Good morrow to you all, and a pleasant pic there of my mate Oli and his boy.
Wasn’t that an attention-grabbing weekend of rugby? However 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. Barring the merest test for decency and decorum, be at liberty to succeed in out to me at HERE be it with an article an concept, or an opinion piece. And there’s additionally the ‘Submit a Story’ choice on the house web page if you wish to do your personal factor. So be at liberty to have a crack because the extra opinions and concepts and folks to share the load, the merrier we (and our vital others) all are.
Nutta’s Staff of the Week (Rd11)
As typical, 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 should you performed for an Aussie Tremendous franchise, then you will get picked. However bear in mind, I’m not selecting on the premise of Wobbly qualification (so supporters of Peni Ravai and Tamati Tua followers could be dissatisfied).
- Peni Ravai – all energy and main from the entrance.
- Matt Faessler – the Wobbly jersey have to be his, if he stays match. That’s buggered that…
- Taniela Tupou – a promising return to a little bit of type.
- Josh Canham – the place has that recreation been?
- Ryan Smith – simply retains getting higher and higher.
- Josh Kemeny – a whirlwind of effort and 1percenters.
- Fraser McReight – three first half turnovers set the tone.
- Harry Wilson – 5,745 carries and a swag of tackles earned a jersey.
- Ryan Louwrens – calm and correct when not loads else was working for the Rebs.
- Noah Lolesio – once more, the Wobbly jersey have to be his if he stays match.
- Tim Ryan – mate, solely 5 pies in 2wks? Have a go son.
- Tamati Tua – made an incredible pairing with Sticky.
- Len Ikitau – had a unbelievable first half specifically.
- Darcy Lancaster – busy and productive with actual velocity.
- Andrew Kellaway – didn’t do a lot fallacious and held nerve.
- Jordan Uelese – probably the most effective recreation I’ve seen him play.
- Matt Gibbon – a superb bounce-back after final weeks toweling
- Allan Alaalatoa – one other good return recreation below the belt.
- Hugh Sinclair – the only Tah picked and extra as a reward for a gutsy effort.
- Rob Valetini – the rock round which the Brums and Wobbs will at present type.
- Ryan Lonergan – 2nd greatest in a weekend the place 9s have been a bit meh to be trustworthy.
- Hunter Paisami – had some actually efficient involvements.
- Jock Campbell – astute play from the again.
Different Feedback
People, I confess I watched barely 60min of each the Tahs and Power video games. I do know, I shirked my responsibility. However it was simply such rubbish footy from each groups I couldn’t sit it out. I apologise to anybody mortally offended. However I might additionally say that should you don’t perceive why I couldn’t watch all of it, nicely it wouldn’t matter what I mentioned. And that in all probability explains why there’s so little illustration of them in my TotW. Critically, they have been simply crap. And they also have been swept away by considerably superior sides.
Taniela Tupou – after some unflattering appearances and copping a good quantity of criticism in current occasions, BigT’s outing on Friday night time was a refreshing return to type. With stats like 4 efficient carries within the first 10 minutes, 8 first-up tackles with no tackles missed throughout the night (12 tackles throughout the entire night I feel), and one effort the place he rattling close to chased down a winger in cowl defence on his strive line, he piled loads of gravy on a strong meat and potatoes effort of scrummaging in opposition to Tuʻungafasi, who’s no muppet and spearheads a fairly respectable scrum. So the massive fella had a superb night time out. Sure we would like extra. However it was a productive run and right here’s hoping for extra to come back from a man who everyone knows can supply a lot.
A man that I do know who’s an astute observer of the sport identified an attention-grabbing tidbit of behaviour on the Brumbies recreation on the weekend – that regardless of their win, the quantity of nitpicking and normal bitching between Brums gamers onfield was fairly open and prevalent, notably late within the match. And that is from a man who would usually not even acknowledge such behaviour. So clearly there’s stress of some type being felt in Donkey City. Does that imply that with no Alaalatoa or Slipper on the sphere they lack true leaders? Or is it extra elemental? Has payroll been met?
And at time of writing (Monday morning), there’s a firming hearsay Darcy Swain has been pinched from the Brumbies by the Power, to affix fellow ex-Brums Sam Carter and Nic White, over there in Westralia in 2025. Together with different current will get like Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Rodda and a few man named Beale, the Power appear to be placing collectively a formidable unit. In a single respect I’m not stunned – Sunday afternoon drinks in Freo are merely beautiful year-round, particularly compared to something within the post-apocalyptic, dystopian wasteland that’s Canberra. And given the state of the nation’s rugby funds, taking part in for Twiggy have to be a very enticing prospect proper now as no less than you already know you’ll receives a commission. One wonders what Westralia will do with the cattle they’re accruing? May they really win one thing?
Across the Campfires…
Congratulations to Parramatta Two Blues Colts 1sts who had their first win in one thing like three years over the weekend in opposition to Hunter Wildfires. Usually I’m not ever one to have a good time a metropolis boys’ win over a extra regional workforce of any type. However credit score the place it’s due as, rebounding from an 89-10 shellacking from Southern Districts the weekend earlier than, the Parra 1sts Colts stood up when it actually counted late within the match. And regardless of having a person within the bin, they rallied and pinched a literal last-minute pie to seal the deal and sing their first music of victory in three seasons. And the win was notably noteworthy as, for the report, the Hunters gained 1sts and 2nds later within the day, so given there was no 3rds (Hunters don’t have them), it was the Colties who held the honour of the membership on an in any other case onerous day trip.
That mentioned, I’ll word one incident that I used to be happy to see: Colts video games can usually be a bit diminished by spiteful, juvenile interactions off the ball between opponents, particularly straight after a strive. And one such little bit of silliness noticed a Parra participant scrag a Hunters participant after a strive, for a little bit of push and shove, whereas hollering the distinctive Polynesian “Yah Hoo” that’s usually used to each have a good time and rile an opponent. Nicely the referee didn’t prefer it, not one bit. So whereas the strive stood, play restarted with a penalty on midway to Hunters and the Parra lad was served cheese for his intemperance. Now some might even see it as heavy-handedness from the ref. However I noticed it as sustaining requirements of behaviour within the thugs recreation performed by gents.
Additionally, congratulations to Braidwood Redbacks who gained in opposition to the Bungendore Mudchooks by 33-15 on the weekend. For these unaware, which to be honest is a lot of the planet, like a whole lot of small city golf equipment in current occasions, the Redbacks have wavered on disappearing for just a few years now. However this 12 months they’re having a little bit of a renaissance. They’ve a full squad of men registered and have strung collectively two wins from two begins, firstly in opposition to the Yass Rams and most lately the Bungendore Mudchooks. Bungendore was seen as an actual take a look at for the rejuvenated Redbacks, because the Mudchooks are a little bit of a perennial native competitors benchmark; they’d smited fellow native powerhouse Crookwell Canine by 43-14 solely per week or so earlier. To seize the win over the likes of the Mudchooks was recognition of an actual step ahead by the reinvigorated little Braidwood membership.
Concerning the match itself, regardless of lacking a few of their extra dominant gamers, the Mudchooks held out bravely within the first half and went to oranges at solely 12-8 down. However within the 2nd half, the Redbacks minimize free and, with the benefit of a full and succesful bench on house turf, piled on three pies, all sauced, to the clear enjoyment of the native crowd.
With their bye already within the bag, the victory lands the Braidwood lads at 2nd on the ACT South Coast & Monaro desk with 2 BP wins from 2 begins and so 10pts. Subsequent week it’s an away recreation in opposition to the considerably struggling Batemans Bay Boars, and everybody concerned about city is getting somewhat bit extra (nervous?) in how the lads go. And relaxation assured, all are quietly pencilling in Saturday 01 June when the Redbacks will meet the Jindabyne Bushpigs who’re at present in 1st place on 3 from 3 with 15pts, having scalped ADFA over the weekend by 50-0, and extra tellingly, have been final 12 months’s undefeated premiers. So watch this house.
Talking of nerves, I word that Gulargambone Galahs made the close to 5 hours every manner journey to Cobar final weekend as a part of their house and away season. I hear that 19 of the Gular lads made it to Camel City (Cobar), minus their two most senior entrance rowers, Will Bowman and Grant Zell, who have been busy being down within the large smoke, ie. Dubbo. A sure Pink Parrot inferred they have been getting spray tans in preparation for the upcoming Gulargambone Galahs Women Day. Regardless, it was a belter of a recreation apparently with the Camels pinching the bikkies 29-22 ultimately.
However apparently the Galahs weren’t achieved, with a variety of unnamed bus virgins carving their names into membership folklore by being credited with stellar makes an attempt at studying the workforce music on the way in which house, notably the Walker boys and Bailey Wykes who ‘nailed it’ (allegedly – regardless of the hell he nailed I don’t need to know). Nicely achieved lads. Think about it character constructing.
In different nation footy information, I see the Blayney Rams grabbed an 8-7 win over the Cootamundra Tricolours on Saturday simply gone. Match particulars are scarce aside from to say that, after final week’s 38-19 away loss to Temora Tuskers, the Blayney Blue Rams have been eager to get again out onfield at house and present some mustard, with final week’s strive scorers Chase Mckay, Ryley Oborn and Jordan Butler all famous as being notably ‘up for it’ and Zack Farr having some pleasure to revive after his ‘horrific on-bus efficiency’ (I shudder to suppose what that really means, and don’t need to know).
And so, in what one pundit described as ‘typical Blayney climate’ (which most would interpret as which means one thing extra akin to the Arctic Circle), it was an unsauced pie within the final 2 minutes of play that lifted the Rams earlier penalty to the dizzying heights of 8pts, and that being sufficient to pip the Coota Tricolours singular sauced pie. That mentioned, apparently the Tricolours battled away mightily within the situations, with their greatest being awarded as 3pts to Jack Hogan, 2pts to Jarryd Prepare dinner and 1pt to Henry Toaina, and the bus-trip house gamers’ participant award going to Junior Juann Ofisa.
Each these cities maintain a particular spot in my rugby reminiscence. For Blayney, it was as a result of I performed my first senior recreation of rugby for them. It was 1988, and being house from boarding college on holidays, I bought a run on the wing in 2nd grade in opposition to Orange Ag School. My mom was most unimpressed. And I’ll not neglect Coota as, in addition to it used to having an excellent B&S Ball, one of many greatest on-field scrummage pizzlings of my life was handed to me by native lad Angus Scott earlier than he went off to play for Queensland and whomever else. He was the primary of solely three scrummage opponents to ever make me see stars by sheer stress within the grind. So credit score the place it’s due. And talking of Cootamundra rugby, should you’re within the space this 12 months, load up your diary as-per the under…
Skipping north to hotter climes, it’s attention-grabbing to notice that Beth Whaanga has made historical past by turning into the primary girl to educate a males’s workforce within the Queensland Far North Coast rugby union, main the Southern Cross College Gold Rats right into a promising 2024 season. As considered one of solely 5 ladies certified in Aus to educate at a global degree (Degree 3), Beth is a little bit of a powerhouse in her personal proper, being a most cancers survivor and having additionally undergone some fairly main spinal surgical procedures in her time as nicely. Go nicely that girl.
Up within the NSW Nation Central North competitors I see Tamworth Pirates made the journey to Inverell final weekend, solely to go all the way down to the Highlanders in first grade by 34-14. However the numbers went the opposite manner in Ressies with the Pirates pillaging the Inverellians by 36-7. It was an enormous day for the Inverell membership, being Previous Boys Day. So it was poetic for the locals that they bought the first grade win. I’m led to consider loads of exploits have been retold amongst Highlanders of a sure age or extra, with solely complete accuracy and 0 exaggeration being deployed I’m positive.
Conversely for the Pirates, they retire to sharpen their cutlasses, reload their cannon and restitch their sails for the 250km trek to Moree subsequent Saturday to deal with the Moree Weebolla Bulls, who themselves had a superb however hard-fought day trip on Saturday previous, knocking over Quirindi Lions in Firsts by 28-25 and Ressies by 19-13.
And lastly for right this moment, I obtained a ripper of a write-up on some Tassie rugby from our Southern Correspondent KB, posted under:
It was a phenomenal afternoon at Royal Park for the encounter between Launceston Tigers and Burnie Emus. Each groups have been coming off first spherical wins, however as the present champions Launceston have been greater than heat favourites, and so it was to show. The Tigers had clear dominance at scrum time, within the line out, and on the breakdown. Thus they stored the scoreboard ticking over all through the sport, popping out comfy winners by 62 pts to five pts scoring 11 tries.
Admittedly there have been bits of free play from either side with missed or dropped passes so execution in that space was, at occasions, not nice. Nevertheless a number of the operating strains and passing abilities within the lead as much as tries have been good to look at and made for an entertaining recreation.
What I discovered most pleasing was that kicking for discipline place was not a precedence, with each groups seeking to run the ball. And when free kicks got, it was faucet and go as the popular choice for either side.
One ultimate thought on the sport was that it was the primary time I’ve seen the brand new deal with legal guidelines have such an have an effect on. Finally, the ref’s persistence wore out and it was one card to every workforce for prime stuff. However typically it labored nicely.
It was additionally an incredible afternoon out celebrating Women Day. So whereas the Mayoress loved wine and canapés of their girls solely enclosure, I used to be fed scraps handed over a white picket fence washed down with just a few tinnies of Boags Pink. Such is life.
PS I might have favored to offer extra match particulars of the opposite video games however Rugby Tasmania’s web site is a whole mess and I’m not a FB particular person. The web site continues to be displaying final season’s outcomes and ladder. However figuring out Nutta, he’ll discover one thing on the interwebs, I’m positive.
Anyway, that’ll do for this week I reckon. Are the Brumbies coming aside on the seams? Are the Westralians bursting the Donkeys pockets seams? Is the “Yah Hoo” an precise downside? Or am I only a grumpy previous man? Or am I Batman? Or is Butzy the actual Batman? The solutions to those quandaries, and extra, lie under within the feedback part. So have it of us.
And because the weekend approaches, brace yourselves for what should come. Ensure you get all the way down to your native membership this Saturday as your $20 makes a hell of a distinction. Pay the gate guys, purchase a steak sandwich, spill just a few beers and pay some type of homage to the fantastic recreation all of us love.