Southern Inland Rugby 2022

[Bubba]

Im not going to differ much from those tips.
City will roll Tumut in a WAC need to beat Albury but Albury are one of those sides that just wont go away - and WAC need to win that game with a bonus point to shore up that ladder position. I cant see Reddies beating Tahs but stranger things can happen.

Half way point now !

 

[Maulalltheway]

Massive congrats to all involved in the development of the new ACT Provincial championship for the ladies.

It’s awesome that this pathway has been replicated for the girls as it has been for the boys for so long!

 

[Bandar]

Also great to see Cessy Smith make her Wallaroos debut on Monday

 

[Bubba]

Leeton has pulled the pin on first grade I hear. That would be the 3rd time in the last 5 seasons that they have withdrawn from a senior mens grade mid season. Which is beginning to form an unfortunate pattern.

We now have an 9 team 2nd grade and a 7 team first grade . That is not the makings of a healthy competition going forward.

 

[paul bristow]

2 1st grade games & 4 2nd grade games? 2 1st grade games in a round of rugby? I know we are transitioning & still struggling with covid but surely another draw needs to be done.

 

[Bubba]

Now Ironically we would have had 4 first grade games this weekend as Hay ( which the comp is geared around ) has the bye in 2's. With Leetons withdrawl , we will have 3 first grade games this weekend . After that its 3 teams off and 4 playing.

I suspect a re do of the draw was going to be a logistic disaster zone and would have been placed in the too hard basket.

 

[yourmatesam]

That sucks balls.

 

[Bubba]

Round 10 . 6 First grade games to go . 8 2nd Grade games and 6 Womens.

Albury v Griffith - I'm going an upset here. I think Albury might squeeze past them . I'm hearing they've got some pasifika reinforcement and given Griffith hasnt travelled all that well I reckon Steamers are a red hot chance 1-12
Aggies v City - a few back, a few out . Aggies really have got themselves in a good place and the ladder doesnt do them justice as such. City too big up front. 13 +
Tahs v Tumut - Tumut played with a fair bit of purpose v City 2 weeks ago . The scoreline blew out but they were very impressive in parts. Tahs have a little bit more in the tank and will squeeze home 1-12

 

[Maulalltheway]

Round 10 . 6 First grade games to go . 8 2nd Grade games and 6 Womens.

Albury v Griffith - I'm going an upset here. I think Albury might squeeze past them . I'm hearing they've got some pasifika reinforcement and given Griffith hasnt travelled all that well I reckon Steamers are a red hot chance 1-12
Aggies v City - a few back, a few out . Aggies really have got themselves in a good place and the ladder doesnt do them justice as such. City too big up front. 13 +
Tahs v Tumut - Tumut played with a fair bit of purpose v City 2 weeks ago . The scoreline blew out but they were very impressive in parts. Tahs have a little bit more in the tank and will squeeze home 1-12

sportbet multi for the week
Griffith small win 1-12
city... just pick your own line -6.5
tahs big win 13+

in the ladies games
griffith
aggies
reddies

in the tipers bonus match.
Tuggers to cover the mighty Queanbeyan whites.

side note well done again to all involved last weekend. Particularly in getting the ladies Provincial championship underway.
congrats to the guys and girls selected in the act country sides!

 

[paul bristow]

Disagree with Bubba re Griffith & travelling. Unlike past eras Blacks travel as well as any other club these days. Having said that I reckon Steamers might win. The other games probably go the way of City & Tahs. I wonder what impact the lack of playing opportunities this year ( 3 1st grade teams not playing each weekend from now on ) will have on player numbers next year.

 

[Bubba]

Certainly not having a go at Blacks numbers on the road , what I'm more interested is in results on the road. The failure to beat Reddies and a weakened Tahs in Wagga is the point of my statement. To be a top 2 side you have to make sure of those games and so far Griffith has not really shown that . To win the comp you have to win those games on the road, with the bulk of semis likely to be in Wagga a major consideration.

Anyways , I'm sure I'll be hammered for having an opinion. Look forward to seeing the results from our last 3 game saturday !

 

[paul bristow]

You’re right in that way Bubba. Away record not that great. Blacks do have trouble sometimes with work commitments. A lot of our players do shift work & can get called into work with little notice so that can cause havoc on game day. The club did have a dreadful attitude towards travelling in past times but it seems to be really good now. Watching the Steamers v Blacks game today on Bar TV it would be surprising to see either of those teams in the big dance.

 

[yourmatesam]

Did I hear rightly that Leeton and Tumut are being courted by Central West?

 

[Maulalltheway]

Did I hear rightly that Leeton and Tumut are being courted by Central West?

we cant let this happen.

further to that we need to get the sides back that have left. realign with the juniors from those clubs and run a 1 team comp for them and the others who need the support.

 

[yourmatesam]

we cant let this happen.

further to that we need to get the sides back that have left. realign with the juniors from those clubs and run a 1 team comp for them and the others who need the support.

Alternatively… SIRU goes back to NSW Country….

For the record, I don’t think that’s a positive solution but there’s clearly an appetite for that move from a number of clubs in the area - both currently and historically.

 

[Bubba]

I'm not sure what the right answer is but we ( as in SIRU zone) are going to have to have some sort of restructure going forward. I dont know what that is yet , but i do know we cant keep going down the path that we are on now. The comp cant end up some Wagga/Griffith/Albury sort of a thing.

And when you really start into the tin tacks of it, only 2 of the Wagga clubs have good numbers and they arent Reddies and Tahs. So where does that lead us as a code ? I think rational , adult conversations need to be had about the code , its direction and its make up at the end of the 2022 season. We cant just ignore the slow wasting away of SIRU anymore.

 

[centralwestrep]

Tumut have been approached in the past to join the one team Central West comp but weren't interested.
I can see why this competition may be appealing to Leeton in their present situation.
A move back to NSW Country/Waratahs would be disastrous. Regional areas under their control have had their staffing slashed. SIRU are incredibly fortunate to have 2.5 Brumbies staff members.

 

[Maulalltheway]

Tumut have been approached in the past to join the one team Central West comp but weren't interested.
I can see why this competition may be appealing to Leeton in their present situation.
A move back to NSW Country/Waratahs would be disastrous. Regional areas under their control have had their staffing slashed. SIRU are incredibly fortunate to have 2.5 Brumbies staff members.

the fact that two of the premier zones of NSW country were within a bees appendage of jumping from NSW country and joining ACT and SNSW rugby a year or so ago shows its not as utopian as some would like you to believe.

I tend to agree with bubba, work with the clubs, not against them. find a pragmatic way forward and pressure the governing bodies to implement rational growth and sustainability programs.

 

[Bandar]

I imagine the comp would hold some appeal for Leeton, but there would be a massive increase in the travel requirements for both parties, given the defectors left because they didn't want to go to Hay or Deni I don't see the welcome mat being rolled out.

The Phantoms issue is they have (and I assume want to retain) a women's team, the only way that can happen in SIRU is to play 1st grade. I don't see a how every second week travelling to Harden, Boorowa, Coota, Condo or Young will be more appealing for the club who couldn't field teams on their only two matches of similar distance this season.

I hope they have begun planning for next season already and are working to broaden their player base or they will be back again to 3rd grade and struggling to find somewhere for the girls to play.

 

[Bandar]

they will be back again to 3rd grade

Actually thinking about it it's where they have been for probably most of the past 20 years - are we expecting too much of them.

In the past it may not have been as noticeable as there were plenty of other 1st grade teams (they CW crew + Army) but now with only 7 others we need them for a decent comp.