Michael Foley’s the force behind the Force

[The InnFORCEr]

By David Lord, 28 Apr 2014 David Lord is a Roar Expert

After losing the last nine Super Rugby games on the trot during the 2012 season, Michael Foley was sacked as Waratahs coach.

Fair enough, it was the worst record in New South Wales’ proud history. Foley was obviously to blame with the Waratahs bristling with Wallabies.

Or was he?

Events since suggest otherwise. The rotten NSW culture suggests it was rampant in 2012, given it’s not far from the surface in 2014.

In short, it appears Foley was unfairly blamed for the record season total of 12 losses in 2012, and I for one apologise for lumping the blame solely on him.

Last season the Force turned to Foley when incumbent Richard Graham decided to go back to the Reds. The question was asked at the time, why would the Force pick Foley after his disastrous season with the Waratahs? And why hand him a three-year contract?

Last year the Force returned a 4-11-1 record; surely Foley had to go again? But to the Force’s credit, they stuck with the former Wallaby hooker.

Wallaby legend Tim Horan said last February that Foley had to win two or three games in the first eight to have any chance of retaining his job. The general consensus was Foley wouldn’t last the season.

But Foley has shot that theory to ribbons with six wins in the first nine games, including a franchise record of five wins in succession against the Rebels, Highlanders, Chiefs, Reds and Waratahs.

Some handy scalps in that lot.

Better still, the Force lies third on the overall Super Rugby table with 27 points, just behind the Sharks on 31 and Brumbies on 30. The Force are now genuine finals series contenders, with games against the Cheetahs and the Stormers after next weekend’s bye. They then finish the schedule with the Lions, Crusaders, Blues, Reds, and Brumbies.

It’s a tough ask, but there’s no-one in the west who doesn’t believe in the team led by Foley and captain Matt Hodgson. Those supporters are talking with their feet – even torrential rain doesn’t stop 17,000 or more turning up.

As an astute and inspirational leader, Hodgson is the first to admit the success is built around Foley. He’s the force behind the Force.

Which raises a double-barrelled question – were the Waratahs players to blame for 2012?

On the recent results of both franchises, it would be a very safe bet to say the Waratahs were their own worst enemy in 2012. Foley should be exonerated.

Again, I apologise to Michael Foley for blaming him for the humiliation. He’s shown at the Force he’s a very capable coach in his ability to have everyone on the roster playing for each other and doing the basics well.

A finals berth will confirm that.

In the meantime, Michael Cheika still has to rid the NSW roster of that lingering rot that keeps surfacing after positive and entertaining victories.

Not even a leaf out of the Foley success book will rid the Waratahs of that culture. Only the players can, and it’s high time they did.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/04/28...-behind-force/

[zed]

The coach is an easy scape goat for a losing team, look at soccer, some of the consistent cellar dwellers in the English Premiership can go through 7 or 8 coaches in a decade. The players are equally culpable, if not more so, for their teams poor performances. If they're missing tackles, missing kicks, throwing bad passes etc etc then that's hardly the fault of the coach. And if you watch some of the teams that are bottom of the S15 table, that's what you will see, basic handling errors, poor kicking, players missing simple one on one tackles.

[GIGS20]

A team rots from the head. This is the case with the Tahs, they can ditch Foley, Cheika and any other coach you care to name and still have the issue, but I don't think it has much to do with the players. Many of the same players do OK in the Wallabies set up, I think it's more to do with the administration not allowing the coach to coach. In this Mark Sinderberry has proven to be an excellent leader who appoints somebody to a job and then (shock, horror) lets them do their job!

[RugbyRef]

Another person that doesn't understand the Super Rugby table. We're 4th but if it were a normal ladder, we'd be third.

[brokendown gunfighter]

ah,a rung missing.or another added?

[chibi]

A team rots from the head. This is the case with the Tahs, they can ditch Foley, Cheika and any other coach you care to name and still have the issue, but I don't think it has much to do with the players. Many of the same players do OK in the Wallabies set up, I think it's more to do with the administration not allowing the coach to coach. In this Mark Sinderberry has proven to be an excellent leader who appoints somebody to a job and then (shock, horror) lets them do their job!

I always wonder what these people are on about when they postulate out loud about "duhhh, maybe its the NSWRU and Waratahs culture that might be the problem, not the coach?! duhhh"

It's been like that at the Waratahs since the beginning of the competition. Chris Hawkins, Matt Williams, Ian "Speed" Kennedy, Ewen McKenzie, Chris Hickey, Michael Foley. Surely these names might ring a few bells with these people? All were deemed less than satisfactory and shown the door. Considering the success McKenzie had at Queensland, Foley has at the Force and Kennedy had at national age-group level, it makes you wonder how people would even consider that it's NOT a NSWRU/Waratahs problem.

[shasta]

I went to the first Force Tahs match with a Tahs Tee under my Force jersey. I had been a NSW supporter all my life, despite living in WA since 1977. Now I really dislike them. Not because of any of their players or coaches. Simply because I have since seen the despicable tactics their power brokers are are willing to adopt to secure their interests. And for what? To be the largest Rugby Province in Australasia and never to have won a championship. Rotting from the head indeed.

[sandgroperrugby]

Mckenzie took them to the final and was shown the door half way through that season you really have to wonder about their administration and internal politics.

[andrewM]

I was one of those not wanting to bring in anyone who had drunk from the poisoned chalice of the NSWRU, regardless of the potential merit. I admit that I was wrong.

[Alison]

There is no doubt at all in my mind that whoever coaches the Tahs does so with one arm tied behind his back. The other arm is instead provided by the "old farts" within the NSWRU who believe that only they could possibly know what is best for the team. I also believe the same is true for the Wallabies coach - he too is hamstrung by the NSWRU "old farts" who believe that the only players that are good enough to wear the green & gold are Tahs players.

[GIGS20]

Mckenzie took them to the final and was shown the door half way through that season you really have to wonder about their administration and internal politics.

To be fair to the players in that team, they sucked that season right up until his demise was announced, once he had nothing to lose they started winning.

Interesting isn't it?

[Nic]

I used to be rather partial to the Tah's when it was still Super 12. However, I'm glad i never bought a NSWRU jersey, because WA received their own team in the end. and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The best part was the breath of fresh air it breathed into a stale AFL dominated province.
I no longer feel stranded on leper island

[Nic]

I used to be rather partial to the Tah's when it was still Super 12. However, I'm glad i never bought a NSWRU jersey, because WA received their own team in the end. and I wouldn't have it any other way.
The best part was the breath of fresh air it breathed into a stale AFL dominated province.
I no longer feel stranded on leper island

And maybe I was just waiting for a team with the 'right shade of blue' to come along

[choice]

The players in Australian rugby have to much control and too little respect for their coaches. Until this attitude is fixed Aussie Rugby will lack consistency. They are breed to be good losers and very bad winners.

[SNOB]

Couldn't agree more Choice. I have been saying it for years. IMO the SA influence at the Force has had a big influence on the turn around this year. Both Foles And Hodgo have recognised the spirit and work ethic of the migrants and have used that to get this fantastic attitude and results that the club is now benefitting from.