Actually 10 school sides in 14th Grade (Div 2 - 4)
6 more in 15th Grade
That's 200 players out of the clubs.
No different to how its been for a while - is it?
CBHS, SBHS, Bedes, Christs, STAC all enter sides at 14th grade. I wonder if Mainland's new "get tough on playing in age group" policy will apply to first XIs? Can't see how it will be enforced tbh, and dont think it should be for school boys first XIs - BUT if they are playing against club 18th grade sides who are only playing 17 and 18 years olds (and excluded from playing good 15/16 year olds), then it not really a level playing field is it?
I don't know how (historically) school numbers have stacked up.
Yet to hear if "Mainland get tough on age grade" is any different to last season, which was widely ignored by a number of clubs.
10CC, the club that best tried to play "in grade" 2013 seems to have changed their viewpoint considerably. Two things apply here, firstly pressure from players/family's and secondly if they have no confidence in other clubs following the guidelines why should they? Potentially are they also trying to shelter themselves from the new neighbor?? That is a pretty serious thing Fred said about 10th Grade, it beggars belief they can't field a side...
I don't want to be Mr Doom and Gloom but I'm picking bad high score blow outs in at least 5 Div1/Div2 grades pre Easter. Hopefully less than the 20's we've seen in both the 2012 and 2013 seasons. If we want the Saturday Grades to have some sort of competitive or 'struggle' component then we need Uniformity over selection rules and Pre-Season Grading?
I also feel this gets said every year!