So who will win Flegg this year?

[ali]

I believe it has moved back to being an under 20 comp again?

So that means it should be close to identical to last years under 19 Flegg comp. Last years winners were the Dogs who beat Cronulla in the final. Wests, Balmain and Newcastle were also strong. As a Cronulla supporter who saw a few games i thought we were the best side in the comp at full strength. Though we lost key players to injuries, and eventually lost the final. Along the way we were hammered by Wests, but gave the Dogs a toweling in the early rounds.

But this years comp could be completely different. I expect the likes of Russ Aitken, Keith Galloway, Dave Simmons and Reece Williams will all be playing higher grades. We have signed a kid from Mackay called Bobongine, but besides for him i don't know of any other quality recruits.

How are other clubs going? Do you expect Flegg may become a bit of a joke comp now that its back to under 20's. That is many clubs wont field full strength sides, and Flegg will become more like 3rd grade, than full strength under 20's.

Have any Australian schoolboys or young state reps moved clubs? How is Flegg season 2004 shaping up?

 

[Spike]

Newcastle will again be strong this year with the likes of Tilse, Brown, Snowden, Young and company. The sharks, Dogs, Eels and Panthers will also be strong.

I don't think the Tigers will be in contention this year - being soft and all.

 

[brook]

:lol:

The tigers will be strong (stronger than last year) IF that is where they choose to throw their focus.

Last year they didn't hit any sort of form until the season was over half over and I think that disrupted their finals campaign after playing game after game that was virtually sudden death.

I'm not sure though - I actually expect many of their stars to be moved into first division after the ball season finishes (some maybe before) and captain robbie farah has already been claimed by first grade (with bronson harrison tipped to follow very shortly) which leaves us very weakened. There are some good kids in ball and a lot will depend on if they can stand up and fill the gaps however the majority of them are very young even by sg ball standards so i dunno how they'll handle the higher level.

Wests look to still be strong and have had less of their players poached by the higher grades so much as it hurts I would have to tip them to be serious contenders this year.

 

[Spike]

It'll will be interesting to see where they play Willie Jones. From what I've been told about him, he could have a very prosperous league career if he can adapt.

 

[metroman]

Willie Jones along with several other Balman flegg players were in the Ryde Eastwood team that lost both of its pool games in the Jim Beam 7's today.

 

[brook]

Willie Jones along with several other Balman flegg players were in the Ryde Eastwood team that lost both of its pool games in the Jim Beam 7's today.

any idea which players?

I figured R-E would snap up Waihape for the sevens and maybe mick harper but most of the balmain flegg boys suited to that style of footy are playing in the balmain side.

Bad luck for the hawkes though - I expected better

 

[metroman]

Apart from Jones,Ryde Eastwood had David Marando, Damien Braumann and Luke Thompson. Also Tod Barrow (is he flegg?).

 

[brook]

Yeah barrow is flegg as well - also named in the balmain side.

I'm suprised they picked thomo, he's a great player but I would never have pictured him as being a sevens player.

How did Braumann play? He had a shocker of a season last year but showed real promise before that - I hope he picks up again this year.

 

[metroman]

Sorry Brook, I cant tell how particular players went because the only player I knew in the team was Lucas Reilly, but generally they were all outplayed by both the Bulls and Ourimbah.

 

[brook]

hmm thats a shame but given the players you mentioned I'm not too suprised

especially given the tigers have stolen matt pethybridge who was always going to be the strongest sevens player at the club.

 

[roosters_one]

Both Marando and Brauman have mega attitude problems. I remember seing that little sh.. marando playing in a game a few years back district footy for Holy Cross in a viscous brawl in a game at arncliffe. Marando was 1 of the germs sent off and sein him again playing for northern districts local side this year he hasnt changed much he is still a .....

 

[yappy]

Magpies will be very, very hard to topple.

The most simple reason being that the call on our best players isn't as heavy as the other top sides. Cronulla will lose several of their best to Firsts or Premiers as will the Doggies and Newcastle. For Wests Liam Fulton and Dean Collis are the only two who could reasonably be expected to see a lot of duty in the higher grades, and even Deano will probably get plenty of games in Flegg. With Ryan Borg's return Wests will field essentially the same side as the 2002 Ball Premiers and with a proper full season and no silly sudden death in the first round of semis rubbish they'll make it to at least the last four standing.

I watched the trial for the last six spots in the squad (23-28) and the guys busting for these fringe places were class.

Even without these newbies the Maggies will field something like;

Longmore
Parkyns
Szczerbanik
Dalton
McMahon
Roberts
Borg
Gibbs
Brinkworth
Weir
Hampson
Pritchard
De Gois

Waters
Soper
Lila
Lett

as a starting 17. If you've seen this age group over the last two years you'll know this is very much a Premiership winning squad. The only real question mark is how they will go without their coach of the past four years Peter Gentle. If Leaping Leo the Legend Epifania can bring a freshness to the side without them losing the incredible team spirit and will to win that Peter has engendered into the boys then it's more silverware for the Black and Whites.

Canterbury as always will be the main danger, with Balmain Cronulla Parra and Newcastle on the next line of betting. Should be a hard fought and entertaining comp whatever the final result - bring it on.

 

[brook]

Yappy I think you're spot on, while Balmain are showing every intention of sacrificing flegg to the premier league (not to mention our two best in farah and harrison likely to play first grade) wests seem to have kept the bulk of last years team together and imo are very likely to take out the comp.

 

[Rooster boy]

The most underated team in flegg this year would have to north sydney bears! with all the talent that has been bought in the off season, seems that they are under performing. with only 2 wins from 6 starts, the season looks to be in tatters for the bears if they cant put 2 wins together i a row. Being in a position to win majority of the games but losing in the last 10-15 min, something must be going wrong for it to be happening so many times. After last season winning only 1 game, there must not be a winning culture at the club as yet, but in saying that a winning culture is a gradual process and if the head isn't dropped it can be achieved.

 

[yappy]

They sure gave us a touch up. Played a good open brand of footy. Bryce Poisel was out to prove a point against his old team mates and did it well. I don't know if the Bears can make a real impact this year, but I know we're goooorrrrnnneeee!!!!!

 

[yappy]

They sure gave us a touch up. Played a good open brand of footy. Bryce Poisel was out to prove a point against his old team mates and did it well. I don't know if the Bears can make a real impact this year, but I know we're goooorrrrnnneeee!!!!!

 

[brook]

Yappy I think you're spot on, while Balmain are showing every intention of sacrificing flegg to the premier league (not to mention our two best in farah and harrison likely to play first grade) wests seem to have kept the bulk of last years team together and imo are very likely to take out the comp.

Well wests are proving me wrong :lol:

I was pretty much right about Balmain though - we have sacrificed flegg with most of last years stars going on to PL/wests tigers but we have unearthed a couple of new stars and seem to be starting to find some form. I don't think we can take out the comp but we might be a chance of equaling last years effort which without the likes of bronson, farah and greally I would be more than happy with

 

[westie]

Yappy I think you're spot on, while Balmain are showing every intention of sacrificing flegg to the premier league (not to mention our two best in farah and harrison likely to play first grade) wests seem to have kept the bulk of last years team together and imo are very likely to take out the comp.

Well wests are proving me wrong :lol:

I was pretty much right about Balmain though - we have sacrificed flegg with most of last years stars going on to PL/wests tigers but we have unearthed a couple of new stars and seem to be starting to find some form. I don't think we can take out the comp but we might be a chance of equaling last years effort which without the likes of bronson, farah and greally I would be more than happy with

It's dissapointing we pushed every one up because they showed what they can do against St's when 1sts and Pl had the bye.

 

[ali]

Interesting comp this one. We had a poor start and as expected haven't had any service from thelikes of Galloway, Williams, Aitken, Simmons and Jon Green. New signing Dimitri Pelo has had a couple of games but mainly been in reserve grade. Ciraldo has gone up and down.

But the last 2 weeks they've shown some form. We destroyed Illawarra then hammered Saints who were running 4th. Our for and against is looking good and we still have double Aus schoolboy Stephen Ross in the centres.

But our only hope to win the comp would be if we don't suffer many injuries in the higher grades and or they put Greg Bird into Flegg when he returns from his suspension. :lol: The Roosters seem to have kept their big names in Flegg, and would be the obvious tip to win it.

I can't believe Wests! Is Gentle that good a coach? He's got our reserve grade side, who have a little disappointing so far.

 

[Big-Steve]

They sure gave us a touch up. Played a good open brand of footy. Bryce Poisel was out to prove a point against his old team mates and did it well. I don't know if the Bears can make a real impact this year, but I know we're goooorrrrnnneeee!!!!!

Yeah I understand our coach Josh White was very keen to win, West being his old club - 7 years there I believe?

The Jersey Flegg boys trial form was great and they are trying to get back to that. They can improve. Josh White tells me though the only presure they've put on the guys is to make the top 8. Which they have done.

Bryce Poisel is a stand out so to is Sema "The Black Porsche" Mataora.