Force chief scoffs at relocation

[beige]

Parramatta won back-to-back Shute Shields in the mid 80s (back when the comp actually meant something) so the code must have dropped off significantly in Western Sydney since then.

[chibi]

There's a mismanagement of the game nation-wide that can be seen in the microcosm of Sydney and the demographic of its players, I don't understand how dumping Australia's one true expansion area (WA) is going to fix that.

[Sheikh]

more of interest is the responses to the article, all of which seem to be calling Spiro an idiot.
I don't think he got the support for that idea that he thought he was going to get.

He also had Sheek (most definitely not me!) stirring the pot with some pretty inflammatory postings, which he's now admitted to. There are some on there who will bag the Force no matter what, but nice to see some posters who generally don't like us calling them on such a lame idea.

[chibi]

Yeah I was reading Roar-Sheek's responses. One thing I will say, is that it's interesting to see his change of opinion, he was once an optimistic supporter of the expansion into WA.

[shasta]

Penrith Rugby Union Club - The Emus - was/is and continues to be NSWRU push in to Western Sydney from 20 years ago that failed so miserably.

20 years of mismanagement, accusations of theft and a win loss that make Richard Graham look like a winner.

Yeah mate. It's hard to succeed when you are in an area where another sport absolutely dominates; Where you get little help to develop a junior base; and when you do get a good player some more powerful, connected and financial club lures him away. Or he goes to the Mungos. Sound familiar?
Plus, I think my suggestion is already taken.

[andrewg]

A slight twist in the comparison put up by Force Fan on The Roar this morning:

"How easy it is to get caught up with the performance (or lack of) of the Western Force.

The Western Force was created within AFL heartland in an effort to GROW RUGBY in the West.
The WF won 37% of their games in the 1st 5 years and 30% of their games in the 2nd 5 years.
Their best performance was 56% of games in 2014.

HOW EASY IT IS TO FORGET that there was no immediate success for teams developed within RUGBY HEARTLANDS and with all of the support and backing that location brings.

THE REDS
Between 2005-2009 the Reds won only 28% of their games. But only 21% from 2007-2009.
They won their 1st SR title in 2011.
16 YEARS AFTER STARTING IN THE COMPETITION.

THE WARATAHS
The Waratahs won 48% of their games over the first 9 years. (i.e. Less than half)
In 2007 they won 3/13 – 23% and in 2012 they won 4/18 – 22%.
They won their 1st SR title in 2014
19 YEARS AFTER STARTING IN THE COMPETITION

This tells me that the Western Force has 6 more seasons to take as long as the Reds and 9 more seasons to take as long as the Waratahs in order to match this one criteria of success.

Rugby fans in the West enjoy being able to watch top rugby and a team that has rolled the Reds in 3 of the past 5 encounters and the Waratahs in 3 of the past 4 encounters (including twice in their title year).

If nothing else Perth is a convenient staging point for flights to and from South Africa."

[Alison]

Have you had many rebuttals to that post Andrew?!

[andrewg]

Have you had many rebuttals to that post Andrew?!

TWAS raised the point that Reds finished top of table in 1996 but didn't make the final.

[The InnFORCEr]

69.58763% of ...........ah forget it, the numbers don't lie!

[blueandblack]

Speaking of The Roar, "No, it should not be the Western Sydney Force"

[Alison]

Speaking of The Roar, "No, it should not be the Western Sydney Force"

Love that guy!

[Moono74]

Interesting article in The Australian with Mark Sinderberry calling for the establishment of an independent rugby commission to administer Super Rugby in Australia. The idea being to make it a more independent and equitable playing field.

[URL="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/western-force-push-call-for-independent-rugby-commission/news-story/74c1cf2dedaea5683fedf0352a706c45"]

[Sheikh]

Interesting article in The Australian with Mark Sinderberry calling for the establishment of an independent rugby commission to administer Super Rugby in Australia. The idea being to make it a more independent and equitable playing field.

[URL="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/western-force-push-call-for-independent-rugby-commission/news-story/74c1cf2dedaea5683fedf0352a706c45"]

I'd welcome that, but if they ever got off the ground, my predictions are:

1. Someone will say it has to be located where most rugby players/people who know how to administrate a national organisation are, so Sydney.
2. They'll be under pressure to save money, so someone will suggest they rent office space from the ARU/NSWRU.
3. Someone will say they need 'proper' rugby men involved, so the commission will be packed with ARU/Shute Shield people.

Am I too cynical?

[Cowboy]

This is a good idea from Sinderberry, it was only once the VFL ditched it's insular nature and established the independent AFL that they became the sporting powerhouse they now are. Change is possible.

[jargan83]

I'd like to see an independent commission for Super Rugby in Australia but I'm not so sure some of the current stakeholders in the game would be a fan as they would probably lose out the most but this isn't about appeasing the old blood types. I don't have a problem with it being located in Sydney and quite honestly can't see a case for it to be located elsewhere apart from Brisbane.

Dave Smith the former CEO of the NRL copped it from the media (mostly News Ltd Rags) when he was appointed to the position because he was considered not to be a Rugby League man (Welsh banker) but he left the game a lot stronger then when he was first appointed, but there is probably no cynicsm in that.

Did Bill Pulver have any links to Rugby Union when he was first appointed?