I sat back and watched the debacle that was the ARU fumbling their way through a supposedly ‘fair’ process of culling a Super Rugby team, the biased outcome of which has seen my team, the Western Force, given their marching orders.
I have been a diamond member of the Force for a number of years, saw the move from Subiaco to nib and the much-needed upgrade to the stadium.
This year was special for me personally, as I finally got to take my three-year-old son to a number of Force games, and also enrolled him in his first rugby team.
Seeing his passion blossom for his team and also watching his rugby skills develop has been tempered by the realisation there will be no more Force games to take him to, nor a professional team for him to strive towards one day being part of.
Kids are the future of rugby and this future is being snubbed out by those with little or no regard for the grassroots which they are meant to be representing.
A common theme to keep the Force is that we are stronger as five and that it seemed little due process was followed to determine which team was to be cut. I have also only seen comments regarding the effect this decision is having on the Sea of Blue. But what about the large contingent of Kiwis and Saffas who have made their home in Perth and interwoven their lives in this great state of ours, who will now miss out on seeing their teams play here? Where are their voices in all of this?
What about those who were at nib to see the underdog come out on top to beat the Crusaders in 2013, watch them sneak past the Chiefs in 2014, or see Nick ‘The Honey Badger’ Cummins bag a hat trick of meat pies against the Waratahs in the same year? They will miss watching their teams compete with the west sun gloriously setting behind the CBD. They will miss the passionate Sea of Blue supporting their team, urging them to dig deep and show the heart for which they are renowned.
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Many Force fans, and rugby fans in general, are angry with trainwreck of events that the ARU have left in their wake, and have called for a boycott of games – in particular, the upcoming Wallabies versus Springboks game in Perth.
I diasagree with this. Instead, we should show up, alongside Kiwis and Springboks supporters, all dressed in blue to prove that, in the end, we all lose out. We should pack the stadium and chant so loudly the commentators can’t be heard.
I wish there was a way I could attend the game without filling the ARU coffers with my hard earned money, but I will not sit back and take this decision lying down. I have taken part of the Own The Force campaign and urge you to do the same. If the Force must close their doors, I’d be happy for my money to go to Rugby WA to be used to strengthen grassroots rugby.
If the ARU don’t want us to be a part of their supposed national footprint, we will simply do it alone – and better than them.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Have a look at this http://nedlandsrugby.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Letter-to-the-Cameron-Clyne-and-ARU-Board-of-Directors_-Mr-Andrew-Forres-.pdf
Stu B
Guest
What is this I read about shonky Cline while representing rugby Australia secretly negotiating a $21m deal with the Vic government to keep his Rebels alive while at the same time representing Australia rugby if accurate this would be the lowest the ERU have stooped in regard to expanding rugby in Australia.How honest and ethical is this?Will explain why the board went into hiding for months?
Train Without A Station
Guest
Yes. Shockingly in a game where you need to compete to pay players and codes are competing to spend money to draw in juniors, the mighty dollar talks. This is hardly a revelation and the Force have hardly been run as a charity themselves.
Bakkies
Guest
Ask your mates at the Vic Government they paid for them
Train Without A Station
Guest
What are "those games" Bakkies? Which tests in which years because it doesn't specify at all.
Train Without A Station
Guest
How could they have done much better in a competitive market? The Perth test shows the value in a competitive market around $5M. We don't even know how many Bledisloes are in the deal. But it can't be more than 5. So they are at best, but we don't even know, getting a 20% discount on current price to lock away events with declining attendance. Crowds have trended down for years. Why will future tests be worth more?
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
There's an old saying that applies here: "You're only as good as your last performance".
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
It does when one of those wins was an absolute shellacking of the Tahs and two more were over the Reds. Not to mention only losing by 6 points to the Tahs when injury struck at the start of the season.
Ex force fan
Guest
And as usual the corrupt ERU has released no details, are accountable to no-one, and operate like a failed African state. As nobody is on the Board, nobody is accountable! All rugby supporters should be outraged with this deal even apologists such as TWAS. This is an incredible bad deal on the face of the information provided in this article.
Ex force fan
Guest
Perth paid $5 million to host next years Bledisloe and agreed to pay $4 million earlier to help the ARU with their cash flow problems and $1 million alter. The issue that no other city could tender to hosts these games and the ARU could have done much better in a competitive bid. The Lions test match is worth far more as the Bledisloe games as it attracts a lot of British and Irish Lions tourists. Also you conveniently left out that 1/4 of the money go directly to the Rebels and not the ARU. The ARU could have done much better on this sham of a deal to sidestep their obligation to cut the Rebels. This is not only at the cost of the Force but also everyone that benefit from ARU revenue. There is no commercial IQ in this organisation and definitely no moral IQ. The sponsors and supporters need to consider if they want to be associated with such a corrupt organisation.
Bakkies
Guest
'Because the BIL Test is in 8 years time.' That's if the rota stays the same when a new Lions Agreement is eventually signed. The ARU have signed themselves out of a bid process for that match.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
It appears that you've just decided on the maximum possible amount without considering the reality. It's a deal over 8-10 years. Why is that? Because the BIL Test is in 8 years time. The fact is there isn't 8-10 premium tests available over that period. Bledisloe Cup tests are locked in until 2019. Sydney is guaranteed 1 Bledisloe each year from 2022. That means until 2027 there's only 5 Bledisloe Cup tests available. Of course 2 of those are in 2020, and 1 will certainly be played in Brisbane. So there's only 4 available. So 4 Bledisloes + 1 BIL test would be around $4M per test. Isn't that what Perth are paying to host the 2019 match?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Where does it say 8-10 games? It says over an 8-10 year period. Melbourne has had one test every year. They are normally the June tests. They aren't playing 8-10 Bledisloe Cup tests there. What did the WA Government bid for the SA and Arg tests?
Ex force fan
Guest
Attendance will decline if you continue to play at the same venue. If you let states bid to host the games you can maintain the interest, pull crowds and maximize revenue.
Ex force fan
Guest
No it is $5 million per game. That is what the ARU could have got per game, now they get $20 million for 8-10 games. That is a subsidy to the Rebels of up to $30 million (10x$5M - $20M). An opportunity cost that will cost the ARU dearly. If it was all about money then there is a glitch in your spreadsheet! The ARU will make less and not more money and sold their crown jewels!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What's the going rate for Bledisloe's and Lions tests? The WA Government has paid $4M for a Bledisloe. We don't know the full deal as it only mentions 2 tests. Surely as attendance declines, value may decline in the future. A test in 2022 may be worth less in 2020 than it is in 2017.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
2 extra wins (when you still lost more than you won) makes you world beaters does it?
Kirky
Roar Rookie
TWAS, Fill us in as a reminder as to how the Reds and the Tahs went the Season just past, like in games won and ladder places etc, I've forgotten and I'd just lurv' to see you fill us in mate!
Bakkies
Guest
'What a shock. A decision about money comes down to… money…' That will cost the ARU more money without a bid process for the Bledisloe and as not yet agreed to Lions Tests
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
What a shock. A decision about money comes down to... money... A Franchise, poor badly owned, badly managed, badly Coached and badly off in the player quality stakes That actually perfectly describes the Force in March this year. But they'd had an amazing 6 win season so look out...