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The problem wasn't the Force. After all, they were always crap, a laughing stock. Snagged an occasional win over the Crusaders, that's about it. Never made the finals despite bucket loads of cash and recruiting entitlements from the ARU.
The problem was the Reds and Tahs, champions in recent years, failing to perform to their usual high level. And to a lesser extent the Brumbies. And of course the Rebels, who have been improving each year and threatening the finals....they were hit with a Speight of injuries, and couldn't keep the upcurve going this year. So, to improve AusConf performance the Heartland teams need to lift, not the periphery over west.
It seems illogical that the way to lift said performance was to cut the worst performing team, and redistribute it's useless borderline rejects and journeymen. Surely the way to go is get rid of the dead wood and geriatrics in the Reds and Tahs, and bring in deserving Shute Shield guys from Randwick plus a brace of league Fijian Flyers. Give the Rebels another four or five mill to do some recruiting overseas, so they can claim Gill etc as Victorian products....and move Wessels over, after all he 8s an employee of the ARU. And hope the Brums muddle through like they always have. Voila, performance upgrade.