My question is what will this do to attacking rugby, especially off 1st phase ball. It’s been a while since I played the game, but it took a few run throughs to get a move ready to the point that you would consider running it in a game.

With the guideline for set piee work set at 30 minutes per week, you barely have enough time to go over old stuff let alone develop new stuff.

Fin,

The Force have been working on building their development pathways and local talent and continue to do so. There was an announcement today about the appointment of Chris Goodman to lead their academy side – https://www.westernforce.com.au/goodman-to-lead-fortescue-academy/. Goodman was the Crusaders Academy director.

In regards to recruiting overseas, part of that is probably to limit the so called poaching from other states, but also to bring in experienced players that can help develop a winning culture and pass on the knowledge they have gained from long and successfull careers.

Below are some thoughts I put forward on another article
The proposed plan builds on the Global Rapid Rugby concept put forward by Andrew Forrest and can help build the market in the Asian/Pacific region
1) Club Rugby
State teams competing for a place in Global Rapid Rugby with an opportunity to play in the National Competition
2) Global Rapid Rugby
While many of the teams may not currently be that strong, it does help develop the game in one of Rugby’s potential growth areas. As time goes by these teams will only get better. You could look at a promotion/relegation system to National Rugby.
If GRR included some AU teams eg the winners of the various state club championships you could have a playoff between the existing current and new state champion to see who plays in the GRR the next year.
This would also help to maintain/develop some tribalism which many are saying is lacking in the old NRC
3) Super Rugby AU/National Competition
The existing 5 super rugby teams with a view to including another team from Western Sydney
4) Australia A Tours
I would consider using this tier to develop fringe Wallabies and future potential Wallabies with either mid-year or end-of-year tests against the so-called Tier two nations.
Pros
a) help develop the game globally
b) increase the player pool for the Wallabies by exposing players to international rugby in a variety of conditions and differing styles of competition
c) an additional source of revenue
Cons
There would be additional costs, but these could be subsidised by World Rugby as part of their plans to grow and develop the game
5) Wallabies
You could scrap Giteau’s law and change the Wallaby selection criteria to include any eligible player playing for a team in one of these RA sanctioned competitions eg if Sean McMahon, Liam Gill, or a Samu Kerevi were doing a guest stint for a GRR club, they would be eligible for Wallabies selection.
Under a structure like this, there is
1) a clear pathway to the Wallabies,
2) an opportunity to grow the game in the region,
3) provide an increased player base for Wallabies selection
4) provide club Rugby with the incentive of playing in higher levels of competition which would hopefully continue to grow the interest in club rugby and its tribalism
5) lastly provide the opportunity for increased revenue and financial stability

Piru
I’m pretty certain last year Waxy was going off on teh Force saying they needed to get 15-20 quality players to be competitive.
Now he’s not happy that they got a few more talented players (without raiding the other states) and are playing competitive rugby
I’ll take an ugly win over a pretty loss any day. – Julian Edelman ( A three-time Super Bowl winner)
Win pretty, win ugly, just win. – Venus Williams

Below are some thoughts I put forward on another article

The proposed plan builds on the Global Rapid Rugby concept put forward by Andrew Forrest and can help build the market in the Asian/Pacific region

1) Club Rugby
State teams competing for a place in Global Rapid Rugby with an opportunity to play in the National Competition

2) Global Rapid Rugby
While many of the teams may not currently be that strong, it does help develop the game in one of Rugby’s potential growth areas. As time goes by these teams will only get better. You could look at a promotion/relegation system to National Rugby.

If GRR included some AU teams eg the winners of the various state club championships you could have a playoff between the existing current and new state champion to see who plays in the GRR the next year.

This would also help to maintain/develop some tribalism which many are saying is lacking in the old NRC

3) Super Rugby AU
The existing 5 super rugby teams with a view to including another team from Western Sydney

4) Australia A Tours
I would consider using this tier to develop fringe Wallabies and future potential Wallabies with either mid-year or end-of-year tests against the so-called Tier two nations.
Pros
a) help develop the game globally
b) increase the player pool for the Wallabies by exposing players to international rugby in a variety of conditions and differing styles of competition
c) an additional source of revenue

Cons
There would be additional costs, but these could be subsidised by World Rugby as part of their plans to grow and develop the game

5) Wallabies
You could scrap Giteau’s law and change the Wallaby selection criteria to include any eligible player playing for a team in one of these RA sanctioned competitions eg if Sean McMahon, Liam Gill, or a Samu Kerevi were doing a guest stint for a GRR club, they would be eligible for Wallabies selection.

Under a structure like this, there is
1) a clear pathway to the Wallabies,
2) an opportunity to grow the game in the region,
3) provide an increased player base for Wallabies selection
4) provide club Rugby with the incentive of playing in higher levels of competition which would hopefully continue to grow the interest in club rugby and its tribalism
5) lastly provide the opportunity for increased revenue and financial stability

Waxhead
You keep bringing up that the Force need to get 20 or 30 top quality players and Twiggy should spend the full amount of the salary cap.
Some simple maths shows that this isn’t the answer. Assume
1. that the cap for 2021 is $4.5m (the same as this year I think)
2. the squad size is 35 players
That means the average salary would be about $128,500 per player (according to the Adelaide Advertiser the average salary in 2017 was $175,000 (https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/which-sports-offer-players-the-biggest-salaries/news-story/c6499c45f99047adc6aab6e1a74f6d18).
At $175,000 you could pick up about 25 players, but a quick Google search suggests that
– Will Skelton currently gets about $750K per year
– Samu Kerevi about $800K per year
– Liam Gill $500K per year
– Rory Arnold $400- $500K per year (a guess)
All significantly more than the average.
So bringing those 4 home eats up about $2.45M of your cap, so now I have $2M to pay the rest of my squad of 31 players or $64K per player.
The other thing to keep in mind that the Force squad already has contracted players as part of Global Rapid Rugby. Assume that the current salary bill is $3 million you now have a whole $1.5m to go out and buy 20 to 30 of the best players outside Aus – it ain’t really going to get you very far is it.
You would have to rely on Rugby Australia coming to the party with top ups, but given the pay cuts they had to introduce and their current financial situation that’s probably not going to happen either.

Hi Brett,

The Force have the advantage of a fallback position in that they can play in the Global Rapid Rugby competition and while it may not be at the same level as Super Rugby now it has potential and the players are guaranteed an income.

JezNez
Below is some thoughts I put forward on another article
In terms of the future of the competition why don’t we tie ourselves to the Asia/Region and use Global Rapid Rugby as a base. The competition/pathway could look something like :
1) Club Rugby
State teams competing for a place in Global Rapid Rugby with an opportunity to play in the National Competition
2) Global Rapid Rugby
While many of the teams may not currently be that strong, it does help develop the game in one of Rugby’s potential growth areas. As time goes by these teams will only get better. You could look at a promotion/relegation system to National Rugby.
If GRR included some AU teams eg the winners of the various state club championships you could have a a playoff between the existing current and new state champion to see who plays in the GRR the next year.
This would also help to maintain/develop some tribalism which many are saying is lacking in the current NRC
3) National Rugby (???)
The existing 4 super rugby teams + the Western Force (and the Sunwolves???) There could also be the opportunity to include an NZ team. Each team plays each other on a home and away basis – say a 12 game season (adjust depending on the number of teams). Look at adopting some of the law variations introduced by GRR to keep the game flowing
4) Australia A
I would consider using this tier to develop fringe Wallabies and future potential Wallabies with either mid year or end of year tests against the so called Tier two nations.
Pros:
a) help develop the game globally
b) increase the player pool for the Wallabies by exposing players to international rugby in a variety of conditions and differing styles of competition
c) an additional source of revenue
Cons:
There would be additional costs, but these could be subsidised by World Rugby as part of their plans to grow and develop the game
5) Wallabies
You could scrap Giteau’s law and change the Wallaby selection criteria to include any eligible player playing for a team in one these RA sanctioned competitions eg if Sean McMahon, Liam Gill or a Samu Kerevi were doing a guest stint for a GRR club, they would be eligible for Wallabies selection.
Under a structure like this there is:
1) a clear pathway to the Wallabies,
2) an opportunity to grow the game in the region,
3) provide an increased player base for Wallabies selection
4) provide club Rugby with the incentive of playing in higher levels of competition which would hopefully continue to grow interest in club rugby and its tribalism
5) lastly provide the opportunity for increased revenue and financial stability

Brett

Below is some thoughts I put forward on another article

In terms of the future of the competition why don’t we tie ourselves to the Asia/Region and use Global Rapid Rugby as a base. The competition/pathway could look something like :

1) Club Rugby
State teams competing for a place in Global Rapid Rugby with an opportunity to play in the National Competition

2) Global Rapid Rugby
While many of the teams may not currently be that strong, it does help develop the game in one of Rugby’s potential growth areas. As time goes by these teams will only get better. You could look at a promotion/relegation system to National Rugby.

If GRR included some AU teams eg the winners of the various state club championships you could have a a playoff between the existing current and new state champion to see who plays in the GRR the next year.

This would also help to maintain/develop some tribalism which many are saying is lacking in the current NRC

3) National Rugby (???)
The existing 4 super rugby teams + the Western Force and the Sunwolves? There could also be the opportunity to include an NZ team. Each team plays each other on a home and away basis – say a 12 game season (adjust depending on the number of teams). Look at adopting some of the law variations introduced by GRR to keep the game flowing

4) Australia A
I would consider using this tier to develop fringe Wallabies and future potential Wallabies with either mid year or end of year tests against the so called Tier two nations.
Pros
a) help develop the game globally
b) increase the player pool for the Wallabies by exposing players to international rugby in a variety of conditions and differing styles of competition
c) an additional source of revenue

Cons
There would be additional costs, but these could be subsidised by World Rugby as part of their plans to grow and develop the game

5) Wallabies
You could scrap Giteau’s law and change the Wallaby selection criteria to include any eligible player playing for a team in one these RA sanctioned competitions eg if Sean McMahon, Liam Gill or a Samu Kerevi were doing a guest stint for a GRR club, they would be eligible for Wallabies selection.

Under a structure like this there is
1) a clear pathway to the Wallabies,
2) an opportunity to grow the game in the region,
3) provide an increased player base for Wallabies selection
4) provide club Rugby with the incentive of playing in higher levels of competition which would hopefully continue to grow interest in club rugby and its tribalism
5) lastly provide the opportunity for increased revenue and financial stability

A couple of quick points and to be honest I am no au fait with the workings of the board so much of this may be not be achievable or already in place:

1) I don’t know Geoff Stooke personally but he would be a good choice, and RA could do with a few more people on the board that are true rugby people at the moment
2) Select a competent business person to the role of CEO, they don’t have to be rugby people as the passion should be driven by the board; the CEO needs to know about $ and getting the various RA departments working to achieve a common goal
3) Once things have settled down look at rotating the chair a bit like the EU
4) Restructure the constitution so that each rugby playing state has a member on the board with one vote each.
5) Look at implementing a committee , if it doesn’t already exist, comprised of members from each states club scene that provides recommendations to the board on growing the game at the grass roots level.

In terms of the future of the competition why don’t we tie ourselves to the Asia/Region and use Global Rapid Rugby as a base. The competition/pathway could look something like :

1) Club Rugby
State teams competing for a place in Global Rapid Rugby with an opportunity to play in the National Competition

2) Global Rapid Rugby
While many of the teams may not currently be that strong, it does help develop the game in one of Rugby’s potential growth areas. As time goes by these teams will only get better. You could look at a promotion/relegation system to National Rugby.

If GRR included some AU teams eg the winners of the various state club championships you could have a a playoff between the existing current and new state champion to see who plays in the GRR the next year.

This would also help to maintain/develop some tribalism which many are saying is lacking in the current NRC

3) National Rugby (???)
The existing 4 super rugby teams + the Western Force and the Sunwolves? There could also be the opportunity to include an NZ team. Each team plays each other on a home and away basis – say a 12 game season (adjust depending on the number of teams). Look at adopting some of the law variations introduced by GRR to keep the game flowing

4) Australia A
I would consider using this tier to develop fringe Wallabies and future potential Wallabies with either mid year or end of year tests against the so called Tier two nations.
Pros
a) help develop the game globally
b) increase the player pool for the Wallabies by exposing players to international rugby in a variety of conditions and differing styles of competition
c) an additional source of revenue

Cons
There would be additional costs, but these could be subsidised by World Rugby as part of their plans to grow and develop the game

5) Wallabies
You could scrap Giteau’s law and change the Wallaby selection criteria to include any eligible player playing for a team in one these RA sanctioned competitions eg if Sean McMahon, Liam Gill or a Samu Kerevi were doing a guest stint for a GRR club, they would be eligible for Wallabies selection.

Under a structure like this there is
1) a clear pathway to the Wallabies,
2) an opportunity to grow the game in the region,
3) provide an increased player base for Wallabies selection
4) provide club Rugby with the incentive of playing in higher levels of competition which would hopefully continue to grow interest in club rugby and its tribalism
5) lastly provide the opportunity for increased revenue and financial stability