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Interesting x
choice but didn't I hear that Tom Fearn has been floating around. Wonder whether he'll be involved
Nick Taylor
Steve Anderson is heading back to Perth, where his professional coaching career began, to become Western Force academy coach.
After playing rugby league in Australia and England, Anderson worked in development roles with Queensland Rugby League, moving to the Western Reds in 1995 until they closed during the Super League war.
Since then the code-hopper has travelled a long and varied road.
He was assistant coach at Melbourne Storm when they won the 1999 premiership, an assistant for Australia before and during the 2000 World Cup, and coached Warrington Wolves.
But a chance meeting with South African coach Heyneke Meyer set him on the union path when he asked him to work on defence with the Bulls Super Rugby side.
He became the Scottish Rugby Union’s high performance manager after an apprenticeship as Glasgow Warriors defence coach in 2002-03 and also held the high performance role with the Irish Rugby Union.
Anderson returned to Australia in 2007 as Queensland manager of the Australian Drug Foundation before becoming Central Queensland’s director of rugby.
So why the switch and which is the better code?
“I can’t remember how many times I’ve been asked that,” Anderson said.
“I love coaching rugby, the positional and functional core of the game.
“I love the culture of rugby.
“League is generic, although they won’t like me saying that, and I’m glad I made the switch.”
His appointment to the Future Force Academy comes as the academy prepares to increase player numbers from three to 12 with extra Australian Rugby Union funding from Super Rugby’s new broadcast deal.
“The program will create depth and quality to the point where academy members are pushing for selection in Super Rugby ... to get players to realise their potential in professional rugby,” Anderson said.
Now wouldn't it have been nice if RugbyWA had spent the extra money in arranging an intensive coaching programme for local first grade coaches (perhaps even paying them for their time off work), and adding the 12 academy hopefuls to the Force training programme, to be coached by the existing coaching staff? Aren't we getting them up to speed to play for the Force?
WTF are we paying some unknown club hopping Mungo all this money for? For coaching 12 starry eyed, untried, inexperienced, would be if they could be, mummy's darlings in a game he never played himself? For all (let's be generous) 16 hours a week?
And you wonder why I have given up on this bunch of ....
ARU are funding it,are they not?
And RugbyWA are deciding how to spend it, are they not?
when you said "we are paying",I didn't realise you hard earned was going into this cause.
Very noble of you Fulvio![]()
I am also hearing that clubs are being asked if they want these overseas players - as long as they supply a car and a home and don't live too far away from Rugby WA. Well that rules all but three clubs out I guess.
There has been an intensive coaching course for local coaches.
Have no idea about the rest.
[B]From the Western Force media release 31 Aug 2015
Current members are Kane Koteka, Richard Hardwick, Harry Scoble and Onehunga Havili.The Future Force is a full-time academy set up for outstanding local players as well as talent identified from across Australia and overseas, and provides a holistic approach to the players’ physical and rugby requirements, while also providing planning and support for their educational and vocational aspirations. It is designed to assist in fast-tracking players’ development for Asteron Life Super Rugby.
There is an opportunity to have 8 more due to the extra funding, provided for this purpose, by the ARU last year.
It's not up to the WF or RWA how this money is spent.
This money is in addition to the WF salary cap.
When you get a chance to regularly meet the current members of Future Force, at Fan days etc, I struggle to understand how anybody can think that this money would be better spread thinly across the Perth senior clubs.
I'm unaware of any other coach in Perth who has had the mix of experience that Steve Anderson appears to have.
He looks like a real asset for Rugby in WA.
So what are you getting for your money?
Or do you spend it just because it's there, and it's not coming out of your own pocket?
Has this guy been appointed by the ARU to run this academy?
If so, what are RugbyWA? A bunch of puppets to be told what to do, and who to get to do it?
Perhaps you shouldn't answer that ...
And perhaps your lack of awareness is your problem ...
I have absolutely no problem with the money being spent on an academy. I just hope they have picked the right man and pick the right kids.
I do not like the fact that they are trying to farm them pout the best bidders. Does that mean, as I said before, that if, for example, Scoble comes back from NZ and gets into the academy that Nedlands will get him because they are already throwing dosh at him.
I'll ask again. What is Tom Fearn up to apart from trying to get other club players to Nedlands?
So is he the replacement for Tai McIsaac?
If only it was angry Anderson. The team might be taken seriously if he was nurturing the young fellas
Now wouldn't it have been nice if RugbyWA had spent the extra money in arranging an intensive coaching programme for local first grade coaches
Fulvio,
This was exactly what Tommy Fearn was talking to your palmyra stalwarts, Mal and Gavin Whetton.
It made sense what he was saying.
If you spend time on the clubs they will respond.
Not sure what this new character is about, but what would he know about WA club rugby, after a google he does not seem to be in a job for very long and has come from Central Queensland Rugby Union Rugby Union. I wouldnt have thought they were a higher standard than rugby in WA.