Alfie Mafie on his bike

[PeterM]

Not really a statement to reassure the long suffering fans.
I am sick to my back teeth of trying to defend the code (the game) and how rugby players are decent people above reproach when compared to professional sportsmen in other codes and all we get is reports like this making me look like the biggest fool this side of the swan river

[shasta]

I am sick to my back teeth of trying to defend the code (the game) and how rugby players are decent people above reproach when compared to professional sportsmen in other codes

The best course for you is to stop doing that then. It will be less stressful because nothing will change. 'Clubs" are business franchises (supposedly in our case?) and act accordingly. Players are contractors and act accordingly.
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[PeterM]

Shasta you may well be right but I am an eternal optimist for my sins

[Invictus]

Players only have a limited time in the game so they have to make the best of it. What we require is a dedicated window for contract negotiations/transfers and heavy penalties for those that violate same (including muck raking journos with limited imagination).

[Alison]

Am now sitting here awaiting his responce. Could be a very non productive day at work. lol

Absolutley zip from either Alfie or the Force. Not surprisng though really I guess as it involves contract negotations.

The lack of a denial of any sort does, however, indicate truth in the Tele report.

But all is not lost - the Force are giving away two tickets to the Moonlight Cinema if you correctly guess the margin for Sat night's game against the Bulls!! Woo fecking hoo!!

[shasta]

What Invictus said. Plus ALL money available for player salaries divided EVENLY among the franchises, less a pool of money for Wallaby match payments/incentived. No ARU meddling in contracting.
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[Pacman]

Not really a statement to reassure the long suffering fans.
I am sick to my back teeth of trying to defend the code (the game) and how rugby players are decent people above reproach when compared to professional sportsmen in other codes and all we get is reports like this making me look like the biggest fool this side of the swan river

I can’t believe how quickly some people on here bag out Alfie; Awesome guys real awesome.

I rate the bloke as a player and person; he’s tried his guts out for the Western Force for near on 3 years.

Have a look at his Timeline below, if he choices to play 2nd tier rugby in Japan for similar coin (To possibly recharge his batteries), well so be it and best of luck with his new employer.

I hope he stays and it’s all a bad rumour, but like David Smith I would welcome him back with open arms.

Go Force

**************
Alfie's been going hard since his early to mid teens.

Alfie Mafi
182cm
95kg
dob: 08/06/1988
pob: Tongtaup, Tonga
47 Super Rugby Caps

Profile

Last season was a breakout year for Alfie Mafi, who asserted himself as a ‘must have’ in the Emirates Western Force starting line-up. The former junior Australian representative played every match for the Emirates Western Force, starting the season on the wing before becoming a permanent fixture at fullback through the back half of the season. Mafi, who has previously represented the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies, added an accomplished kicking game to his arsenal in 2012 that already featured trademark aggressive and fearless running. Mafi, who played junior rugby league with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, was the leading try scorer for the Emirates Western Force last season, crossing for four tries, including tries in each fixture against the Melbourne Rebels. Mafi, who relocated to Australian from Tonga with his family in 1997, has previously represented Australia in schoolboys, Under 19’s, Under 20’s and Sevens.

Timeline

2004
Represents the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a second season in the National Rugby League’s Harold Matthews Cup.

2006
Scores NSW II’s only try in their 14-13 championship final loss to Queensland II in the National Schoolboys Championship; selected for the Australian Schoolboys tour of Fiji and New Zealand, defeating Fiji Under 18 10-3 but is beaten by NZ Schools 18-8.

2007
Member of the NSW Waratahs squad; scores four tries in six appearances for the Sydney Fleet, who finish fifth in the Australian Rugby Championship; a first-choice winger for the Australian side that finishes third in the IRB Under 19 World Championship in Ireland, including scoring a try to seal the third-place play-off win over Wales; represents the Australian side in the IRB World Sevens Series, featuring a three-try haul against Arabian Gulf in Dubai; scores a try in Sydney University’s 34-11 Shute Shield grand final triumph over Eastern Suburbs.

2008
Makes his Super Rugby debut off the bench for the NSW Waratahs in their 20-3 win over the Hurricanes in Week One; plays nine matches for the Waratahs in his debut season; selected for the Australian Under 20 side to contest the IRB Junior World Championship but is forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury; signs with the Brumbies.

2009
Suffers another ankle injury in training with the Brumbies; makes his Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies against the Sharks in Week Seven; scores one try in three appearances for the Brumbies on their end-of-season French tour before suffering an ankle injury.

2010
Plays three matches for the Brumbies during the Super Rugby season; scores maiden Super Rugby try against the Cheetahs in Week Nine; scores a try in Sydney University’s 46-6 Shute Shield grand final win over Randwick; signs with the Emirates Western Force.

2011
Makes his Super Rugby debut for the Emirates Western Force off the bench against the Reds in Week One; starts off the bench in Sydney University’s 19-16 Shute Shield grand final loss to Eastwood.

2012
Plays all 16 matches for the Emirates Western Force; is the Emirates Western Force’s leading try scorer with four tries.

[wingman]

maybe its the manager playing silly buggers to get a better pay day for alfie at the Force

[Ralto]

I'm not reading any of this shite anymore - it's interfering with my "enjoyment" of the season

Interfering with my enjoyment of life full stop.

[Ralto]

Absolutley zip from either Alfie or the Force. Not surprisng though really I guess as it involves contract negotations.

The lack of a denial of any sort does, however, indicate truth in the Tele report.

If the tweet looks something like this .... 歴史は自分を繰り返す。it's not looking good.

[Tazzmania]

Due to the nature of contract negotiations in Australia this type of angst is not going to go away.

We are not the only team having to deal with it at the moment.

The Rebels are probably worse off with Hugh Pyle mentioned in the same article as Alfie coming off contract, and even worse for them Beale and O'Connor.

On this site I saw Luke Morahan's name bandied about as well, it is all part and parcel of the world we engross ourselves in.

I saw Rene Ranger being linked to an overseas contract and so to Bryan Habana.

Unfortunatley it is now a professional game and like most workers not tied to the companies they work for these guys also have the same rights to look for better deals, working conditions ect.

With the growth and ease of access to information in the modern world this type of stuff is going to be on the increase, so lets give the players the due rewards they deserve each week they put theior bodies on the line for us, and if at some time down the line lets wish them all the best and thank them for what they did for us if they decide to move on.

[Muddly]

Well said Tazz!

[kipper_mckinnon]

2012
Plays all 16 matches for the Emirates Western Force; is the Emirates Western Force’s leading try scorer with four tries.

And he already has 3 tries this year from 2 games - give him a break everyone !!!!

[Alison]

I don't begrudge any professional moving on.

My beef is with how they do it and how we get to find out about it. There should be massive penalties for whoever leaks this info out into the public domain before it's official. It's not fair on anyone - least of all mugs like me who keep thinking that we may have finally found a winning combination of players.

This news re Mafi comes after only 2 games of the 're-launch' - that's what really sucks.

If all S15 franchises are a business like any other these days, how come it seems to be the Force who are consistently the most disadvantaged by the vagueries of the transfer market?

[shasta]

Simple.
1. We were never given the necessary assistance on start -up.
2. We are too far from most of their Mummys.
3. We are percieved as the losingest franchise so a lot of the bigger boys who no longer miss their Mummys don't want to play here unless all the rest don't want them.
4. Lots of the players in number 3 move on after a few years to bulid up some Super. Not much sugar coating there. But you did ask.
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