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"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
The socials are like a walk in the park - it's your choice whether you step in the excrement or walk around it.
We can develop a potent West Australian team.
In 1996 I began my coaching career thanks to Bill Allen at Wesley College. I was mostly an onlooker in the first season and watched as Wesley were beaten by Trinity, Hale, Scotch etc. I was gutted when respectable losing seemed the aim, more than winning. In fact I was told WESLEY stood for We Expect Several Losses Every Year. Out of that squad came Adam Wallace-Harrison, a sensational player, leader and went on to play for Brumbies, Reds, Australia A etc. Eventually I took on bigger roles and with the help of committed teachers and parents began recruiting players. Having some interesting discussions with Mums who were happy for Johnny to ride skate boards but not get taught how to tackle. Anyway, cut a long story short, in 2005, 2006 and 2007 Wesley were strong with 1st time Rugby Players with no family history of playing, watching or partaking the Rugby Culture. This was through great parents and teachers where we built a culture of winning. I am in no doubt that if we as a community combined together to look at boosting rugby in schools by a number of things: say.. by encouraging old boys and girls to get accredited and go back to coach at their schools...helping clubs grow the links with schools...and so on. Yes it costs $$$, yes it takes time and yes it will take 5, 10 maybe 15 years. Most importantly it takes us to combine together off the field to make it happen and continue our fierce rivalry for on the field.
It may be fanciful and in a world where we all are time poor may never happen...but it's great to dream.
and it IS a great dream Hansie, however I'm firmly of the opinion that Professional rugby has moved beyond single province representation in teams.
Does that mean I'm against developing our own talent? definitely not, I think the easiest talent to retain is that which calls our state home.
Does that mean I'm advocating filling our team with immigrant journeymen at the expense of capable locals? no, I think the first criteria should be are you the best option we have in a certain position. Our locals should then aspire to become better than that person because they know that they will be selected once they show the capablity
C'mon the![]()
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Supporters will follow their team no matter the win/loss as long as they have a reason to be passionate, especially the kids.
Journeymen is the key word in Gigs response and where the Force is falling down in the business side.
If you want to drive the passion, especially in the kids, for a team you need those stars/characters out front and centre.
The Force lost and lost and lost in the first few seasons but we had Sharpe, Giteau, Pocock etc and we wanted to watch them play. The early 2010’s was the Honey Badger.
We definitely should be developing our own players and building a solid and renewing team backbone but pro sports need that marketing aspect, that flair to get the eyeballs watching and the mouths talking. If that comes from WA then even better, if it comes from a promising WAFL player great, the WA media wouldn’t shut up about it for a long time, if it’s a player raised in Brisbane/Sydney and through our academy that’s wonderful, if it’s an import then so be it.
Can’t help but agree to a certain extent Dazlo. I appreciate how the players from England have contributed and Fang’a’a’a’a etc on short term contracts & obviously they will hopefully have a positive influence on a young inexperienced team, but at end of season we will yet again be scrabbling around to fill positions when these guys leave. As you say, recruiting some AFL tall timbers to the fold would be a good marketing move and addition to the Force dynamics. I have friends kids who love and play rugby but are being pulled more and more towards AFL with more enticements and ending up in that direction. Pulling some talent from the mainstream AFL would certainly garner more interest from a marketing angle. We are missing those Sharpie, Hodgo McCalman, Cowan, Stander et al personalities. Perhaps the young guys coming through will come to be legends in their own right…..dunno hope so.