Sydney Subbies 2025

[Odyssey_Park the 2nd]

Epping didnt have a drop off last year - Two premierships shows that.

Will be a strange Div 2 competition with No previous Grade premiers able to defend their title.

I guess Pats Colts side doesn’t count then??

 

[Footyhead67]

Key word is Grade not Colts

 

[HogansHeros]

I guess Pats Colts side doesn’t count then??

Correct, Colts does not count as Grade.

 

[Pfitzy]

Pfitzy is this last minute rush to sort out divisions below Division 1 something you see happening more often in the coming years or will it sort itself out after this year?

Yes? No.... Maybe!

I really can't predict what will happen in future years, and I'm a few steps removed from all the divisional calculations so would hesitate to guess.

What I THINK is that we need to look at a flexible model for future years.

As a Union - and I'm talking Subbies - we're having to chop and change to accommodate the proclivities of the player base i.e. it is bloody hard to pin down some of these guys in terms of commitment for a given season. Life happens. Particularly if you try to make plans in November and then summer takes a hatchet to all that.

Look at the UK model: most clubs at our level have an A squad, reserves, and get promoted or relegated based on that. They've still got a good culture around it, with a club structure down to juniors, and local rivalries etc. Of course it involves money, so it is different in that case.

Is 4-5 Grades + Colts sustainable? For the top 12-14 clubs it might be. Perhaps there is a basic line that needs to be drawn under those clubs, and accept that nobody else is going to breathe that rarefied air; that we need to accept that First Division Subbies is no longer something to which a club like mine can aspire.

(Here you can just insert my regular diatribe about the game not helping itself because of poor alignment blah blah blah.)

Subbies alone cannot drag clubs into a situation where everyone knows their Division come January and draws are out before Australia Day for the top 2 competitions.

We need a stakeholder meeting with NSWRU, SRU, Subbies, Womens, and Juniors to actually join the dots, and understand without cooperation we're going to continue to see erosion. It isn't just about money.

Work smarter not harder etc.

 

[CrashBandicoot2]

That is old news though. I'm told that Sydney Irish are the 6th Div 2 club!

Bad mail from myself earlier.

Sydney Irish in Div 2 is a great show of strength and hopefully they keep improving to be a Powerhouse!

Clubs with Colts make up Div 3

Clubs without colts are in Div 4.

 

[The ultimate ressie]

Theory
If Irish start climbing the divisions
Given their close proximity to Waverly could we potentially see more expats be enticed to play for Irish as opposed to the waves in the future?
From my experience playing against them they are a great club with a top notch culture
Potential is endless if they can recruit well

 

[The Ghost of Bernie]

Bernie would love to hear your thoughts as a club that’s growing about moving up to a Division 2 with only 5-6 teams on coming years?

As mentioned the club's goal is to move up a Division however the grade results aren't there yet.
There's not a lot of good to be gained from moving up a Division only to be handed your backside each week. People soon stop enjoying the game.
I do think there's a bit of a gulf between the numbers of player required to run in Div 2 v Div 3. Perhaps making 4th grade in Div 2 optional could assist?
Like most clubs we are always looking for the shorter stature, bigger boned, thick neck type of player and that is one area that is an on going issue. We had a young bloke who'd played with Mosman turn up last week. Every week first timers introduce themselves, where they're from, who they've played with, star sign etc. When he announced he was a prop there was almost group hugs going on...almost.