Ron Massey Cup / Sydney Shield 2017

[Timmah]

So no Glebe? That's a shame.

NSWRL don't really make the RMC that attractive then do they. Should have The Entrance back with support from the CRL. Bring in Ryde Eastwood again. Get in Shellharbour. Promote the game widespread like the old Metro Cup used to. Diluting the teams just makes it more of a joke.

Great news about the draw though. Need to schedule my Magpie adventures

"bring in", "get in"... I don't understand?

Clubs themselves decide if they have the resources and player stocks to dedicate to those comps. In many cases those clubs withdrew or don't go back in because they don't want to damage the existing club/a grade comps. Which is part of the reason Peninsula are gone from SS - it's just not viable for them at the moment.

Some clubs lack the facilities too.

Metro/Bundy/Beam/RMC has only ever been 10-16 teams from memory anyway?

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

So no Glebe? That's a shame.

NSWRL don't really make the RMC that attractive then do they. Should have The Entrance back with support from the CRL. Bring in Ryde Eastwood again. Get in Shellharbour. Promote the game widespread like the old Metro Cup used to. Diluting the teams just makes it more of a joke.

Great news about the draw though. Need to schedule my Magpie adventures

In terms of South Coast / Illawarra teams, the NSWRL would be better off chasing Wests Illawarra. Leagues club backed (now part of a 4 venue group), so finances should be fine. Issue is they don't dominate the local comp, so how would they handle the step up?

 

[rightleftin]

Mounties have made the following announcements in respect of their 3 grades:

Gains

Vaipuna Tia Kilifi (Northern Pride), Chris Taripo (Randwick RU), Magnus Stromquist (Wynnum Manly), Jake Steadman (Roosters/Kingsgrove Colts), Reubenn Rennie (Bulldogs), Dominic Reardon (Wyong), Corey Makelin (Cabramatta), Isaac John (Manly), Dylan Izzard & Yileen Gordon (Wenty), Winstone Asotasi (Hills District), Joe Rokoqo (Jamberoo).

Retained

Sam Aiga, Ben Chahoud, Sonny Bristow, Rusty Bristow, Sam Duggan, Glenn Buttriss, Shannon Chapman, Luke Cauchi, Tere Glassie, Royce Hunt, Maurice Kennedy, Mitch Kennedy, John Kennedy, Jake Goodwin, Maile Li, John Martin. Aloefe Mataele, Willie Mataka, Jacob Mayer, Michael Morris, Allen Mulia Malau, Chad Porter, Brandon Raeli,Kurt Robinson, Brad Speechley, Fou Tagilima, Alec Susino, Steve Tavita, Josh Toole, Ben Whitehouse, Matt Whitehouse, Sage Wilder.

Mounties players now on Raiders contracts

Clay Priest, Scott Sorenson, Eddie Aiono, Brent Naden, Lou Goodwin

In addition Mounties continue to access to all Raiders not selected in the NRL.

 

[rightleftin]

East Campbelltown's defence of its SS title has been made more challenging by the defection of star Ben Baker to Berkeley in the Illawarra League.

 

[Sharkie Army Gorilla]

East Campbelltown's defence of its SS title has been made more challenging by the defection of star Ben Baker to Berkeley in the Illawarra League.

Looking at the draw East Campbelltown will play the Ron Massey Cup club with the BYE each week.

This took place last year so most of the time they played against Stacked Shield teams. That made winning the comp an even bigger effort

 

[rightleftin]

Looking at the draw East Campbelltown will play the Ron Massey Cup club with the BYE each week.

This took place last year so most of the time they played against Stacked Shield teams. That made winning the comp an even bigger effort

The Eagles lost 9 games during the normal rounds but when it comes to the finals the RMC players cannot drop back to SS.

 

[Tigers1986]

Looking at the draw East Campbelltown will play the Ron Massey Cup club with the BYE each week.

This took place last year so most of the time they played against Stacked Shield teams. That made winning the comp an even bigger effort

The non-existant draw you mean

 

[Sharkie Army Gorilla]

The non-existant draw you mean

Sorry it was the "draft" draw I saw. I'm sure the official draw will be out soon

 

[Tigers1986]

It's unfortunate that East Campbelltown get slumped with that burden. NSWRL should put something into place where there is ample reason to 'stack' said Shield sides.

 

[rightleftin]

East Campbelltown is one of the clubs that has chosen to play its top side in SS rather than RMC. You have some clubs like Hills that use this as a stepping stone to progress to RMC and then there are other clubs that seek to maximise their trophy cabinet.

The key point is that the player cap in SS is exactly the same as RMC so subject to financial resources, the Eagles have every opportunity to recruit an RMC standard team yet and are matched against reserve grade teams except where other clubs drop some players back on byes.

 

[thorson1987]

East Campbelltown is one of the clubs that has chosen to play its top side in SS rather than RMC. You have some clubs like Hills that use this as a stepping stone to progress to RMC and then there are other clubs that seek to maximise their trophy cabinet.

The key point is that the player cap in SS is exactly the same as RMC so subject to financial resources, the Eagles have every opportunity to recruit an RMC standard team yet and are matched against reserve grade teams except where other clubs drop some players back on byes.

Not sure the club has the financial resources for RMC.

Also in good news for those who visit Waminda Oval, the synthetic cricket pitch has finally been taken out.

Absolute merkin of a thing to play on. Preferred when they would just put a pile of dirt over the concrete pitch during footy season.

 

[Timmah]

RMC Draw out today



Shield Draw as well

 

[rightleftin]

It appears that recruitment is a little behind schedule at Western Suburbs so the club has decided to withdraw from Saturday's 9's at Cabramatta.

 

[Tigers1986]

Wests have had a shocking off season recruitment wise. Dayne Craig is off to Thirlmere, and Mighty Mouse has followed suit in leaving the team. Two amazingly talented players who will leave huge holes in the team. Still, with 8 teams making the finals from an 11-team competition (WTF?) they can always spring an upset or 3 in the finals.

 

[rightleftin]

So if a club has an appalling season and wins only 5 games out of 20 they will be lining up in a "final" in September - a complete farce.

 

[rightleftin]

There has been quite a bit of turnover at St Marys. new players are:

Aaron Pene (Guildford), Junior Tia Kilifi (Auburn), Latu Fifita (Workington Town, UK), Maika Sivo (Mounties), Zac Mackay (Penrith), Taylor McCann & Chad Rennie (Asquith), Nick Betar (Hills District), Andrew Oughtred (Belrose), Iosefi Sialii (Manly RU), Jake Kinzett & Nathan Hore (Warilla Gorillas), Jesse Jackson (Wests NYC), Robert Vai (Canberra NYC), Shane Nolan Carr & Steven Winters (Redfern All Blacks)

 

[thorson1987]

So if a club has an appalling season and wins only 5 games out of 20 they will be lining up in a "final" in September - a complete farce.

Same as NSW cup.

It's f**king stupid.

 

[kbw]

I have nothing but respect for East Campbell town. They had a side in each of the SCC open grades and one in the SS. They were always wonderful hosts whenever teams I was with played there and despite what some may think regarding their player base, they had a lot of injuries during the year causing many players to play up

 

[Sharkie Army Gorilla]

Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles are playing Hills District Bulls in a RMC/SS trial @ Mitchell High School @ 10am on Sunday.

 

[rightleftin]

Cabramatta won the 9's yesterday, easily accounting for Ireland in the final after closer contests against Concord Burwood, the only other RMC club in the tournament, in the quarter final and Matt Utai's Mediterranean side in the semi.

Ozzy Cook Islands won the 2nd tier final against Cabra's 2nd team while Samoa won the 3rd tier in a cliff hanger over West Papua.

Cabra appear to have added a number of players from group 6 - Donny Thompson, Jason Thompson, Billy Carroll and Kenny Avohelo as well as Brendan Cox from Auburn.