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Thread: 2021 Force Squad - The List

  1. #181
    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    But we aren’t really achieving either right now. At least as far as I can see.
    We do have a lot of academy contracts.You have to start somewhere.Honestly, this season were fighting the rebels, nobody else. If we finish above them it's been a good season

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  2. #182
    Champion andrewg's Avatar
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    So much negativity.
    And I thought that TWF was the Western Force supporters site - The Immovable Support Behind the Unstoppable Force.


    Wasn't there an opportunity to ask all of these questions at the fan day?
    The CEO, Hodgo, Coaches and Players couldn't have been more available

    Does anybody think that it's been easy to recruit players during this crazy Covid-19 world in which we live?
    We don't even know what the game plan is for competitions in 2022 (either in Australia or New Zealand or ???).
    Rugby Australia could go broke. Anything could happen!

    Obviously there's some confidence that something is going to happen as isn't this the biggest squad that we've ever had?

    The Western Force has:
    + Brought 6 Wallabies back from abroad (no other franchise can afford to do that).

    +Have recruited 7 Internationals into the squad - who are Test experienced players - to lift the stocks while we boost local rugby and in an effort to help get the team competitive.

    +Do I wish it was quicker to get to that position? Absolutely, but what's your solution? I reckon Sambo and his team would love to hear/read your suggestions!

    +The squad of 44 means that there are 21 players surplus to match-day requirements (less injured players). Where else are they going to play but in Perth Club Rugby?

    +There are 7 players in the Wider Playing Squad with an average age of 22yo. None of these players have been getting much game time. Suggest that they too will be playing locally.

    +The WF have injected 10 young players (<20yo) into the Force Academy where the young developing players get to train with the main quad and be part of an elite program. The Academy includes local players and players form Interstate. I suggest that these players will also be playing locally.

    +The WF is obviously looking for the long haul - but we're not going to attract crowds or better players if all we have to offer is a development squad.

    +I haven't forgotten that the WF lost every game in SR last year.

    +Perhaps Andrew Forrest too was getting tired of the team losing when he'd been spending $Million per year to keep the team alive and create international competitions.

    +Despite the experience of many the new players, they need time to come together as a group. They had one trial game. Most of the players from OS had to go through quarantine - which can't help their fitness and preparation.

    +It must have been difficult to recruit players after the dumping of the WF in 2017 as there was no long term surety.

    +A year of WSR (2018), a year of the Asia Pacific Showcase (2019) and a cancelled GRR (2020). Anybody think that was easy? There was no certainty at any time during this period with little or no support from RA.

    +During this period a big group of local players and developing players from interstate were given the chance to be part of a local professional team, travel internationally across the Asia/Pacific region, play against Test Teams in the lead-up to the Japan RWC while still getting paid pretty well.

    +In 2020 the WF players were the only professional players in Australia who didn't have their salary cut by 30% - 40%.

    +In 2020, many of the players who had done OK in 2018 & 2019 in lesser competitions were found wanting with the return to SRAu.

    +The Brumbies are doing well with a team that is nearly 50% current Wallabies. They show excellent cohesion.

    +The Reds are doing OK with their young squad. I was in Brisbane last year and saw them get thumped by The Sharks when SR was still going. There weren't a lot of local supporters at that game. And those that were weren't happy.

    +Surely the WF is in a better shape then the Waratahs and the Rebels (the team I most dislike to lose against!)?

    +I watched a lot of local Rugby last year and even in the finals didn't see many players of SRAu standard.

    +It's obviously a rebuilding time for Club Rugby as well.

    +Read the above and explain to my how the situation could have been or should be handled differently.

    +Have YOU got the $$s to make it happen?

    Meanwhile:

    + FMG continue to sponsor the Premier Grade Rugby.

    +Tatarrang sponsor the RugbyRoos programme.

    +Tattarang are sponsoring the new Public Secondary Schools competition including paying for coaches in 2020.

    +Tattarang continue to provide $$ backing for RugbyWA - important during times when sponsorship has been so hard to get.

    +Tattarang fund the Force Academy.

    +Tattarang have completely re-equipped the gymnasium at RugbyWA HQ.

    This situation, I suggest is better than what's being offered anywhere else in Australia.


    If you have a better idea of how things could/should be done then I suggest you write directly to Andrew Forrest, Tony Lewis, Matt Hodgson or Tim Sampson as I can't imagine that any of them have the time to visit TWF or any of the other Rugby blogs.

    As I've said elsewhere, when this squad starts to gel, I want to be there to watch it happen as it will be bloody good rugby.

    (Sorry about the size but left the spaces to make it easier to read.)

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    Last edited by andrewg; 16-03-21 at 23:17.

  3. #183
    Veteran BLR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    But Toulon filled their whole squad with the best of the best, and money was no object. The Force isn't doing that and the purse strings are nowhere near that loose. We are neither a Toulon nor a Reds as far as I can see.
    Toulon didn't reach the top from day dot of getting the money either. Building a squad takes time to get all the pieces together, and even then it sometimes doesn't work.

    Just chill out and see what happens, we're picking the best from what's left over, with the lack of an NPC quality competition (NRC needed more time and buy in) we have a steep drop off locally after super rugby. We need to build roots and grab whatever we can get, if it doesn't work in a few seasons with the same strategy then we should be worried.

    Look at Thorn and his team after the vitriol he copped after instituting the 'no dickhead' policy. The QRU gave him time and it worked. We are only on level pegging starting this season, with a much shallower home base of talent, so we need time.

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  4. #184
    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Oooh good point BLR, was Rodda a victim of thorns no dickheads policy and if so how does he fit in with our no dickheads policy.

    Options

    Thorn was the dickhead in this instance
    We're so desperate for a lock to replace thrushie that we'll take a dickhead
    Rodda has learned his lesson
    It wasn't about dickheads it was about the money
    Does that make him a dickhead
    Other thing I haven't thought of

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  5. #185
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    Quote Originally Posted by GIGS20 View Post
    Oooh good point BLR, was Rodda a victim of thorns no dickheads policy and if so how does he fit in with our no dickheads policy.

    Options

    Thorn was the dickhead in this instance
    We're so desperate for a lock to replace thrushie that we'll take a dickhead
    Rodda has learned his lesson
    It wasn't about dickheads it was about the money
    Does that make him a dickhead
    Other thing I haven't thought of
    I think previously JOC was regarded by most (including me) as a classic dickhead. But he appears to be a changed man and is now the captain and
    doing a great job for the Reds.
    People do mature and modify their attitudes. Lets hope we get many good years out of Rodda,

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  6. #186
    Veteran valzc's Avatar
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    I don’t get the Rodda bashing. He didn’t want to accept the pay cut-so what? Not when there’s big offers coming in from overseas, good on him. Many players left. Didn’t see Hooper tsking less money - it was ok for him to bolster his super with Japan contract as RA are broke, didn’t see him sticking around, even if it is short term. If Rodda didn’t get on with Thorn, it doesn’t mean he’s a dickhead either, Thorn has a reputation for being tough to take. The Tahs & Force tried to sign him up at the time, but RA refused then to approve it, so he went to France, what was he supposed to do. Now they’re desperate for locks, so now he can come back. Isn’t he taking a pay cut to return? And it says a lot that he chose the Force over the Tahs.

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  7. #187
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    Oh, no hate in my post, more a wondering over the assumption that both teams have a no dickhead policy but Thorn seems to be massively against Rodda.

    I was actually fishing to see if it was "No dickheads unless you're Brad Thorn" which after his tanty at Rodda signing for the Force seems pretty likely

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  8. #188
    Champion Tazzmania's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alison View Post
    So just the one season then really.

    How do the Force expect their coach to build a successful, winning team when so many players are only on one-year contracts??
    The door has been opened for us for a player of International quality. It is now up to the coach, players, fans and most importantly the rugby program here to make sure that he wants to extend his stay and be part of what the Force are building.

    If he did not come here we would not have a chance at making the stay longer.

    When last was the Force able to attract the likes of Rodda, Robertson, Kunindrani, and Godwin to name just a few.

    On paper this is the best squad we have had for a long time. Please give Tim time to gel this team and then in future years we can drip feed locals into the team, giving them a chance to succeed on a good stable base not a weak base, that way they will have the best chance at success and enable us to rebuild a thriving rugby state.

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    Last edited by Tazzmania; 17-03-21 at 08:37.
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  9. #189
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tazzmania View Post
    When last was the Force able to attract the likes of Rodda, Robertson, Kunindrani, and Godwin to name just a few...
    Probably the last time the Force didn't have a salary cap. Which apparently changes next year, so likely the reason for all the one year contracts.

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  10. #190
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyS View Post
    Probably the last time the Force didn't have a salary cap. Which apparently changes next year, so likely the reason for all the one year contracts.
    The Force have always had a salary cap (apart from the last two years) The issue you're referring to was when the Force were fined and pilloried for contracting using the same methods as NSW and Qld to keep some monies off book and managed to secure Gits and Mitchell along with some other high profile names.

    The stuffed shirts got upset and the ARU backdated some rulings to catch the Force and not the Old Boys

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  11. #191
    Immortal Contributor shasta's Avatar
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    IIRC, and notwithstanding the ignored skulduggery of ground hire fees and other bottom of Sydney Harbour schemes, the main method of boning has always been the negotiation of Wallaby top-ups. Which in our case dragged on for months or never eventuated (JO'C, Pocock, McCalman, Cummins etc.). As opposed to the "heartlands" where they were done at near light speed and often used as inducement to sign at a particular club. Hopefully, now The Force seem to have a bit of clout, it's a thing of the past. Or that someone other than the lone voice of Nick Taylor will make a noise about it.

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  12. #192
    Veteran valzc's Avatar
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    Liking the team up against the Reds. Hopefully there’s now a kicking strategy sorted and better decision making. Wonder why the field goal option hasnt been used, would have been handy on Friday! With better kicking & utilising our wings more, they can put more pressure on the Reds. And I trust Kahui will be guarding the wing as well! AND their lineouts!

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  13. #193
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Decent
    The 24-year-old had been shopped around to multiple Australia clubs and it was the Herald who revealed last week that Rodda was leaning towards signing with the Force, not the Waratahs.
    Even as recently as Monday, NSW Rugby Paul Doorn said he believed the Waratahs were in the hunt to secure his signature.
    It is a major blow for the Waratahs given their recent run of bad form and need to increase experience in the second row.
    The deal does not include a Rugby Australia top-up, which Rodda had before he went overseas.
    Does anybody else taste a little salt in Mr Rugby Australia and Waratahs apologist Tom Decent's recent SMH article about Izack Rodda.

    Fish n Chips are too good to be wrapped in that Dunny roll of a paper.

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  14. #194
    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    Would you prefer an RA top up or a "Twiggy" top up??

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  15. #195
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    Quote Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr View Post
    Would you prefer an RA top up or a "Twiggy" top up??
    I'm not Izack Rodda, so I'll refrain from answering.

    The saltiness was in the line "shopped around to multiple clubs in Australia" for mine. Like, seriously, get over it, your boys had a crack and he said he didn't want to go to that clusterfuck.

    Since that decision was made I think he was pretty much destined for the Force, the Brumbies aren't really in need of a Rodda when they have a Neville, The Reds would follow the Thorn argument (at least until the media or the public start calling that a stupid move) and the Rebels don't have access to the kind of job security he's looking for.

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