Subbies Thread

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Bat@3 said:
It seems quite amusing that all these clubs from Subbies are seem to fight amoungst each other.
This should be exciting season for Subbies as it will the last season as we know it.
The quicker Cricket Victoria take over the better
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Sorry to disappoint you Bat@3, you're not following the conversation correctly, may need to drop yourself down the order. I don't agree with a lot of what Ben says but have absolutely no issue with his club in any way at all (it's RPB if you weren't aware). As for the CV revamp, it seems no-one except VTCA south clubs (you're probably from one of those clubs) want it. Subbies voted against it unanimously so don't hold your breath.
 
Round the grounds said:
Sorry to disappoint you Bat@3, you're not following the conversation correctly, may need to drop yourself down the order. I don't agree with a lot of what Ben says but have absolutely no issue with his club in any way at all (it's RPB if you weren't aware). As for the CV revamp, it seems no-one except VTCA south clubs (you're probably from one of those clubs) want it. Subbies voted against it unanimously so don't hold your breath.
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Round the grounds said:
Sorry to disappoint you Bat@3, you're not following the conversation correctly, may need to drop yourself down the order. I don't agree with a lot of what Ben says but have absolutely no issue with his club in any way at all (it's RPB if you weren't aware). As for the CV revamp, it seems no-one except VTCA south clubs (you're probably from one of those clubs) want it. Subbies voted against it unanimously so don't hold your breath.
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Good response. as usual, Bat@3 is just another Subbies "wanna be". Nobody in his own comp takes him seriously, so he is seeking to play "higher". by dispensing his gratuitous advice here. It never ceases to amaze me that nobody from this forum seeks to tell other associations how to run their comps but we continually have the VTCA regulars tell us what we should be doing.

Perhaps Bat@3 could come over and show his talents in Subbies, because every side needs a "gun" no 3. But then he would have to let his ACTIONS do his talking. Nup, never gunna happen.
 
westland said:
As you say, my informant ''was a close friend of the Coach in question'' (Rex Bennett). Given you correctly understand my informant and Bennett were close friends, did it ever occur to you that the likely source of the information was Bennett himself?
As you need to have it spelled out, it was. This information was current as of 2 weeks ago. If Sunshine disagree, they are at liberty to outline their version of events by a post on this forum. You were also ''the uninvited great supporter of Melton'' in respect to the departure of 6 players, but that did not elicit a single post from Melton in gratitude of your ''support''.
I have shown your posts to a number of people who have given a lifetime of service to Premier cricket, and when I tell them the poster is the president of a VSDCA club, they shake their head in disbelief!
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"Informant" - have we lost focus on what is being discussed here or are we now whistleblowing on covert operations on par with the 1973 Chilean coup d'etat?

Again, what part do you not understand about the fact that we do NOT care about the internal machinations of Sunshine CC or the private matters of any other VSDCA club for that matter. We do NOT need Sunshine to come on here and refute facts. It is not relevant. It is an issue between club and individual. If NOT resolved between club and individual, there are channels of resolution to be explored that, incredible, does not include you playing things out in a public forum.

Newsflash – most clubs and individuals do NOT want this sort of information shared in a public domain. If you had any care for the Sunshine CC, as you purport to have, you would not been running with these historical stories. Doesn't affect me personally but you are doing no favours to a club that is confronted considerable short to medium term challenge.

For months now, you have done nothing but indulge in the negative; Association, Association Officials, VSDCA Affiliate Clubs, Cricket Victoria, etc.

Finally, let me make this clear for the final time with regards to any comment and/or responses I contribute. If the VSDCA Exec, other peer VSDCA Club Executives, Cricket Victoria and/or Premier club Executives have an issue with me passing honest and forthright comment under my own name – I can assure you that they can and will pick up the phone and have a conversation with me.

As for any understanding of “head shaking” disbelief you have been presented with regards to my comments/responses – this is ok. With this regard, it’s probably easiest and best to surmise that we operate in different circles of the cricketing community which is probably no great surprise.
 
Ben Wood said:
"Informant" - have we lost focus on what is being discussed here or are we now whistleblowing on covert operations on par with the 1973 Chilean coup d'etat?

Again, what part do you not understand about the fact that we do NOT care about the internal machinations of Sunshine CC or the private matters of any other VSDCA club for that matter. We do NOT need Sunshine to come on here and refute facts. It is not relevant. It is an issue between club and individual. If NOT resolved between club and individual, there are channels of resolution to be explored that, incredible, does not include you playing things out in a public forum.

Newsflash – most clubs and individuals do NOT want this sort of information shared in a public domain. If you had any care for the Sunshine CC, as you purport to have, you would not been running with these historical stories. Doesn't affect me personally but you are doing no favours to a club that is confronted considerable short to medium term challenge.

For months now, you have done nothing but indulge in the negative; Association, Association Officials, VSDCA Affiliate Clubs, Cricket Victoria, etc.

Finally, let me make this clear for the final time with regards to any comment and/or responses I contribute. If the VSDCA Exec, other peer VSDCA Club Executives, Cricket Victoria and/or Premier club Executives have an issue with me passing honest and forthright comment under my own name – I can assure you that they can and will pick up the phone and have a conversation with me.

As for any understanding of “head shaking” disbelief you have been presented with regards to my comments/responses – this is ok. With this regard, it’s probably easiest and best to surmise that we operate in different circles of the cricketing community which is probably no great surprise.
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Surely, this has to be the end of it!!! This is getting completely out of hand. It astonishes me that Westland continually wants to "babble" on about the goings on at Sunshine, complete with confidantes, informants and now Premier figures "shaking their heads."

I couldn't give a rat's arse about where he has played, what he has won and whom he knows, and Woody, you can't keep biting back, because this will NEVER stop.

There must be some positive news emanating out of our clubs, so let's hear about the new signings or predictions for ladder positions in both groups. Anything but this inane drivel.
 
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short & wide said:
Surely, this has to be the end of it!!! This is getting completely out of hand. It astonishes me that Westland continually wants to "babble" on about the goings on at Sunshine, complete with confidantes, informants and now Premier figures "shaking their heads."

I couldn't give a rat's arse about where he has played, what he has won and whom he knows, and Woody, you can't keep biting back, because this will NEVER stop.

There must be some positive news emanating out of our clubs, so let's hear about the new signings or predictions for ladder positions in both groups. Anything but this inane drivel.
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I haven't even bothered to read Woody's latest waffle having already decided that, in order to play my part in starving him of oxygen, he is on my ''Do Not Respond to Posts'' register.
 
short & wide said:
Surely, this has to be the end of it!!! This is getting completely out of hand. It astonishes me that Westland continually wants to "babble" on about the goings on at Sunshine, complete with confidantes, informants and now Premier figures "shaking their heads."

I couldn't give a rat's arse about where he has played, what he has won and whom he knows, and Woody, you can't keep biting back, because this will NEVER stop.

There must be some positive news emanating out of our clubs, so let's hear about the new signings or predictions for ladder positions in both groups. Anything but this inane drivel.
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Agree 100% and duly noted. Let's move on and I need play a role in this by ignoring the dribble..

Let's change the subject to predictions of the big improvers in Season 15/16; in the North/East - I suggest that Kew and Balwyn (both outside the finals come Season end 14/15) along with Ivanhoe will push for the upper echeloen's and deep finals action.

In the highly competitive South/West (amazingly difficult group this Season) - I suggest that Werribee and Altona will push deep into finals action and that Williamstown's recruiting and the natural development of young playing talent will result in them surprising this Season as well as laying a foundation for future Seasons. No game will be easy in a Group that includes (but is not limited to); Oakleigh, Caulfield, Malvern, Ormond, Altona, Werribee, Melton, etc
 
Ben Wood said:
Agree 100% and duly noted. Let's move on and I need play a role in this by ignoring the dribble..

Let's change the subject to predictions of the big improvers in Season 15/16; in the North/East - I suggest that Kew and Balwyn (both outside the finals come Season end 14/15) along with Ivanhoe will push for the upper echeloen's and deep finals action.

In the highly competitive South/West (amazingly difficult group this Season) - I suggest that Werribee and Altona will push deep into finals action and that Williamstown's recruiting and the natural development of young playing talent will result in them surprising this Season as well as laying a foundation for future Seasons. No game will be easy in a Group that includes (but is not limited to); Oakleigh, Caulfield, Malvern, Ormond, Altona, Werribee, Melton, etc
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Kew will most certainly improve with Balwyn, still think that their "Middle to lower tier" players still need to improve to compete with the likes of Noble and PV who will again be strong. Will be interesting to see how your mob go without Johnstone Ben, doesn't seem to be any stand out team in the east other than Noble however there doesn't seem to be any poor teams. Definitely looks to be a very even competition this season.
 
DerekH said:
Kew will most certainly improve with Balwyn, still think that their "Middle to lower tier" players still need to improve to compete with the likes of Noble and PV who will again be strong. Will be interesting to see how your mob go without Johnstone Ben, doesn't seem to be any stand out team in the east other than Noble however there doesn't seem to be any poor teams. Definitely looks to be a very even competition this season.
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It most certainly will be an interesting Season for what, on paper, appears to be a wide open North/East Group (whereas, comparatively, the South/West Group would appear, on paper, to be the Group of death for the coming Season with 11 to 12 of the most highly-credentialed VSDCA 1st XI’s).



With regards to the perceived challenges of “depth” with some clubs noted, you can achieve on-field success in VSDCA cricket with a variety of structures/models; 1) elite top end talent where, in many regards, the middle to lower end is somewhat redundant – especially if you can have individuals assume responsibilities of selfless role players, or 2) a balanced team lacking perceived “star power” that has non negotiable discipline and process supporting game plans. In short, dependent upon your model – you can cover perceived challenges of depth with selfless role players.



In recent Seasons, there has been success enjoyed under both models; both Noble Park winning the 13/14 Premiership and the RPBCC reaching the 14/15 Grand Final without any noticeable “superstars”. The best example of this “balanced” model was, arguably, evidenced by the successes of the Box Hill Cricket Club through the mid 2000’s where they won 2 Premierships with a side burgeoning with home grown local talent and strong leadership and structures around them. On the flipside, the alternate approach of star laden teams has seen sides like Plenty Valley, Ormond, Melton, Oakleigh etc enjoy much recent success.



With regards to the 1st XI fortunes of the RPBCC in Season 15/16, post the Mitch Johnstone era, it certainly is a question that will only be fully answered come late January through early March 2016. It is never easy to replace an outgoing Captain, VSDCA Team of the Year representative or a player with 54 Season wickets. It is a question that I have needed to confront over the past 4 months and is it, as it appears on the surface, as simple as needing replace 54 wickets to reach a position of parity – I believe not. We did bat/bowl twice on many occasions last Season given the strength of our bowling and, on occasion, fragility with our batting. There were also conditions, given a new wicket, that were favourable to bowling.



Now, this noted, the one thing we don’t lack at the Falcons, however, are slow bowling stocks – Adam Yates, who did take a “6 fa” last Season can and will bowl in greater volume. Furthermore, given the sheer volume of overs bowled by Mitch and Patrick Matautaava in 14/15, 2nd string options were underbowled and, I believe, the likes of Bryce Preston to be a 25 to 30 wicket VSDCA bowler. Undoubtedly, a lot of our fortunes will be heavily tied to the all-round contribution of the exquisitely talented Mitchell Streiff and this coupled with the natural progression and development of a 1st XI playing squad with an average age of 19/20 (ie 250 run players hopefully developing into 350 to 400 run players, etc). All said, it’s the age old adage, our expectation is to play good enough cricket to make the finals and, from there, you take the chances and opportunities that are presented. To make the finals, we must win the games we would be expected to win and, hopefully, have more success than not in the games that are 50/50..



If surmising to a one line answer, I would hope and expect to make the top 6. Anything less would be a disappointment and these expectations are no more or less than what I have conveyed to the playing and on-field leadership group and or any media outlet that asked.



Despite the loss of Lorenzo Ingram and potential retirement of one or two players, I expect Plenty Valley to remain the North/East benchmark to which all others aspire. They retain some of the best individual playing talent in the comp, have exceptional depth with a 2nd XI Premiership side, some of the better young player talent coming through and, above all else, they have who I consider to be the best on-field structural leader in the VSDCA today in Michael Sheedy (who remains as Coach). In my opinion, this position was previously held by Melton’s Duncan Harrison who lead that club to holistic success throughout ALL grades.



Finally, let me just say – it is good to finally see the topic of actual cricket again being discussed within this forum. Thankyou.
 
stevens60 said:
Any ladder predictions?
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In my humble opinion, those sides I believe (as of mid September 2015, without a ball having been bowled and subject to injury/availability, etc) based upon assembled playing lists - sides best positioned to compete for a Top 6 finals position in Season 15/16:



North/East (not including my own RPBCC, for obvious reasons, and in no particular order);



1 Plenty Valley

2 Kew

3 Ivanhoe

4 Balwyn

5 Box Hill or Bayswater



South West (in no particular order);



1 Caulfield

2 Werribee

3 Ormond

4 Malvern

5 Altona

6 Oakleigh, Brighton and Melton



Challenging within the South/West this Season with, arguably, 8 to 9 of the best credentialed 11 to 12 playing lists in the VSDCA all in that South/West Group.
 
Ben Wood said:
In my humble opinion, those sides I believe (as of mid September 2015, without a ball having been bowled and subject to injury/availability, etc) based upon assembled playing lists - sides best positioned to compete for a Top 6 finals position in Season 15/16:



North/East (not including my own RPBCC, for obvious reasons, and in no particular order);



1 Plenty Valley

2 Kew

3 Ivanhoe

4 Balwyn

5 Box Hill or Bayswater



South West (in no particular order);



1 Caulfield

2 Werribee

3 Ormond

4 Malvern

5 Altona

6 Oakleigh, Brighton and Melton



Challenging within the South/West this Season with, arguably, 8 to 9 of the best credentialed 11 to 12 playing lists in the VSDCA all in that South/West Group.
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I reckon Noble Park are a shoe in for the top 6 with Luke Wintle in that line up.
 
South West looks so difficult this season.
I would expect the winner to come from:

Oakleigh, Caulfield or Ormond.

Brighton will be dangerous with Rushworth (but would he be available all season? or need to report for county duties?)

And Malvern with Jones and Wayne White (same issue as Rushworth?)
 
Ben Wood said:
In my humble opinion, those sides I believe (as of mid September 2015, without a ball having been bowled and subject to injury/availability, etc) based upon assembled playing lists - sides best positioned to compete for a Top 6 finals position in Season 15/16:



North/East (not including my own RPBCC, for obvious reasons, and in no particular order);



1 Plenty Valley

2 Kew

3 Ivanhoe

4 Balwyn

5 Box Hill or Bayswater



South West (in no particular order);



1 Caulfield

2 Werribee

3 Ormond

4 Malvern

5 Altona

6 Oakleigh, Brighton and Melton



Challenging within the South/West this Season with, arguably, 8 to 9 of the best credentialed 11 to 12 playing lists in the VSDCA all in that South/West Group.
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Tipping Melton and PV to slide, Allen etc & Lorenzo leave big holes. Balwyn have the 15/16 Hatch Medal winner if he plays even close to his potential so think they will play Noble the GF in NE. SW is a raffle, I'll go with Oakleigh (in's are better than their outs) to play Brighton if the superstar Pom plays the full season.
 
The South West group is a very tough one to predict. Perennial powerhouses Caulfield and Oakleigh will be there or there abouts. Ormond as reigning premiers will obviously be strong- particularly as they have added Harrison and Schlittler.
Brighton will certainly improve on last year's perfomance and will relish being back on the redeveloped Brighton Beach Oval. Have lost a couple- but have added Rushworth, Clements and a couple more 1st XI cricketers.
Elsternwick have been pretty quiet- not sure what's going on there. Still have plenty of talent with O'Shea, Nurse, Long etc.
Moorabbin were very proactive in signing a huge bunch of players very early on. None of their recruits are world beaters in their own right, but collectively they should improve their depth, which has always been an issue.
Malvern will again be a tough team to beat especially if White performs. They were probably lacking a pace bowler last year to support Jones and Alford. If Bhatt is around all year then they will have a dangerous attack.

Don't know too much about the West teams- It's hard to keep track of them.
Williamstown have been active in recruitment. Signed plenty and apparently chased plenty more!
Melton- have lost a few over the past couple of seasons, but never an easy place to go and play. It is a long way away from Brighton!
Werribbee and Altona could be strong. Who knows what Hoppers will be like?
Sunshine? No idea.
Yarraville- some good young talent. Have they found someone to replace Finch?

Top 6 Prediction- in no particular order.

Oakleigh, Ormond, Caulfield, Brighton, Werribee and Malvern. South clubs to dominate.
 
Massive Hoop said:
The South West group is a very tough one to predict. Perennial powerhouses Caulfield and Oakleigh will be there or there abouts. Ormond as reigning premiers will obviously be strong- particularly as they have added Harrison and Schlittler.
Brighton will certainly improve on last year's perfomance and will relish being back on the redeveloped Brighton Beach Oval. Have lost a couple- but have added Rushworth, Clements and a couple more 1st XI cricketers.
Elsternwick have been pretty quiet- not sure what's going on there. Still have plenty of talent with O'Shea, Nurse, Long etc.
Moorabbin were very proactive in signing a huge bunch of players very early on. None of their recruits are world beaters in their own right, but collectively they should improve their depth, which has always been an issue.
Malvern will again be a tough team to beat especially if White performs. They were probably lacking a pace bowler last year to support Jones and Alford. If Bhatt is around all year then they will have a dangerous attack.

Don't know too much about the West teams- It's hard to keep track of them.
Williamstown have been active in recruitment. Signed plenty and apparently chased plenty more!
Melton- have lost a few over the past couple of seasons, but never an easy place to go and play. It is a long way away from Brighton!
Werribbee and Altona could be strong. Who knows what Hoppers will be like?
Sunshine? No idea.
Yarraville- some good young talent. Have they found someone to replace Finch?

Top 6 Prediction- in no particular order.

Oakleigh, Ormond, Caulfield, Brighton, Werribee and Malvern. South clubs to dominate.
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Very good summary of the South teams.

With the West teams:
Altona will be strong at the top end, Maynard, McCammond, Jones, Grubb and now Sheahan, will be heavily reliant upon those 5 and will lack depth after losing Jackson, Collins and Elmore, their 2's weren't overly strong either so it won't surprise me to see some veterans like Duff, Brown and Rafferty in that side, they should challenge.
Yarraville have lost Finch, Hewet and Brad Jones but have picked up Nathan Allen. On paper that will make them a bit weaker than last season. Love, Wolfe and Allen will need huge seasons for them to make the finals.
Melton as you said have lost plenty but have good second XI depth in Stead, Wilson, Thorton-Gielen and Zenos so should still be competitive. Will lack the star power at the top that they have had in previous seasons with Allan, Geisler and Co but will need Jones and Kirk in particular to fire for them to make the finals.
Werribee have lost Pilch but have recruited Johnstone and Roberston and have a list to contend. Shaun Dean had a quiet season last year but expect him to bounce back with the captaincy weight lifted off his shoulders. With his brother and Tim O'Brien they have plenty of runs in them and a better attack than last season.
Sunshine, well we haven't heard much but can't see them producing too much in the group of death this season. Have lost Brown and Twentyman and I haven't heard of any pick ups.
Hoppers are obviously the unknown, they have a young list, Greg Kennedy and a couple of very handy overseas players. Going to be intriguing how they go first up and I expect them to be competitive but can't see them playing any March cricket in year 1.
With Williamstown we have lost a lot of experience in Sheedy, Inness and Hodges but with McDonald, Twentyman and Castle we don't believe we haven't lost too much. With a couple of poms coming over and another year into Gillard, Popa, Dervan, Ferrie and Rainone we think we can match it with the others.

Going to be a fantastic season in the South/West.
 
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