Southern Inland Rugby 2015

[yourmatesam]

@yourmatesam , what's is the story with the clubs. I'm hearing after the draw some clubs were still undecided on a fielding both 1st & 2nd grade, namely Griffith & Temora ???

I think some clubs were affected by their 2014 season which caused some issues for them into the 2015 season. Hay are playing as Griffith's 2nd Grade team. Temora are 1st Grade only and Junee are playing as Cootamundra's 3rds.

Also, no under 17's in 2015 which is a real shame. I think it highlights the importance of working on these age groups in October/November in preparation for the season. Having said that, junior league and AFL are experiencing a drop off in the older age groups.

Also funny you mention that the comp is 3weeks away, it's crazy we are up to Round 4 this weekend, makes for some HOT rugby and sunburn lines

Rugby? I would have thought you'd be working on your surfing skills mate?

 

[Sicnarf]

Just looked at the Draws on the SIRU Website
They look pretty good to me - 11 Teams in the Womens Comp & 9 in 3rd Grade
Ashame about 17s but not a lot of committment in that Age Group these days - Too many other distractions
The Staemers are my tip at the moment to win the Comp

 

[Richrugby89]

The one thing I can't believe about the draw at the moment - the idea to play on ANZAC day? Surely this will get changed. A more than likely lack of numbers for the games along with it being the centenary of ANZAC - just a bizarre decision if you ask me

 

[Independent]

Heading overseas this week for 3 months, so I will post my SIRU predictions now. Limited connectivity in many parts of where I am heading, so I will be a little out of the loop come mid July when I return!

Surprise Packets / big improvers - Ag College (Stability in the coaching ranks, plethora of players, experience where it matters, youth & enthusiasm where it matters also! Very positive chatter coming from the College)

On the slide - CSU Continuing the slide from 2014. Unable to rely on players from the uni for depth or quality anymore.Why Mick Wakeling is now watching from the stands baffles myself and many people I speak to.

Premier Division
Albury
Waratahs
Griffith
Ag College
Tumut
Wagga City
2015 Premiers - Waratahs

First Division Premiers - Leeton
3rd grade Premiers - Waratahs
Womens 7's Premiers - Griffith

Let the comments begin......

 

[Sicnarf]

The one thing I can't believe about the draw at the moment - the idea to play on ANZAC day? Surely this will get changed. A more than likely lack of numbers for the games along with it being the centenary of ANZAC - just a bizarre decision if you ask me

Plenty of Sport is being played on Anzac Day both locally - All Codes including Group 9, RFL & Farrer & Soccer plaus the big blockbusters in the AFL & NRL

The Clubs were told early in the year that we had to play on Anzac Day because there would have been 2 General Byes in a row - Country C'Ships are on May 2

All Clubs have the opportunity to organise & play their matches on the Fri Night which is easy enough to do

It is not a Long Weekend so why wouldn't you play & have a big game of 2 Up that night

I know my Club is looking forward to playing on Anzac Day

 

[namtrak]

I think Waratahs, Aggies, Leeton and Young will be the ones to watch this year. A quiet off-season for the Waratahs is a big pointer.

 

[Sicnarf]

Albury v Ag College Grand Final for me this year - Eaglesham (Bill Castle Medal winner last year) will be a big loss for Waratahs this year - Steamers have a habit of bouncing back when they lose a Grand Final
Round 1 clash between Albury & waratahs at Albury should be a ripper

 

[Independent]

I should note that until the dust settles out in the MIA, I might reserve total predictive authority on both Griffith & Leeton!
Factors that will be decisive will be;
- How many Griffith players from 2014will follow Rogo and Vunibaka to Leeton.
- Is there any money left in the Blacks piggy bank after last season?
- In both towns, what is the state of the mungoes?

 

[yourmatesam]

My gut feeling tells me the contenders for the Top 6 will likely include (in no particular order) Waratahs, Ag College, Leeton, Albury, Young, City, CSU and Tumut. Griffith have only nominated 1st and 3rd Grades which indicates some issues out there, Temora losing the Fijian influence will take some spark away as will their 2nd grade who have performed well in recent years. I hear that Coota will likely be sitting mid-table this year.

 

[Whistle Happy]

How does Griffith get to play only 1st & 3rd Grade this year - what a Joke that SIRU let them get away with that
What happens next year when Coota want to play 2nd & 3rd Grade only and Tumut wants to play 1st & 3rd Grade only - then SIRU really has a mess on its hands
The Blacks should have been told its 1st & 2nd Grdae or the highway - & go to either Victorian Rugby or Central West
The word is they Griffith still haven't got a coach and the Club is in turmoil from the Top down - Wot a costly Premiership win that was last year

 

[Independent]

How does Griffith get to play only 1st & 3rd Grade this year - what a Joke that SIRU let them get away with that
What happens next year when Coota want to play 2nd & 3rd Grade only and Tumut wants to play 1st & 3rd Grade only - then SIRU really has a mess on its hands
The Blacks should have been told its 1st & 2nd Grdae or the highway - & go to either Victorian Rugby or Central West
The word is they Griffith still haven't got a coach and the Club is in turmoil from the Top down - Wot a costly Premiership win that was last year

Griffith have coaches sorted. It seems you spend a fair bit of time at your keyboard, so looking at the area news might be something for you to do in the future before you go off on a rant http://www.areanews.com.au/story/2956450/gleeson-vitucci-to-lead-griffith-blacks/?cs=671
The highway? Great endorsement for Country rugby mate. Central West and Vic are also rather laughable. Griffith to Dubbo? Griffith to Melbourne? Probably just sour grapes or the green eyed monster, as I know Griffith gave your club a dust up last season! Keep it positive or constructive, or in future just keep telling the two or three blokes that still listen to you on a Saturday your stories.

 

[Whistle Happy]

I seemed to have hit a bit of a nerve - I'm Sorry Mr Independent (Mr Griffith Blacks Spokesperson) - so can you tell me so I can tell my 2 or 3 Blokes each Saturday why Griffith only nominated 1st & 3rd Grade sides - then I will go away so you don't have any more nightmares for the rest of the year - unless of course I missed that in the Artea News again

 

[yourmatesam]

Keep it positive or constructive.

Keep your pants on you two, there's plenty of space for all of us on here. Take a breath, have a lie down and relax.

so can you tell me so I can tell my 2 or 3 Blokes each Saturday why Griffith only nominated 1st & 3rd Grade sides

My understanding is that Griffith had some safety concerns about their younger players playing second grade and chose to nominate 1st and 3rd Grade for this reason - to allow all their younger players some space to learn the game.

Having said that, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that they would be playing against 2nd Grade sides each week if Griffith only nominated 1st and 3rds.

A compromise was reached with Griffith with Hay stepping into the void which is a good result - it gives Hay the platform to step up and also gives Griffith some space to rebuild.

The highway? Great endorsement for Country rugby mate. Central West and Vic are also rather laughable. Griffith to Dubbo? Griffith to Melbourne?

There have been mentions of clubs looking over the fence in recent years. My feeling would be to give these clubs the phone numbers for those zones if they want to threaten this type of defection. Like you say @Independent, there are some serious travel issues to resolve though...

@Whistle Happy, you seem to have missed the fact that Temora have dropped back to one grade also, there is no under 17's competition this year and Deniliquin have played in the 2nd Grade Competition only for the past two years.

Ultimately, I think the situation with Griffith, Temora (and Leeton in recent years) and the Under 17's Competition are a sign of the times. Participation figures are slipping in the Senior Mens Grades, being buoyed in "Senior Rugby" by the improved women's competitions across the country.

If I was a betting man, I would say that 2016 is the year of stipulating that the Premier Division Competition requires 2 Grades and the First Division Competition being for the One Teamers. This would leave Waratahs, CSU, Ag College plus Womens, City, Albury, Tumut, Young and either Griffith/Leeton/Temora/Coota in the Premier Division.

First Division would be Hay, Deni, Junee, Coota/Griffith/Leeton/Temora and 3rd Grade teams. Teams would play each other twice, a 4 team finals series would equate to roughly the same amount of footy as teams get now, chuck in a couple of general byes and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Whistle Happy]

My initial disappointment was with the SIRU Board- Griffith made a request & it was Granted
I reckon Leeton should have been allowed to play 1sts & 3rd Grade for a few years now if we listen to the Griffith Excuse - they had plenty of younger players in their ranks in the past couple of years
I suppose The proof will be in the Pudding when we see the Ages of the Griffith 3rd Grade side this year- if you are over 18 you can play 2nd Grade
I still think Griffith were treated too lightly
I reckon we'll see plenty of un registered Group 20 players taking the field for their 3rd Grade
I agree with your comments about a Premier Division but Premier Clubs will have to nominate 1st & 2nd Grade teams to be eligible - Not 1st & 3rd Grade like Griffith did this year
Good luck to all the Clubs

 

[yourmatesam]

My initial disappointment was with the SIRU Board- Griffith made a request & it was Granted

The SIRU Board have always done their best to create a competition for all comers. I agree that the current situation at Griffith is not ideal, but what should the board have done? Made them play 1st and 2nds? How? Remember that they originally nominated 1st, 2nd, 3rds and Under 17's and then nominated 1sts and 3rds in late Feb.

What should they have done with Deniliquin? Not accept their application to play in SIRU? What should they have done with Temora? Made them play 1st and 2nds? What should they have done with the Under 17's? Made the clubs nominate teams? If I recall correctly, Junee and Hay were also pushing for inclusion in the 2nd Grade Competition.

Every club has peaks and troughs, Aggies struggled in the early 2000's and CSU were very strong at that time. Do you remember Grenfell and West Wyalong - very tough teams to play against and two solid grades. Leeton were a powerhouse during the 90's, Albury were the same. What goes up must come down and the board has a responsibility to look at what is best for rugby in the zone and there are many considerations that make up their ultimate decision.

I reckon Leeton should have been allowed to play 1sts & 3rd Grade for a few years now if we listen to the Griffith Excuse - they had plenty of younger players in their ranks in the past couple of years

Did Leeton ever approach the board with this proposal? Not that I'm aware of.


Put your money where your mouth is and nominate yourself for a Board position in 2016. I'll forward you the nomination form and second it. All you need to do is present at the SIRU AGM and speak to the clubs explaining why you should be on the board.

 

[Oranges]

Hi fellas, returning to siru after a 15 year absence. Now have a son playing for my old club. Wondering what happens with the griffith/hay home games. Are they all played in Griffith or do 2nds have to travel to hay?

 

[Independent]

I've said it before on this thread, that I reckon the only way to sustain rugby on the region, particularly in the small towns is to adapt something along the lines of what the Central West NSW have in place. A competition where sides can supply 1st, 2nd, 3rds and another competition (Central West call it the "Village Comp") for the clubs who are only able to supply one grade.
Central West is the strongest Country rugby competition in NSW (I don't cont Newcastle or Woolongong as country!) so they're probably not a bad zone to get some advice from.
I agree Sam, its probably got to happen sooner rather than later (2016)

 

[yourmatesam]

Hi fellas, returning to siru after a 15 year absence. Now have a son playing for my old club. Wondering what happens with the griffith/hay home games. Are they all played in Griffith or do 2nds have to travel to hay?

Welcome to the forum Oranges, the home games will likely be split between Griffith and Hay. Not sure exactly what that will look like though.

 

[Oranges]

Fai

Welcome to the forum Oranges, the home games will likely be split between Griffith and Hay. Not sure exactly what that will look like though.

thanks for that. Will be travelling from further up north to make the games during the holiday breaks. Griffith will be nearly 5 hours one way. I'd imagine he could put another 1.5 on for hay...might be a weekend road trip if in 2nds!

 

[Maulalltheway]

With Round 1 only 5 days away does anyone have any team news or predictions for this weekend?