Heavyd
Arch Winning (36)
Watched UNSW v Newport - as entertaining as it was neither team would make top 4 in the Burke Cup. The standard of Div 2 is eye openly weak and it needs both forest and Petersham in it.
The yellow streak down the back of the subbies board is about to get even damper as they prepare to excuse the Mosman royalty of relegation.
kentwell finals time so we will have to park this conversation until the trough is emptied.
Is this the same Mosman club that forfeited Colts twice and got belted by 70 points more than a few times. Subbies is cyclical with clubs player numbers going up and down. Yes Mosman fielded 3 colts sides last year but struggled to put one team out this year. Is it a once off? Maybe. Or is it the start of a cycle for them? I don’t know. History is full of clubs that held on too long on higher divisions and then kaboom. Now I’m not suggesting that’s going to happen to the mighty whales but shit happens.Well the current system isn't working and the return of 8x8x8 doesnt work.
In this system, do Mosman stay in Division 1 or drop because of the CC position they finished in?
Do Lindfield go another year in Division 2 and potentially halt their incredible momentum and be denied what they rightfully deserve.
If we return to the very outdated system, then you'd have (based on CC standings):
Division 1: Colleagues, Hunters Hill, Drummoyne, Waverley, Blue Mountains, St Patricks, Forest, Lindfield
Division 2: Mosman (fielding at least 3 more grades than most other clubs in the division), Petersham, UNSW, Hills, Newport, Epping, Briars, Beecroft.
Division 3: Hawkesbury Valley, Knox, Sydney Harbour, Sydney Harlequins, Old Barker, Old Ignatians, Sydney Irish (??), Merrylands (??).
Mosman could play Briars and have to find games for 60-70 players. If Newport have the European exodus mid season again, that number jumps.
Subbies needs a rethink on the divisional structure, or it needs to limit the number of clubs in one area to push the numbers together.
We know that the bigger disease in rugby stems from the top, as they say the fish rots from the head. When the game's leaders decide to look at protecting the future of the game, we will be more successful.
Look at Forest, 2nd last in 1sts, last in 2nds, strong colts and mid/lower table in the lower grades. Could they not benefit from a stint on 2nd Div? Maybe win a few premierships instead of just making up the numbers. Same goes for Petersham, does the chance to maybe play finals footy sound appealing in a more evenly matched comp against UNSW, Newport, Hills etc.
Subbies has to be more than 1st Div or that’s all it will end up being, and that’s not good for anyone who wants grassroots rugby to survive.