Foley the driving force for change

[wholetruth]

Interesting story. Foley seems happier to express his own views. Fist on Nick and the ARU and now how bad we were when he arrived.

Nick Taylor The West Australian

Just two years ago, the Western Force were the model example for underachievement.

Every excuse for losing had been well and truly used up and they had even invented a few new ones along the way.

For most in the Eastern States, the Force had become irrelevant, nothing more than a pleasant stopover on the way to South Africa.

The club was in crisis mode on and off the field. Poor results, falling crowds and no coach.

Questions were being asked if the Force had a future in the competition.

Enter Michael Foley.

He quickly got to work and, to use one his favourite phrases, "ripped in".

He had long discussions with the club's powerbrokers about the state of the squad, previous player signings and future recruitment.

He culled players who were happy to pick up a nice pay packet and do just enough to coast their way through their final days in Australian rugby before heading off into the sunset. Others who did not meet Foley's standards were shown the door.

The Force were eclipsed 47-25 by the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday night, dashing the Perth side's bid for a maiden Super Rugby finals appearance.

"When I arrived it was almost like there were 10 commandments of why we lose," Foley said.

"There was we never start well, we never finish well, we never win our third game, we never win at home, we have a losing culture.

"I can rattle those things off because I cannot believe how many times I heard those things said by different people.

"I sat back and thought 'this story has been handed on from one person to another and rattled off after each loss, therefore it's inevitable'.

"They had allowed, or the club had allowed itself, to get to a point where it had so much negative rhetoric around it that it had infected people's minds.

"In the past, because of the negative rhetoric, it was easier to buy into anything that was said and move and ebb and flow with the tide of commentary. Our guys have now broken the shackles of what I saw as a self-fulfilling prophecy and negative talk."

Foley coined the phrase "relaunch" for his first season. In truth, it was a more of a splutter than a season on the afterburners.

This year the side played under his new tags - belief and attitude. The latter was even stitched into the neckline of their playing jumpers.

"One of the things our guys have been good at is redefining ourselves," Foley said.

"The only way we're going to be able to do that was to do things we had not done before, to try and behave differently, to see ourselves in a different way.

"In 18 months these guys have shaken off extremely entrenched views, maybe there are some still lingering in some dark recesses, but it's been shaken and they have come out for their best-ever season."

[hertryk]

Bring on 2015!

[Alison]

I said to Mark Sinderberry at this year's fans' day just how much I respected he and Foles for what they had done for our club and how happy I was with the way they had managed to turn things around even then. He was reticent to accept the compliment, but I reckon he deserves it even more now after this season.

We have finally shrugged off that 'Western Farce' tag, and it's all down to the efforts of Mr S & Mr F, along with Sir Hodgo, in my very humble opinion :-))

[blueandblack]

Bring on 2015!

and many years after that.

[onions]

At the risk of sounding negative, I just hope they don't think that they've done all the hard work. After making the semis last year, I'd bet the Cheatahs fans and players weren't expecting what happened to them this year.

[Alison]

I see where you're coming from Onions, but I don't think either Foles or Hodgo would allow that to happen! They've tasted success this year and I reckon they'll want a big slice of it next year!

[Sheikh]

At the risk of sounding negative, I just hope they don't think that they've done all the hard work. After making the semis last year, I'd bet the Cheatahs fans and players weren't expecting what happened to them this year.

I get the feeling that neither Foley nor Hodgo are the type to ever think "we've done enough". Hodgo should have been captain when Sharpie left (Pocock basically got the gig to keep him here for a season) but how he and Graham would have got on I don't know!

[AndyS]

Agreed onions. While the season was certainly a lot better than everyone was fearing after the first couple of games, it is hard not to be disappointed with run home given the position going into the break. And I don't really place much stock in more wins than ever before, as there ought to be when there are now 16 games rather than 13. In more practical terms, we finished one game out of the finals and we've done that before five years ago.

No question this year felt like it was built on better basics and could hopefully be the start of something better, but I thought there were a few games through the year that spotlighted our deficiencies. I'm sure they won't have gone unnoticed when we run up against teams next year, so I doubt just more of the same will achieve a better result next year (or frankly even as good a la the Cheetahs). It is going to take a significant step up in a number of areas, particularly in attack. And achieving that is going to take a very critical eye given the relative success of this year. The temptation will be to think things are on the up and more of the same will do the job, but I don't think it will. We've made an encouraging start, but next year is to some extent a new start. They've set a new benchmark; let's hope it is merely a new plateau to build from.

[Moono74]

Agree with AndyS.

The Force have had a great season and needed it to arrest the entrenched losing culture but one thing they can't afford to do now is to stay put with the hand they have and think an additional years experience with the players will see them into the finals in 2015.

The Force have a great team ethos and commitment to each other and achieved results by giving maximum effort. But moving ahead they need an x-factor player, someone who can turn a game on their own performance. Henry Speight showed for the Brumbies what having a fast and powerful winger can do. Nadolo is doing the same at the Crusaders. Tough to bring down and can make things happen even if given the ball in bad situations.

Godwin has shown he can be a mercurial player for the Force but we need more support and strike power in the backs if we are going to increase our scoring and land a few more bonus points. The ladder shows we won more games than both the Chiefs and the Highlanders but they got in based on bonus points.

2014 a great season for the Force, but lets get aggressive and recruit the extra talent we need to push on into the finals in 2015.

[onions]

Thanks for reading my entry in the positive way it was meant folks. What has worried me is that after a really good season all I am hearing is stories of different players leaving for one reason or other.
I totally agree that a trip by MF to Fiji to watch a couple of 7's tournaments and sign up the biggest, fastest winger he can find would be a good idea. I also think we need to bulk up our forward pack so we don't get stomped on like we did against the Tahs and the Blues. I think it would be advantageous to have a couple of players like the Tilse (I think) brothers. One is a huge prop stuck behind 3 internationals at the Tahs and the other is a 2 point something metre 118 kilo forward for the Canberra Raiders. Now I'm not saying them, but if any of you have watched the Raiders play, you'll understand where I am going

[GIGS20]

Godwin has shown he can be a mercurial player for the Force but we need more support and strike power in the backs if we are going to increase our scoring and land a few more bonus points.

I think you'll find that the scarier the rest of our backline is, the more you'll see Kyle shine. He wasn't making the breaks he did last year simply because he had to do too much of the heavy lifting early in the year and that made him more of a hitup merchant than a handful.

Once our 10s get better at the x-factor stuff about the guys outside him are seen to be more of a handful, defenses will need to make decisions, at the moment it's pretty much a case of cover the kick and don't let Godwin get any space.

[AndyS]

I have to say I disagree about the need for an x factor player. Arguably we have one, with everyone rightly lauding Hodgson's year. But it begs the question, so what might our year have looked like if he had picked up a serious injury in the second game?

The Crusaders have some great players, but that is not why they are a great team. IMO they have the record they have because the pieces that make up their squad are all interchangeable, not because their whole gameplan hinges on one or two players. Carter leaves, someone steps up. He returns and he is now playing 12 because that is what is needed. But the whole squad knows what is necessary, what the plan is, what the back-up plan is, when to change gears, go on the attack, etc. At their best they are unstoppable, able to offload without looking in the sure knowledge that someone will be on the end of it. Probably only Folau backs up like that in Australia and it seems to be regarded as a freaking superpower. The Crusaders are actually some way off that peak at the moment, yet are good enough for second on the table. But it is that sort of understanding and seamlessness that I would like to see at the Force, not a return to the pursuit of "top" players. That hasn't ever really worked that well for Australian teams, and certainly never for long.

[G_Beard]

Agreed, you will always win with a team.
You may have a couple incredible wins with a headline act, but to push further. You need a team.
The last couple of years we have begun to build a team, this year it all went one step further to become family.
I figure that's we all the supporters are gutted and wishing players well that are leaving, it's wishing a sector of the family well.
Next season is the consolidation of everything, the defence, the attack, the direction, the understanding, the coaching, the players, the team, the supporters and the family.
2015 we go for the title, because we can.

[GIGS20]

I have to say I disagree about the need for an x factor player.

ahem, I said when our tens get better at the x-factor stuff, I wasn't talking about shelving them and buying some high priced primadonna, I meant that they need to be able to recognize and capitalize on those moments when a half-opportunity can be turned into a try.

I also think that the outside backs we have currently are capable of being as worrisome as Kyle, but they aren't receiving the same amount of attention.....that means Kyle's effectiveness is dulled. Once we have a backline which is packed with threats, each player gets a better opportunity to shine....at the moment, it's possible to make the couple of really dangerous guys have a bad night by concentrating on them. I can't wait until Sias and Zack learn to recognize when Kyle is being marked too closely and run into the gap that's created as a result, then when they're getting attention for running too much, quickly shift the ball and give Kyle a zillion meters.

[Rex Messup]

More props and massive backrowers that loosen teeth when they hit people
A good pack is what we need to make the talentless backline look competent.......or they could buy some backs with speed and rugby nouse
I would hate being a Western Force forward. They work their arse off to see our backline drop it, lose it, knock it on, do aimless kicks or get belted 10m behind the advantage line. It's painful to watch.
For a brief period in the great run of five wins in a row, our halves were sharp and our outside backs were carving up......then nought