centres, but they are up to the task. Joe Tora and Nathan Bright will be great to watch at #8, Ben Walker and Sam King at #9 and Hamish Wrafter versus Richard Manion at #10 will also be real highlights of this match. The set piece is crucial in this match as both teams have such handy players in those key 8, 9 and 10 positions.

FIRST DIVISION:
Coota v Hay – 2nd Grade Only

Tumut (10) v Griffith (9) @ Adelong Showgrounds
This is a big trip for the Blacks to head to the hills this week but I’m sure they are keen for it and this match is a potential preview of week one of the Finals Series and will be played with plenty of passion. Tumut have had a tough season this year as have Griffith so I’m sure both sides will be approaching this match with the aim of improving as they lead into the final round of the competition.

Leeton (11) v Young (8) @ Leeton No 1 Oval
The Yabbies have been the big improvers of the second half of the competition and have really been helped along by the likes of Aaron Seaman moving to town. Following an ordinary performance last week, they will aim up this week against the Phantoms as they need to ensure they are on their game in two weeks’ time. Leeton have been unlucky not to bag some more wins this year and have lost some games by slim margins that they have the ability to win.

 

[yourmatesam]

ROUND 15 SCORES

Premier Division:

First Grade:
CSU 39 bt Temora 14
Aggies 36 bt Waratahs 22
Albury 25 bt City 19

2nd Grade;
CSU 25 d Temora 24, City 53 d Albury 22, Ag College 55 d Waratahs 12

First Division:

First Grade:
Tumut 27 bt Griffith 24
Leeton 34 bt Young 29

2nd Grade;
Tumut 27 d Griffith 15, Young 47 d Leeton 0, Hay 17 d Coota 12

McMullen Cup (3rd Grade)

Wagga City 33 d Albury 0, Waratahs 22 d Ag College 5, CSU 30 d Young 0

Under 17s;
Griffith 19 d Waratahs 15, Young 50 d Leeton 10

 

[yourmatesam]

ROUND 16 PREVIEW:
So we’re at the final round of the season, there have been plenty of highs and a few lows along the way, but all in all it’s been a decent regular season of rugby for 2012. The finalists are determined in both divisions as far as First Grade are concerned (unless Leeton can beat Griffith by 54 points), however there are some results in Second Grade this weekend that have the potential to cause some movement there. All the top four teams will be hoping for an injury free run this weekend as they prepare for their respective assaults on the 2012 silverware. Picking a Match of the Round this week is tough, but I think the First Division match between Young (8) and Coota (7) gets the bikkies in Round 16 as it has some potential to alter the final standings.


Premier Division:

CSU (5) v Aggies (2) @ Beres Ellwood +10
The students tough it out for pride this weekend in what is always a classic competition match. Although the Reddies season has not shined the way it did in 2011 there is still plenty to play for here and the CSU side will surely stand up to the Aggies this week. Ag College appear to be hitting their straps at the right time of year and must be building some confidence as they work towards another GF appearance in 2012. When Aggies hosted CSU in Round 6, they put on a really good day for the fans, I wonder what the Reddies have organised for this match?

Temora (6) v City (3) @ Temora Recreation Ground
The Boiled Lollies travel over to the Temora Recreation Ground to take on a wounded Tuskers outfit this weekend. Having made the Premier Division in 2012 (as was their aim) the Tuskers have not been able to fire a shot in the Top 6 and in recent weeks have been cruelled by injuries when it counts most for them. Their best chance at bagging a win in First Grade was last Friday Night against CSU and they were without 5 regular First Graders including Adam Bensch and Bill McCrone. At home, the Tuskers are tough to beat but City need to keep rolling on when it comes to these type of games. Keegan Thornhill has been in some good form over the past weeks and will need to focus on the job at hand against a tough Tuskers pack.

Albury (1) v Tahs (4) @ Murrayfield
This match has always been a bit of a grudge match, but in recent years this may be mellowing somewhat as there are plenty of bridges being rebuilt off the field with two committed groups of old boys drinking plenty of ales with each other. All the off field camaraderie will count for nought on the field though as the reigning premiers head to the border in a bid to restore some pride into what has been a sub-par season in comparison to their recent stellar performances. Albury succumbed to the Aggies a few weeks ago now and that hollow feeling will be driving the Steamers as they prepare for this one. Waratahs prop Manning Doughty will have a rough day at the office up against James “House” Kora for 80mins. For me, the highlight of this match will be Sam Hobbs versus Ben Walker at half back as these two guys are both handy players.


First Division:

Young (8) v Coota (7) – MATCH OF THE ROUND @ Hall Brothers Oval
Luke Eldridge must be pulling his hair out at the Yabbies this year. After showing plenty of promise last year, they got off to a shaky start to the season, threatened to make the Premier Division, found some good form a few weeks ago (even managed to take out top spot in the First Division) but have slumped in the previous two weeks to consecutive losses to lower ranked teams. This top of the First Division clash is a must win for the Yabbies if they are fair dinkum about giving the 2012 First Division title a crack.

Coota on the other hand have been quietly plugging away without setting the world on fire as they try for their third consecutive win in the Romano’s Cup. Their Welsh imports have had a reasonable impact on the club but Coach Kristian Bodycott is still looking for more from his charges as commitment to training appears to be an issue. Alex Hardie has been a standout for the Tri Colours this season and was rewarded with selection in the SIRU Rep side earlier in the year.

For me, the best measuring stick to determine where these two teams are at is their respective matches against Tumut in recent weeks. Young were beaten 15-5 by Tumut in Round 14 and Coota beat Tumut 15-12 in Round 12. There is not much between these two teams as they prepare for the top of the table clash and both sides will want to bag a win this week to gain the psychological advantage for the finals series.

Griffith (9) v Leeton (11) @ Coro Club Ground
An understrength Griffith Blacks headed to the Adelong Showgrounds last weekend to take on the Tumut Bulls and got done on the bell in what was a really close game. Word is that there were some social engagements that limited player’s ability to travel to the hills which may also impact on numbers this weekend. The Phantoms scalped the Yabbies in Leeton last weekend and will travel to Griffith full of confidence this week. This game will be even in the forwards (Leeton may have a slight advantage in the scrums) but the Griffith backline may have too much strike power for the Phantoms.

Hay v Tumut – 2nd Grade only

 

[namtrak]

Watch for a new level of play from the Steamers

 

[GottaloveSIRU]

I reckon the battle for the TahsvSteamers game will be fought and won in the Tight five. Steamers backs definitely have it over the Tahs backs however, the forwards will be the contest.

 

[GottaloveSIRU]

Tip is for Coota to get up over Young also. Will be a great match, I reckon Coota forwards will win it for them despite Young showing some great form in their backline.

 

[yourmatesam]

Watch for a new level of play from the Steamers

I reckon the battle for the TahsvSteamers game will be fought and won in the Tight five. Steamers backs definitely have it over the Tahs backs however, the forwards will be the contest.

The Albury Waratahs game has always had plenty of feeling in it, there are some deep emotions there that run back years and years!! It will definitely be a cracker, I'm sure Albury will be happy to have a week at home after being on the road for the last two weeks.

Tip is for Coota to get up over Young also. Will be a great match, I reckon Coota forwards will win it for them despite Young showing some great form in their backline.

I'm interested to see how the bye will affect Coota as they prepare for their third straight First Division title defence. Sometimes it's a blessing have a week off, other times it's a nightmare.......

 

[yourmatesam]

ROUND 16 SCORES:
Aggies clinched the minor premiership today by one point when they got up over CSU and Albury drew with Tahs at fortress Murrayfield. The 2012 Finals Series is going to be very interesting... ... ...

Premier Division:

First Grade
Aggies 97 bt CSU 5
City 28 bt Temora 12
Albury 31 drew Tahs 31

2nd Grade;
Wagga Waratahs 24 d Albury 12, Ag College 57 d CSU 5,Temora 26 d Wagga City 14


First Division:

First Grade:
Coota 45 bt Young 32
Griffith 15 drew Leeton 15

2nd Grade;
Cootamundra 38 d Young 19, Hay 55 d Tumut 0, Griffith 30 d Leeton 0

3rd Grade;
Waratahs 46 d Albury 12, Ag College 33 d CSU 5

Under 17s;
Wagga City 21 d Harden 19, Young 43 d Coota 17, Griffith 36 d Leeton 5

 

[yourmatesam]

Pam Whaley from the DA is doing a top 20 countdown of SIRU players, draw your own conclusions on who you think should or shouldn't be in it. I'm sure there will be a fair bit of ribbing about this within the players!

It's great to see this sort of coverage in the paper though as rugby in this area has been starved of page space and Pam is doing a great job of putting rugby on the map.

Please click here for the article.

 

[yourmatesam]

Finals Preview – Week One
It’s Business Time, the 2012 Finals Series is under way and we are now officially playing for sheep stations. Notable matches will be the Aggies Albury showdown that sits at one a piece, City v Waratahs poetry recitaland the Coota v Young local derby. The majority of matches will be played at Conolly Park in Wagga with some matches being contested out at Kapooka in order to accommodate everyone this weekend.

In a traditional top four finals series, the winner of the Major Semi progresses to the GF while the loser of the Major Semi faces off against the winner of the Minor Semi and the loser of the Minor Semi is watching from the hill. I hope that makes sense to everyone!!

PREMIER DIVISION:
First Grade:
Aggies (1) v Albury (2) Major Semi – 2:55pm @ CRP #1
It’s one all coming into this match as the two (arguably) standout teams of the competition battle it out for the easy path to the GF this week. Aggies were clinical in their efforts against CSU last week and did well to play their own game for 80mins. Albury were tested all the way by Tahs at Fortress Murrayfield and must be feeling lucky not to have suffered their second loss of the season.

As we all know, finals footy is a different ball game and regular season form counts for nought, however; it must be said that Aggies appear to be peaking at the right end of the season while the pack appears to be nipping at the heels of the previously untouchable Albury Steamers. Maybe the boys in Blue and Gold are working on some options for the finals, maybe the rest of the competition are figuring them out, maybe, what if, whatever. Albury are a quality team and will be tough to keep out of the GF.

Aggies were still bringing players back through the grades last week which is testament to the depth of the club this season and will hold both their First and Second Grades teams in good stead over the coming weeks.

Looking at the match ups across the park, Dave Armstrong and Nathan Bright each play pivotal roles in their respective teams at Number 8. Both forward packs are reasonably well balanced, Albury have a stronger front row, Aggies have a stronger second row and the backrows are deadest even. In my mind, Louie Levett and James Whiteley are as good as each other and will both be at their roaming best come kickoff time on Saturday.

In the backs both teams have great halves combinations who can deliver some real quality to their respective backlines. In the centres, Aggies may have a slight edge with Tim Corcoran at 12 but Albury have experienced campaigner Scott Hannaford to cover him. The back three for both teams have some serious wheels and will counter attack when they get the chance. Bart Whiteley and Justin Wheatley would have to be two standout fullbacks in the zone and it is great to watch these two ply their trade in attack.

Aggies and Albury did not finish the season First and Second for nothing, they are both filled with genuine talent and are equally capable of winning this week. This match will be a deadest cracker and both teams will be anxious to take the easy route to the Grand Final as I’m sure they each have some niggling injuries that they would appreciate resting before playing for the 2012 silverware.


City (3) v Tahs (4) Minor Semi – 4:30pm @ CRP #1
For me, the Finals race got a lot tighter following the Albury Waratahs draw last weekend. Albury boast an undefeated record at Murrayfield this year and for Waratahs to travel down there and nearly come home with the chocolates is a great result for them as a club. City will want to be on top of their game against their long-time rivals this weekend.

City have been the “feel good” story of the zone this year having really stepped up to the plate in 2012 and they have plenty to prove this year as they are having a very successful season in comparison to recent years. In what will be a real family affair for City, the Lagaali boys will field three brothers and one uncle in the team this weekend with Rambo (#12), Jason (#15), Gordon (#6) and Eddie (#13) all lining up in First Grade. These brothers have been an integral part of City’s change of fortune in 2012.

City’s backline will be keen to fire this weekend and will be spearheaded by Hamish Wrafter who guides his charges around the park with great control week in week out. Although Waratahs have not been able to generate the consistency they would like this year, I think they have been gelling over recent weeks and have the ability to match City in the backs.

When these two teams played each other in Round 13, Wagga City got up 36-17 and played the final 42mins with 14 men. I would predict a much tighter contest this week following the return of some key members of the Waratahs outfit. Xavier Chigwidden has been playing regularly for Tahs since his midseason hiatus to the snow fields. Although only young, Xavier has been a central figure for the Tahs for nearly 5 seasons now and he will be central to Waratahs finals campaign in 2012.



Second Grade:
Aggies (1) v Tahs (2) Premier Division Major Semi – 11:45am @ CRP #1
While there are no guarantees in finals footy, Aggies have some genuine fire power in their ranks with the likes of Ben Woodhouse and co running riot against CSU last weekend. Keep in mind though that Waratahs are the defending Premiers in Reserve Grade and will not lie down in this one.

Albury (3) v CSU (4) Premier Division Minor Semi – 11:30am @ CRP #2
This could be an interesting match as neither team has really fired in the second grade season this year, Albury have been struggling for consistency in Seconds as have CSU. Due to player shortages across three grades at CSU there will likely be some First Grade faces playing Seconds in this match. CSU were the 2011 runners up though and deserve some respect coming into this match.

FIRST DIVISION:
First Grade:
Coota (7) v Young (8) Major Semi – 1:15pm @ CRP #1
This match is a bit of a local derby for these two clubs and there will certainly be no love lost this week. The Yabbies have been up and down this season and it’s very difficult to predict what sort of form they will be in when they come to Wagga. If all the stars align, Young have the ability to play some decent footy when it matters.

Cootamundra have been the quiet achievers of the First Division competition to date but will want to bring their A game for the Yabbies. After missing out on the Premier Division by one point the Tri Colours have notched up four wins and one loss in the First Division and they will be keen to continue this form tomorrow. The Yabbies have not been so well heeled in the First Division notching up two wins and three losses since the split.

Both teams have had their fair share of off field issues with the Tri Colours not keen on training and the Yabbies not keen on travelling, it will be interesting to see what the outcome of this game is as they can both turn it on when they want to.


Griffith (9) v Tumut (10) Minor Semi – 1:00pm @ CRP #2
These two played a great game at Adelong a few weeks ago albeit with uncontested scrums due to some player shortages faced by the Blacks, hopefully they play a similar standard of footy in this match with contested scrums this time!

Tim Graham’s boys do not give up and are assisted by the likes of Will Reynolds in the second row. Will would be a devastating 6 at most other clubs, but the Bulls need him in the second row as they are a bit light on for forwards. Having said that, the Tumut scrum has been an attacking weapon for them in the First Division this season and will be a feature tomorrow.

Clint Robertson has had a bit of a topsy turvey year over in the MIA with some frustrating moments during the season. I wonder what sort of form the Blacks are in at this stage of the competition given that it was only two weeks ago that they called uncontested scrums in Adelong and last week they only managed a draw against Leeton in Griffith. My scouts in the MIA tell me there were two red cards and three yellow cards dished out in that match which I’m sure Clint won’t want to emulate this week.

It’s winner takes all from here on in – given their recent win in Adelong, do the Bulls have the psychological edge or will Griffith muscle up tomorrow?

Second Grade:
Hay (7) v Young (8) Major Semi – 10:15am @ CRP #1
Hay have been the standout team of the Romano’s Cup Reserve Grade competition this year and will be tough to get past this week.

Coota (9) v Griffith (10) Major Semi – 10:00am @ CRP #2
Coota had a tough match last week against Young while the Blacks romped home against Leeton. The team that best adapts to travel (and dew) will go a long way to winning this game.

Third Grade:
Tahs (1) v Aggies (2) Major Semi – 10:00am @ Kapooka Rugby Ground #1
Both teams had convincing wins in their respective games last weekend and have been torrid competitors all year. Will the old heads in Blue be able to outsmart the young kids from the Ag College?

CSU (3) v City (4) Minor Semi – 10:00am @ Kapooka Rugby Ground #2
CSU went down to Aggies last week while City enjoyed the bye – although I’m not sure a bye is a good thing in Thirsty Thirds!

Under 17’s:
Tahs (1) v Griffith (2) Major Semi – 11:15am @ Kapooka Rugby Ground #1
The young Tahs have played a solid season to date, can they go all the way? The boys from Griffith will be doing everything they can to stop them!

Young (3) v Coota (4) Minor Semi – 11:15am @ Kapooka Rugby Ground #2
Young and Coota travel to Wagga for a replay of last weekend’s match. Will the result be the same?

 

[namtrak]

Great work here in the reviews

 

[yourmatesam]

Finals Week One - Results
Although it was not a great day for rugby today at least the rain stayed away for most of the day! I'll follow up during the week with a bit of a review of the day.

PREMIER DIVISION:
First Grade:
Aggies 37 bt Albury 36
City 36 bt Tahs 22

Second Grade:
Aggies 22 bt Tahs 13
CSU 24 bt Albury 13

FIRST DIVISION:
First Grade:
Young 31 bt Coota 26
Tumut 32 bt Griffith 11

Second Grade:
Hay 38 bt Young 0
Griffith 15 bt Coota 11

Third Grade:
Tahs 12 drew Aggies 12 – Tahs are through as they are the higher ranked team.
City 17 bt CSU 12

Under 17’s:
Tahs 31 bt Griffith 23
Young 66 bt Coota 14


NEXT WEEK:
All games are at Murrumbidgee College Fields, Yanco
PREMIER DIVISION:
First Grade:
Albury v City

Second Grade
Waratahs v CSU

FIRST DIVISION:
First Grade:
Coota v Tumut

Second Grade:
Young v Griffith

THIRD GRADE:
Ag College v City

UNDER 17’s:
Griffith v Young

 

[Wannabewallaby]

Any predictions for Albury Vs City this weekend?

I can honestly say that I have no idea. City looked very strong against Tahs but Albury are such a quality outfit. Should be very entertaining!

 

[yourmatesam]

Change in the wind?

I know there are a lot of people from within SIRU that check out the forum here, have a squiz as a visitor to keep up to date with what's going on in the zone and I’m interested in getting your thoughts on this topic.

I've been talking to a few people recently who have floated the idea of a change to the 2013 Competition Format.

At present, the 12 teams play each other once then split into Top 6 (Premier Division) and Bottom 6 (First Division). These two divisions play for the remaining 6 weeks of the competition as they fight for a spot in the top 4 within each division. We finish with a Top 4 for each division (1-4 and 7-10), a 3 week finals series, play the GF, drink from the cup, fall over and back up for Mad Monday.

I like the idea of running the season this way as it provides a level of competition for all clubs to play decent footy against opposition of a similar standard. However, I think there is an argument for change there around the top 4 concept.

The proponents for change (let’s call them the prophets) want to change the top 4 for the Finals Series. The competition would run like this:
Play each other once (no change here), split Premier Division and First Division (no change here), play within those divisions until the final round (no change here). When the season is finished, you would then select your finalists as follows:

Walsh & Blair Cup (Premier Division) = Top 4 ranked sides (1-4)
Romano’s Cup (First Division) = Middle 4 ranked sides (5-8)

Essentially there is no change to the Premier Division as these teams will continue on as per the norm. The change in the First Division is that it gives the teams ranked 5&6 (who presently miss out on any finals footy even though they are ranked higher than those teams below them) a crack at finals footy. So the Premier Division plays for a top 4, the First Division play for a top 2 with teams 5&6 coming down into the First Division and ranked higher than teams 7&8.

I think the Premier Division / First Division concept supports all levels of rugby and that the lower ranked teams have had enough chances during the season to bag a win.

What do you think?

 

[jb23]

@ yourmatesam I am all for the idea, but this would not be in place in 2nd grade also, why?
Because you follow your 1st grade side teams can get promoted and relegated quite easily for the 2nd half of the comp i.e wagga city got promoted i think perhaps Temora also??

My tip for the weekend is steamers by 8 although they did encounter quite a physical match and may have picked up a few injuires cant wait to see the 'late mail' from Dom Cameron regarding team changes. If Ben Walker doesnt play well...... lets just say he has to!

Jb Out!

 

[jb23]

Also @ yourmatesam #134 U/17's Young v Coota your score is wrong. Young belted coota 66 14. I ment to write this earlier but misplaced my pword

 

[yourmatesam]

Also @ yourmatesam #134 U/17's Young v Coota your score is wrong. Young belted coota 66 14. I ment to write this earlier but misplaced my pword

Thanks for that one jb23, that would explain why Griffith play Young this week in the Under 17's!! My bad.........

 

[yourmatesam]

@ yourmatesam I am all for the idea, but this would not be in place in 2nd grade also, why?
Because you follow your 1st grade side teams can get promoted and relegated quite easily for the 2nd half of the comp i.e wagga city got promoted i think perhaps Temora also??

That's a good point you raise there jb23, it would be intersting to see what the Second Grade ladders looked like at Round 11 versus Round 16.

My thoughts are that whatever happens in First Grade should happen in Second Grade.