Penrith A Grade Competion

[joondalup_giant]

Any news on signings / coaches for the 2005 SEASON . Are hawkesbury back in A grade who is coaching them & what happened to Nathan Barnes at Windsor, I see he is no longer coaching them. The good monet says Brad Drew will end up there as a captain coach in the not to distant future.

 

[Nfed]

The Penrith JRL is still in trials, the comp starts next week.

Nathan Barnes is playing with St Marys this year. I thought he was a good coach but Windsor would not have wanted to use 15 points on him as a player in Jim Beam, it cuts off the possibility of recruiting other players. Instead, the Wolves signed Darren Baker from Penrith Bros, Danial Harris from Balmain, Ryan Tramonte from Ryde Eastwood and Dave Armitstead from the Cougars. Baker played a few games in the top grade with the Panthers.

There will only be 7 teams in 1st Division of A Grade this year with HLCP dropping back to join a 13 team 2nd Division comp. Not sure about Hawkesbury.

St Marys have also recruited Scott McLean from North Sydney but 2004 losing grand finalists, Doonside, look unbeatable. They have signed Troy Wozniak from ESL club Widnes and Hasan Saleh from the Sharks. This adds to the 10 players that played in Metro grand finals in 2001 and/or 2002.

Brothers have lost the big 3 - Tjaden Potts and Jason Barton have retired and Baker is with the Wolves. Emu Plains will be looking to retain Blaine Stanley and Blacktown, St Clair and Windsor will be hoping to be more than cannon fodder for the top 4.

 

[Nfed]

A grade clubs have recruited the following players:

St Clair - Jermaine Awahou (Balmain P/L), Eddie Manuel (Windsor JB), Nathan Wilson (North Sydney flegg), Junior Leota (Samoa RU).

Windsor - Richard Penisini (Parra RU), Tim Clayton (St George flegg), Luke Halton (St George flegg), Lucas Reilly (Balmain P/L).

Blacktown City - Willy Leyshon (St George NRL), Steve Skinnon (Souths NRL), Matt McConnell (Souths P/L), John Dean (Doonside), Andrew Brown (HLCP).

Doonside - Troy Wozniak (Widnes ESL), Hasan saleh (Cronulla P/L), Dave Watters (St Marys), Cameron Henderson (Kellyville)

St Marys - Scott Mclean (Norths P/L), Nathan Barnes (Windsor JB), Levi Russell (Emu Plains).

This suggests the St Clair, Blacktown and Windsor can expect improved fortunes this year while Brothers and Emu may find the going tougher this year after significant player losses.

Hawkesbury City are back and will play in the new 3rd Division comp.