PERTH AND WESTS DESPERATE FOR RESULT

[RugbyWA]

Perth-Bayswater meets Wests-Subiaco in the battle of the cellar dwellers at Rosalie Park on Saturday with both teams looking for their first win in the RugbyWA club competition, sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.

Both clubs have fallen on hard times from recent triumphs, Wests-Subiaco winning a record-equalling four consecutive premierships 2003-2006, and Perth-Bayswater chalking up a rare premiership triumph in 2007.

Neither team featured in last year’s finals, bucking the trend of importing stars to develop local players from successful juniors programs, and paying the price in short term success.

The young Wests-Subiaco team struggled for wins last year and while Perth-Bayswater started strongly they fell away rapidly and recorded just two wins in the second round – losing to Wests along the way.

Both teams have had tough starts to the season, Wests losing heavily to Palmyra and Nedlands while recording a narrow 23-21 loss against University. They earned plaudits from Palmyra coach John Taylor though, for their tenacity and determination for a full 80 minutes of rugby.

Perth-Bayswater have also suffered two big losses, to Cottesloe and Wanneroo, and a narrow 24-20 defeat by Rockingham.

While developing young local talent from premiership-winning Under 18 and Under 20 teams, Perth-Bayswater have benefited from attracting a new coach, Rex George, from the legendary Ponsonby club of Auckland, New Zealand.

After five years coaching in Auckland, George came to Western Australia to be with family who were already here. Although he finds the rugby culture in Perth very different to Auckland, he has been impressed with the attitude of his new charges.

“The enthusiasm that these guys are showing, right through the club, has been outstanding,” George said.

“But I’ve had to reassess my coaching strategies. It’s not like turning up to Ponsonby and running eleven Blues players, five NPC players and two All Blacks.

“Over here I’ve had to break it right down and go back to the basics. But I didn’t come here with any pre-conceived expectations; it’s up to me to set expectations for the players.

“The main thing is getting these guys to enjoy their rugby, get the homework done and get them consistent.

“Obviously we want to win, but realistically our immediate aim is to improve as a team, and learn and develop in a competitive arena.”

However, George was disappointed with the result against Wanneroo.

“We struggled to find our feet defensively, let some soft tries in and they got away from us,” he said.

“We didn’t make our first up tackles but probably the biggest thing was our turnovers. We turned over something like 23 balls and you can’t do that.

“But we scored four tries of our own, so we showed we can compete. But you have to compete for 80 minutes.”

After their baptism of fire against the heavyweights, George feels the Wests-Subiaco game offers the team the chance to change direction.

“This is the turning point for us,” he said.

“We talked tonight about showing pride. The loser of this game goes to the bottom.

“I said to the guys, we’re one win away from believing in what we want to achieve.

“It’s going to come down to who wants to win most.

“But Wests have some fairly good players, they’ve got a good centre, and they beat us in the tens, so the pressure’s on."

Perth-Bayswater will field the same team that played against Wanneroo, with several first string players still injured.

The youth of the team and the lack of experienced depth meant that some younger players were being asked to take on greater responsibilities than would normally be the case, George said.

“Some of these guys have only had two or three games at premier level, but are now part of the leadership group,” he said.

“There’s no apprenticeship in this side. “
George named flyhalf Ethan Reid and centre Reggie Simpson, both products of the clubs colts teams, as leading examples as they tackle a steep learning curve with the talent to succeed at the top level.

In other games this weekend, premiers Cottesloe play University at McGillivray Oval, unbeaten Kalamunda face a major test against Wanneroo at Hartfield, Palmyra travel to Lark Hill to play Rockingham and competition leaders Nedlands welcome Associates to Sir Charles Court Reserve.

-Rick Boyd
http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,58172.html

[The Oracle]

I think its about time we stopped continually portraying Wests as the club that is doing the right thing and growing its own players and saying isn't it great how they continue to put out young local boys in Premier Grade.

Yes, many of their players are local but they have mostly been poached from other clubs! The rest are imports; their only problem is they don't do it as well as some of the others.

Wests have the worst record over the past decade in poaching players. Many of their current crop were developed by Perth-Bayswater and Joondalup through the junior ranks and via the PB Academy. Gus Bradley at Wests poached more players from the likes of Southern Lions than Toulon has poached rugby league / union players from down under.

Now that the arrangement with Aranmore College is not as firm it wouldn't surprise me if Wests struggle in the teenage age groups going forward and are in the firing line if Rugby WA eventually cuts the Premier Grade Competition to 8 teams.

Their success from 2003 - 2006 was directly in proportion to the amount of money they threw at players and coaches from other clubs.

"The Great Divide" between the top and bottom clubs will be very evident after this weekends round of games.

[Hansie]

Their success from 2003 - 2006 was directly in proportion to the amount of money they threw at players and coaches from other clubs.

Hear Hear...