Hard work, unity keys to Force turnaround
Pek Cowan shares the secret of success with Nick Taylor of the West.
Nick Taylor The West Australian April 10, 2014, 7:45 am
It is no secret that in past seasons Western Force were a club splintered by egos, internal bickering and well-paid stars with too much off-field baggage who loved the rock star image.
Money could not buy results but it did bring plenty of head- lines for all the wrong reasons.
Coaches can talk structures, tactics and game plans ad infinitum, but if a fractured team does not want to play for each other coaches will talk until they are blue in the face.
Force foundation player Pek Cowan has seen it all, the all-too-few highs and too many lows.
In a blunt attack on past seasons, players and the publicity they attracted, the quietly spoken prop said: "This is now a team full of committed players playing for each other."
Cowan is well respected and when he speaks, teammates listen. With 81 games he is the fourth-highest capped player at the Force and he and captain Matt Hodgson are the only remaining foundation players.
"All the stereotypes about the Force, that we only had a couple of players and if they were not on the field we couldn't win, that there was a lack of character, that we started slowly, that we could not close out games, are all slowly being forgotten," Cowan said.
"You like to think an individual can lead their own lifestyle and that's fine, but you would be crazy to think it doesn't affect the team. That's in the past, we're past that point. There is now a genuine belief in the guy next to you.
"You can concentrate 100 per cent with confidence. You don't have to feel you have to cover for a player or wonder whether he knows the details.
"We've been able to create something worth playing for. You might be busted by the end of every game, but it's worth it.
"We wanted to fix the void between players. We wanted everyone to feel equal, for the newest player to be as much a part of this club as the highest-paid player and to have an equal say. It stems from hard work and good leadership.
"We are led by a captain and coaches leading from the front. They live by standards that we are expected to live by."
The Force head into unknown territory on Saturday, seeking a fifth successive victory when they take on the NSW Waratahs at nib Stadium.
"It's been a long time coming. It's almost surreal that we are doing things we haven't done for eight seasons," Cowan said.
"Nothing we do happens by accident. It is a combination of commitment, character and detail.
"We have learnt how to play a style of rugby that best suits us and when we get it right we score. There is still plenty to work on, but four straight wins sure makes it easier."
