Off Season

[Burgs]

Western Force (2010): Keiran Longbottom (Eastwood), Ryan Cross (Eastern Suburbs), Matt Hodgson (Eastern Suburbs), Dane Haylett-Petty (Gordon), Ben Whittaker (Gordon), Tim Fairbrother (Manly), Mark Swanepoel (Manly), Stefano Hunt (Northern Suburbs), Cameron Shepherd (Northern Suburbs), Nick Cummins (Randwick), Nic Henderson (Southern Districts), Nathan Charles (Sydney University), Ben McCalman (Sydney University), Pek Cowan (Warringah), Sam Harris (Warringah), Tom Hockings (Warringah), Joelin Rapana (Warringah), Sam Wykes (West Harbour)

Just looking through the Round 13 Shute Shield team lists and was trying to recall if there were ever that many Force players in a single round locally when it was Force policy to support the local comp? It always seemed that the majority were injured or otherwise unavailable. Admittedly the numbers are inflated as the Test players are available this week.
There are 18 2010 Force players, plus Will Brock and maybe a couple of other local lads I don't know playing this week in Sydney. Further, Ted Postal (#6 Brothers) and possibly some other local Club players are in Brisbane.

I know and accept the arguments for why the individuals benefit from playing in the tougher comps however, at what point (if ever) would the numbers stack up to re-focus on the West?
At what point would the individual elite players benefit almost as much but the rest of the comp benefit vastly more with those elite players spread back through the WA scene as originally intended?

Should the local comp be modified in some way to have a round robin of say four regional selections during this midyear peak where the best of the local boys and the available pro players compete together. After all, stepping back from personal club allegiances, wherever the pro players play at this time will distort the full season regardless if it is for WA clubs or East Coast clubs.

Without wanting to drag up the usual flagellated equines, I would be interested in hearing any proactive ways forward for the benefit and development of the elite levels in WA.

[farva]

We need a nationwide competition - second tier to the S14s - with which to launch local talent into.
Id actually love to see 5 teams from Australia enter the NPC. We could have Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane based teams playing (maybe 2 from Sydney?) as feeders from the S14 teams. That way local taelnt could develop and the WA club system would have more players coming over looking for opportunities hence strengthening the comp.

We allow the kiwis into NRL, netball, V8s, A-League, etc. They coulc return the favour (as it is, the NPC is shrinking, this could be the capital boost it needs, plus, it would give us something to follow when the S14s is over, and its a bye week in the 3N).

[Hoolly Doolly]

Even if we had a second tier national comp our team would still be stacked with east coasters rather then locals.
Burgs might be on the right track.

[GIGS20]

Good call Farva, but that's exactly one of the flagellated equines Burgs was talking about.


and everybody on here agrees with you

[jombi]

We allow the kiwis into NRL, netball, V8s, A-League, etc. They coulc return the favour (as it is, the NPC is shrinking, this could be the capital boost it needs, plus, it would give us something to follow when the S14s is over, and its a bye week in the 3N).[/QUOTE]

It was actually NZ letting aus into netball, since their comp was already MUCH stronger.

I can see the NZRFU reasoning though, they want the NPC to still mean something - if they let in aus club sides it'll just be Super Rugby Lite.

Then you've got the fiasco at when NZRFU tried to make it ten teams in tier 1, so if Australian clubs were to enter the NPC it would be in the second division.

[zimeric]

a big factor for the move east for players is they get paid better particularly as the Shute Shield is Televised - the Clubs there must get some revenue from that?

[farva]

We allow the kiwis into NRL, netball, V8s, A-League, etc. They coulc return the favour (as it is, the NPC is shrinking, this could be the capital boost it needs, plus, it would give us something to follow when the S14s is over, and its a bye week in the 3N).

It was actually NZ letting aus into netball, since their comp was already MUCH stronger.

I can see the NZRFU reasoning though, they want the NPC to still mean something - if they let in aus club sides it'll just be Super Rugby Lite.

Then you've got the fiasco at when NZRFU tried to make it ten teams in tier 1, so if Australian clubs were to enter the NPC it would be in the second division.[/QUOTE]

Fair enough re the netball. But the NPC is already a feeder for the S14s, essentially super rugby lite. The NZ market just isnt big enough to sustain anything else. Adding Aus teams could help that, boost the income of players in both nations and help stop the player exodus up north. Things like the Ranfury Shield could still be kept up by the NZ teams.

I would love to see a 6 Aus team, 8 kiwi team NPC comp.

[travelling_gerry]

Super Rugby Lite

I like it

[Reds81]

Might change a little next year with the extended Super 15. Players will need to say local longer. Wihout a doubt, any young guy with ambition will now go East. James Stannard a classic example of one seeking his fortune West!

Who is running rugby here RUPA or RugbyWA?

Better standard with better players- for rugby to develop here, the Force guys need to be here- should be part of the contract.

[James]

Time is more important for the local comp than having the Force players playing. The standard of junior players must be coming along in leaps and bounds since the Force started up. Once they filter through to the premiership over the next few years you'll see a steady improvement in talent. A 3rd tier comp would be great but I doubt it'll happen in the current climate. Maybe if the Queensland Reds lead rugby resurgence to another Australian rugby golden age comes off there will be enough backing to give it another crack.

a big factor for the move east for players is they get paid better particularly as the Shute Shield is Televised - the Clubs there must get some revenue from that?

It's broadcast on the ABC so I doubt it. The Sydney clubs probably pay money for it to be on TV.

[beige]

The ACT, NSW and QLD Academy sides actually all played each other this year - WA seemed happy to play the likes of Cottesloe. Don't know if anything's come of the Brumbies' idea for a formal competition.

[Burgs]

Just to try and nudge the discussion back on track a little (not dismissing the points, just that they have largely been done to death in recent months) what can RWA do to make it more appealing/attractive for our Squad players to remain in the West. To get to a situation that they actually choose to stay rather than being forced to stay. Being forced to stay has already proven ineffectual in the first two years.
Sydney origin players would see the off-season as a chance to go home and catch up with family and friends, play in a stronger comp and perhaps even test the waters at the other (now) four franchises.
Players don't seem to go to Brisbane, even when they are from there, but I imagine many would slip up during the week to visit rellies etc.
Clearly somehow RWA has to make the product stronger in the West to combat those pull factors as the big stick method failed and the current depth is failing to appeal as well.
This isn't a player issue, it is a WA depth and competition issue.

[beige]

OK I'll rephrase... a decent Academy match schedule.

[James]

I don't know why they don't just start it small with a few informal APCesque games around September/October time. It'd definitely help out the Wallabies selectors.

[Burgs]

That still won't keep them in Perth, stay focused people