Perth Spirit have reached the midway point for their National Rugby Championship campaign, and is sitting on a not so satisfying record.
Admittedly, the team does have quite an easy run home, but they will most likely have to win their last four games to cement a spot in the finals.
This weekend they travel to Brookvale Oval to face the North Harbour Rays, who are a team sitting at 1-2, very similar to the Spirits’ 1-3 record. Coming off a tough loss to the Melbourne Rising on the primetime Thursday night game, Perth will be looking for a big win to boost their percentage, as well as their position on the ladder.
The Rays’ defence seems to have been their burden throughout this competition, as they have put on some good offensive showings, scoring points in bunches, but have just given up too many. Perth’s offence will need to capitalise this, which could be easy when you look at the likes of Dillyn Leyds, Brad Lacey and players contracted to the Western Force, like Junior Rasolea and Marcel Brache, who both command a backline very well at this level.
This then leads into the next dilemma for the Spirit – do they play an almost entire Western Force squad to win four games in a row and make the finals? Or do they not worry about the finals and look for depth in their Premier Grade players?
The obvious answer for many fans, especially rugby purists, would be to play an almost full Premier Grade squad, with a few Force players in the mix to lead the charge. This would make complete sense, as playing a starting line-up with 12 out of 15 Force players did not work against Brisbane City in Perth, and uncovering local talent is what the NRC is all about.
The Brisbane game was almost a complete waste of time when you look at the purpose of the competition.
From RugbyWA’s perspective however, it is easy to see why they wanted to do this.
Having Force players 20 metres away from the main supporters area is going to draw a huge crowd. When the Spirit played at McGillivray Oval, I sat about 10 metres back, right on the 50-metre line, and it was amazing to hear Kyle Godwin, Brache and Rasolea command their backline first hand.
When it comes time to play the Sydney Stars at HBF Arena, it is hard to predict what approach the squads management will take. It will most likely depend on the result of this weekend in Brookvale, and whether or not the squad’s Premier Grade players have been performing.
Another possible situation is that by this point the coaching staff has decided which Premier Grade players are the ones who have a legitimate chance, and they will play them among a squad.
The obvious standout for the Spirit is flyhalf/fullback Leyds, who easily has a shot at getting a Super Rugby contract. His offensive game is refined and absolutely phenomenal, and his defence is fine. Leyds, with four tries, is sitting in equal second on the table for the highest try-scorers.
Oliver Hoskins is another player who the coaching staff will want to step up after the departure of Kieran Longbottom, who moved to English team Saracens.
The unanswered questions remain in the hands of RugbyWA, the coaching staff and the selectors, but to make use of this competition they should be running the younger squad.
What would you do think Roarers? Should they field the Premier Grade players over the Super Rugby stars?
Fred DY
Guest
Hey Luke, The Spirit has a different approach. The opposite to the Rising. I have been thinking your way but after reading the compelling cases by Jez, AndyS & others I can see their side of the story. The success of this comp is priority & we want Fox to put more money in for another contract after the 1st 2 years. Nevertheless, I agree with the WA decision. They are free to do it & nothing tried nothing gained. Rugby is so poor in this country we need to try any approach to unearth new players. There are probably 10 more compelling reasons for Fox to drop this comp. like crowd numbers & Fox Thursday night rating,s for example. Rebels had a poor year, the Rising need to smash this comp. to get more traction in Victoria. The Force had a fantastic year, best ever without the high profile players that brought in the crowds in the earlier years like JOC, Gits, Sharpie, Pocock, Drew. They know they need to blood new players & strengthen the local comp as they probably have lost that previous opportunity of massive crowds. Maybe these players can go back to their local comp. next year & show the others what a step up is needed, help them forward, whatever. RL is thinking of starting a team in WA so RugbyWA needs to get strong quick. I wish you guys luck which ever approach you take.
Nipper
Guest
Agreed - pick a squad - PG players, SR players, whatever - and stick with it. Nothing to be gained anywhere from chopping and changing every week.
Crazy Horse
Guest
The problem with the spirit is a lack of consistency in team selection. They have yet another Captain this week and more changes in the 23, especially the forwards. Then next week at home no doubt they'll decide to play a lot of Force players again. For my money the Force guys are either in or out. The ideal team should have a mix of Force Premier Grade players.
AndyS
Guest
No, third tier means the third level of competition. You play any comp with the best available players, otherwise why do the Wallabies play in Super Rugby? If you leave all the SR players out, it is just more club rugby.
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
Getting one signing out of this is basically the best case scenario.
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
Yes they need to really work the bench SR guys
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
It's the third tier. It's meant to be the level of players below
Whatagame
Roar Rookie
I have to say that I am disappointed with the squad that the Spirit are utilising for away matches. yes its great to expose the PG players to another level, especially if there is a shot at a SR EPS or contract but this is simply not the case. The Force have pretty much shored up their squad for next year and 90% of the PG players running in the Spirit have no chance of a look in. Yes touring is good fun and players getting a taste of he next level is a positive but in reality, if you are not in it to win it why are they spending the money. Some of the bench SR guys are getting some minutes under their belts but Leyds is leaving for SA next season and the remaining guys are heading into the post season and a month off after this. Ultimately I wish they were having a proper crack at this as opposed to a bonding experience.
Sam
Guest
Pulverised always said it would be a "super b" competition. It's working. The Rebels have signed an nrc player to a full contract already. 4 rounds in, it's working.
boomeranga
Guest
Lleyds wicki reads like he was brought to Australia by the Force. He represented SA U20s.
ethan
Guest
Agree completely jeznez. Put the best players on the park, especially as they are not yet out of the finals race. The best players will set the standard for the young ones coming through.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Well it is either a bunch of trials or a genuine championship - by not selecting their strongest team they are not trying to win the championship that the name of the competition implies. Do you really think that Fox with their 1 million in sponsorship plus broadcasting commitment, along with other sponsors would have made the investment if the ARU went and said we are going to have a series of trial matches, not every team will be trying to win, some of them will hold their best players back so we can try and unearth future talent? Maybe it should have been marketed to FTA as a reality TV series called Australia's Got Rugby Talent or The Search for Australia's next Super Rugby Star. People and corporations are investing in what is intended to be a true competition and one team is bucking that trend by not consistently selecting their best team. And as Andy S says below - if the Spirit aren't going to play their Super players then release them to the other teams so they are getting game time.
Grub
Guest
I think WA have produced quite a few more Super rugby players and more recently Aus U20s than Victoria. Blokes like Lacey, Burton and Lleyds. I understand your argument in favor of development, but up and coming players will only be properly ready for super rugby if they have the best possible team around them when they take on these other teams. The NRC needs to be promoting the highest standard possible, when the young guys start making those teams we can call it success.
G_Beard
Guest
I think the Force and RugbyWA have got the mix pretty good. Its a fine balance between immediate success, medium term success and long term success. Looking at what is happening in Union here in WA - The balance is there.
AndyS
Guest
I'm with Jez, they shouldn't be playing in the competition if they aren't going to try to win it. The point is to expose the developing players in all teams to an increased level of competition, by playing them alongside and against professionals. If the Spirit is not going to play with their SR contracted players they should be playing against them.
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
Perth is different to places like NSW and QLD in the sense that we have hardly any homegrown talent. This has been the perfect chance for them to unearth a few guys who haven't got the exposure, and it seems they are wasting it. What do you mean by "they are making a mockery"?
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
The high ratio of Super Players was mainly in the Brisbane City game. Apart from this they have just been naming really inconsistent squads.
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
Luke Worthington
Roar Rookie
They should never have played that starting lineup in the first half against Brisbane, it was crazy. If they had ran the same team all game they might have got some chemistry going
Jeznez
Guest
Shouldn't call it the National Rugby Championship. If it is to be used as you describe then they should re-name it the Extended National Rugby Trials. I think the Rebels are following the correct path not the Spirit who are making a mockery of this as a competition so far.