PERTH SPIRIT RETURNS FOR NATIONAL RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

[AndyS]

The idea is fine, but the ARU dictating to everyone is doomed to cause discontent and aggravation. For mine they should have tied funding to the number of Super rugby players produced, so teams that don't develop players will ultimately pay the price. I don't think SR players should be getting anything above match payments, but would allow the non-aligned teams that ability in the interim. It could then be left up to the players - those that want to chase the cash can make that choice and things can sort themselves out.

[DarthMoose]

NIB has changed a bit in the years since the Spirit last went around there...
Will we still be playing there in the new comp?

[GIGS20]

I don't think SR players should be getting anything above match payments, but would allow the non-aligned teams that ability in the interim. It could then be left up to the players - those that want to chase the cash can make that choice and things can sort themselves out.

possibly SR players who are not contracted Wallabies have the comp written into their contracts (starting with any written from today) and SR aligned teams have a capped payment system where the players need to take a pay cut to keep playing with their mates. That'll sort out who s buying talent and who is building culture.

Imagine if the spirit had a team full of SR players who simply want to play in Perth and will play for less money to do so.....can't imagine that happening in NSW or Qld

[GAFFA]

Super rugby players who have a full time contract with any super rugby club will NOT receive any payments bar maybe a match payment for playing in the NRC. This is a massive difference from the ARC with the wage bill topping 2.5mill last time.

Players who come from outside the super rugby system will receive a small salary for partaking to cover them for the 11+ weeks.

[.X.]

The NRC is a brilliant concept that Australian Rugby desperately needs if we ever have any desire or wish to be competative against our Cousins from New Zealand and South Africa. And I will be going to as many games as I can. And I will encourage you all to do the same.

But I do have a concern.

For the last year and a half Michael Foley and his coaching staff have been working tirelessly to develop a team and a club culture that we are finally seeing the benefits from. IF, as a part of the NRC we have to see Western Force squad members move (and return for the next Super Rugby Season) to other clubs does that Team and Club culture that has been developed patiently start to dissipate and dissolve?

[travelling_gerry]

I wonder what Eastern States Wallabies will be assigned to Perth?

[Alison]

Do you mean "if" rather than what Gerry?! ;p

[wholetruth]

This explains a bit more

Nick Taylor The West Australian
March 25, 2014, 6:08 am

The Australian Rugby Union is confident the relaunched National Rugby Championship, starting in August, can prove the doubters wrong and make a profit in its first year.

Nine teams from around the country, including Perth Spirit (Rugby WA/Western Force), were confirmed yesterday as participants in the NRC.

The season will run for 11 weeks from late August and fill a void in the domestic calendar that was left when the Australian Rugby Championship went bust in 2007.

In its one-season existence, the ARC burnt a $5 million black hole in the ARU's pockets and there has been opposition to going back to the well with the NRC.

It's hoped the introduction of another elite competition to run on the back of the Super Rugby season will boost player depth and quality in Australia.

Sixteen Western Force players will be in the Spirit squad.

RugbyWA wants to keep as many of its Super Rugby players as possible in Perth, but the ARU confirmed that those outside the 33-man Spirit squad could join the other eight clubs.

It is unlikely that the Force will release to Spirit mainstream players who have played the full Super season. Players who will not be re-signed at the end of the year will not be picked.

[sloppy]

If you wave your hands around are they spirit fingers ?

[GIGS20]

I wonder what Eastern States Wallabies will be assigned to Perth?

None, Wallabies aren't eligible, since they will be playing test matches.

I think the comp should specifically ban current Wallaby squad members from any participation, just to ensure there is no rotting of the system by the Tahs and other teams who are guilty of warehousing wallabies.

[AndyS]

My understanding is that all Wallabies squad members will have teams as they may be outside the game day squad, need to regain match fitnes following injury, keep in nick before the November tests, etc. Bet we don't see anyone but our own though (if them), for the same reason they all had to play for Sydney clubs previously. How that gets managed is one of those challenges they don't seem to have really addressed yet though, but may well be one of those double edged sword situations.

It is going to be interesting to see how the Force picks its 16 players. Are they going to ship out their development imports despite no base or affiliation with anything in the east - would seem a bit of an abandonment. Or are they going to send their senior players to Sydney, when they've moved their lives and families over to Perth - it would seem a bit harsh, especially as half of them won't be from there and the comp will not be the sort of penny-ante crap for which they can just commute. So will it end up being the locals they have to send away, just because they are young, mobile and still only on the edge of the main squad - possibly the easiest, but would seem to defeat the whole point and entrench the idea that players have to go east to finish developing.

I think the Reds have played a clever game, or were tipped an early nod. Two teams, half their SR squad in each, still able to be monitored and get together, etc...

[The InnFORCEr]

I think the Reds have played a clever game, or were tipped an early nod. Two teams, half their SR squad in each, still able to be monitored and get together, etc...

Let's face it AndyS, the Reds need all the help they can get ATM

[Alison]

I have total faith in Foles and Sinders to get the right deal for the Force and for rugby in WA. They will stand their ground if the east coast get up to their usual rubbish. And right now we are in a damn good bargaining position given our last three awesome S15 games!! Rugby in WA has never looked more healthy so if the ARU really do want to "grow the game" they should look west for a change!

[GIGS20]

As much as it seems like blasphemy I would recommend that we DON'T pick our Wallabies for the squad. They will simply take one of the 16 slots we have for super rugby players. In addition they will spend most of the season in the east anyway. Give them to one of the seventy five thousand teams in NSW and keep a consistent squad of Force players with a solid group of local academy guys and club players......a champion team will beat a team of champions more often than not.

[jono]

I have total faith in Foles and Sinders to get the right deal for the Force and for rugby in WA. They will stand their ground if the east coast get up to their usual rubbish. And right now we are in a damn good bargaining position given our last three awesome S15 games!! Rugby in WA has never looked more healthy so if the ARU really do want to "grow the game" they should look west for a change!

they have - they gave western sydney a team remember :/