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Thread: Trans-Tasman speculation

  1. #136
    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GIGS20 View Post
    I'm going to call it option 1

    I think this bullshit pandering to the Shute Shield will result in the first PPL season after announcement becoming the highest stakes game in town, with clubs fighting tooth and nail to be the fortunate group to go over and get their ass handed to them by a professional outfit. They will return, however, with the bargaining power to essentially pick any player in Perth for season 2 and the knowledge that, if they ever hope to compete at that level, they need to savage every other team in the comp.

    They will suck up all available talent in the attempt to compete on a level playing field, thus cementing themselves as the one team that wins the premiership every year. This will continue until they fold or until the rest of the clubs band together and force RugbyWA to intervene somehow.
    Did you say Neddies

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    Quote Originally Posted by GIGS20 View Post
    I'm going to call it option 1

    I think this bullshit pandering to the Shute Shield will result in the first PPL season after announcement becoming the highest stakes game in town, with clubs fighting tooth and nail to be the fortunate group to go over and get their ass handed to them by a professional outfit. They will return, however, with the bargaining power to essentially pick any player in Perth for season 2 and the knowledge that, if they ever hope to compete at that level, they need to savage every other team in the comp.

    They will suck up all available talent in the attempt to compete on a level playing field, thus cementing themselves as the one team that wins the premiership every year. This will continue until they fold or until the rest of the clubs band together and force RugbyWA to intervene somehow.
    I actually think the likes of Perth, Melbourne and even Canberra should be looking at sending representative squads as a means of presenting the best possible opportunities to push deep into either one of the four models that are publicly known. Definitely in the cases of SA, NT and Tas if they go with either one of the proposed 32 or 16 knockout competitions. The only exception would be the ACT. And not because I think it's a stronger competition than Perth. But because they have the likes of the Vikings who have a bunch of money and will likely want to compete as a standalone and that would present a nice us vs them between them and the rest of the clubs beyond the us vs them that already exists.

    Also, which of the Shute Shield or Hospital Cup teams are professional?

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  3. #138
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    Which is why I suggested they just be left to it. I agree it should be the only way non-NSW/Q'ld comps should be involved, but if Perth or Melbourne (even Adelaide) send representative teams and they do well, all it will mean is endless whinging from the clubs about the unfairness of it all. The whining will be bad enough if all the SR players across the country don't line up for them.

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  4. #139
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    Potential recruitment westside, RA blocking players, NZ blows with the wind...

    Rodda, Skelton, McMahon on hit list for proposed trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition

    Jamie Pandaram
    The Daily Telegraph
    August 26, 2020 8:58pm

    Rugby Australia is preparing to roll out the welcome mat for some of the highest profile Wallabies based overseas as part of a trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition that is now gaining serious momentum.

    Izack Rodda, Sean McMahon, Will Skelton and Tolu Latu are all being eyed to return, and the Western Force is set to be the major beneficiary as Australia must be capable of fielding five competitive teams.

    News Corp Australia has learned that Rodda had several conversations with Force coach Tim Sampson after quitting Queensland Reds, but ultimately RA blocked any move to a rival franchise this year, leading him to sign a 12-month deal with French club Lyon.

    Skelton has signed a two-year deal with rival French club La Rochelle worth a reported $1.15 million per season.

    However, the COVID-19 crisis has gouged the money out of all European clubs and competitions and most are seeking to radically scale down or cut the contracts of their highest paid stars.

    That plays into Australia’s hands if private equity firms, who have expressed an interest in a trans-Tasman Super Rugby model, come to the fore with money to sustain a new version of southern hemisphere’s premier club competition.

    It is the private equity interest that has likely seen the U-turn by New Zealand this week, after they initially called for “expressions of interest” in a Kiwi comp with just two Australian teams, to now having All Blacks coach Ian Foster endorsing all five.

    RA chairman Hamish McLennan had firmly rejected the initial Kiwi proposal and made clear that Australia would leave the trans-Tasman partnership to run its own domestic tournament.

    When previous Australian administrators had blinked and caved in to Kiwi pressure, McLennan’s unwavering position caused New Zealand Rugby to rapidly explore an eight-team competition that would have been hypocritical to their original declaration not to water down their five franchises, while fielding competitive sides across the board.

    Money talks, and as broadcast revenue steadily declines, it’s the private equity backing that can become the dominant economic factor for rugby.

    There is apparently little appetite to invest in domestic-only tournaments, so it’s imperative Australia and New Zealand work collaboratively to maximise any such investment.

    While a trans-Tasman tournament is hoped to be in place by 2021, the reality of coronavirus and its associated border shutdowns and empty stadium means in all likelihood, there would be Australian and New Zealand domestic seasons played next year, rolling into a crossover finals series, before the official trans-Tasman competition kicks off in 2022 when presumably the virus has been quelled.

    In anticipation, RA is working to secure the best payers possible to bolster all five of their teams, to accompany the impressive stock of emerging young talent.

    If trans-Tasman does kick off in 2022, Skelton, McMahon and Latu will be off contract and available.

    If they and Rodda are asked to take pay cuts in the meantime and RA can secure funds, or Force’s billionaire owner Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest can put in a rival offer, they could be here next year.

    It can also be revealed that a host of Argentina’s Test players are on a target list for the Force and other Australian franchises.

    A number of Pumas remain unsigned by European and Japanese clubs, and at this point have no avenue to play professional club rugby.

    Australia can pounce, and it’s believed they’re looking at a number of stars including former Brumbies halfback Tomas Cubelli, along with Gonzalo Bertranou, Julian Montoya, Tomas Lezana, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Matthias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Emiliano Boffelli, Baptist Delguy, Joaquin Tuculet.

    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...3661f2a2bde44a

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  5. #140
    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    Such an insult to the Force!!!!!

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  6. #141
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    Seems strange that they still appear to be blanking their SANZAAR responsibilities, signed up to for the next ten years...

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  7. #142
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    Well, apparently the four SR franchises from the Republic are set to replace the Kings and Cheetahs in the Pro 14 to make it the Pro 16 from the 21/22 season. So perhaps the SARU don't see it as much of an issue as previous. Not to mention the whole Super 8 concept that is designed to keep some kind of link in place.

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  8. #143
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    Such an insult to the Force!!!!!
    Where?

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  9. #144
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    Yeah. The way I see it is there is no point in us being with Super Rugby if we aren't competitive. We won't be competitive without recruiting more talent. I'd love our local guys to stay on if they choose to, but we aren't doing anyone any favours by playing guys who aren't up to the required standard (yet). I see no harm at all in replacing guys like Ollie Atkins and Thrush with Skelton and Rodda.

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  10. #145
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    Put like that, it probably is a legitimate question whether there is a point to being in Super Rugby. If all the last three years means is a return to exactly the way things were before, except with the Force having to pay its own way, it does sound like a pretty shit deal. One year at most on that basis, and don't over-egg the pudding for that.

    Unless something has changed for the better in the Force's favour, what is the point indeed?

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  11. #146
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    IMHO.
    I don’t have a problem with us going full on back into SR as GRR isn’t either as high a standard as we all thought/hoped or going to get too playing similar or worse teams.
    Twiggy said he would get us back into international/national comp and so he has. Now if he’s prepared to use his $’s to get us a good or even the best side who are we to complain?
    Are we buying a team? Yes definitely but we and the coaching team have to make sure that we have the no dick head and no brand policy’s in place and make us a team that people want to play for and support.
    As for some of our young guy’s losing out on their dreams of playing for the Force at a top level I disagree. If they are half as good as we like to think they will find places on the benches of other teams, maybe not all in Aus, to learn their trade and then hopefully we can get them back to fulfill those dreams.
    In these uncertain times with limited and changing travel we must take what we can.
    I loved the idea of GRR, and still do, but it was always going to be a step down from SR the idea that big names were going to be jumping up and down to join franchise’s didn’t appear to be happening and where would that have left us in a couple of years time?
    I’ve got no say in what happens at the end of the day but I will embrace what ever we end up with and if we can become a top SR team in Australia I will be happy and proud.

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    It is a fair point re: should we stay with Super Rugby. At the moment, there really isn't a plan B.

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  13. #148
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    Quote Originally Posted by SNOB View Post
    IMHO.
    I don’t have a problem with us going full on back into SR as GRR isn’t either as high a standard as we all thought/hoped or going to get too playing similar or worse teams.
    Twiggy said he would get us back into international/national comp and so he has. Now if he’s prepared to use his $’s to get us a good or even the best side who are we to complain?
    Are we buying a team? Yes definitely but we and the coaching team have to make sure that we have the no dick head and no brand policy’s in place and make us a team that people want to play for and support.
    As for some of our young guy’s losing out on their dreams of playing for the Force at a top level I disagree. If they are half as good as we like to think they will find places on the benches of other teams, maybe not all in Aus, to learn their trade and then hopefully we can get them back to fulfill those dreams.
    In these uncertain times with limited and changing travel we must take what we can.
    I loved the idea of GRR, and still do, but it was always going to be a step down from SR the idea that big names were going to be jumping up and down to join franchise’s didn’t appear to be happening and where would that have left us in a couple of years time?
    I’ve got no say in what happens at the end of the day but I will embrace what ever we end up with and if we can become a top SR team in Australia I will be happy and proud.
    Snob, I agree 99% with your positive out look. I would only change two words: "and when we can become the top SR team in Australia I will be happy and proud""

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  14. #149
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    Quote Originally Posted by SNOB View Post
    As for some of our young guy’s losing out on their dreams of playing for the Force at a top level I disagree. If they are half as good as we like to think they will find places on the benches of other teams, maybe not all in Aus, to learn their trade and then hopefully we can get them back to fulfill those dreams.
    .
    I agree with what you wrote. I don't see the organisation going away from what was pretty much a mission statement at the beginning of AF's involvement: To promote a pathway for WA talent. As we know, it's a given that WA is unlikely to be able to fill a roster anytime soon. So wherever we end up, we just need to trust the organisation to recruit the right players to compete successfully at that level, mentor our up-and-comers and, most importantly attract new kids. I've seen nothing to indicate that wont be the case.

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  15. #150
    Veteran SNOB's Avatar
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    One other thing is that GRR may not be dead and buried at all. It may become our breeding ground and we will have players in the GRR playing their socks off to get into the SR team. It would be a shame to totally abandon it after all the hard work that’s been put into it by Hodgo and team.

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