Southern Inland Rugby 2015

[Sicnarf]

My interpretation of a Premier Comp & a 1 Team comp is simple - Premier Comp will more than likely have 1s, 2s, womens & 3rds in the majority of cases.
The 1 Team Comp is exactly that - 1 Team if they want to have a Womens Comp then go for it but they play amonst themselves- 3rd Grade & U/17s aren't options in a I team comp at all
The Under 17s is the big problem for the Clubs & SIRU to solve - Good Luck !- If U/17s re-emerges it will have to be thru the Premier Comp

 

[yourmatesam]

My interpretation of a Premier Comp & a 1 Team comp is simple - Premier Comp will more than likely have 1s, 2s, womens & 3rds in the majority of cases.
The 1 Team Comp is exactly that - 1 Team if they want to have a Womens Comp then go for it but they play amonst themselves- 3rd Grade & U/17s aren't options in a I team comp at all
The Under 17s is the big problem for the Clubs & SIRU to solve - Good Luck !- If U/17s re-emerges it will have to be thru the Premier Comp

Ah, if only it was so simple grasshopper. Agree that Under 17's would be an issue, but ultimately the issue is more about finding them regular rugby than which clubs will have them. The clubs need to drive the 17's competition.

If you do the numbers, there are actually more Women's teams in the SIRU competition than would be in the Premier or 1 teamer competition. Based on present numbers, the 1 teamer would have 6 teams plus whoever the new comers would be. The Premier Division is pretty straight forward based on the present standings and would likely include 8-9 teams.

Thirds will fit in where they fit in. Try and tie the competition to the higher grades and sort out a draw that suits the majority.

If it's an 8 team Premier competition, that's 16 weeks of rugby Home and Away plus byes and a three (?) week finals series = 19 weeks of footy. It's almost the same amount of rugby as what the clubs are playing at the moment. This part is simple.

Based on present numbers, the one team comp would have 6ish teams in it which becomes a little bit more difficult to work out a draw for but could easily play two rounds home and away which is 12 weeks of footy, maybe need to chuck in some form of "crossover" type game to minimise travel etc for two or so "bonus" rounds. If you get a Wyalong/Grenfell/Condo/Harden entering then figure that out as it happens.

Women's is a tough gig to sort out though as the majority of the stronger clubs have a women's team but clubs like Temora and Deni would likely not be in the "Premier" division but have a women's team that they would like to cater for. There aren't too many options here for a draw other than to work on the Premier Division draw and slot in the women's games in an appropriate fashion or consider the women's competition as a stand alone comp and figure it our based on home and away games. But with 11 teams, it might be easiest to split them into a Northern and Southern conference and play cross-overs?

I agree with the general intent of the concept and think there are more positives to a Premier Division/One Team split than there are negatives, but it would take a lot of talking to get right. I would be willing to bet that the board are already planning on what options they can put forward to the clubs. If they aren't, maybe the clubs could look at some options and present them to the board in preparation for the AGM later in the year?

 

[yourmatesam]

#SIRU2015 Round Ten Preview:

Well, the roller-coaster is well and truly in full swing now. Anything can happen over the next two weeks with clubs 4th to 8th all caught up in a race to the Premier Division that has a number of possibilities for all of them. The end result for these teams is the “do or die” scenario over the next two weeks, there are some that only need a couple of points and there are some that need bonus point wins and losses for other teams – you do the maths; it’s 4 Unit at least.


CSU (7) v Temora (10)

While the Tuskers aren’t in the running for the Premier Division, they love nothing more than taking a few scalps along the way. Wagga City found out the hard way a few weeks ago and CSU will likely be wary of the tacklers from T-Town.

Reddies have become the ghost team of the SIRU competition in recent years and have pulled off some great efforts with not too much to work with. For me, this shows a level of heart and a strong core group of players who enjoy the battle and will exploit opportunities when they arise.

This game could turn into a grinding affair for both teams, if Sterling Ross is running around, I’ll be keen to see his matchup with the Tuskers Fijian Under 20’s player at #8 – Tex Ratuva.

City (8) v Tahs (6)

A big game for the Boiled Lollies without a doubt, Grand Final status if they want a shot at the Premier Division which I’m sure they do.

Are Waratahs finally starting to hit their straps? So much talk from the glamour club early in the year but went pretty quiet when results were slow to come, but they appear to be on the up or at least a little more settled with their combinations.

Seth Stoltentberg, Rambo Lagaali, James Curgenven, Jesse Uhr, is a pretty talented roster for City, up against Hugh Palmer, Steve Tracey, Matt Meggison et al at Waratahs, these teams are arguably pretty evenly matched although I would say that Waratahs may have a slight edge in the front row stakes.

Historically, this game is a pretty heated affair with plenty of cheeky banter on and off the field. There will no doubt be some old heads having a few sherbets on the sidelines supporting both teams this weekend.

Albury (1) v Deni – 2nd Grade Only

Young (9) v Griffith/Hay (3)

A big trip for the Griffith/Hay combo! The Yabbies will have their work cut out for themselves in this one.

The Blacks will be keen to keep the momentum going, a close loss to the Steamers last week won’t really worry them and probably gave the Blacks some focus on where they need to be for the top tier and finals.

Coota (11) v Leeton (2)

Another tough gig for the Tri-Colours, maybe another win for their 2nds as well this week? The Phantoms have another chance this week to showcase their attacking flair and work on those finer points of their game.



Tumut (4) v Ag College (5) – Match of the Round

While there are plenty of important games this week and ultimately all the results will matter, this match will have the most impact on the ladder and will be a cracker as these two teams are pretty evenly matched.

My mail says that Tino Manualevo is playing some handy footy at the moment and that the Bulls have got an array of attacking options at their disposal which is creating heartache for those teams who expect the old “pick and drive” gameplan that Tumut can execute so well.

With a long passing game, run options from both 9 & 10 and a strong forward pack, the Bulls have been on a roll lately. Add to that mix some solid front rowers and you’ve got a well balanced team who have probably taken a bit to get going but as their fitness and cohesion has improved, so have the results for the boys from the hills.

Ag College have been a bit hot and cold this year and there’s really not much to take out of their latest encounter at Beres Elwood. I would suggest that Aggies will want to maintain the structures that they have been working on and continue to build on their running forward’s strength. Their 2nd row partnership at #4 and #5 combined well last week and will need to keep that positive momentum this week.

Kiefer Power is a strong ball runner through the centres for Aggies and the match up with himself and Joe Reynolds through those wider channels will be a key component of this game. Tumut always put on a good show at Jarrah Park, although it could be a bit fresh tomorrow, this game will be a corker.

 

[yourmatesam]

#SIRU2015 1st Grade scores - Round 10 -
FIRST GRADE:
CSU 66 d Temora 12, Tumut 23 d Ag College 17, Leeton 69 d Coota 10, Waratahs 48 d City 17, Griffith 25 d Young 15

2nd Grade;
Tumut 26 d Ag College 14, Leeton 25 d Cootamundra 19, Waratahs 25 d City 10, Deniliquin 41 d Albury 29, Young 24 d Hay 21

3rd Grade;
Junee 19 d Leeton 17, City 17 d Waratahs 10, Tumut 17 drew with Ag College 17

Womens' 7-A-Side;
Albury 60 d Deniliquin 0, Temora 32 d CSU 5, Tumut 22 d Ag College 19, City 34 d Waratahs 10, Young 27 d Griffith 17

 

[jb23]

Does that spell the end for anyone ? Aggies picking up the bp will help but is that the end for city?

 

[yourmatesam]

Does that spell the end for anyone ? Aggies picking up the bp will help but is that the end for city?

I'll wait til I see the ladders tomorrow but from my basic maths. Yes.

Although the City v Aggies game next week still has an impact on the final makeup as does the CSU v Tahs game.

 

[yourmatesam]

Apologies for the formatting, but ladders below: Round 11 is going to be a corker!!

LADDERS
` 1st Grade
P W L D BP F A Pts Diff

Albury 9 8 1 0 9 456 115 41 341
Leeton 9 8 0 1 6 339 99 40 240
Griffith 9 6 3 0 8 287 139 32 148
Tumut 9 6 3 0 4 242 214 28 28
Waratahs 9 5 4 0 5 309 221 25 88
CSU 9 5 4 0 5 263 256 25 7
Ag College 9 4 5 0 6 257 167 22 90
Wagga City 9 3 5 1 3 230 274 17 -44
Young 10 2 8 0 5 169 380 13 -211
Temora 9 2 7 0 2 107 377 10 -270
Cootamundra 9 0 9 0 2 93 510 2 -417

 

[Whistle Happy]

Can anyone shed any light on what went wrong with City in the last month (Talk about the Wheels falling off)
They were looking like a top 4 Team earlier in the season but have just completely lost the plot in their past 3 matches - starting the rot with a big loss to Temora !
When you remember that they had a Draw against leeton early in the year you must wonder why the Big Slide
Coaches or Players fault - probably both
Wery Disappointing for their Supporters

 

[yourmatesam]

Can anyone shed any light on what went wrong with City in the last month
Wery Disappointing for their Supporters

This is probably a question you should be putting to your club mate.

 

[yourmatesam]

#SIRU2015 Round Eleven Preview:
Here we at the final round of the regular season and what a round this will be! I’m not highlighting a Match of the Round this week as there are just too many options. Leeton v Tumut will give a good preview of the Premier Division but we’ve also got Waratahs v CSU and Ag College v City deciding the final makeup of the Premier Division. It’s an exciting way to finish off the regular season before the competition splits into Premier and First Divisions!

The story of the Wagga clubs in 2015 seems to have been along the lines of: We’re still getting our structures right; We’ve got some key players out injured; There’s plenty of games left in the season etc etc. The regional clubs on the other hand have stepped up and played to their strengths. Have a look at the ladder: Albury, Leeton, Griffith, Tumut, Waratahs, CSU, Ag College, City. Imagine the possibility of a finals series where there are no Wagga clubs playing in the Premier Division! Also have a gander at the Club Championships being led by Leeton, Tumut and Albury!

Waratahs (5) v CSU (6)

These two clubs have played out some classic matches in recent years and by my reckoning, this is not going to be any different. Waratahs and CSU both seem to be building at the right stage of the season coming into this do or die encounter. Coaches Mitchell and Spain know that their teams are in control of their own destiny here!

Reddies front row has been a thorn in their side in recent years, however 2015 appears to be a different picture in the row. Crawford appears to have benefited from some more time in the tight head position and as we all know, front rowers only improve with age! Moses Waqa is also an asset on this front.

Dean Smart is playing a strong role for the Uni team at openside but may have his wings clipped against a stronger forward pack this week. Waratahs pride themselves on strong forward play and really enjoy this aspect of the game.

Reddies have been that club that just keeps on keeping on in recent years and many teams have struggled to shake the CSU team as they genuinely play for 80mins. Waratahs will need to stay focussed for the entire duration of the match as any periods of slackness could prove costly, particularly given Reddies really have the ability to disrupt a team’s rhythm.

Waratahs have the cattle to win this with shining lights in Bonner, Corcoran, Tracey etc and it’s time for the Waratahs to step up and play to their potential.

A bonus point draw in this match would mean that Aggies play in the First Division regardless if they win.

Temora (10) v Albury (1)

The Tuskers are a different team at home and will be keen to take on the Steamers on their patch as they continue to build on the game plan that suits their style. This is a fair road trip for the Steamers and one that I’m sure they will be wary of.

Deni v Young (9) – 2nd Grade Only

Griffith (3) v Coota (11)

Things don’t get any easier for the Tri-Colours this week as they trek to the MIA to take on a tough Blacks outfit at the Hay Sportsground, particularly with the Blacks welcoming back their hard running Argentine #8 Agustin De Notta. The Hay Cutters will be looking forward to hosting the Tri-Colours tomorrow.

Leeton (2) v Tumut (4)

I’m looking forward to this game, it’ll be a good hitout for both teams and one that will give us a glimpse of what the Premier Division will look like. Both teams have booked their ticket in the top tier and will play this game with less pressure than some of the other matches on display this weekend.

Leeton are the fairytale of 2015 and are a much improved outfit – fit, determined and structured. Handy combinations through the midfield are letting them control the game and their life is made much easier by playing behind a strong forward pack that is setting a good platform for them.

The Bulls continue to play an unpredictable style of footy compared to their more favoured brand of “pick and drive” which is being driven by Christino Manualevo at 5/8. Their traditionally strong forward pack and uncompromising defence will serve them well in this game and should be a highlight of the match.

Leeton are keen to throw the ball around in an effort to spread the defence thinly across the park which gives the big boppers in their forward pack a chance to bust the line open. There are really two similar styles of play here from two teams who have battled a bit in recent years. I’m keen to see how these two stack up against each other as the Premier Division has already started for these guys!



Ag College (7) v City (8)

There a couple of ways of looking at this match, either City are going to come out all guns blazing and show the competition what they’re made of and take a scalp in the final round, or they’ll play to the First Division standard. Aggies on the other hand, have to win. Ideally, with a bonus point. Even better if they win by a convicing margin.

Maybe it’s a symptom of a close competition, but these two teams are capable of being higher on the ladder at this stage of the season. Although neither has really fired on all cylinders to date, there are talented players in either team – Curgenven, Wrafter, Stoltenberg at City, Leaper, Garrett, Power at Ag College.

Sam Hobbs has been a notable exclusion from the Ag College lineup in the past few weeks and that speed of distribution at half back may be an area that City can exploit. Wagga City arguably have the bigger name backline; Stoltenberg, Curgenven, Wrafter are all rep footy players and Aggies arguably have the bigger name forwards with Leaper, Garrett and Dunstan leading from the front.

City and Aggies have both played well in patches this season, but patches aren’t enough, consistent performances are what build solid teams and the ladder shows that these guys just haven’t been consistent enough this year.

 

[Independent]

Well, two things I did not expect to see back in Australia was Carlton sitting with only 3 wins for 2015 (and a new coach!) and the Wagga Waratahs fighting it our for a birth in the Premier Division.

Wow.

Difficult to fathom a Premier Division, let alone a final series without them in it. I think they will respond in fine fashion and get a bonus point win against CSU.

I am going with Ag College over City with a bonus point also.

Undecided to what game I'll go to in Wagga tomorrow, as they will be both worth sticking around for a steak sandwich and a few cans.

 

[Sicnarf]

Tahs just haven't got their act together this year.
They are the type of Team this year that can miss out on the Premier Division by losing tomorrow and on the other hand if they qualify for the Premier Division they could give all the Teams some anxious moments.
I don't know why they haven't gelled this year ? - New Coach, Injuries, player personalities , going thru the motions etc etc
Let's see what they show us tomorrow afternoon - I reckon the Reddies can get under their skins and knock them off which would leave both City & Tahs in the Lower Division - Hard to believe that might happen

 

[Independent]

All done at the Uni.
Ag College 48 Wagga City 19. BP for the students. Any result from across town?

 

[yourmatesam]

#SIRU2015 Round Eleven Results:
1st Grade;
Waratahs 37 d CSU 20, Ag College 48 d City 17, Griffith 69 d Coota 6, Albury 54 d Temora 13, Leeton 36 d Tumut 7

2nd Grade;
Waratahs 20 d CSU 5, Ag College 21 d City 5, Leeton 17 d Tumut 5, Hay 32 d Cootamundra 12,

3rd Grade;
Waratahs 17 d CSU 0, Tumut 26 d Leeton 20, City 27 d Ag College 5, Griffith 22 d Junee 21

Womens' 7-A-Side;
CSU 37 d Waratahs 7, City 39 d Ag College 7, Leeton 39 d Tumut 0, Temora 51 d Albury 7

 

[yourmatesam]

Keep your eyes peeled on the SIRU website on Tuesday for the updated draw. The SIRU Board will meet tomorrow night to ratify the draw for the second half of the competition.

Premier Division:
Albury, Griffith, Leeton, Waratahs, Tumut, Ag College

First Division:
CSU, City, Young, Temora, Cootamundra and Deniliquin (2nd Grade Only).

Note Coota and Temora will only have 1st Grade in the First Division.

 

[Independent]

Loved the honesty and frank comments from the Waratahs coach in this mornings DA.
“I couldn’t fathom what would happen if we were playing in the ‘spaghetti cup’, I just wouldn’t know what to do,”

I'd like to hear if this sentiment (I've heard Romanos Cup labeled 'Paper Plate' & 'Plastic Cup') is shared throughout the zone, particularly from the likes of City or CSU? As an outsider looking in, I'd suspect that being able to get the players motivated for the second tier competition would be the biggest challenge.
My tip is that the win on the weekend will spur on the Waratahs and they will play Walsh & Blair finals in 2015.

 

[always rugby]

Whilst the club who wins the Mitchell termed 'Spaghetti Cup' won't be celebrating whole heartedly it is important that those involved in this competition take it seriously.
If you go into Roms Cup and treat it like a joke there is the potential to set your club back a couple of seasons.
There can be positives like developing players for the future, building club spirit etc.
I am aware that at one club players have been told that if motivation is an issue they should head towards playing thirds.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yourmatesam]

I'd like to hear if this sentiment (I've heard Romanos Cup labeled 'Paper Plate' & 'Plastic Cup') is shared throughout the zone, particularly from the likes of City or CSU? As an outsider looking in, I'd suspect that being able to get the players motivated for the second tier competition would be the biggest challenge.

Whilst I'm not actively involved with any club, I do have the chance to talk to a number of clubs on a regular basis and I would say that there are differing opinions on the split competition in general. I know that from a SIRU Board perspective, the aim of the split competition is to provide regular rugby for the clubs that play in SIRU and I would say that the split provides that.

I would agree that there are positives and negatives to the competition but that is the case with any competition. What would the outcome of a pure Home and Away competition be for the likes of Coota and Temora travelling to a Griffith or Albury late in the season? Forfeit anyone? Good prep for the finals for the top ranked teams? How would you motivate either team for those games?

The bottom line is it's never going to be perfect in whatever format the competition takes and as long as the best team wins the competition, isn't that what we're here for?

I reckon 2015 is the last time we'll see the split comp in it's current format though.

 

[namtrak]

Albury is probably in a similar boat to Waratahs, in that expectation within the club is that they will be playing in the Walsh and Blair Cup each year and anything less would be tantamount to failure. Having said that, I don't think it diminishes the importance of the Romano's Cup to those clubs that are competing in it - you only need to watch the intensity of the finals to see what it means to the players. I did prefer the setup last year, where 5th and 6th in the Walsh and Blair Cup played in the Romano's Cup finals as I thought that was a fair reflection of the overall season. This years finals seem a bit cumbersome, but time will tell.

 

[yourmatesam]

I don't think it diminishes the importance of the Romano's Cup to those clubs that are competing in it - you only need to watch the intensity of the finals to see what it means to the players.

In recent years, there have been some solid hitouts. The Ag v Temora match particularly from two years ago was a corker.

I did prefer the setup last year, where 5th and 6th in the Walsh and Blair Cup played in the Romano's Cup finals as I thought that was a fair reflection of the overall season. This years finals seem a bit cumbersome, but time will tell.

I'm a little divided about the finals series too, but will wait and see how it pans out.