Contract Freeze Lifted, ARU Still Backing 4 in 2018, EGM booked

Well....

Sooo much wrong with today's events I don't know where to start.

Clubs can now again re-commence player contract signings for 2018, buuuut ARU still saying Rebels or Force will be cut buuuuuuuuuuut they've confirmed EGM for June 20th.

If you were a betting man/women, what odds would you get on:

Force being cut in 2018
Rebels being cut in 2018
Board getting arse at June 20th

Id suggest the shortest priced fav there would be the last. Then the only thing getting axed will be old Moon Face Pulver's contract. And we're stronger as five from 2018 & beyond.

Shortest price has to be the Force getting the chop. It was the plan from Day 1 and I reckon still is.

Not enough numbers for a no confidence motion to be successful and they won't walk away from Melbourne.

As crazy as it seems we are still in the crosshairs. Legal action might help but we can't rely on that alone. Let's photo bomb Saturday's coverage.

Having a plan is one thing, being able to execute is another. It was likely planned when the ARU took over in August last year, and I think RWA knows it.

There is no ability for the ARU to revoke a super license unless there has been a breach. That's likely why they came riding in on the horse in 2016 asking for RWA to throw in the whole kit for financial assistance. They figured, we won't have drama revoking a license we own. But they employed dumb and bloody stupid to advise them (or no one at all) when they signed the agreement that bound them to the WA market until the end of the current broadcast deal.

They likely even forgot about the clause, or didn't even read the agreement, before declaring to SANZAR they'd cut a team.

They know they can't cut, that's why they played footsies with the Cox wanting to by the license.

There won't be a cut, they can't do it. The NRL tried it, the only reason they thought they could was because they "created" a new comp. That didn't fly legally either.

Which all means the only result that is certain, is the board and CEO will go - may not be on June 20 (although I think there's a solid chance) but they will go because this can only end two ways, they back down or it goes to court and be bound in legal proceedings for a year or more (meaning all clubs still remain).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LMSC

Having a plan is one thing, being able to execute is another. It was likely planned when the ARU took over in August last year, and I think RWA knows it.

There is no ability for the ARU to revoke a super license unless there has been a breach. That's likely why they came riding in on the horse in 2016 asking for RWA to throw in the whole kit for financial assistance. They figured, we won't have drama revoking a license we own. But they employed dumb and bloody stupid to advise them (or no one at all) when they signed the agreement that bound them to the WA market until the end of the current broadcast deal.

They likely even forgot about the clause, or didn't even read the agreement, before declaring to SANZAR they'd cut a team.

They know they can't cut, that's why they played footsies with the Cox wanting to by the license.

There won't be a cut, they can't do it. The NRL tried it, the only reason they thought they could was because they "created" a new comp. That didn't fly legally either.

Which all means the only result that is certain, is the board and CEO will go - may not be on June 20 (although I think there's a solid chance) but they will go because this can only end two ways, they back down or it goes to court and be bound in legal proceedings for a year or more (meaning all clubs still remain).

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I like those arguments better!

Good advertising would be saying that 'Player X" has agreed to terms with the western Force and is waiting for the ARU to approve the contract!"

ARU confirms Western Force or Melbourne Rebels will be cut from Super Rugby as contract freeze lifts
Jamie Pandaram, The Daily Telegraph
May 30, 2017 6:10am
HOST of Western Force stars led by Wallaby Adam Coleman are set to sign with rival franchises now the ARU’s contract moratorium has been lifted, further dimishing the Perth club’s prospects of survival.
Coleman is expected to be one of several Force players to sign with Melbourne Rebels, the other side named by the ARU as being in the firing line as Super Rugby redacts from 18 to 15 teams next year.
While the ARU has been left hamstrung by legal action and threats from both clubs, their move on Monday to lift the contract freeze is expected to hasten the Force’s demise.
Rebels owner Andrew Cox has said he will not sell the license of the club, leaving the Force as the club to be dumped.
Players at the club read the tea leaves weeks ago and have been secretly negotiating deals with rival clubs, waiting for the moratorium to be lifted.
Up to six Force players are understood to have agreed to terms with rival clubs.
Clyne would not explain how the ARU could remove the Rebels from Super Rugby if Cox would not give up the license.
“I’m not going to comment on specifics, just to say we’re maintaining a dialogue with both teams,” Clyne said.
WA Rugby has imposed a legal injunction upon the ARU citing elements of a contract signed by both parties when the national body took over the running of the franchise late last year that guaranteed their survival until 2020.
Clyne said he does not expect any legal payouts to be more than the money the ARU would save from axing a team.
Lifting the contracting freeze could decimate the Force’s roster, and by the time the ARU stages an extraordinary general meeting on June 20 in Sydney several of their top names could be signed to rival teams.
Players who sign for a team or on multi-year deals with a team that is then cut will be relocated to other clubs, given the option of an early release or have their contracts paid out.
“If we do end up in a situation where there are less teams than there are, then we’ll down and it will be a player by player basis,” Clyne said.
“We’re saying to players we’ll give you the certainty of honouring your contract or pursuing an early release or whatever you happen to want.
“In some cases players may be happy to move to another franchise.”
Clyne added that players understood the pressures that have forced the ARU to make the decision to cut one team.
“There has been concern expressed to us in the past from players around insolvency of the franchise they play for, so they’re aware of the issues,” Clyne said.
“They do understand this issue of financial sustainability.
“Our intention is to go down a path working towards four teams.”
Clyne said South African Rugby Union had indicated they would also meet their end of the bargain by cutting two teams.
“Certainly from their indications, they are still committed to their announcement of going down from six teams to four,” he said.
Talks are already underway with 13 broadcast partners about how the 15-team tournament will run next year.
“There has been a long-term trend over the last couple of years of declines in crowds,” Clyne said.
“That has continued this year, that’s not about uncertainty, that is the continuation of a long-term trend.
“Given the teams that are under threat ... they’ve not had the crowds there either.
“I know there’s a lot of emotion and passion around this, but we’ve got to strip that back and say the game is struggling.”

I spoke to Western Force today for clarification on these rumours, at the time they were not aware, they said they would ring me back, didn't happen major shit going down at HQ.

Telegraph suggesting there's a raft of Force players ready to sign or already have, with opposing sides.

It flies in the face of everything I've heard.

Reading it sounds like the ARU themselves are backgrounding to New Ltd jurnos.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...9759ff32496bf5

This is a new trick, and so important that the Force immediately contact players and agents to set the record straight!

This is a new trick, and so important that the Force immediately contact players and agents to set the record straight!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LMSC

Telegraph suggesting there's a raft of Force players ready to sign or already have, with opposing sides.

It flies in the face of everything I've heard.

Reading it sounds like the ARU themselves are backgrounding to New Ltd jurnos.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...9759ff32496bf5

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Of course they are. Anything to suit their agenda.

What do you mean by "major shit going down at HQ" JPR?

Its my assumption seeing that the person who I spoke to handles players contracts new nothing, was going to get Mark to contact me and since lunch time still no reply. Let's hope I'm wrong and things get sorted quickly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JPR

Its my assumption seeing that the person who I spoke to handles players contracts new nothing, was going to get Mark to contact me and since lunch time still no reply. Let's hope I'm wrong and things get sorted quickly.

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Oh lord - that does not sound good....

Mind you, "understood to have agreed to terms" means absolutely nothing really. And we'd be naïve to think that players didn't have all their bases covered in the event that the Force did end up being canned. They'd be mad not to in the circs really.

Calm heads crew! Time to stick together, we're getting to the championship rounds now 👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼