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There are already signs in clubland that there will be a permanent top five and a permanent bottom five emerging in the Rugby WA Premier Grade Competition.
With more and more money and a higher level of management resources required to run a club and be competitive each year it would appear that the wheels may fall off some clubs possibly permanently within the next 12-24 months.
No longer can a club rely on half a dozen dedicated worker bees and the bar takings to survive.
Pre-season rumours have been validated in the first two rounds results that some clubs are in trouble on and off the field.
In most rugby strongholds, certain clubs are always near the top whilst others are always near the bottom and I suggest we are already transitioning to that scenario. Whilst traditionally community rugby clubs have good and bad years, times are changing as the games moves towards a semi-professional arrangement. Clubs like Rockingham and Perth-Bayswater are on a slide that may not be reversable.
As I see it, the top five clubs (in order) for the foreseeable future in terms of financial sustainability, organisation strength and on-field performance are:
Nedlands
Associates
Cottesloe
Wanneroo
Palmyra
The bottom five clubs (in order) being:
Kalamunda
University
Wests
Perth-Bayswater
Rockingham
Just a theory. Will be interesting to see what transpires.