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Many moons ago, we had Friday night games ebtween PSA 1st XV teams. Scotch vs Wesley at Pally, Aquinas vs Wesley at Pally, Scotch vs Wesley at Soaks. The crowds were huge and it started like a normal Friday arvo for junior teams to play each other, the year 8's, and 9's as they normally do and then 10's, 2nds and 1sts. We had the best refs, we had the footy, soccer, hockey and basketball boys come and support their mates playing Rugby. Then on Saturday the Rugby boys would head back to school to support their footy, hockey, soccer and basketball mates and then at midday left to play club rugby. It was win-win.
This is all PSA has to do - allow the whole Rugby co-hort from juniors up to play on the same day, have the juniors stay back to watch 1st XV - which never happens on regular Saturdays.
It was a winner with parents, 'cos Dad could come home via the Rugby club from work and watch the 6:00p.m. kick-off of the 1sts, get home by 8:00pm and still have family around and have one less child to run around and split allegiances for sport. ie. both parents could go and watch daughter play netball on Saturday morning etc.
We have to build a culture. If Schools rugby was played at - say Baysie on a Friday arvo - perhaps CSC and PSA could ne combined, the Baysie clubrooms would be open, maybe even some Baysie Premiergrade boys would come down and watch, bar takings up.....
What does it take to convince the naysayers???
I always had you down as a "naysayer" Hansie.
Your comments make sense.
Hopefully you've turned the corner.
Some interesting responses about the PSA comp. Seems to me that there is talented players coming through reading this and a few other threads. The problem is the Force seem unable to spot them and like turning to recycled players. This says to me that the recruitment processes and managers are failing us. They need to be overhauled which RWA are in the process of doing if Mitch Hardys termination is any indicator. Matt Tink has moved to the Rabble yet is still recruiting WA players, so they must be good enough. It may be painful short term but I would like to see a couple of WA players given a go than continuously filling the roster with recycled players. Transition the list over the next 5-8 years to have a 50-50 balance of WA andother states. Although our playing numbers are about 4000 or so surely producing 8-10 Force players in 5-8 years is a realistic goal. It would also means we produce more s15 players than NSW who need 100000 players to produce 50 s15 players nationally.
There are 3 types of people in this world, those that can count and those that can't
What does it take to convince the naysayers???[/QUOTE]
Spot on, I can't get to any school matches on a Saturday morning, this is a great idea. Even if all the PSA players can't back-up on the Saturday for colts, at least we could increase the numbers. Based on the numbers at some PSA games, it would be a good way of building up the club links.
So theres the challenge for Foley and the Force, or we will be an irrelevant franchise.
There are 3 types of people in this world, those that can count and those that can't
Mr. NTT I think I can answer the underlying question about WA players and the Force.
I am told there is no argument about our general skill level. Our Schoolboys can catch, pass, tackle and read the game as well those over East, Our Premier Grade players also can do likewise. We lack bulk. Plain and simple. According to the Force, bulk means ability to take and dish it out in a collision sport.
Bulk also mean Injury, fatigue, lack of speed.Originally Posted by Hansie
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
RWA has a pretty impressive weights room at HQ why not open it up to a wider range of players. Or align themselves with a gym franchise chain for deals for players statewide. Do the clubs have such resources and facilities at they're disposal? Sounds like there needs to be better efforts to unify things on the development front so the Force pick the WA players. Like the GayFL, pick a certain type of athlete/body shape then teach them the necessary skills.
There are 3 types of people in this world, those that can count and those that can't
Y'know GAFFA, I have always wondered about, that as I personally have seen so many soft tissue injuries. We create bodies with such bulk and strength that their ligaments, tendons and cartilage must find hard to keep together.
I'd still pit Horan and Little against Nonu and SBW any day, look at the skills of the springbok back 3, besides Habana, I doubt the others are even close to 90Kgs.
I think we focus a bit too much on bulk and IMHO not enough on brain. I know the guys love watching videos of their games and get told by analysts what happened and what should happen. Geez, get them to play RugbyWorld Cup video games against each other and learn from their own mistakes.
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I was browsing over the Rabbles webpage, and steering me in the face were these, Direct, Clear and simple common sense goals they appear to follow. Their webpage has a more - 'Community' feel to it than any of the other Australian super teams.
I'm no Rabble supporter, but their focus toward community rugby is far superior to ours and I think we should take a leaf from their book ASAP....... (Possibly Mr Matt Tinks influence and experience?)
They are as follows:
The goals of Rebel Rugby are to:
1. identify future Rebels within Victoria
2. provide a real pathway for aspiring players and volunteers
3. assist in growing the standard of the local competition
4. ingrain the Rebels Philosophy into the community
5. provide an education for our participants - on and off the field
>>>Read More>>>> http://www.melbournerebels.com.au/Co...ebelRugby.aspx
the Bulls were wandering around in the dark a few years ago - what did they do ? They sent a delegation to CHCH to study the Crusaders franchise and the Canterbury way. Look what happened.
Why can't RugbyWA and the EWF enlighten themselves the same way/ Maybe not Crusaders - why not Bulls, Reds and/or Chiefs - after all they all have the winners way about them now - from the club amateur systems right through to their pro setups.
we have to do something quickly here or I can foresee the same old, same old...from U6's in the WAJRU right up to and including the EWF pro. setup. Get a proactive vision, put some people in to drive it properly and coordinate everyone to row the one boat the one way.
Those franchises and those rugby unions mentioned above haven't stumbled on success - they have changed, adopted,adapted and worked hard.But more telling and pertinent all of them were in EXACTLY the same predicament that rugby in WA is in now.
Last edited by jt12; 22-08-12 at 11:28. Reason: spell check
The answer to this problem is fairly simple
1) Rugby's profile in this state needs to be enhanced, the ideas of the school rugby on Friday night to create atmosphere is one of the best and easiest ways to do this
2) The u18's and 20's comps need to be seriously looked at and restructured, too many teams have folded or clubs haven't fielded sides in these comps
3) Our players need to be better prepared to represent their state when the opportunity arises
Having recently coached the Stateschoolboys for 2010 and 2011 I can safely say that if you don't have the size then you won't be able to compete. Our boys are frequently outmuscled, beaten to the breakdown and are unable to keep up with the speed of the game. Even the academy boys fall short in this area. The strength and conditioning programs fall short across the board from the academy through to the top at the EWF so does the skills training. How are these players identified to participate in these programs ??? many talented players are running around and not given the opportunity
The first two points I have mentioned are easily fixed. The third requires a lot of people to be held accountable for there performance in these areas hopefully this will now occur with a bit of a restructure at the EWF.
First - Very Good job coaching State SB last year oddz87. - and Correct me if I’m wrong, our 2011 SB representation in the Australia and Aust 'A' teams was our best effort to date. One in Aust side and Five in the 'A' side. However 2012 was possibly our worst SB performance in recent times.
Why was this? 1) You weren't at the helm?2) Due to our small player base, we will be inconsistent on a national level? 3) Is the Academy intake is too small? Or 4) We need a 2nd tier S&C program.
As you mention oddz87, the boys are not prepared to compete on a national level, you might have a handful of Academy boys who have been doing pretty good S&C for a while and the others have been chucking around an Olympic bar with very little guidance; at best. I really think the Clubs need to, Pull Finger and take a bigger responsibility when it comes to S&C for our U16s and 18s and not solely rely on the Academy when it comes to the 2nd Tier lads.
Who knows.......? In regards to the Academy; there are 15 level 2s & 3s and 18 level 1s. That’s a total of 33 WA Academy Squad Members, and of those 15 in level 2 & 3; 9 of them are in the “National Gold Squad”, which is the Wallabies Academy for talented 16 to 18 year olds.
You know, it's not all doom & gloom up there at the Academy, some of the boys are doing really well. Adjusting and tinkering is always worthwhile if done right, and systems can always be improved.
You keep an eye on this years Under 16's squad for SBs next year, they have they size, power and speed across the board, they are a special bunch, and will be one of WA's best sides to date.
http://www.westernforce.com.au/Team/...GoldSquad.aspx
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