Rugby Report – Riverview
And like that, the season is over.
Year 12 is a week into Trials, and like the good men they are, I am sure they are now taking the battle to their exams instead of their opponents on Saturdays!
I hope (as I do throughout the season) that injured boys are recovering well…and for everyone else, good luck with Athletics and the Summer Sport season ahead.
Thank you to all boys and parents who made 2023 a wonderful season. Too many highlights to mention, but here are a few captured in themes for age groups.
Our new era for Shore Rugby continues and can be seen in our U13s. With Mr Polis’ A’s having an undefeated season (well done!) and Mr Davis’ B’s only losing one game in the year, the future looks bright for Shore Rugby. What is just as important is that this group of boys seems to be a cohort of young men who play the game in good spirit, get along well as friends and are easily coachable. Keep these characteristics for the next five seasons, and you will all do great things. But remember, you have set a high benchmark now, and the other teams will always be coming for you. Keep working hard next year!
The courage and depth of our U14s was on display this year. Unfortunately, this age group had multiple long-term injuries at the beginning of the season to many boys who played A’s and B’s last year. It was therefore tough at the top grades for the season, but via the good coaching of Messrs Stacey, Du Plooy, Walker, Piennar and Guest, the age group showed huge courage in the face of the opposition and finished the season with multiple wins in the top grades. Our 14C’s were one of the best teams when firing, and our 14E’s one of the best performing teams in the school – only losing one game all year. Well done, boys.
The phoenix is rising in the U15 age group. Our Year 9 boys have shown some tremendous growth this year as individuals and as a team – particularly shown in the return matches they had against schools. The A’s were thrashed by Joeys in Round 1 and then arguably should have won Round 2 were it not for a painful last-minute play that went against us. They defeated Newington in Round 2 after losing earlier in the year. They increased their winning margin over Scots in Round 2. And though they lost the final game against Riverview, it went down to the last second…and the manner in which the boys now play and act as a team is a huge turnaround from the season’s beginning.
The “one team” model of the U16s has realised potential. This has been an excellent age group to follow this year. Some of the footy in the 16E, D and C teams has been first-rate. The boys’ intensity is unmatched by few schools. And the B’s and A’s have truly realised their potential this year. This is an age group that has improved and improved since they were U13s. The A’s and B’s have had their first age group wins against schools like Joeys and Newington – and no loss was a blowout. They have combined well as a “team” and shown the value of playing for the mate next to you. When that is done, you go well yourself as an individual! Well done to the many GPS rep players selected from this age group – Charlie Armati, Max Garner, Charlie Galligan, Rolly Smith, Bede Clout, Ollie Greig, Charlie Francis – an awesome result.
The Opens this year have continued Shore’s advance. A very good season; however, the squad wants more. There is still work for us in competing with the other school programs at First and Second XV levels, but we know we have the ingredients to make 2024 amazing. There have been too many highlights to mention (wait for the Torchbearer), but the Third XV’s victories against all the First XV’s in their Comp (Grammar, High, TAS) were a standout. One more win, and they would have been Runners-Up. The Second XV’s finish to the season was excellent, and the huge First XV days at Northbridge were all highlights. The way in which the First XV came off the field against King’s at Northbridge (against a uniquely strong King’s team), having gone down 21 – 28, was one of my big highlights. The team came off knowing they could have won the game and had created the chances to do so. The team was not content with getting close…and that can be said of every team – we can all do more with determination and drive next year.
Well done to our boys who made GPS, NSW and Australian School representative teams – Finn Baxter, James McCreery, Ed Baxter, Marshall Le Maitre, Eoghan Killick, Hugo Orpin, Ben Whatley, Henry Conick and Tom Klem.
Thank you to all the boys who came and cheered for Shore this year. You are the heart and soul of the program, and I guarantee that the boys on the field lift when they hear you cheering for them. We are fortunate to have an excellent culture of supporting our friends – thanks to our Cheer Captains who always led from the front. We also have fine young men who faced disappointments in not playing Opens but remaining to help the program – Luca Fulton, Dylan Dalgliesh-Quinn and Harry Stiel, to name a few.
Thank you, parents, for the support you show our program. We can’t do what we do without you. Your cars will now have a rest from sweaty, muddy boys for a while.
Thank you to our coaching staff, who go above and beyond to help create great memories for the boys. As coaches, we gain as much, if not more, from the experiences of the season. Thank you for your service, coaches.
And finally, thank you to our boys, particularly those in Year 12 who have played their final game for Shore. I am biased, but you are a great cohort of young men, and I hope you take many happy memories from your time in Shore Rugby. You will always be welcome back to Northbridge.
Top image: 4Es – only one loss all year
Mr D Mason-Jones
MIC Rugby
Individual Team of the Week – 13As
School wide Team of the Week
| Forwards | Backs |
| 1. Jasper Tighe (13A) | 9. Sam Hill (4ths) |
| 2. Tom Hawkins (Seconds) | 10. Angus Edwards (13B) |
| 3. Jye Peters (Thirds) | 11. Harry Ferguson (13A) |
| 4. Jackson Yeates (15E) | 12. Henry Conick (Firsts) |
| 5. Mitchell Allen-Paterson (Fifths) | 13. Charlie Cockle (14A) |
| 6. Cooper Semens (14C) | 14. Henry Wheeler (15A) |
| 7. Rolly Smith (16A) | 15. Malachi Warner (14B) |
| 8. Luke Robinson (15D,C,B) |
Coach: Mr W Dobes and Harry Byrnes (Thirds)
