FINALS - WEEK 2

It is a huge weekend for the Sharks, with 6 teams playing games that could put them into the Grand Finals.  The Seniors have 3 teams in the major semi-finals, and 3 Juniors teams in the Preliminary finals.

Last weekend the Thirds put up a great performance, after a month without any opposition, to take out their minor semi 20-10.  Over at The Haven both the Juniors  teams also progressed to preliminary Finals.  The u13s started strongly and were powering through the game before their opponents launched a big fightback that didn't quite make it.  The 24-22 win to our boys was a great result under big pressure.  Later in the day the u17s thrilled a big crowd with their exciting style of play and stayed alive with a 38-5 victory.  Big thanks to the u16s who helped out covering a long injury list among the older players.  On Sunday the u11s had a very early start and put up a brave performance against their undefeated opponents.   They are still alive and a win this weekend will give them another chance to upset the boys from Woy Woy.

8:30    u11s   Avoca Beach v Terrigal  @ Woongarrah

10:40  u13s  Avoca Beach v Ourimbah  @ Woongarrah

15:30  u17s  Avoca Beach v Warnervale @ Woongarrah

10:20  u19s  Avoca Beach v Warnervale @ Woy Woy Oval

13:20  2nds  Avoca Beach v Northlakes  @ Woy Woy Oval

15:00  1sts  Avoca Beach v Kariong @ Woy Woy Oval

FINALS TIME

The regular season wrapped up last Saturday, with some great results right across the Club.  1st grade and 2nd grade both finished as Minor Premiers, 3rds finished 4th and the Colts 2nd.  Which allowed the Sharks to easily to retain the CCRU Club Championship.  In the Juniors the u17s and u13s will be playing the minor semi final and the u11s the major semi final.  Unfortunately results from other games did not fall the way of the u16s & u15s in the final round and despite strong finishes to their seasons, both teams missed the finals by only 2 points. The u10s play a first past the post competition and ended the season in 3rd position. The u14s and u12s both completed their seasons with fantastic last rounds where they showed the improvement they have made through the season that will take them to much better results in 2011.  Highlight of the last day of Junior competition was the 0-0 draw that our 12s had in their match with much more highly ranked Terrigal. An immense defensive effort which impressed everyone watching.

Sharks teams are in 4 matches over the weekend, and all supporters should make the effort to see as many of their games as possible.  It is easy, start the day at Terrigal cheering on the 13s, then a quick trip across to Woy Woy to catch most of the 3s.  Grab some lunch and then back to terrigal for the 17s, who if they click on the day will show they could be the surprise packet of the season. Next morning an early drive up to Slade to cheer on our youngest semi-finalists. 

      
u13s 28/08/2010 Avoca Beach V Woy Woy 10:40am Haven
      
u17s 28/08/2010 Avoca Beach V Northlakes 3.30pm Haven
      
3rds  28/08/2010 Avoca Beach V Northlakes 11.50am Woy Woy Oval
      
u11s 29/08/2010 Avoca Beach V Woy Woy 8.30am Slade Park

Next week the Senior major semi-finals with the 1s, 2s and Colts at Woy Woy.  Junior preliminary finals will be at Woongarrah (Warnervale)

7 AUGUST PREVIEW 

Finally a fine weekend, which should have all of our teams on the field!  This round is mainly Sharks v Warnervale.  At Heazlett the day kicks off very early with the u13s at 8am, followed by the 14s at 9am, both against Warnervale.  The u16s have an important game against Terrigal kicking off at 10am, followed by the 17s against Warnervale at 11:10am.  Seniors take over with Warnervale the opponents for the rest of the day, the u19s taking the field at 12:20.  The 3s  don't have a game, the 2s are on at 1:30 and the big game kicks off at 3:00pm.  It is team photo day for the 16s, 17s, 19s and 1s - so be there a bit early. 

Being the last Senior home game of the season it is HAT DAY, anything you want to wear as long as your head is covered!

Away from heazlett, the 7s, 9s, 12s and 15s make the trip to Woongarrah to play Warnervale, and the 11s are at Ourimbah against competition leaders Woy WOy in a top of the table clash.

Good luck to all the Sharks on Saturday, enjoy the day!

31 JULY WEATHER UPDATE

The Wet weather has affected some Junior matches.  u7s, u9s, u11, u12s who were due to play at Ourimbah have been cancelled.  The u17s at Heazlett have been cancelled.  The u13s and u14s are ON at Woongarrah (new Warnervale oval .. directions are down this a page a few items).  u10s are ON at JBO.

The u15s game is ON, call Scott or Paul for more info as details have changed.

 Colts are CANCELLED.  Hopefully 1s and 2s will be fine

29 JULY TRAINING

The Continuing wet weather means that Juniors training is cancelled. Seniors training is ON, be there at 7pm, pizzas afterwards.

COUNTRY REPRESENTATIVES

Congratulations to Josh Meadham (u18s) and Andrew Lawler (u16s) who both had strong games for NSW Country in the annual clash against the Sydney Juniors rep teams.  This year the matches were moved from the City to Woy Woy Oval where a good crowd saw some really high quality Junior rugby, and both these young men represented our Club at the highest level and did themselves proud by playing strongly on the field.  Well done!  Trivia point, the elder brothers of Josh (Liam) and Andrew (Mitch) both also represented NSW Country Juniors!

Josh Meadham	Andrew Lawler

17 JULY REVIEW

First Grade continued their strong form with a hard fought win against a Kariong team that wouldn't give up.  At stake was the Bendigo Bank Cup that they had had won earlier in the season.  A 19-0 lead to the Sharks shrank down to 19-17 before again stretching out to 39-24.  Then another fightback by Kariong left the score at 39-34.  So in the last 2 games the 1s have accounted for the previous top 2 teams in the competitoin and are now in 2nd place.  The 2s took on last years premiers and finished with an 18-5 victory.  Highlight was Ben Spindler scoring one of those tries that are his specialty, seemingly ambling towards the opponents defensive line, a bit of a dummy, bit of jink, a step to the right and suddenly there is a gap so wide he can slow down even more and still reach the tryline unmolested ... Poetry in motion.  The 3s really stood up against the runaway competition leaders and the with 5 minutes to go it was anyones game.  Unfortunately Kariong were the ones to score, but that game showed the Thirstys will be a threat when the finals arrive.  The Colts also had a tough, tight game with Bruv scoring all the SHarks points in a 14-10 victory.

 
Club & Bank presidents with the BENDIGO BANK CUP
click on the picture for more shots of the presentation

The day opened with two gutsy efforts from our 16s and 17s who were both up against their competition leaders.  That both teams were close enough at the finish to get a bonus point showed the great improvement they have been making as the season progresses.  Thanks to the 16s boys who backed up the 17s, where the injury toll is starting to have some effect.  Best wishes from everyone at the Club to Garry  Lui, who had a nasty leg break during the 17s match.

Over at Ettalong, the Other Juniors matches were evenly split between the Clubs, well done to the 13s who are now starting to win a few after a slow start to the season.  Apparently Max Stewart is trying to escape out of the front-rowers Club by throwing successful flick passes to set up tries!

3 JULY REVIEW

The Sharks took a big bite out of unbeaten competition leaders Gosford on Saturday.  The final score of 45-3 reflected a return to the very best Rugby Avoca is capable of, all players excelled with Coach Slape awarding 3 points to everyone who took the field.  Pete Steele's powerful game and 2 tries were rewarded with the players player award.  It was a day where all 4 Senior grades had strong wins, with only one try being conceded in 270 mins of play. AT Warnervale the 16s had a win and the 17s continued their improvement, getting closer to a strong experienced team.

A shorter day at Heazlett with the 13s & 14s having byes. There was a mixed bag of opponents with the results being split. It was a pity there was a small crowd for the u15s in the last game of the day.  Playing a team who would match our u19s for size they showed us all that they have the skill and courage to make a dent in the competition when it gets to finals.  In the corresponding game last season The Entrance scored over 100 points .. this time around, they were held scoreless until the final minutes before half time.  It was wonderful defence, and our attack didnt suffer from the extra work. The second half was not as close, though it remained a game where the Sharks were always a threat.  Now to consistently repeat that performance and there is no limit to what they might achieve this season.

NEW WARNERVALE HOME GROUND

The new Woongarrah Sports Fields are located in Hakone Road, Woongarrah - come off the F3 onto Sparks Road and head towards Toukley.  After you pass through the traffic lights at MacKillop Catholic College take the first left (Hiawatha Road) travel along Hiawatha Rd until you come to Hakone Rd, turn right into Hakone Rd and travel about 1km and the new fields are on your left.

26 JUNE REVIEW

It was a cold day that got colder when Jono's last minute conversion attempt from the sideline fell inches short, after every Avoca supporter was sure he had landed the miracle kick.  For a long period it looked like the 4th draw of the year was a possibility before a couple of late penalties kicked Terrigal clear.  A great try on the death to the Sharks got us within a point and then the kick that could not have been any closer to saving the day.  Earlier senior games all went the way of the Sharks, highlighted by some fantastic tries in all grades, Dinner Suit Davies scored from long range, as always without a hand laid on him, in the 2s; the 3s had a brilliant team try started by Iva that will surely be an entry in the Club try of the year contest, and in the 19s Kyle Oakes showed off his soccer skills with an amazing triple kick and chase that had the crowd roaring.

Not such a good day in the Juniors, but lots of heart shown and lots of teams that will ready to the reverse the result next time around.  Great work by the 11s to grab a win at The Haven, well done to that team who are short of numbers but definite premiership contenders.

26 JUNE PREVIEW

Yes folks it is here again, the biggest day of Rugby Union in Country NSW.  The Sharks v the Trojans  ..  Avoca v Terrigal.  It is early in the competition for our last regular season meeting, but both teams have this as a must win game to improve the chances of finishing in the top two at semi-final time.

This match-up runs from u7s through to 1st grade apart from the 15s who open the day at Heazlett with an 8am match against last year's Premiers Woy Woy Red.  The 16s kick off at 9am and the 17s at 10:10.  Senior grades start with the Colts at 11:20, then thirsty 3rds at 12:30 and the 2s at 1:40.  Over at The Haven the 7s and 9s start the day at 8:30am and the 14s are the last game there kicking off at 1pm.  That gives all Junoir players and their parents plenty of time to get back to Heazlett to watch the big game. 

Hopefully the rain stays away and we get another great day like last Saturday.  Good luck to every Shark in every game!!

IT IS 70's DAY
PRIZES FOR BEST COSTUMES

19 JUNE REVIEW

Finally the rain stopped, the sun came out and we had a perfect winters day! A full round of games in Seniors and Juniors v Woy Woy - with only exception being the u19s where Gosford decided they didnt want to get in the way of the green v red and forfeited instead.  Over at Woy Woy Oval the day began with the 16s putting in their best performance of the season and holding the home team to a 15 all draw.  The 17s continued their improvement with a strong win, they will be the team to watch for the rest of year now that all of the squad will be able to train together at least one night a week.  The thirsty thirds welcomed back the brothers Spindler and took out a big win to nil, the 2s also kept Woy Woy scoreless in avenging their first round defeat.  First grade was a very tight struggle with the Sharks triumphing 18-13 to move up into 3rd place on the premiership ladder.

Juniors day at Heazlett had lots of parents glad that their children finally had a game of Rugby to drain their energy.  The u7s kept coach Dave very busy reminding them of everything they had forgotten during the long break since their last game, but they had fun and thats what matters!  The 9s also had a really enjoyable game against a friendly team from Woy Woy - great to see our boys running out with other teams to ensure every gets as much game time as possible.  The 10s started off the competition ages with a good win and a highlight being a conversion to big prop Jake, so the quick backs didnt get to score all of the points. Next had the 11s keeping close to the #1 team in the comp and maybe next time they'll take the points.  Hard luck story of the day was the 12s.  Even though they were short lots of players they still were holding the lead right up until full time, when a converted try against them left the score at 10-12. Most relieved coaches on the day were Cam and Dave when the 13s had their first win of the season,  many more to come now they have broken the drought.  The u14s continued their improvement and held their very strong opponents to a low score, which will give our boys encouragement for future games.  Last match of the day had the 15s playing a great game for a big win, a good warm up for when they take on the Woy Woy A team next week.  Some bad news from that game was the serious knee injury to Aaron Townsend.  Good news is that his operation was a great success and he was back home resting Sunday evening, though with a fairly big slab of plaster on his leg.  Good luck from all of us at the Sharks for a quick recovery Aaron.

Tuesday last week was a special night for the u8s who got to have a game on Bluetongue Stadium before the Barbarians/England bore-athon.  They showed true running Rugby and we all hope that next year other Clubs will be able to form teams so that they can play in their own competition.  Also on the night some of our u13s rep players were ballboys for the main game (big mention to Max Stewart who who stood aside as we had 5 players for 4 available spots).  There was also an u9s game as a curtain raiser and Dave Riley had the refereeing job for that one.  Jono Hirst tried for a moment of fame in the attempting to win $1000 for the Club by landing a kick from half way - though he didnt succeed on the night, as no one else did we managed to win a draw the following morning to win the cash!  Of course the night was complete when Matt Hodgson ran on as a reserve in his Avoca socks to a huge cheer from the big Avoca crowd.  Pictures from the night by clicking here

MATT HODGSON

Matt Hodgson obtained unique staus on Saturday night when he took the field as a Wallaby during the 2nd half of the Test Match Vs Fiji
 
Matt became Avoca Sharks first Wallaby, an achievement made more memorable because where it all started for him was as a junior playing on the Shark Pool with the mighty Sharks, where he played 50 games as a junior
 
When he graduated to the senior ranks he played 12 grade games including 8 in first grade before going to Sydney to join the Eastwood Club.
 
From Eastwood he joined the Waratahs where he played Super 14 and then was selected in the Australian Sevens. His time at Eastwood including a stand out perfromance against Phil Waugh in Eastwood's Grand Final victory over Sydney University. From the Australian Sevens Matt signed with new Super 14 franchise the Western Force where over the last few seasons he has become a regular member of the Force starting 15. In season 2009 he was awarded their most valauable player and also gained selection in the Wallaby squad. However injury in the opening Barbarians game stopped his attempt to make his debut as a full Wallaby in a test match. Matt was a member of the 2009 Wallaby Northern Summer tour where despite limited opportunities he played with great distinction.
 
The 2010 Super 14 season saw Matt become a stand out performer in the early season games for the Force where at times he became their forward leader due to their high injury toll. During this season he has performed with great distinction against many of the world's top backrowers including McCaw,Smith,Waugh and Berger.
 
Mat's selection in the 2010 Wallaby squad was seen by many as a just reward for what has been a stand out Super 14 season.
 
His selection in the 22 for the Fiji Test ensured when given the opportunity he would finally get his chance. His chance came with about 15 minutes to go when Matt took the field replacing openside David Pocock for the Wallabies.
 
Matt's historic debut is an example to all to never to give up.Despite some serious injuries and disappointments throughout his career Matt has never lost sight of his ultimate goal. He remained focused and just kept doing what he does best.
 
Well done and well played Matt Hodgson ...at last a Wallaby !
 
Cheers Boys 
 
ROBERT BURNS

 18 May Training and
Tickets for Rugby International @ Gosford

Due to the wet weather conditions, Juniors training has been cancelled for 18 May.  Seniors/Colts training is still on.
 
On Tuesday 15th June the Australian Barbarians will be playing England at Bluetongue stadium.  The Club has secured a number of tickets under cover in the upper deck, with tickets being $15 per person.  This is a "first in best dressed" offer to juniors, seniors, parents and members only.  Please send your request with names and number of tickets to avocasharks@gmail.com  .  Payment to be made to Ian Cameron at training this Thursday, at Heazlett on Saturday and lastly at training on Tuesday 25 May. It is not often that full international teams play locally, and there is the possibility that ex-Shark Matt Hodgson will be on the field for the Barbarians - so it is a great opportunity to give Junior players a chance to see high level Rugby close-up.

15 MAY PREVIEW

Senior Rugby returns to Heazlett Park this Saturday with the Sharks taking on Northlakes.  After a run of draws that was stopped by a loss at Kariong, 1sts are ready to start adding some more wins to their record this season. The day starts early with the u10s taking on Terrigal at 8am.  They are followed at 9am by the u16s against The Entrance.  The 16s also had a loss at Kariong last week, but did feature in this story in the local paper .  At 10:10 the games against Northlakes commence with the 17s who have had a good start to the season, this will be a good game to watch and there is another Avoca presence with Northlakes 17s being coached by Greg Sainsbury, until recently the record holder for most Senior games for the Sharks. The weather will be great so make a day of it, and get down early to see some Juniors in action before the Senior teams start with the Colts at 11:20.  Also there will be some form of fund raising to provide assistance to the family of Joe Fakateli, who tragically passed away while playing for Northlakes 2nd grade 2 weeks ago.

The rest of the Juniors are mainly to be found at Ourimbah, with the younger 7s and 9s making a trip to Slade Park to play Northlakes.  The u15s are at Gosford taking on Woy Woy.  Good luck to all the Sharks this weekend!

On the representative front, Josh Meadham has performed wonderfully to make it into the Country u18s squad that was selected after the recent Country Championships.  The biggest news though is the selection of Jesse Parahi into the Australian 7s team.  This is a huge step forward for Jesse, who has already represented Australia at the Schoolboy level.  He is following in the footsteps of Matt Hodgson to become the 2nd Avoca Beach Junior to be a member of the National 7s team.  We will all be following his progress as he follows the 7s circuit around the world, and hopefully this will be just another step on the path to the full Australian side.

24 APRIL REVIEW

This is starting to sound familiar, the Sharks had their THIRD consecutive draw on Saturday, this time 21-21 at Ourimbah.  Probably some sort of record for the CCRU, but hopes are high that the run will come to an end with victory at Kariong next round.  All other grades had wins, keeping the Sharks at the head of the Club Championship table.  Special points go to Tally who had some premonition that he would be called upon to play most of first grade and arranged with the referee to pick up a 10 minute breather in the 2s.  Its a tribute to his stamina and passion that he picked up a best and fairest point in the 1s after an almost full game in the 2s.  Also playing away were the 16s & 17s who both finished on the wrong side of the scoreboard at Woy Woy & Northlakes respectively.

The Juniors had a full round of games at Heazlett, with a mixed set of results.  The sad part was the u8s playing their last game as a team.  Unfortunately only Warnervale had a team in this age group and didnt see that it could work for an enrire season.  Some of the u8s will drop back to the u7s and some step up to have a run in the u9s.  Good luck to all the boys and hopefully next season the other Clubs will rebuild their teams for this age.  Last game of the day was a sensational battle.  The rejuvenated u15s continued their improvement and in a game where the lead would have changed 10 times, they came away with a 30-29 win. 

24 APRIL REVIEW

The Sharks 1sts remain undefeated after another draw on Saturday.  The game against Gosford  had many lead changes and a late opportunity for Jono to land a long range penalty to take the points, but in the end it was a 2nd consecutive drawn game.  Highlight for the Club was the makeup of the team, with 5 local Juniors 21 or under taking the field, including Matt Anderson having his first run-on start in the 1s.  Matt Hipwell was the youngest player and captained the team for the first time, congratulations to him!

The lower grades both had strong wins, with Iva & Brookie tearing up the opposition in the 3s.  The Colts won on a forfeit to keep their undefeated record.  The u17s played a depleted Woy Woy and took the points and the opportunity to learn more about the game that is new to many of the team.  The 16s had their match deferred.  First game at Heazlett was the 15s who put in a sensational performance against an Entrance team that outsizes most u17s teams.  The final result was a 75 point improvement on their final meeting last season, as this season progresses expect many more good results from those boys.

Away from home our other Juniors teams were at Warnervale and Gosford.  The 13s & 14s had the bye, the 12s had another victory, the  10s & 11s didnt quite get on the winning side of the game.  In the non-comp ages the 7s had a great couple of games, the 8s repeated their good form against the same opposition and the 9s are getting better every week.

Photos of Heazlett games can be viewed by clicking here 

24 APRIL PREVIEW

17 APRIL REVIEW

The first Terrigal game of the season ended in a 6-6 draw for the 1s.  It was a tough and tight encounter with few try scoring opportunities and all points coming from penalty kicks. 

Sharks under 10 coach Scott Bath (who also spends some time over the hill coaching Terrigal 1s) showing his psychic ability by predicting exactly how many penalty goals each team would score later in the day.  Or possibly predicting how many penalty goals his players would decline to attempt in the last 5 minutes of the game...  General opinion is that he does look much better in our Royal Blue shirt, rather than that other blue he puts on after lunch on saturdays.

The 2s came back from last week's disappointing result to record a big win, the 3s also reversed their result of last week - unfortunately that meant a loss for them.  The u19s opened their season with a great win, keeping terrigal scoreless.  Earlier in the day the u15s began their season with a victory that had supercoach Bacigalupo quickly claiming the strong form was all his doing.  The 16s repeated their '09 grand final win, though down on numbers from last year's Championship team.  The 17s gave the competition favourites a big fright and have the potential to be a great team once the players new to Union pick up the subtleties of the game.

The younger ages were at home and the u7s had a fantastic start to their rugby careers.  Lots of fun, lots of running and plenty of laughs.  The 8s are in a problem age group where the number of entered teams is shrinking, they travelled across to Ettalong to get a game and to have their first taste of tackle rugby.  it was a big success and hopefully they will get some more teams to play against!  The 9s came back to earth after their great showing on the SFS a couple of weeks ago, it will take them a little while to get used to the sparse grass on our grounds!  In the competiton ages it was the usual tight struggle against the Trojans.  The 11s were winners and the 10s and 12s put up strong performances to stay in contention all the way.  The 13s  just didnt click on the day, but they'll be much stronger in future.  Biggest credit goes to the 14s, playing the usual winners of this age group, they fought back strongly to be only one try down into the 2nd half before their opponents wrapped up the game late.  The benefits of a bigger squad and the chance of an occasional breather showed, and this should be a year to reward the boys who have struggled with small numbers for a few seasons now.

Well done to all, bring on next week!

SHARKS v TERRIGAL

The big local derby has come around early this season.  The Sharks v The Trojans, with seniors games at The Haven with some Juniors, and the rest of the Juniors matches at Heazlett.  Both 1st grade teams had good wins last week and will be ready for this big day.  Big crowds are expected at both venues, with the last Juniors game finishing at Heazlett early enough for everyone to get over the hill to the Haven.  Be there!!

Recently the u9s had the fantastic experience of being the curtain-raiser game before the Waratahs.  Some of the boys were having their first ever game of Rugby, in front of 15,000 people and with soft grass underfoot - unfortunately the next time they play under those conditions might be a long way off.  Well done to coach David and manager Peter for getting it all organised. Click here for photos of the boys in action on the night.

The Avoca Beach Golden Oldies have continued their long standing support of the Juniors program for the Sharks, handing over a large sponsorship cheque this week to the Club.  Thanks to all of those fine gentlemen and ladies for their very generous contributions to Club, below is picture of Juniors VP Paul Robertson receiving the cheque from Golden Oldies President Brian Goffett.

SHARKS BEGIN TITLE DEFENCE

9:00am   u16s   AVOCA BEACH v  Woy Woy
10:10am   u17s    AVOCA BEACH   v  Northlakes
12:30pm    3rds    AVOCA BEACH   v  Woy Woy
 1:40pm    2nds    AVOCA BEACH   v  Woy Woy
 3:00pm    1sts     AVOCA BEACH   v  Woy Woy

The Central Coast Rugby season kicks off on Saturday with the Sharkpool being a dangerous place for the visiting Woy Woy players.  There has been no loss in enthusiasm after completing the 5-in-a-row Straight Flush victory for the 1s last year. Some players have already been part of the Central Coast rep team that finished 2nd in the Country Championship.  Special mention to the pair of amazing locks Adam Winter & Peter Steele who both were selected into the Country squad. The 2s feel they have some unfinished business after just failing to match the 1s run of success, and with many of last year's champion Colts stepping into Senior grades there is competition for all positions in all teams.  The 3s have ex-Australian u21 player Dave Hopper taking over the coaching and set some sort of record by having a full team at training!  The Colts remain a strong unit with last years 17s moving into the 19s and bringing coach Hoani with them.  Unfortunately their season starts with a bye. 

On the Juniors side, the 17s have been rebuilt after a couple a seasons without a team for that year of birth.  Lots of players new to the game, though plenty of athleticism and desire to learn will have them a force before too long.  Some of the new players havent been at training, hopefully now the season is underway they will dedicated to share the work with their mates and have some fun on game days.  The 16s are down on numbers from their Championship winning squad of last season.  Those who are there have been training well, and if a few more show up they'll be ready to repeat last years form. We need more players in both squads, so if you know anyone born in '93 or '94 convince them that a game of Rugby at Avoca is a perfect way to spend their winter! The younger ages kick off next week.

Important matters for the Club are:

1.  We need a bar manager, someone to be in control on game days, organise stocking of the bar and to roster on assistants when the bar is open.  This is an extremely important position and to not be able to sell alcohol on senior match days greatly affects the Club's financial security.  Anyone who may be interested please contact Andrew Parker (click on the committee link at left).

2.  We need an additional canteen manager for Juniors days.  The current coordinator will not be able to handle both setup and close down this season so we need to share the responsibilities. Its an ideal position for a Junior parent/family member.  The actual serving is done on a roster basis by the teams, this position is just about keeping track of stock and making sure all is ready in the morning or tidied up at the end of the day, for probably 7 playing days this season. Anyone who may be interested please contact Ian Cameron (click on the committee link at left).

3.  Who has the drinks trolley?? - please return it Saturday morning!

 

JUNIORS PRESENTATION

Avoca Beach Rugby Presentation Night

The presentation Night was a great success with over 130 people attending to celebrate the "Straight Flush" 5th consecutive 1st grade Premiership, another Premiership to the u19s and retaining the CCRU Club Championship.  Many of the Club's sponsors also attended and added to their involvement with the Club by presenting the major awards:

Colts Encouragement Award: Alex Cook
Most Improved Colts Player: Jacob Brickwood
Senior Encouragement Award: Elliott Dawkins
Most Improved Senior Player: Liam Meadham
New Player Of The Year: Iva Motusaga
Club Highest Point Scorer: Jono Hirst
Colts Players Player: Matt Hipwell
3rds Players Player: Barney Hunt
2nds Players Player: Chris Wellington
1sts Players Player: Emile Thomas
Colts Best & Fairest: Dan McAtemney
3rds Best & Fairest: Brook Morrow & Damien Chiswick
2nds Best & Fairest: Chris Wellington
1sts Best & Fairest: Iva Motusaga

Contribution to Avoca Beach Rugby: Stan Priestley & Bec Collins

Club Person Of The Year: shared by Terry Sturgess and Bill Ritchie

Club Coaches Award
In Memory Of Rocky Serafim :  JONO HIRST

Congratulations to all award winners, all players and everyone who has contributed to making Avoca Beach Rugby the most successful CCRU Club for the first decade of this century.  Now for the 2010s!! 

Photos of Awards Ceremony   Photos of Guests at the Presentation Night

GRAND FINAL WINNERS X 3

Clubhouse celebration photos here

First Grade achieved the 'Royal Flush' by winning their 5th consecutive CCRU title with a 31-10 victory over Kariong.

1sts game photos here
1sts celebrations here 

Under 19s are also Grand Final veterans and they wrapped up another title defeating Warnervale 22-8.

u19 game photos here
u19 celebrations here

Under 15s did it the hard way from the minor semi and took out a very tight game against Terrigal 10-5.

u15s game photos here

Congratulations to all the Sharks teams, and watch this space for photos and detailed reports from all the games and celebrations

GRAND FINALS PREVIEW

The season comes to a close on Saturday, with three Sharks teams into the deciders.  The 1sts progressed straight from the major semi, while the 19s and 15s won through last Saturday (see below for details).  Unfortunately this year Junior and Senior grand Finals are at different venues on the same day.  It does make it difficult for our supporters, but we hope as many as possible can get to the two venues to cheer on our players.

10: 15am @ Woy Woy  u19s v Warnervale
 2:00pm  @ Bluetongue  15s v Terrigal
 3:00pm  @ Woy Woy  1s v Kariong

The u19s start the day for us and some of the older players in this squad are in their 6th Grand Final in 7 years, with Nugget coaching them to 4 wins in the last 5 deciders. That is a lot of experience for a young team and they'll be ready for Warnervale on Saturday.  The major semi was decided on penalty kicks, but the 5 tries in the preliminary final show the boys have regained their try scoring form and will be dangerous from anywhere on the field.

Next up the u15s, who have been in the middle of the most closely fought age group in the Juniors.  Any of the 4 semi-finalist could have on this comp without it being a surprise.  Our boys have won though from the minor semi in two tight games.  The pressure they have faced in those close results will be an advantage when they take on Terrigal.  Supporters who dont want to miss any of the 1sts game can get to Bluetongue for the first half of this game and still be able to make the 3pm kickoff at Woy Woy.  Those who want to see all of the 15s, will have plenty of time to catch the 2nd half of the 1s, as they have injury timeouts and the 2nd half kick off will be 3:50pm at the earliest.

It is a repeat of last years Grand Final in the Firsts, possibly a bit of a surprise that Kariong have come through from 4th place to face our Minor Premiership winning team, but that doesnt mean it won't be another extremely hard game.  There are some different faces in both squads as well as some regulars who have been battling each other for many seasons.  The biggest story is Club Captain Andrew "Juice" Parker who finds himself in a second 1st Grade Grand Final against Kariong,  though last year wasn't his previous encounter, it was 18 years ago!  Props just keep packing into scrums forever ...

Good luck to every player who wears a Sharks jersey on Saturday, and thankyou in advance to every supporter, friend, parent, wife and child who is there in club colours cheering on our players.  (Club polo shirts on sale at Heazlett from 5-8pm Thursday)

HOW WE GOT THERE:

The 1s were already there after taking out Gosford in a  close major Semi. The two other teams won through last Saturday. The 19s started the preliminary finals in slashing form, running up 4 tries inside the first 20 minutes before finishing the game 27-5 winners.  Next up the 3s got out to an early lead, and when Ourimbah kept missing the penalty kicks it looked like an upset was possible, but a strong 2nd half by the opponents closed out the season for the Thirsty's.  Over at the Juniors it was time for the 15s to meet the minor premiers and a great start gave them an early lead, the boys kept on the pressure and despite a runaway try against them they held their nerve and finished strongly to stay ahead and claim the win. Meanwhile back at Woy Woy the 2s bolted out to a 12-0 lead - unfortunately the game took the same course as the major semi and at full time it was the end of season for them.

Last game of the day was the 17s, who ran into a team that was red hot on the day.  Like all our teams they took the early lead, after a fantastic oponing 10 minutes, and tried everything against the Gosford/Kariong squad but couldnt quite get the results they deserved.  We should all be proud of this team and how they have improved their skills and attitude this season.  The finish to the game showed how mature they have become.  An opponent for no reason landed a punch on Brad Mitchell just short of full time.  There was no retaliation and even though full time sounded, they took the tap, still trying for a late score. Then at the next ruck another opponent was sent off for punching.  Again our young men held their composure and played Rugby.  It was a great feeling to see this new maturity and points to us having another very successful u19s in 2010 if we can keep this squad together. 

A special mention to the u10s who were in a first past the post competition and finished 2nd - a great result for the boys!

5 SEPTEMBER PREVIEW

It was a mixed batch of semi final results for the Sharks last weekend.  The 1s were the only team to win straight through to the Grand Final. On Saturday the 3s and 15s survived tough, tight games to win a place in the Preliminary Final, while the 12s played great rugby to just miss out. The major semis on Sunday had the 19s going down in a tryless game, the 2s were 14 points down early and couldnt quite complete a big fight back when they were held out from the Kariong tryline for the last 5 minutes.  Over at JBO the 17s had a brilliant 1st half, and even though they lost, have learned plenty and will be ready for Northlakes if they get a 2nd chance at them.

Which bring us to a Saturday with 5 Sharks teams trying to join the 1s in the Grand Finals, where Senior and Junior games are at fields only 5 mins apart.  This is a day where Sharks supporters can see plenty of Rugby while cheering on most of our players.

10: 20am @ Woy Woy  u19s v Ourimbah
11:50am @ Woy Woy  3s v Ourimbah
 1:00pm  @ Ettalong  15s v The Entrance
 1:20pm  @ Woy Woy  2s v Kariong
 3:30pm  @ Ettalong  17s v Gosford/Kariong

Here is an easy timetable to follow; get to Woy Woy early for the 19s followed by the 3s.  Then if your priorities lean towards the Juniors, jump in the car and zip across to Ettalong to watch the 15s.  Once the 15s finish you can be back at Woy Woy for the 2nd half of the 2s.  When the 2s have finished those who saw the 15s , or stayed for all of the 2s, have plenty of time to call in at Ettalong on the way home to Avoca, and give our 17s their biggest crowd of the year and the strong support they deserve.  One important thing to remember if you are skipping between Junior and Senior games is the crowd behaviour standards are much higher at Junior games. You are only allowed to cheer positively for players of either team.  You are not allowed to make negative comments about any player, or the match officials.  This is strictly enforced, so while you are at Ettalong enjoy the Rugby, cheer the Sharks and allow the match officials to do their job without any additional pressure from the crowd.

Have a great day at the Rugby and if you want to fully support the Club, the new polo shirts will be on sale at the Clubhouse tonight from 6-8pm while the players are training.

Finally, a big thank you to all of those Juniors parents who volunteered to help out on Saturday when we hosted the Junior minor semis.  It was hugely successful day, made possible by your assistance in the canteen and as ground marshals.

29 AUGUST PREVIEW

Now it gets serious!  This week has both major and minor semi for both Senior and Junior teams.  There will be 7 Sharks teams on the field all wanting to take a big step towards a place in the Grand Finals. 

Saturday is minor semis, with the Junior games being played at Heazlett.  Its a great opportunity for all of the Avoca Rugby community to come down and cheer on the 2 teams we have playing.  The u12s take on Ourimbah at 9:30 and the u15s are against Woy Woy at 1pm.  The games start at 8:30 with u11s and go right through until the u17s kickoff at 3:30pm.

Over at Woy Woy the Thirsty Thirds have an 11:50am start against Kariong.  After a big win last week, they are ready for this one.  Barr-ie was even able to name a team at training on Thursday, a first for the season and a sign of how keen the players are to be part of a big year for the Club.

Major semis on Sunday lead off with the u19s against Warnervale at 10:20am.  We defeated the minor premiers 7-0 two weeks ago, this game should be just as close hopefully with the same outcome.Our Minor Premiership winning teams the 1s v Gosford (3:00pm) and 2s v Kariong (1:20pm) are looking very good and the direct trip to the Grand Final for all 3 teams is a big possibility.  Despite a heap of injuries the 1s defeated their Sunday opponents, Gosford, last saturday - a full squad this week will be facing a team sure to come out hard trying to reverse that result.  Important to note the these games are being played at ERINA OVAL.  Make sure you are there for the kickoff! 

Our most improved team is the last to start on Sunday.  At Joseph Banks Oval the 17s kickoff at 3:30 against Northlakes.  It is a hard task against a very succesful squad, but these young men are improving every week and have the talent to put some real pressure on their opponents.

Go The Sharks!

22 AUGUST REVIEW

.. and thats the end of the regular season.  All of saturday's results for teams in contention for the finals went our way which leaves our 6 top teams still in the fight for the premiership.  The 1sts and 2nds claimed the CCRU Minor premierships.  The 3rds finished with a  big win that put them in 4th spot and the Colts also were winners on the day to claim 2nd.  Our two oldest Junior squads also advance with 17s in 2nd spot and the 15s 3rd.  Rounding out the list is the 12s with a 3rd spot result.  Now for the finals series where all our teams will be hoping for a big turnout of supporters to cheer them on.

 The 14s, 13s, & 11s, who played great Rugby all year without deserved success, suffered by no team having a full squad for the entire season.  If we can pick up some new players to fill out their numbers then I am sure they'll be sharing the same success as our fully manned teams. The younger teams played their last games with the u10s already confirmed in second and just failing by 2 points to finish with a win over the champions at Ettalong. The 7s, 8s and 9s made sure their final runs were as much fun as every other game they've had this year.  Well done to young boys for really showing us all how to play the game for pleasure.

22 AUGUST PREVIEW

It is a very big weekend for the Senior grades over at Gosford Showground.  The 1sts need to defeat Gosford to take the Minor premiership.  The Central Coast Express has called Gosford 'red hot favourites' I don't think Sharks players and coaches agree!.  The 2nds also need a win to seal the Minor premiership and it would a surprise if there was any other result.  The 3rds are just outside the 4, but a bonus point win will give them a chance to make the finals and do some damage there.  First up over there the Colts take on Woy Woy and with the top 2 teams playing each other the young guns are a big chance at making the major semi.

Home at Heazlett is the last Junior round with a later start and the u7s kicking off at 8:30, followed by the u9s at 9:20.  Both of those young teams finish their season against Gosford.  At 10:10 the 11s take the field and will be looking for a strong final performance against Kariong.  The 12s follow at 11:00 and having sealed a spot in the minor semi will be keen to put in a top performance against Warnervale to have them in form for next weeks elimination game. The 14s wrap up their season against competition leaders Warnervale, and would love to give the frontrunners a bit of a fright on the day.  Final game is the 15s at 1:00pm against Gosford.  Like the 12s they are already in the minor semi and after a bit of a lapse last week will be ready go with a  strong game this week.

The 8s and 10s are at Ettalong against Woy Woy where the 10s get one last chance to defeat the team who beaten them into 2nd place in their first-past-the-post competition.  While the u13s are at Slade Park giving their Northlakes players a home game.  These boys have had a tough week with the sad loss of their coach Neale Newcombe, but they are strong group and will be competing hard right up to the final whistle.

Good Luck to all the Sharks!

vale NEALE NEWCOMBE

The morning of 19 August 09 bought the sad news that Neale Newcombe had passed away overnight.  Neale has been a great contributor to Avoca Beach Rugby through many years coaching the current u13s with Jason Pashley.  Neale's eldest son Ryan is part of that team, second son Liam is a member of the u11s and youngest son Connor is registered with the u9s.  In 2007 at the age of 45 Neale played his first grade game for the Sharks, with his career consisting of 1 game in 2nds and 8 games in 3rds.  His playing time was interrupted by the first battle with his illness, and he was commencing to train again this season when the illness returned.  With support of wife Julie, Neale has attended many games this year and was positive in his desire to fight as hard as possible against the illness that eventually took his life.  To Julie, Ryan, Liam and Connor and all of Neale's family & friends, the Club extends its deepest sympathy. 

15 AUGUST REVIEW

A hugely successful weekend for the Sharks in many areas.  The weekend commenced on friday night with Jeff King hosting a reunion of the 1989 premiership winning team (click here for photo).  The dinner at our Clubhouse was well attended and greatly appreciated by all who were there.  The following day the men from '89 presented the first grade players their jerseys for the big match.

Game day commenced with the u15s taking on Terrigal, but coming up short this time, hopefully by the time of the semis our boys will be reasy to reverse that result. Second game was the u17s who also played Terrigal and came away with a big win that confirmed them in 2nd place and a spot in the major semi-final. Next up the Colts took on competition leaders Warnervale in a hard and tight game that was a real nailbiter. In the end it was a great run from Ryan Spinks to score the only try, and a diving try-saving tackle from Dylan Hardaker that sealed the 7-0 win for the Sharks.

3rd grade were in it right until the end against the undefeated Terrigal team.  To lose by a single point was a tough finish for them, but they still have a chance at making the semis.  The 2nds continued their sensational form and with Tom Russell kicking goals from everywhere and a completely dominant forward pack - the Trojans were never in the game.

The 1sts came out firing and if the final passes had stuck (click for Slapey's usual reaction) would have had a huge lead at half time.  Even so, they had 4 tries by the break and a lead that had the game wrapped up.  Terrigal did well to stop us scoring any more tries, but a couple of penalties from Jono extended the lead.  The crowd wasnt as large as for recent Terrigal games, even so the support was strong and loud in the perfect weather.  Some very attractive 70s gear on show (click for pix) as well as Cam Stewart multitasking when interviewed by SBS news for a story concerning his branch of law education.

The win in 1sts had the Audi Central Coast Charity Shield returning to the Sharkpool, with Audi donating $1000 to the Sean McGuigan Foundation on the Club's behalf.  The results across the four senior games also had us retaining the CCRU Club Championship.  At the end of the main game there was a 2nd presentation by 1sts Captain Michale Tsolakis and Club Captain Andrew Parker - to Steve Deane representing Bendigo Bank.  A framed Grade jersey will now be displayed in their offices as thanks for the long term sponsorship they commenced providing the Club this season.

Later that evening the 2nd Hand Rose Ball was a huge success.  We had players, Juniors parents & Avoca locals all who got into the spirit of the event and dressed in some very interesting outfits!  Congratulations to Pigeon & Jenny Small for the individual best dressed awards - and to the table from the u9s, with help from the 11s, who won the best dressed table award. The night was run brilliantly by Caroline & Kerrie - with Tally his usual professional self emceeing proceedings.  The 'Sharks for Sale' went well, a few tweaks and it will be a big fundraiser next year. Lots of pix here.

Sunday was a well earned day of rest for most of the Club!

15 AUGUST PREVIEW

It is that time of the year again - Avoca v Terrigal @ Heazlett.  It is the biggest game of Club Rugby in NSW and should again draw a huge crowd on the predicted warm, sunny day.  2nd placed Sharks need a win to wrap up a major semi spot and stay in the race for the Minor premiership.  Also on the line is AUDI Central Coast Charity Shield, one we would like returned to the Sharks trophy cabinet.  The big game kicks off at 3pm, but the Rugby starts at 9am, show up any time and you'll see some sensational skills.  The 2nds are leading the comp with their only loss being to the Trojans in the first round.  They will be wanting to make up for that one with a better performance this time around.  In the 3rds Terrigal are unbeaten, and a tough challenge for the Thristy Thirds, but we had a big win last week - and great turnout at training on Thursday - so an upset could be on the cards.  The Colts started Terrigal-day a week early and over at the Haven last week came away with a strong win.  This week they kick off at Heazlett at 11:20 against comp leaders Warnervale, a big win in that one could jump them ahead of Warnervale to the top of the table.

The 17s have sealed 2nd place on the ladder, but Terrigal are in 3rd place and both teams will see a win here as valuable leadup to the finals series.  Last time around the Sharks relaxed after a previous big win and Terrigal took the points - this time H will make sure they are switched on right from the kickoff.  The 15s have been building really well as the year has progressed and in the 2nd round have already taken out the top 2 teams, terigal remain the only team in the 4 they are yet to beat, a win here leaves a narrow chance for the major semi, and they'll be going all out to start the big day with a victory for the Sharks.

Over at The Haven the 7s and 8s miss out on the chance to be part of the local rivalry, but every other team is taking on the Trojans.  Our other semi-final bound team, the 12s, would like nothing more than to bruise the unbeaten run of Terrigal.  It is a tough ask, but our boys have the ability to cause the upset. Make sure you check out the Sharkbait that will be distributed at Heazlett for a full wrap on all our Junior teams.  

On the fun side, dont forget it is 70s Day and Hat Day - with the slightly unusual look stretching into the night at the Sharks 2nd Hand Rose Ball.  Then on Sunday morning its the first Golden Oldies Car Boot Sale (click here for details) at the bowlo.  Another great idea for Juniors fundraising from those fine gentlemen.

Get to Heazlett early on Saturday, grab a good position and settle in for a fantastic day of Rugby .. see you there!

8 AUGUST PREVIEW

Only 3 rounds left of the regular season, and for the 1s and 2s it is the last game against opponents who won't be joining them in the finals.  Grade travel to Woy Woy against a club who has had a much improved season and will be keen to cause some problems for the Sharks.  The Colts are over at The Haven at 11:20, looking to keep their recent good form against a team who is above them on the ladder.  The 17s have a bye and will be playing a trial against CCGS at 1pm.

A full complement of all our other junior teams are home at Heazlett.  The 7s starting the day at 7:50 against Woy Woy. then the 8s against The Entrance and 9s against warnervale.  The 10s also face Warnervale, the 11s Northlakes and the 12s,13,14s,15s are up against Woy Woy.  The 12s and 15s matches will be important for semi final positions and should be quality Rugby.  It is team photo day for young Sharks, so parents please make sure you get them to the ground on time!

Ball tickets will be on sale all day at Heazlett, lots of Junior teams are organising tables, if your team hasn't - you'll be welcome at any other table.  Click on this link for details of the new, and what will become regular, Car Boot Sale.  This is being organised by the Golden Oldies as a fund raiser for the Juniors, and we hope everyone either comes along to sell or buy.  BBQ volunteers will also be welcomed.

Those who follow the 2s match reports will appreciate this email that arrived from a country far far away and little less sunny than our own  ...

1 AUGUST PREVIEW 

Bring your cash to Heazlett this Saturday.  Ball tickets will be on sale as are the new Club polos.  Show your support for the Club and by getting the shirt, and then come along to the ball to have a great night out with players, parents and supporters. 

It is games versus Ourimbah for most Avoca teams this Saturday.  The top 3 grades and Colts take them on at Heazlett, all 4 of our Senior teams coming off good wins at Slade Park last week, especially the Colts who ran up a big score, and just ask Ando how good their goalkicking was!  1sts had plenty of absent regulars and held off a strong fightback from Northlakes before H sealed it with a try under the posts.  2nds had a big win and the 3s were short of numbers at the start but gained the points which will be priceless in the run to semis qualifications.  The opening game of the day is an important one for the u17s.  They take on Gosford/Kariong at 10:10 - with the winner probably wrapping up 2nd place in the minor premiership. Get there early for that game, it will be a beauty.

Over at Ourimbah all of the other Junior teams are playing apart from the 9s who have a game at JBO.  The games start at 7:50 with the 7s and finish with the 2pm kickoff of the 15s, who are playing Kariong.  Rumour has it that 15s coach Russell and 14s coach Munton will be racing from the airport, after having a mid season Bali tour, to watch over their boys.  The 14s might be run by life member and former 1s coach Jeff King, after manager and stand in coach Paul Shelton had a rib cracked by an overly enthusiastic player at training on thursday. The 13s are feeling keen to keep alive the chance of a semi spot, with a full team that gave Knox a big fright in their  trial game last week. 12s are training hard looking towarsd the final series, while the 11s face a team who hasnt lost in 2 years for the third consecutive saturday.  There was a big improvement last week, and hopefully another stronger effort from the boys this week. The 10s are coming good, but as it is a first past the post comp they need some other teams to slow the progress of the leaders.  The non-comp teams are always having fun - and they'll be having a great time again on saturday.

Go the Sharks! 

25 JULY PREVIEW

Following their sensational 30-0 whitewash of Kariong last week, the Sharks are up at Slade park taking on Northlakes this Saturday.  There is no form on this game as it was washed out in the first round, but it is a day where we would hope to come away with victories in all grades.  The u19s are also at Slade with an important game against Karoing.  Last week they had a win by forfeit followed by a 10-a-side game against Woy Woy which gave them a chance to relax a bit before this run of serious games into the finals.

For the 2nd consecutive week the 17s are against Northlakes, and will need to pick up the intensity on last weeks effort to trouble the competition leaders at their home ground.

It is a Juniors day at Heazlett, with all of the early games being against Northlakes, starting with the 7s at 7:50 - always the most fun watching the littlest Sharkies go around.  The 10s and 11s face up to ourimbah and the 12s have Warnervale.  The 13s have a bye after their trial game against Knox today - hopefully a few of those boys will show up at Ettalong at 1pm to help out the u14s in their match against Woy Woy White.  Last Junior game at heazlett is the 15s at midday playing Gosford.  They also had a trial against Knox and will be the better for playing different opposition than they usually face.

Don't forget to get your Ball tickets!  Check the details in the menu itam at left.

18 JULY PREVIEW

Grade Rugby finally returns to Heazlett this week with a huge game against Kariong.  While the Shark were successful up there in the first round, Kariong are in form after having knocked over competition leaders Gosford last week.  Sharks players are keen to take on top level opposition after a month with byes, cancellations and games against lower ranked teams leaving them short of a really hard hit out.  Most Junior teams have a bye for school holidays this weekend, so we expect all the young players to have a day at Heazlett in their new Club shirts watching their mates in the early games and the top teams playing later in the day.

First game is at 8am when the 11s take on Ourimbah, followed by the 12s at 9am against Gosford.  These are make up games from a washout weekend in June.

The 17s kickoff at 10:10 against the long-time champions of this age group, Northlakes.  Last time around both teams were short, and Northlakes had an easy win.  This time Sharks are keen, at full strength and ready to show they are worthy challengers for the title.  It'll be a great game!  They are followed by the 19s at 11:20 against Woy Woy.  Last week the Colts learned the lesson of having to listen to the referee, too much of their game was played with a man short, and thats something that is hard to come back from in their very close competition.  Look out for a strong and disciplined performance from them this week.

The 3 grades kick off at 12:30, 1:40 and 3:00. Kariong are ahead of the Sharks on the ladder in all 3 competitions, which wins by our teams can reverse, except in the 3rds.  The weather forecast is good, the ground is in sensational condition for this time of the season, and all of teams from Colts to 1s are playing at home and together for one of the few times this season.  It is a must see day for all fans.

Enjoy the Rugby, make good use of the bar and canteen, and don't forget the brand new Club polo shirts will be on sale.  You've seen the players in them, now its your turn to show you are part of a great Club.

Go The Sharks!! 

4 JULY REVIEW

After being offline for too long the, the Club website is finally up and running again.  There are a couple of news items on the right to checked, and details of the Club Ball on the left.  Make sure you read them all.  Tickets for the Ball be on sale at the Clubhouse during Junior and Senior training this Thursday.

While we were away, some unexpected decisions - out of our control - were made that left our Grade teams missing the round against Warnervale.  Last weekend they did get on to the field against The Entrance and took out the top 2 grades by a combined total of 173-5 (for more about the -5, read the 2nds match report!).  3rds had a bye, and the Colts continued their strong recent form by defeating Terrigal.

At Heazlett the Juniors faced some strong teams with the 10s and 15s both coming through for wins.  The 15s turning around a 0-22 result from the previous week to take the game 12-5.  14s had an impossible task but won everyone's admiration by the way they kept trying even though outnumbered and outsized.  Best cheer of the day was when Jake Bradbury piloted over a 35m penalty to ensure the boys finished as final scorers for the match.  The 13s also doubled up against the previous week's opposition and cut the scoring gap from 68 to 22, a great effort.  The 10s are enjoying full length field Rugby and were full of running in their win.  In the non-comp ages, the Sharkies all had fun, though not scoring as freely as they usually do.  It's all about getting onto the field and having a run with mates so everyone is glad to have 2 weeks in a  row without rain!

20 JUNE REVIEW

It was a close call, but the good news was that we got to play at Heazlett, and lots of other games went on around the coast.  Late shuffling got the u7s, u8s & u9s a game at home.  The boys made the most of getting the chance to have a game of Rugby.  The u8s were so keen, that even though their opponents had to forfeit, they made 2 teams and ran around for an hour - well done to David & Peter for organising for that.

The u15s also were moved to Heazlett and came away with a strong win against a Gosford team who is improving every week.  The 17s then took on Gosford/Kariong and got off to a great start with a 10-0 lead.  Then the lead swapped a couiple of times until a heartbreaking penalty goal right on full time stole the game from them. 

Colts celebrated being back at home with a really well played win against Kariong.  That was their 2nd consecutive bonus point victory, and the tightness of that competition means they are now sharing the competition lead.

3rds and 2nds also played strongly and took the points against Gosford.  The 1s came back strongly after Gosford jumped away to 15-3 lead, and when we scored right after 1/2 time to grab a 17-15 advantage it looked like business as usual.  Not to be though, and one more converted try to Gosford sealed the match.

That ended the oprning round of Senior competition and the Sharks are leading the Club Championship.  1s are 2nd, 2s leading, 3s 4th and Colts equal leaders.  Well done all!

GAMES ON!

As at Friday night all 20 june Rugby - Senior & Junior - is on

This Saturday is the 2nd straight week that the Sharks have had to face another undefeated opponent.  Gosford have been having a good season and will be a big challenge tomorrow.  The changes to the Junior draw mean we have a full day of games at heazlett, kicking off with  the 7s and 9s at 8am.  The 15s are next up at 9 taking on Gosford.  Then a very big game, the u17s are improving every week and want to confirm that their win over Gosford/Kariong earlier in the season is proof of their challenge for this years title. 

At 11:20 the Colts (u19s) get a double bonus of a home game as well as playing with the older teams.  Thats been rare this year, so everyone get down to Heazlett early as the 19s and 17s will give you a great display of the future of Avoca Rugby.  Then it is on to the 3 Senior grades, who are looking good at this stage of the season, with plenty players in the lower grades pressuring those in teams above them with their hot form.

Ben Spindler has been into POW for his operation to repair the compound fractures of his eye socket, and all is well.  He is home and doing well and will be at the game tomorrow.  Unfortunately thats the end of this season for Ben.  He'll have to work on his 100 game jersey in 2010!

All other Junior games that were scheduled for Gosford have all been moved as that ground has been closed

7s - 8am @ Heazlett
8s - win on forfeit
9s - 8am @ Heazlett
10s - bye
11s - 10:10 @ Ourimbah
12s - 2:00 @ Warnervale
13s - 1:50 @ Ettalong
14s - 2:40 @ Ettalong
15s - 9:00 @ Heazlett

Good luck to all Sharks on Saturday

Cheers Boys!!

13 JUNE REVIEW

A win in 1st grade at The Haven is always a good thing, and on Saturday a whirlwind start from the Sharks got an early lead that was never taken from them.  The day for Senior teams started just up the road where the Colts took on Woy Woy and turned around their recent run of close losses and draws.  A strong 27-3 result is a good reward for the hard work they have been putting in at training.  More to come from those young men! At Terrigal the 3s were on the wrong side of a 7-29 scoreline.  The 2s suffered some injuries during the game but battled on to get pipped 14-7.  Ben Spindler unfortunately sustained a bad injury, with 2 seperate fractures to his eye socket.  Good news is that Ben is at work, bad news is that he is waiting for the swelling to go down before further treatment can be taken.  Good luck on a quick recovery Benny!

Which leads to the wonderful new Club shirts modelled by grade players and officials on Saturday.  These were made by Ben's company PMA, who are also major sponsors of our Club.  The polo shirts will soon be available for purchase, at a very reasonable price.  Back to 1sts, where the Sharks defence was incredible when only allowed a small amount of possession by the man with the whistle. On the rare occasions when they had the ball, our forwards continually broke through first tackles, while the backs were always making ground.  A big group of Avoca supporters made sure the players got a huge ovation when leaving the field as winners. 

Juniors also had a couple of games at The Haven.  The 15s lost a tight one 19-12, the very early start found them not as quick out of the blocks as their opponents.  A little later the 17s clicked in a big way, led by captain Josh Holland with a 2-try man of the match performance.  Other standouts were JJ MUnton and Josh Blackwell who get another mention later in this report. Back at Heazlett the 7s 8s and 9s gave their usual energetic performances, especially thankful for a run after a few weeks of rain.  The 10s welcomed back coach Hoban with a big win.  After that it got a little tougher for our boys.  They all played strongly against teams more highly ranked, but couldn't get over their opposition.  Special mention to the 14s who are starting to believe more in themselves and were well rewarded with their first try of the season.  There will be plenty more to follow!  Thanks from all the Juniors to Golden Oldies and Kincumber Gym for their Club sponsorship directed to our young players.  The boys are now all wearing high quality training shirts that replace the polo shirts from the last 2 seasons.  Colours match the Seniors and we maintain the strong link in our Club from the youngest u7 right through to the oldest Golden Oldie.

Away from Club Rugby, Schools rep season is in full swing and congratulation go to Julian Bacigalupo who has been selected in the State Catholic schools team.  John-James Munton has been selected in the equivalent AICES team.  Both boys will get to match it with the big teams from CHS and ISA and take their chances at selection in the State schools squad.  Josh Blackwell has made it into u16 Catholic Schools team. The CCJRU u12 team are NSW Country Champions, and performed strongly at the State Championships.  Avoca were well represented with Max Stewart, Jaydon Wooden, Liam Shearer & Shaun Townsend in the squad.  Big mention to Max and Jaydon for packing into the front row for every game at State against the big city boys. Also from the u12s, Ben Wheeler has made the State Primary School basketball team. Well done all!

13 JUNE PREVIEW

AVOCA v Terrigal

Yes, It is that time of the season, the first game between the two great rivals.  This week the Sharks travel to The Haven to take on another undefeated team.  This is the match up that shows where the team really is at mid season, and the Thursday night scramble to get fees paid demonstrated how keen the Sharks players are to match it with Trojans.  The weather has had a big influence over the season so far, but this cool dry spell means it will firm going and made for a high quality game played at high speed.  It will be a great day for spectators, so make sure you get here early to cheer on all the Sharks teams.  The day starts with the u15s at 7:50 (watch out for frostbite!), then a gap before the 17s at 11:10.  In an ideal year the next game would be our Colts, but they are up JBO taking on Woy Woy at 11:20.  Those boys would like a bit more support, so why not make the 15min drive up there and then back to The Haven for the 3rds at 12:40, then the 2s followed by the the big game at 3:00pm.

Juniors have a full day at Heazlett, mainly against Terrigal teams.  The u7s also get the chilly 7:50 start, then its great Junior rugby right through finishing with the 14s kicking off at 1pm.  All the young players have been away from the field for 3 weeks now and they will be loving the chance to finally get out there and have some fun with their mates. (Probably more than a few parents will also be glad that energy is being expended on the Rugby field and not locked in the house on a  rainy day!)

Keep an eye out for the attractive new gear all players will be wearing before and after games on Saturday.  The Juniors training shirts look fantastic with thanks to their major sponsors The Avoca Golden Oldies and Kincumber Gym.  While Seniors have flash polo shirt honouring the four-peat of 1sts and 2nd premierships from 2005-08.  Those polo shirts will shortly be available for puchase by our supporters.  New colours, new design, you'll all want one!

Go The Sharks!!

6 JUNE PREVIEW

Rugby returns to Heazlett Park this weekend after the Juniors round was washed out last weekend.  The Seniors are up against Woy Woy, starting with 3rd grade at 12:30. After the quagmire that was Ourimbah last week, everyone (except maybe a few front rowers) are looking forward to firmer going this weekend.

The Colts are up at Warnervale against the home team, unfortunately only having 6 teams in the u19s competition means that there are many occasions when the Colts are not at the same game as the Senior grades. 

Juniors havea  general bye for the long weekend, and adding this to the 2 consecutive washouts will mean they are all very keen to get on the field next week.

The other big game is Australia v the Barbarians  on Saturday night.  If you arent going down to the game to watch the first Avoca player in full Senior Wallabies jersey, make sure you are cheering Matt Hodgson from the comfort of your lounge room!

MATT HODGSON
FIRST SHARKS WALLABY!!

Thursday 21 May 09 is a historic date for the Avoca Sharks.  On that day Matt Hodgson was named into the Wallaby squad for the '09 Tests.  This makes Matt the first Avoca Junior to make it to the highest level of Rugby for Australia.  Previously Quentin Fyffe went from being an Avoca Junior to play for the Canada in the 2003 World Cup.  Matt himself has already represented Australia at u21 level and with the 7s. Jesse Parahi also earned an Australian jersey in 2008 with the Australian Schoolboys joining Dave Horton who also represented Australia at that level.  Tobie McGann has represented Australia for the  Wallaroos team having played for Avoca in the Central Coast Women's competition earlier this decade.

Matt played 50 games in the Avoca Juniors, and 18 Senior games.  He then moved to Eastwood where played in a winning Grand final against Sydney uni.  Next step was the Waratahs, and then when the Western Force franchise commenced, Matt made the decision to move to Perth. In 2008 he played strongly in the Australia A program, and another big season in the Super 14 this year has taken him to his current positoin in the Wallabies squad.

Congratulation to Matt from everyone at the Sharks!

16 MAY REVIEW 

One the highlights of Saturday's games was the debut for the Sharks of an experienced, solidly built, strong and fast running player - who has a long history of representative football before pulling on an Avoca jersey ... oh, and in a similar story at Kariong, Lenny Beckett made his Club debut for the 1sts.

The big story was Dean Clarkstone (who has a playing style and build of a young Luke Sheridan) coming down with 6 other Northlakes u13s, to join our u13s in an arrangement that benefits both Clubs and hopefully will lead to strong teams from both Clubs next year.  The Northlakes boys, and ours, have struggled over the past few years, but on Saturday combined brilliantly for a hard fought win over a strong Kariong team. Immediate success and more to come!  There is a sad ending to the story, Dean backed and was just as strong for the u14s, then with minutes remaining broke his arm.  All of the best wishes go to Dean for a quick recovery, and we look forward to having him back on the field.  In other Junior competition games it was wins for the 15s also over Kariong and the 11s over Woy Woy.  The 7s 8s & 9s had fantastic games filled with fun for all the players.  The 12 got pipped right near full time, and the 14s had a tough day against the best drilled squad in their age group.

Up at Kariong  the opening game was the 17s, who won an arm wrestle 5-0 over last years Grand Finalists Gosford.  The Colts had a 12-12 draw with Kariong.  The 3s added another win to their good start.  The 2s had a big win, with Coach Wadey having reference to his 2nd try in 2 matches up on his Facebook page within minutes of crossing the line!  Highlight was the skilful 2s run-on debut of "Bruv" Bacigalupo.  A big game at half back, finishing with the 3pts.  The 1s took 6 minutes to wake up, and when they opneed their eyes they were 14-0 down!  The rest of the first half was a struggle, but after the break it was one-way traffic and a 31-17 win to the good guys.  Plenty of scars and stars in all grades after the day, just like every other day against Kariong.  As mentioned before, Lenny Beckett ex-Brumbies, ex- Sydney Uni, brother-in-law to Pigeon, made his debut at inside centre and created a lot of space and opportunities for his outside backs.  A big addition to our playing strength and someone to watch in every game.

A good day all round, check out the match reports (1s and 2s as well) and the pix of the Juniors games.

16 MAY PREVIEW

All of the Senior teams and the u17s head up the hill to Kariong this Saturday.  The games are guarantted to be tough for all 5 teams.  The 1s and 2s face up to teams who will be looking for some revenge for the Grand Finals that gave our teams the most recent championship in the 4-play.  Injuries and absences still affect team selection, but the 2 big wins the grade teams have had this season shows that they are ready to play against the tougher opposition.

Back at Heazlett it is the first Junior home round for 2009.  The action starts with the u7s at 7:50 - always my favourite game.  Then every age group through to the u15s kicking off at 2:00pm.  It is a full day of quality Junior Rugby, make sure you drop in to have a look at some games if you are drving past.

A special event this Saturday is the first game for 6 players from Northlakes who are now members of our u13s.  Their team had to fold, and after some discussions with their parents and players they agreed to becoming part of our team - which until now has struggled with 12 fit players.  If you see any of the Northlakes people, give them a big welcome. It’s a long season for them, where every game will be an away game, but they wanted to come to Avoca ahead of other Clubs, which is a compliment to all of us.  Congrats to Steve Deane, Jason Pashley and the 13s parents who were at JBO on Saturday when this was finalized.  Since then I have spoken to a few of the Northlakes parents and all were surprised and touched at how friendly & welcoming our players and parents were!  Those boys will probably help our 13s back up the 14s, so they are a very welcome addition to our playing strength.

Good luck to all the Sharks!
 

9 MAY PREVIEW

<--- don't forget the caption contest

This Saturday has the Senior teams with the bye, and no Junior games at Heazlett.  The 10s and 14s also have a bye.  The weather is going to fine and warm, a perfect day for all Sharks spectators to do a mini tour of the coast watching young Sharks in action. 

First head down to Ettalong Oval for games against Woy Woy where the 7s start the day at 7:50, followed by the 8s & 9s starting at 8:30.  Once they are done its back into the car and up to Joseph Banks Oval where the 11s take on Terrigal at 10:00, followed by the 13s against Northlakes at 10:50.  Also at 10:50 the 12s are at Gosford SHowground against the home team.  NExt stop is a bit further North for what is shaping a fantastic match.  The 17s take on Nortlakes at Slade Park, and our much improved team takes on the hottest Junior team on the Coast.  That game kicks off at 11:20 and shouldnt be missed.  Last game for the day is back at Ettalong for the 15s against Woy Woy.  It kicks off at 2:00, so there is time to grab some lunch on the way!  The very dedicated watchers can head up Woy Woy Rd after that game to Kariong to watch the Gosford v Kariong match - a chance to check out a couple of the form teams in the Senior comp.  A great day of Rugby!

Good luck to all the Sharks!
 

2 MAY REVIEW

<--- new caption contest this week

It was a high scoring weekend for the Senior Sharks.  The 1sts came up just short of a century, with the 2s and Colts also getting past 50.  Jono Hirst had the busiest day, with 3 tries and 12 conversions - making it 61pts in the top grade already this season!  Tom Russell had his run-on debut in the 1s, one of five players under 21 who got onto the field for the 1sts on Saturday. I cant add any more about the 2s than has been written by their manager - check out the match report on their page.  3s had a bye and Colts dominated all over the field. Beetle's dive for one try would have sent the Hill wild, if more than 10 people had been there to see it.  The 17s kicked off the day with a repeat win over The Entrance, not as big as the first round, but still dominant.  Get to the ground early for future Senior rounds as those boys are big, fast & skilful and finally listening to words of wisdom from coaches H and Brookie. Thanks to Paul Robertson, Paul Bacigalupo & Cam Stewart for putting in the hard work cleaning up the ground, though we would like a bit more assistance from the Grade players at future games.

The Juniors were scattered around the coast.  I was able to see the 7s and 8s have a great time at JBO. The u8s really enjoyed being able to tackle after the touch they'd played in the u7s last year, while 7s are always the best game of the week.  The 12s were up 15-5 at half time when i left and i was surprised to see they missed out by a point at the end.  Later games at JBO didnt go exactly to plan, the 13s and 14s are short of players, but not short of heart and with a  few younger players helping they battled against bigger opposition (we are talking 110k u14 player!) and impressed their coaches immensely. The 15s got a surprise I think, and then the big u14 boy ran on to add to the struggle.  Coach Russell has plans for this week that should get the boys back on track. The 9s had a big game against Gosford, its a team that has grown from 8 to 15 players in the off season and they will be improving all the time now they can field a full side of 10 every week.  The 10s had their first competition game after their years in the 7s 8s & 9s.  Unfortunately Woy Woy were too hot for them on the day, that will change next time.  11s are short on numbers, but still came out winners against Northlakes.  That team lost players this year and we havent found enough new recruits to replace them.  So if anyone knows any boy who was born in 1998 (or 96 & 95 for the 14s & 15s) try to get them to come down for a game.

Josh Davies remains in the news with another big day for the Club.  First sighted at 8:30 filling in as coach for the 7s at JBO, then up Slade Park to watch the u11s.  Back at Heazlett he was running the line for Colts before running on in the 2s (I thought Burnsy was a touch harsh in his match report Josh).  I saw him relaxing on the sideline watching the 1s, and next time i turned around he was gone and out on the field again!  Big day Josh.  Cam Stewart also was everywhere.  He arrived at JBO to coach his u12s pushing young Angus across the field in his pram!  He was late to Heazlett only because Max showed his dad's club spirit by backing up with the u13s.  Then an afternoon ground marshalling and cleaning up.

Big thanks to Brian Rendall of Kincumber signs who has sponsored the new scoreboard.  A magnificent construction that was ticking over steadily all day, lets hope it keeps busy on the Avoca side all year!

2 MAY PREVIEW

This weekend has the majority of Sharks playing their first competiton game for the season.  All the Juniors in the u15s, and younger, finally get a game. The 7s, 8s, 12s, 13s, 14s & 15s are all playing The Entrance at JBO.  The 9s and 10s are up at Kariong while the 11s head to Slade Park to play Northlakes.  Hopefully plenty of the boys will find their way back to Avoca to watch the Seniors.

At Heazlett, the 17s open the day against The Entrance at 11:20.  Followed by the Colts at 12:30. The Entrance do not have a 3rds, which gives some of the older players an extra week to remind us all of their magnificent efforts at Warnervale. The top 2 grades will be looking to continue the very good start they have made to the season. 

Good luck to all the Sharks on Saturday!

RECORD BREAKING SATURDAY

In an amazing weekend for the Sharks we had records set at both ends of the age spectrum. First to the results; the 1s had a solid 67-3 win, with Jimmy Latham bagging 4 tries and Jono Hirst scoring 22 points. The 2s also gave a strong showing with a 43-5 victory.  The Colts started their title defence with a hard 13-13 draw.  Senior rugby opened at Warnervale with the 3s, and record #1, young Terry Sturgess - ex club President, current Juniors VP - making his debut appearance for the Club at the ripe age of fifty *cough* something.  The oldest player to ever debut for the Sharks.  Fellow Golden Oldies Trev Reynolds and Darryl Rankin also took the field to save the team from a forfeit.  Tally, Sam, Jono & JT from higher grades lent a hand, with the combination grabbing a 15-10 win.  Special mention to Darryl who thought he was getting a break at 1/2 time, but was then needed to take over refereeing the game!  This is an open request for any photographic or video evidence of Sturg on the field - those of unlucky to have missed the new slimmer (congrats to Brigga for the off-season training) Terry need something visual to make our minds believe that this happened!

Meanwhile in the Juniors, the 17s ripped into their first game and left with a 57-7 win over The Entrance.  There is no better way to start a season. The rest of the boys were at La Salle playing trial games against Woy Woy.  Everyone had a great time, and the prospects are high for a season full of fun with some good results to add to the enjoyment.  The enthusiasm of all players no matter whether winning or losing is proof of the strong spirit that runs though the Club from 1s to u7s. 

Speaking of the u7s, when Rohan Davies ran on to join elder brother Liam (in his 3rd year of u7s and qualified for another year there in 2010) it started an fantastic day for Kelly, Josh & the boys and for the Club.  Hayden followed soon after in the u9s, and then it was Jordan's turn in the u11s.  Josh had already reffed the u7s as well, before he headed up the road to star in the 2s big win.  I have a feeling that in 2022 Rohan will make his 1st Grade debut, joining his 3 elder brothers in a team captain-coached by Josh!

We are truly a lucky Club to have people like Terry, Trev, Darryl & the Davies' and every other player, parent and supporter who encourage the family friendly, strong Club Spirit that keeps the Sharks on top in the Seniors and developing young players ready to step up into the big grades when their time comes.

CONGRATS TO THE u17s
Runners-up in the gosford 7s

click here for pictures

The u17s had a fantastic start to the season at the Gosford 7s on 13th March.  Playing on a steamy hot day, they showed the benefit of some hard pre-season training from Hoani, to reach the decider undefeated.  Every player in the squad played very strongly all through the day, and unfortunately ran into a very hot Northlakes team in the final, who showed the skills that won them the Premiership in 2008.  Even then our boys were competing right to the end and will now be looking forward to the return encounter with a full team when the comp starts.  Welcome to new boys from league; Anthony, Blake & Sam who look like they'll make the switch to Union with few problems.  A final in the first contest of the season is a good start for the Sharks, Cheers Boys!

 Rugby at Avoca is still amateur and can only continue with the support and help of many volunteers.  Organising and fielding 4 senior and 11 junior teams is not an easy task. There is a great need for canteen helpers, and the Juniors always welcome ground marshalls, assistant team managers & first aid people.  The vacancies aren't limited to those areas, if you would like to give a little of your time, there are many other roles available.

 Get involved with the Club, it is the sporting heart of Avoca - be a part of your team.  Please contact:

Senior: Matt Hall - 0420820701
Junior: Ian Cameron - 0424342786