Oceania snooker champs 2009

[Forman]

http://oceaniapng09.com/main.shtml

This tournament has been running over past week in Papua New Guinea and the final between Daniel Thorp and Glen Wilkinson starts in a couple of hours.
the winner (or the highest placed finisher that wants it) gets a place on the main tour next season.
Glen wilkinson won the event last year but didnt want the main tour spot so it went to Chris Mcbreen who he beat in the final, i assume Glen won't want the spot should he win this year either so Daniel thorp will get the option.

Does anyone know Daniel thorp? and is he likely to take the main tour spot?

Vinnie Calabrese (currently playing pontins this season) lost in the semi final to thorp would be my choice for the main tour place as hes a young player who has already been playing in england for a while and although its probably not likely i feel he stands the best chance of staying on the tour for more than one season.

Whoever it is i just hope they can improve on the past oceania qualifyers efforts and justify the oceania tourny having a main tour spot

[rivercard]

I see Glen Wilkinson has won it again, beating Thorp 6-1 in the final. If Wilkinson refuses to take the place on the Tour and Thorp will get it I can't see him doing too well to be honest.

[Forman]

I know high breaks arent always a good indicator of the level of play but ive just been looking over the web site and Glen Wilkinson won the tournament and only made 4 breaks over 40 out of a total of 45 frames

this doesnt exactly fill me with confidence regarding the oceania qualifiers main tour spot

[Peter147]

No disrespect to the Oceanic players but it's clear that the standard in that region isn't great. The main tour is already a closed shop with so few qualifying spots available from the PIOS. I would have no complaints if the winner (or highest placed player who wants it) was given an invitation to compete on the secondary tour, but to give players a place on the main tour when they aren't main tour material is wrong. If they are good enough, they'll finish in the top 8, or whatever it is that gets promoted from the PIOS. There is a lot of talent at the qualifiers and it's a shame there are so few places available. To see a lesser standard of player play on the main tour must be difficult to take. I'm not having a pop at any player from the Oceanic region, it's World Snooker. They should open the game up again, or at least make more places available to those slogging their guts out at Pontins.

[Matt_2745]

Cheers for the reminder with the thread, had forgotten about this.

[Forman]

No disrespect to the Oceanic players but it's clear that the standard in that region isn't great. The main tour is already a closed shop with so few qualifying spots available from the PIOS. I would have no complaints if the winner (or highest placed player who wants it) was given an invitation to compete on the secondary tour, but to give players a place on the main tour when they aren't main tour material is wrong. If they are good enough, they'll finish in the top 8, or whatever it is that gets promoted from the PIOS. There is a lot of talent at the qualifiers and it's a shame there are so few places available. To see a lesser standard of player play on the main tour must be difficult to take. I'm not having a pop at any player from the Oceanic region, it's World Snooker. They should open the game up again, or at least make more places available to those slogging their guts out at Pontins.

I agree with most of this.
I think vinnie calabrese (lost in the semis) is likely to get the main tour spot this year, hes currently ranked 53 in the PIOS, I imagine it must be quite frustrating for all the players ranked above him.
I think the poor quality of players (relative to the UK, in my opinion they are still amazing players) coming onto the tour through the Oceania champs highlights the lack of interest in the sport in this part of the world.

At the oceania champs just gone there were only 24 entries, 1 from New Zealand, 7 from Australia and the rest from PNG and fiji, only one of the PNG and fiji players managed to win a match against any of the Aust and NZ players, so i think its fair to say that excepting 1 player (djorne fong) the rest of the PNG and fiji players were just making up the numbers and probably wouldnt have entered had their home country not been hosting the event, Id like to add that im not having a dig at the PNG and fiji players at all, if new zealand was hosting the event i would be one of the "making up the numbers players" as well.

With such a low number of serious competetors at the tournament and the standard being well below any of the other qualifying routes i wonder how long it will be before an up and comming UK player with an Australian parent or grandparent gets australian residency for the sole purpose of being able to play in the Oceania tourny and qualify for the main tour via the easiest route.

[Forman]

Ive been snooping on the NSW snooker forum and it sounds like daniel thorp is going to take the main tour spot, good luck to him next season i hope he can win some matches keep his place.