U/15 SJRU, NSW, Schools

[Hugh Jarse]

Mainly Hunters Hill - there are only 2 teams in Norths in this age group

Here comes Reverend Jarse's sermon. I'll try to keep it brief.

A super team like this is generally assembled by one club or district each year. They sweep all before them and win lots of certificates and cheap grand final medallion trinkets to clutter up the Focker Wall of Fame.

In doing so, they destroy all competition and one by one all the other clubs fold as they refuse to participate in this cancerous arms race. Come Under 16 these buffed up superboys do not play club footy but somehow end up at Junior Club state champs because there is the carrot of selection for the Aust U16 champs dangled in front of them.

Having demoralised all their competition in the Under 14's and 15's our U16 ghost players disappear behind the walls of their School Opens Rugby programme for Under 17's, and can't even be bothered to turn up to State U17 champs. Representing Sydney Juniors is no longer important to them, because they see that there is nothing in it for them. All the development opportunities at Under 14 - u16 through rep programmes end up going to the super team boys, with the true village club heros left languishing in their wake. Come Under 17's there is no competition for the battlers as the Rockstars abandon clubs and the rep programme en masse.

Assembling these super teams is as bad as if not worse than what certain schools are doing to the AAGPS competition.

There should be scope for the elite to advance, but why do we tolerate this happening at the expense of the overall growth and expansion of participation numbers in our game. These may make club and district administrators feel good about themselves, but it does nothing for the long term growth of our game. Not many sports survive for long that only cater to the elite.

 

[Slugga]

Of the 9 Norths (6 Hunters Hill) boys picked, only one was was picked by MNZ (selectors were the NSW coach and an ARU employee). The other 8 (including 5 backs) who made it came from the poorly performing Barbarians team at the Zone Championships. Gordon who have won 4 State Championships including this year's had 3 picked in the Sydney team.

The same selectors who picked the Barbarians team picked the Sydney team and the Norths coach was the Barbarians coach and he is on the SJRU committee and President of Hunters Hill.

The unlucky ones for me are Nick Brown, Chris Scott, Matt Dainton, Will Terry, James Armstrong and Jake Pirina from Gordon. James Basha and Charlie Jeavons-Fellows from Norths and Harrison Goddard from Eastwood.

I will also refrain from mentioning the lucky and the very lucky ones.

This is not particularly close to the best side. Imagine how many Norths players would get in if they made a State Championship final – or won one!

Sounds like sour grapes from a Gordon perspective? - it is!

I'm surprised it was 5 Norths backs as I wasn't particularly impressed with them. I thought the Fb from Parramatta and winger from Eastwood also performed well.

Sour grapes from a MWZ perspective

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Lane cove

Nup - theyre a gordon club

 

[Inside Shoulder]

the Norths coach was the Barbarians coach and he is on the SJRU committee and President of Hunters Hill.

He's not on the committee: http://juniors.rugby.com.au/About/Committee.aspx

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I'm surprised it was 5 Norths backs as I wasn't particularly impressed with them. I thought the Fb from Parramatta and winger from Eastwood also performed well.

Sour grapes from a MWZ perspective

Did the Parra FB get selected?

 

[Slugga]

Did the Parra FB get selected?

No

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Just what I need as the U17 selection farce is dying off.

These characters often think that they are doing nothing wrong, or that anyone would be able to work out how sneaky and manipulative they have actually been. Classic. Same every year. Love it.

 

[S'UP]

Of the 9 Norths (6 Hunters Hill) boys picked, only one was was picked by MNZ (selectors were the NSW coach and an ARU employee). The other 8 (including 5 backs) who made it came from the poorly performing Barbarians team at the Zone Championships. Gordon who have won 4 State Championships including this year's had 3 picked in the Sydney team.

The same selectors who picked the Barbarians team picked the Sydney team and the Norths coach was the Barbarians coach and he is on the SJRU committee and President of Hunters Hill.

The unlucky ones for me are Nick Brown, Chris Scott, Matt Dainton, Will Terry, James Armstrong and Jake Pirina from Gordon. James Basha and Charlie Jeavons-Fellows from Norths and Harrison Goddard from Eastwood.

I will also refrain from mentioning the lucky and the very lucky ones.

This is not particularly close to the best side. Imagine how many Norths players would get in if they made a State Championship final – or won one!

Sounds like sour grapes from a Gordon perspective? - it is!

Harrison Goddard for 16's schools side? if not he was unlucky didn't play his best on the weekend but past performances must mean something. We know they do.

 

[lineoutjumper]

the coach comes from Menai, so that changes the "bias" approach, the norths boys must have just stepped it up on the day, unlucky for me was, Joe Skelly, Chris Scott, Charlie Jevons-Fellows, Tom Serhon, Matt Dainton, Alex Crotti, MWZ Fullback and Outside Centre and finally Will Haskins

 

[Inside Shoulder]

the coach comes from Menai, so that changes the "bias" approach, the norths boys must have just stepped it up on the day, unlucky for me was, Joe Skelly, Chris Scott, Charlie Jevons-Fellows, Tom Serhon, Matt Dainton, Alex Crotti, MWZ Fullback and Outside Centre and finally Will Haskins

Bloody hell - if thats who I think it is he coached Joe Skelly, Chris Scott, Charlie Jevons-Fellows, Tom Serhon in the NSWPSSA side a few years ago.

But here's another issue for you: I cant find my state champs program but I'm reasonably confident that Tyrone did not play in U15s - he's U14. Elligibility was based on the state champs i thought - Hugh Jarse??

Edit - found it

 

[Freddo Frog]

Tyrone played 14's at State Championships. At least I'm 95% certain it was him I saw. Not sure how or why he came to be playing 15's last weekend, perhaps the same reason I assume he plays up at school level - he's big enough and good enough?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Tyrone played 14's at State Championships. At least I'm 95% certain it was him I saw. Not sure how or why he came to be playing 15's last weekend, perhaps the same reason I assume he plays up at school level - he's big enough and good enough?

'cept I understand the rule @ state champs is you have to play in your correct age group.
The other thing is this is not sheep stations and it is a process and there is a progression.
some kid has missed out on 15's because a 14 year old wants to play up.

 

[Freddo Frog]

I completely agree IS, and there was a bit of discussion on the sidelines about him being there. From what the boys were saying in the car on the way home, he was selected in the 14's AND 15's. As I said, I don't know how or why.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I completely agree IS, and there was a bit of discussion on the sidelines about him being there. From what the boys were saying in the car on the way home, he was selected in the 14's AND 15's. As I said, I don't know how or why.

...and this year the 14s was selected whereas in past years it had been the winning team that played country.
More of Hugh Jarse's famous parachuting in players.
Where did Tyrone play on the weekend?

 

[Shane Smeltz]

For those interested in Clubs rather than "Zones":

Norths = 9
Randwick = 3
Eastwood = 3
Gordon = 3
Warringah = 2
Penrith = 2
South = 1

And Manly = 0.
I'm new to this - can anyone tell me why?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

In the State Champs program that "Selection into higher representative teams, 15s, 16s and 17's is based on the players's performance in the NSWJRU State Championships".
There's nothing about form in the zone games being used to pick the teams.

 

[Slugga]

the coach comes from Menai, so that changes the "bias" approach, the norths boys must have just stepped it up on the day, unlucky for me was, Joe Skelly, Chris Scott, Charlie Jevons-Fellows, Tom Serhon, Matt Dainton, Alex Crotti, MWZ Fullback and Outside Centre and finally Will Haskins

Stepped it up? They had a single win against last placed MSZ and deserved their third place finish.

 

[Shane Smeltz]

In the State Champs program that "Selection into higher representative teams, 15s, 16s and 17's is based on the players's performance in the NSWJRU State Championships".
There's nothing about form in the zone games being used to pick the teams.

Well, backtracking to zones then, no Manly players in MNZ, Bar Bars, any other zone.
Manly not on form in the 15s at the moment I guess?
Or 16s for that matter - no Manly player in 16s zone either.

But strong teams in 11s, 12s - and 17s of course.
Gap in the 13s-16s then?

 

[Slugga]

And Manly = 0.
I'm new to this - can anyone tell me why?

Manly were near bottom of the 17 teams at state champs

 

[Slugga]

In the State Champs program that "Selection into higher representative teams, 15s, 16s and 17's is based on the players's performance in the NSWJRU State Championships".
There's nothing about form in the zone games being used to pick the teams.

State champs or Zone there is nothing to suggest form had anything to do with it

State champs: 1.Gordon, 2. Eastwood 3. Norths
Zone: 1. MWZ - Mostly Eastwood, 2. MNZ – Mostly Gordon, 3. Barbars – Mostly Norths

Sydney reps: Norths 9, Eastwood and Gordon 3 each