Poached Eggs.

[GIGS20]

Gigs, you poached our duly appointed second grade coach, Gus Martin, to coach your first grade, what more do you want? Blood?

Mate, I'm from Rocko, blood is assumed!

I guess Gus just got shot of the rampant corporate mentality of pally, what with the night games, buying entire foreign nations to bleed them dry of rugby talent and so forth, why wouldn't an honest working class guy want to spend his time toiling for a club that's pure as the driven snow.

Shame nobody else in Perth is capable of developing their local juniors to the level required to start matches at the Force!

Question: And which club has half a complement of junior teams and no under 18 or under 20?

Answer: Rockingham

Can't see Rockingham launching any of their under 14's (if they have them) directly into the Force!

well, rockingham wouldn't have a problem fielding junior teams if it wasn't for the corporate fat cats in cash-laden clubs such as palmyra, nedlands and mandurah stealing all our juniors the instant their true quality becomes apparent! Rockingham is the only true bastion of amateur rugby in the state, shit if it wasn't for roscoe and Bunter propping up the club by dutifully fulfilling their responsibilities in the bar as often as possible the club would be broke. We don't have hundreds of dollars a year to throw at promising ukrainians and therefore our poor, underprivileged juniors are lured by the offer of free training kit and oranges at halftime, what's a young lad to do? If a be-suited individual as obviously well fed as Fulvio offers you a promise of two squares a day, you have to take it.....that's why we have a problem retaining juniors.;-)

[RumourMonger]

Gigs,

Think the focus of your poaching accusations should be Mandurah and Nedlands and more recently Kwinana whom I'm informed are currently in the process of luring Rocky players to form a senior team.

[GIGS20]

Gigs,

Think the focus of your poaching accusations should be Mandurah and Nedlands and more recently Kwinana whom I'm informed are currently in the process of luring Rocky players to form a senior team.

Yeah, those mongrels at Kwinana have too much money as well

[maelkann]

I admit I'm currently getting visions of a whole bunch of rugby players standing in a paddock as a bunch of large men with hats, elephant guns and jeeps drive up and drag one of them away, whooping...

Wait, not that kind of poaching?

[RumourMonger]

That's exactly how Hansie and his Africaaner mates do it. Usually at night though as he doesn't like the light (photophobia and all that).

If you see a bunch of rednecks in Nedlands jerseys approaching your clubhouse, run for it.

Their womens team will no doubt be dragged out of the back streets of Northbridge after midnight so may not be the most attractive team in the world.

[GIGS20]

That's exactly how Hansie and his Africaaner mates do it. Usually at night though as he doesn't like the light (photophobia and all that).

If you see a bunch of rednecks in Nedlands jerseys approaching your clubhouse, run for it.

Their womens team will no doubt be dragged out of the back streets of Northbridge after midnight so may not be the most attractive team in the world.

But likely to win a lot of games since they'll all be carrying machetes

[Hansie]

So much Bullshit flying around, maybe if you hold onto Gus and develop home grown coaches, you'll hold onto home grown juniors.

Sadly only 2 Nedlands home grown juniors have recently played 7-a-side for Australia, 1 has just played a couple tests for Germany, a couple others have made it into 1st Grade in Sydney, also 1st grade Wanneroo, Cottesloe, Bayonne - BUT then again maybe that doesn't count.

Sounds like tall poppy syndrome infecting the brains of those whose only defence for their or their club's poor history is throw the OLD poaching line out there, 'cos it might get sympathy.

[Darkness]

Yeh, leave Neddies alone. We're not perfect but not as bad as some.

We have been known to "recruit" players from other clubs including Rocky plus a coach but other clubs are worse.

We've even lost one of our senior coaches this year to Wanneroo.

[GAFFA]

This is amazing to watch and listen to please darkness explain "other clubs are worse" Being from Baysie we only see them being poached and playing fo other teams. My whole colts team is now player for other clubs including Neddies.

[RumourMonger]

You're right about the "Bulls___" Hansie.

Unfortunately a lot coming from your direction.

You continually preach from that high and mighty soap box of yours about "growing your own" and "developing" juniors but Nedlands is one of the worst offenders in this regard. You must have everything crossed when you write this stuff!

Your arguments have more holes in them than a block of swiss cheese.

Nedlands has a fantastic history of rugby success in WA; granted and deservedly so. No-one would I'm sure say Nedlands is not the benchmark club in Perth from a Senior Premiership victory perspective. Many years ago you had a half decent junior programme and the players you alluded to came from that era.

Lets look at right here right now- 2012.

Nedlands players in the Junior Academy - None.

Nedlands players in the 2011 WA Schoolboy side - None.

Nedlands players in the 2011 WA Under 16 side - None.

Nedlands players in the 2011 WA Under 15 side - None.

Chances of Nedlands junior players being in State Representative sides in 2012 - Nil.

Under 18 Side in 2011 - None.

Under 18 Side in 2012 - Highly Unlikely.

Under 20 Side in 2011 - Tried but failed.

Under 20 Side in 2012 - Highly Unlikely.


The majority if not all of Nedlands junior sides (and there aren't many of them) play in the lower (Swan) division for "developing" players.

Clearly your repetitive and outrageous statements about how Nedlands are leaders in "growing their own players" cannot be substantiated, given the sad state of affairs with Nedlands juniors in recent times.

Come down off the soap box Hansie and get real. Nedlands in the modern era relies almost entirely on chequebook recruitment. Everyone except you apparently seems to know it. Their junior base has dwindled due to the urban sprawl in Perth and changing demographics - Nedlands will never again have a solid junior base, even with the best intentions.

Clubs like Joondalup, Mandurah, Perth-Bayswater, Wanneroo and Palmyra are kicking all the goals with respect to junior rugby. Clubs like Rockingham, Southern Lions and Kalamunda have opportunities to develop good junior numbers.

The western suburbs clubs will lose out re juniors as every year goes by. Western Suburbs clubs win out in the senior ranks because they have a central location, are well organised and have lots of cash.

Many senior players will struggle to afford to live within a commutable distance to the Western Suburbs into the future so that will be the challenge.

Money will buy Nedlands premierships into the future, nothing else.

Sorry, I'm sure you're well meaning and a nice guy but some things need to be said.

[shasta]

This is amazing to watch and listen to

I am not active in any club and this comment is not meant to criticise anyone. But wouldn't it be great if ALL officials we're to apply their loyalty and "club before self" attitude to the whole of WA Rugby.

Then just maybe a clubbie making Sydney 1st's wouldn't be such a big deal. I'd hoped, back in '05 that that might have been the case by about now.
Posted via Mobile Device

[GIGS20]

Man, some of you guys are taking the comments in this thread way too seriously!

[Rex Messup]

Rex speaks

It's great to have a bit of sledging and banter and competitiveness between the teams.........it means someone gives a fark about grass roots rugby

The local club scene has to be the base for future pro players for the Force. It needs to be developed and it seems to be getting better every year?

For those moaning about losing players for barely enough to buy an extra box of cornflakes on Saturday in Woolies, you'd better have a good look at your club and culture. Players don't leave good clubs, they leave bad managers

If you are haemorrhaging youth to other clubs or talented players, your club culture sux @ss. Time for introspection and brooming mangement, coaching, president........whatever it is that has farked the club.

Steve Jobs took Apple from a company that was almost bankrupt 10 years ago to a company that in 2011 had more money than the US treasury. He didn't do it on his own. He did it with good people. If your club is struggling, broke, losing players, has no juniors.........get rid of whoever is in charge. They are wrecking your club.

You need an action plan and committed people.

If you have no juniors, you need to put steps in place to recruit, develop and keep them.

You need someone in charge of recruiting juniors. You need someone in charge of developing juniors and getting them good equipment and coaches. You need someone in charge of keeping them.

Give each kid goals to achieve. Ask each kid what he wants to achieve at your club. Record it in a folder or document it. review it each month. Challenge them to commit to their goals dreams. Review them regularly. Eg, kid A wanted to improve his fitness, or strength or goal kicking or certain skill set.

Let each kid set their goals. Review them. Encourage them to train, practise, improve........then assess them.

Feedback is the breakfast of champions

I'll give you an example.

"Hi Jonny, it's great to have you at our club. We want to develop you as a player and a person. It is an important part of our club culture that you improve, participate in a great team sport and feel like an important part of our great club.

What parts of the game or your fitness or strength would you like to improve?

OK, you'd like to improve your speed? OK, lets time you over 15m, 50m and 100m. Lets document your times and I'm going to store it on a file and we are going to make you a program to improve your speed.

I'm going to talk to your coach. Here is a regime that you will do at home away from the club.

We are going to test you again in 4 weeks. If you put the work in at home, you will improve. You must commit to this program. No cheating on yourself. No shortcuts. On Tuesday afternoon on the 20th Feb, I want you here 30 minutes early. We will time you again over 15m, 50m and 100m. We'll reassess and if you haven't improved, we'll tinker with yourprogram.

We have committed to you. Don't let yourslef down. This is your goal. Together we will improve your speed. You are never alone iat this club. We are like a brotherhood. We want you to play rugby at this club for as long as you want to play rugby.

believe and achieve. "

test the kid, set the program. Stick to your commitment. Document it. Give feedback

ditto goal kicking, sidestepping, tackling, strength..........every kid will have areas of their game they want to improve.

If you show you give a fark, develop your people, praise progress, asses appraise and give feedback.........the kids will come and the dedicated parents who want their kids to improve will start lining up.

People want to develop, improve and they want to play for a club that cares about them

develop your people and they will stay

If your kids/players are leaving to play for oher clubs, have an honest look at the systems in your club.

What are you doing to recruit and develop your people. Happy kids / players don't leave

Build a caring culture that inspires, develops, assesses, praises and gives positive feedback and you will build a strong culture of commitment and team ethos..........and you will start winning.

Money doesn't buy premierships

Win the hearts and minds of your club members. Inspire them. Improve them. Give a fark. Develop them and watch them start commiting and improving and WINNING.

People like winning premierships more than they want money

Let the mercenaries go. It's all about them and not their team or club.

Grow your own winners. Inspire, motivate, improve, develop.

Goal setting, structure a plan of development, appraise (measure it, give feedback. The assessments must be done. Feedback is the breakfast of champions.

Gold medal winning swimmers measure their times. Without knowing how fast they swam doesn't allow them to improve. If you have a goal to beat 30 seconds, you get focused and hungry..........and you get better.

Feedback is critical

Go out there and develop your juniors. Build up your clubs and start delivering young men of amazing ability to the Force.

The kids in NSW and QLD have the same biochemical structure, the same lungs, the same bones, the same everything. WA can produce its own champions.

Mindset

believe and achieve

No farking excuses

If your club is not delivering, fix it

"If it's to be, it's up to me"

regards
Rex

[The Oracle]

"Clearly your repetitive and outrageous statements about how Nedlands are leaders in "growing their own players" cannot be substantiated, given the sad state of affairs with Nedlands juniors in recent times.

Come down off the soap box Hansie and get real. Nedlands in the modern era relies almost entirely on chequebook recruitment.

Money will buy Nedlands premierships into the future, nothing else."


I tend to agree with RM.

Going forward, clubs like Nedlands will rely predominantly on buying key import players, luring players from other Perth clubs and then retaining them. Unless real estate values plummet and there is a population explosion in the inner western suburbs, Nedlands will rely on the dollar to remain competitive into the future.

They have virtually no chance any more of growing players from Under 10 through to Premier Grade, particularly given they can't field Under 15's, 16's, 18's and 20's.

Many clubs around the world are in this predicament and effectively become just senior clubs. In many parts of the world, premier clubs run two teams and leave juniors and lower grade rugby to other clubs / divisions. Is this the future for Perth Rugby?

[Hansie]

No question Neddies Juniors have been through some tough times. In the 90's the Junior club was buzzing and much of Neddies current senior grades come from those juniors.

6 years ago Neddies Junior club virtually imploded, 3 yeasr ago, we found an amazing person to take on Junior Co-Ordinator role and he formed an amazing committee, In 2012 we will grow from about 30 players 5 years ago to 150 this year.

So to RM and others, fair cop - Neddies Juniors of late have sucked, but look at the growth over the past 3 years and you'd have to agree the train is back on track.

Under 18's and 20's will continue to be a challenge for us - the past 3 years - one reason we have not fielded an under 18 is because we had none feeding up from Juniors of prior years, we will still struggle this year.

As for 20's we have fielded teams the past two years so I have no Idea what Oracle is talking about.

So much has been said about about Neddies Poaching Players - That is pure unadulterated CRAP. Neddies has not approached any pleayrs from other clubs in the Perth Comp. during my tenure.

When players approach us that are high profile and potential Premier Grade - I personally telephone the player's club president or coach to talk about it. You may ask the president of Cottesloe, the past coach of Soaks ( now coach of Uni) as well as the past presidents of Wests and Rockingham. In fact you may also ask the Past President of Rockingham how we facilitated an immediate transfer BACK to Rocky of their player to allow that player to qualify for second round of comeptition in 2010.

I am still waiting on similar calls form Cottesloe and Wanneroo when Neddies boys turned up in their respective colours.

So, if you can tell me which player by position in Premier garde for past 3 years we have poached from another Perth club, I shall answer it.

Finally, I'd love to know where we're getting all this money from to buy players.