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Force here to win, not rebuild: Barakat

13th January, 2017
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Tatafu Polota-Nau was a dedicated club man - how many other Wallabies are? (Image: Hpeterswald CC BY-SA 4.0)
13th January, 2017
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The Western Force’s rebuilding phase is officially over, with assistant coach Joe Barakat declaring the team simply can’t afford to have another losing season.

The Force are yet to reach the finals since their 2006 inception, and they face a fight just to stay in the competition beyond this year as SANZAAR weighs up the future direction of the league.

If SANZAAR deems Australia need to cut one of their five franchises, the Force could be forced into extinction.

The Perth-based franchise is doing everything within its powers to save themselves, launching an ‘Own the Force’ campaign in a bid to become Australia’s premier publicly-owned club.

But achieving on-field success remains a critical part of the Force’s survival hopes.

More wins would attract bigger crowds, which in turn would pump more revenue into the struggling franchise.

The Force will start 2017 as one of the fancies for the wooden spoon.

But Barakat, who cut short his stint at Irish club Ulster to join the Force as an assistant to rookie coach Dave Wessels, says the team simply doesn’t have the luxury to go through a rebuilding phase.

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“We know our backs are against the wall a little bit, and we don’t have time for a rebuilding year,” Barakat said.

“When you talk about rebuilding periods, you can afford to lose. At this stage, we can’t afford to lose.

“It’s about winning games, and that’s what we’re about.”

Barakat is the Force’s forwards coach, and he makes no apologies for his straight-shooting approach which he claims was fostered by his 19 years spent as a teacher.

“I’ve got a bit of grey hair, but there’s not a lot of grey matter in my thinking. There’s probably a lot of black and white,” said Barakat, who has previously spent stints at the Waratahs, in Japan, and with the Fijian Rugby Union.

“Look, I think it’s about rules. We’ve got to be quite succinct with what we have to deliver this year.

“If there were some grey areas that we could work with this year, maybe I could sort of walk a little bit before I’m running.

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“But I think everybody’s just got to start running, and everybody’s got to be heading in the right direction.

“The no-nonsense isn’t aggressive no-nonsense. It’s know your job. Don’t come here without knowing your job.”

The Force start their season away to the Waratahs on February 25.

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