The Western Force should switch codes and join the NRL.
The legal battle between the ARU and the Force could go to the High Court, while the Super Rugby team’s billionaire backer Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest is continuing to apply pressure to overturn the decision to cull the club.
If the Force fails in its bid to remain in Super Rugby, it will have to consider its options. What is at stake is not just the future of rugby in Western Australia, but also the Western Force brand.
The Force have already indicated they will explore opportunities to play in an Asian rugby competition and this would be a good option, depending on the status of the competition.
There has also been talk about the Force playing in the ITM Cup in New Zealand, but it is unlikely the Kiwis would have them. The travel and accommodation bills alone would be prohibitive.
Even if the Force played in the ITM Cup or some other lesser competition, it would reduce the value of their brand.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
If the Force want to maintain a high profile in a national football competition, the NRL may well be their best option.
Expanding to Perth would help the NRL to compete with the AFL juggernaut in terms of a national footprint. A double-header will be staged at the new Perth Stadium in the first round of the 2018 NRL season, possibly testing the waters for expansion.
Of course, rugby league has ventured across the Nullarbor before. The Western Reds entered the ARL competition in 1995 before defecting to the rival Super League competition in 1997.
The team was shut down as part of the Super League War peace deal and is now a lower-level club in the Western Australian Rugby League.
If you wanted to establish another rugby league team in Perth, would you prefer to start from scratch, revive the Reds or convert the Force to the 13-a-side game?
The main attraction of the Force is their brand recognition. The Force are already known throughout Australia and the rugby-playing world. You cannot put a price on that.
Individual players are changing codes like never before. Look at Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt. Even the Force have a rugby league convert in Curtis Rona.
So why not an entire club?
Last month the chief-executive of the Leicester rugby club, Peter Wheeler, claimed several top English rugby league clubs were considering switching to rugby union because that is where their future lay.
If the Force do not have a future in rugby, why not switch?
With Forrest’s financial support, the Force would be one of the most viable teams in the NRL. Why would Forrest back a rugby league team? Well, maybe he wouldn’t. But if the Force are gone, what is left for him in rugby to put his money into?
The Perth Spirit are playing in this year’s NRC competition, but once the Force players’ contracts expire, it is doubtful they will field a team next year. Then, all you are left with is grassroots rugby with no pathway to an elite, professional rugby team.
There would be nothing stopping Forrest from supporting grassroots rugby in WA and a professional rugby league team in a national competition, particularly if it would keep the Force banner flying.
There are hardcore rugby supporters in the Force’s “Sea of Blue” fan base, but many people in the southern states struggle to differentiate between the two rugby codes.
Western Australians would still have a professional rugby team to cheer for, just in a different code of rugby.
The Force have the brand, Twiggy’s got the money, and if they could persuade the “Sea of Blue” to come with them, they would have an immediate fan base.
And that would be a fairly strong foundation to build an NRL expansion franchise in the West.
wasmute
Guest
Radical Solution hey Bret..how does a rival competition sound? Radical enough for you?
RugbyTragic
Guest
Well the writer appears to write more league articles so I guess personal self interest at work here.
RugbyTragic
Guest
This is sort of article I expect to be written by Phil Rothfield! This sort of article really is a distraction and does not help the Force.
Katipo
Guest
@Beergardener. Yeah that's all true. It was short-sighted tactical blunder by the ARU to chop the WA team instead of Melbourne. It gives NRL an expansion opportunity that chopping the hopeless Rebels would have blocked. It's a mistake for sure. And there is a history of clubs defecting from union to league too. That's how league actually started.
Beergardener
Roar Pro
Wow, a lot of people missed the point of this article. I don't think the author is saying the team should become Rugby League players, just that the brand would be a good fit for an expansion side in the NRL. There are a lot more employees than just rugby players at a rugby club. - if you can treat union players as the club doctor, you can treat league players - If you can treat union players as the club physio, you can treat league players etc. - If you are in charge of marketing, or membership sales in Superugby you can do the same job in NRL etc. etc - hell, if you can administer a rugby club you can administer a league club The NRL should do it, take on the existing name, keep blue, black and gold colours, sign a marquee player or two directly over (like Chance Peni or Curtis Rona, both former NRL players to keep some continuity for the fans, though Rona might be hard now he is a Wallaby). Nobody is saying the tight 5 could just switch over, but backs, particularly ones who have played at the highest level in league before could. Keep the same facilities, gym, head office, training fields, stadium. Try to get Twiggy on board. Offer reduced/subsidised price memberships to existing Force fans. Keep on some of the existing office and support staff as above, maybe even coaching and conditioning. Some existing businesses who hire corporate boxes or sponsor the Force would get on board too, I'm sure. Plenty of talk a few years ago that Cash Converters were willing to sponsor the Pirates bid team, so sponsors would come on board or even stay on board Yes there are dyed in the wool rugby fans in their Sea of Blue, but if they could put a team there and get at least some of the existing fans to stay on as supporters and members, then it would be a successful story. I'm sure they would get existing rugby fans on board, there are more of us than people think who enjoy both codes, there are plenty of people who just love a game of footy, there are plenty of people who love to wine and dine clients at any big sporting event etc. People keep talking about the large expat community from South Africa and UK, and from Eastern States. I have met plenty of Saffas and Poms who only like one code, but I have met many more who seem to think both are just footy/rugby and will watch both. You can't tell me that plenty of the 20000 person crowds the NRL has been getting over there lately for one off games aren't also Force/Rugby supporters?
Carozza'sNose
Guest
The reason the UK clubs are leaving League is a lack of £s. Aus league clubs are probably not overflowing with $s either as union progressively takes over the world of Oval Ball spurts. Similarly the international knowledge of the Force as a brand will disappear once it switches to league (no global audience for league). Far better off aiming for Asia and it's wealth imho.
Carozza'sNose
Guest
More like 'the tatts FROM league'!!
Carozza'sNose
Guest
More like 'the tatts FROM league'!!
Clifto
Guest
Haha well played KCOL... reel em in...
republican
Guest
..........they clearly can't comprehend the writing on the wall then, because if they could they would know that Union is a spent 'Force' in not only WA but Australia wide. Always was and always will be..........
piru
Roar Rookie
Correct Fionn Auckland is 2159 kms from Sydney - Perth is 2691 kms from Adelaide
Jimmy james
Guest
The idea is not too far out there. Yes new coaches, players, etc would need to be recruited, but, more practically, didnt the ARU buy the Force's IP last year, which presumably includes name, colours, logo, etc.. Though the ARU are desperate for cash, I would be very surprised if it granted license to use the Force IP in the NRL.
Scrumma
Guest
Wtf are you smoking. Are you the one to tell all the rugby clubs that have been around longer then the force to change to rugby league, that their history becomes default all those years of hard work and getting the force to be the second best if not the best in the country to lay down their history. Ok put that smoke out ?
Katipo
Guest
The real problem is the format of the Super Rugby tournament. I can not think of another season-long intercontinental tournament in in any other football code. No other sport is naive enough to even try it. The reality is that the Force has paid the price for SANZAAR's failed tournament. The administrators who created this stupid mess should be paying the price, and not the Force.
kaiviti
Guest
Just so sad for Australian Rugby that it has reached this point. What's wrong with the administrators ???? Are they so gutless that they allow everyone else to tell them how to run their own show. SANZAR says jump, they ask how high. The Western Force and the Rebels deserve to stay in Super Rugby and that's that, if you don't like go jump. But then that's what I would have said and I'm just a simple Rugby fan.
Sam Brown
Roar Guru
I wonder what their so valuable 'brand' will look like when they lose every match in their opening season and that is coming from a ruby fan who would like to see them work something out to stay in place.
Parra
Guest
Why not. League is far more relevant in Aust and the competition is structured so that there are home games every two weeks unlike union where teams seem to disappear for weeks.
mzilikazi
Guest
Thanks for the very comprehensive reply , Bakkies...all very interesting. Do you live in Ireland ?
Damo
Guest
The Force aren't a state rep team.
Katipo
Guest
A simple solution for Super Rugby is 3 conferences of 6 teams. Add WA Force to the Aussie conference (making 5 Aussie teams and Japan) Add a second Argentine team to the African conference (4 SA and 2 Arg so they get a local derby) Add one more kiwi (or Pacific Island) team to the NZ conference to dilute the kiwi strength a little bit.