Hola. Como estas? I hope all our fellow Gagger viewers (all six of us) are Pizza Pockets, revved-up, combating match and primed to sort out no matter is coming our means at the moment. There’s a bit to get via this week (as ever), and I’ve a ‘administration overview’ due in 2hrs, so let’s get cracking and rip via the menu.
Earlier than I launch into my musings, I’ll insert right here that this can be a fan-run website and contributions are greater than welcome. Please be happy to succeed in out to me (HERE) be it with an article, an concept, or an opinion piece, and barring the merest verify for decency and decorum, you possibly can then inform your mum you’re a broadcast journalist. Or there’s additionally the ‘Submit a Story’ choice on the house web page if you wish to do your individual factor. So be happy to have a crack because the extra opinions and concepts and folks to share the load, the merrier we (and our important others) all are.
Nutta’s Staff of the Week (Rd13)
For the thirteenth time this yr, right here we’ll dive right into a little bit of a workforce of the week chosen from the Aussie Tremendous groups. As a reminder, the choice standards is merely when you performed for an Aussie Tremendous franchise then you will get picked. However bear in mind, I’m not choosing on the premise of Wobbly qualification, merely whom in these groups performed effectively sufficient to get picked.
- Matt Gibbon – has bounced again effectively after the shite-show of two weeks in the past
- Mac Horton – was gutsy, cell and correct
- Alan Alaalotoa – his aspect of the scrum wasn’t the issue and good D
- Josh Canham – definitely has abilities and did sufficient to carry off Swain
- Izack Rodda – was getting again to his bully-boy greatest
- Liam Wright – does the 1percenters so effectively and units the bar so excessive
- Brad Wilkin – had a cracker of a sport for the Scum
- Rob Valetini – was merely a rock for an in any other case surprisingly ineffective Donkeys
- Harrison Goddard – not like close to each different 9, he bought his fundamentals proper
- Noah Lolesio – predictable, not rock-star, however dependable and bought the job performed
- Lachie Anderson – a double pie will get a jersey
- Hamish Stewart – was only a class act within the Drive midfield
- Bayley Kuenzle – made an excellent duo with Stewy and rock stable D
- Ollie Sapsford – artistic, elusive and enjoyable to look at
- Tom Wright – had a stable match, however nonetheless provides me the heebie-jeebies at occasions
- Jay Fonokalafi – the Concreter did every little thing he might
- Penie Ravai – I genuinely love watching this man play
- Sam Talakai – was fully dependable round his meat & potato play
- Jeremy Williams – is displaying his wares and will get higher every week these days
- Jed Holloway – NSW with out him are simply a lot weaker
- Nic White – performed effectively however nonetheless makes me uneasy at occasions
- Hunter Paisami – has actually matured in his play and developed a wiser kick sport
- Ben Donaldson – he clearly has abilities and appears far more dependable in the mean time
Different Ideas:
- Frankly, that was a weekend I might reasonably overlook for Aussie rugby. Coming into the enterprise finish of the Tremendous season, once we must be firing and refining our execution, our performances had been simply so usually poor it was fairly regarding. At this level it will be too simple to only rip into and get misplaced in ad-hominem assaults on all kinds of folks in management roles, however once more, to be frank, I don’t wish to try this. About one of the best of a nasty lot had been the Forcies, however that was on the expense of a very clueless NSW. And the Donkeys win was not likely a win, however was extra good luck and solely that. The Reds forgot what time kickoff was to offer the Drua a head begin they then couldn’t reel again in. And Damien Mackenzie, alongside poor objective kicking, ruined the Rebels evening. There are two methods to take a look at it I suppose: both it was the crap weekend we needed to need to get the rubbish out of our system, or it was the large crimson flag sign that the wheels are coming off. We’ll see which one it was within the coming fortnight I’m certain.
- Out of curiosity, was Bradley Amituanai, approaching for NSW at no18 within the sixty fifth minute of the Tarts loss to the Forcies to then cop a serve of cheese from Referee Jordan Means lower than 1 minute after getting on-field, the quickest yellow card we have now seen? I can’t consider one quicker, however solely as a result of KARL hasn’t bought to me but.
- I’m eager to listen to what Suliasi Vunivalu goes to get by the use of suspension for his double-cheese & vino burger for tripping on the weekend versus the Drua. That each cheeses had been warranted for the sin of ‘tripping’ can’t be disputed – they had been each clear incidents of ‘sticking the foot out’. However how the judiciary views the offence, in gentle of among the different suspensions dished out this yr and the (flawed) logic that scaffolded them, shall be intriguing.
- Crusaders lock Quinten Unusual wants to purchase himself a lottery ticket, for certainly his luck should change. He was the man who slapped the ball out of play within the ultimate act of the Brumby’s match in opposition to the Cru in Canberra on Saturday, and in doing so bought himself cheesed, a penalty strive awarded and so gifted the match to the Donkey’s. Sure, what he did was unlawful. And the Ref was 100% appropriate within the resolution. However in these circumstances, underneath that stress, who would have performed in a different way? Be sincere now…
Across the Campfires…
Nation rugby is in full swing concerning the place and a few the outcomes that got here to my consideration had been…
The Coonamble Rams travelled the 2hrs to Nyngan and the house of the mighty Bogan Bulls final Saturday, however got here away empty handed after the ladies’s went to the Bulls by ‘so much to not a lot’ after which the Bulls adopted up with an emphatic 20-0 win within the blokes. Nonetheless I perceive the actual motion was on the Bowling Membership afterwards for the Dinner and Participant Public sale. Nonetheless particulars of what ensued surrounding that occasion are scarce and possibly greatest left that means.
I made point out final week of the COL Cup, placed on the road every year since 2019 when Wagga Ag School (WAC) meets Wagga Waratah’s within the first spherical. It’s a commemorative and fund-raising occasion, in reminiscence of an Ag School lad who died of an epilepsy incident in 2018. Nicely all studies had been that it was a cracking days rugby out at Beres Ellwood oval at CSU Wagga, with the honours break up pretty evenly every means in-terms of 2nd grade being a 19-all draw, Girls’s going to the Aggies 19-15 and 1sts going to the Tah’s 27-21.
The weekends different leads to Southern Inland rugby made for an attention-grabbing desk as we see Wagga Metropolis persevering with their successful methods after thumping CSU Reddies by 69-8 and so now being 6 from 6 for 29pts. Aggies maintain their spot in 2nd regardless of their loss to Tahs at 4 from 5 on 21pts. However now we see Tumut Bulls, recent from their 50-7 whacking of Griffith Blacks, leap to third on-table with 3 from 6 on 17pts, 2pts away from the Wagga Waratahs who’re at 3 from 5 on 15. So the sport in-hand is having an influence, which can steadiness out because the season wears on.
Over within the multitude of Central West competitions, the Canowindra Pythons travelled to mighty Molong over the weekend to tackle their Magpies in what turned out to be an enthralling, if chilly and windy sport with a number of lead-swaps that went right down to the closing minutes. Mainly, the Pythons skipped out to an early lead with a pie to no6 Hugh Breen however then strive matched strive with Molongs Hooker-Hobbs and Riley White at breakaway that includes closely. After oranges the Molong black & whites pulled clear with pies to Hugh Foy and Hooker-Hobbs (once more) and so went into the closing phases of the match up by a solitary level. This spurred either side to extra dashing & daring-do and so it fell to the Pythons no10 Tye Ashe to aim a penalty some 3 minutes from time, which he slotted to make it 6 from 6 off the tee for the day. And regardless of the mayhem of the closing kick-off efforts, the Canowindra lads held on to take a 1pt win. Canowindra gave their factors to lock Andy Townsend, no12 Hayden Tom and break up a degree between Craig McKenzie and Dan Bowd.
Within the Monaro & South Coast (ACT 2nd Div) comp, the Corridor Bushrangers had a tough time out, shedding a nail-biter within the males’s to the Bungendore Mudchooks, however getting pretty effectively spanked within the ladies’s by the chicks from ADFA. Nonetheless the Braidwood Redbacks made it 3 from 3 for his or her thirtieth anniversary season (up to now) with a heart-in-mouth 33-31 win over the Yass Rams. Now to be correct, the Redbacks have 1 catch-up sport to play on account of inclement climate (vs Batesman Bay Boars) and have had their bye already, so their 2nd-on-ladder spot with 3 from 3 on 15pts is a greater than honest reflection of their standing. Accordingly, all eyes quietly flip to the Jindabyne Bush Pigs problem in a fortnight’s time. The Bush Pigs high the desk on 4 from 4 with 20pts, and are undefeated within the final two seasons. So they’re acknowledged as ‘high canine’ (or ‘high pigs’ I suppose). However the Redbacks are quietly circling…
In the meantime the Taralga Tigers, following their 71-5 thumping of the struggling Cooma Purple Devils lads, are quietly climbing the Monaro desk as effectively. And the chat about city is that they’re gathering momentum. So look ahead to a late season push by the Tigers as they give the impression of being to reestablish their glory years and chase title premiership quantity 6(?) since 2000.
In different outcomes concerning the country-side, the Mudgee Wombats had a stable 54-24 win over Parkes Boars at Spicer Park, whereas Dubbo Rhinos bought dwelling in opposition to CSU Mitchell at Bathurst Uni. The Wombats win sees them at 4 from 4 for 20pts, 1pt forward of Narromine Gorillas on 3 from 4 for 19pts.
And over within the Central West Premier competitors, Bathurst Bulldogs continued their early season kind by downing Cowra Eagles by 69-5 in Bathurst over the weekend. That end result sees the Bulldogs transfer out to five from 5 on 25pts, effectively away from 2nd positioned Forbes Platypi on 3 from 5 and 17pts. Additionally on the weekend previous, native rivalries had been on full show as Orange Emu’s scored a formidable 45-7 win over Orange Metropolis, with the win pushing the Emu’s into clear third spot at 3 from 5 however solely 15pts as they’ve missed 2x BP’s up to now.
Boorowa Goldies had a combined day in opposition to Grenfell Panthers, with the women taking place to the Grenfell Grendals by 27-14, however the males swinging the opposite means by a considerable 68-12.
However in what was undoubtedly the turn-up of the weekend, down the NSW South Coast within the IDRU Premiership, the year-to-date unbeaten Kiama Cows had their reign unceremoniously abbreviated by a rampaging Shoalhaven to the tune of 31-14. With Kiama taking the 2nds earlier within the day 17-12, folks anticipated the first grade fixture could be a pitched battle, however from the Refs opening whistle blast, it appeared the Kiama lads left their intent within the milking sheds.
The native supply waxed lyrical that, regardless of an all-conquering Kiama scrum, the Shoalies had plenty of important gamers return for this fray and so they clicked straight into gear with ‘tradesman like’ effectivity on the breakdown complimenting a easy attacking construction and well-organized defensive sample to arrange two early pies earlier than the match was even 10min outdated. Accordingly they completely outplayed the Cows throughout the primary stanza, racking up 4 pies in whole, with 3 sauce squirts to super-boot Keiran Brandon, to carry an unassailable 26-0 lead by oranges.
After the break, the herd had clearly awoken and the Cows got here out a-snorting to stampede in 2 pies of their very own in reply. And so at 26-14 it was seeking to be ‘sport on’. Nonetheless the fightback was brief lived, and got here to a normal halt, as soon as Shoalies Steven Brandon swooped on a Cows free ball round midway and, after demonstrating Lionel Messi-esque abilities to dribble his means upfield, bagged a pie to place the sport to relaxation.
Feedback from the Supercoaches had been that, for the Cows, massive heart Mick Taylor was very spectacular and if it weren’t for his contribution the end result might have been even worse. Additionally getting a nod had been kids Dante Patrick, Jeromy Cairns, Rueben Thomas and Darius Mafileo who confirmed good indicators. Naturally Shoalies Supercoach Will Miller was very blissful, notably along with his chargers domination on the breakdown and normal defence. And off the again of the piggies efforts, Harri Hibbs, Jack Watts and Keiran and Steven Brandon made hay all day.
That’s about it from me at the moment Cobbers. The Tremendous rugby is getting right down to the intense stuff, and I’ve to say that our greatest is beginning to look not adequate. So right here’s hoping for a very good week of coaching and restoration there.
And as regards your native membership, effectively get your self sorted and get on right down to assist them. They’re weaker with out you there. So seize your mate, seize your youngsters, seize your missus, and don’t seize anybody else’ missus while you get on right down to pay the gate guys, purchase a number of ales and present your colors to your neighborhood.
