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From Green and Gold Rugby
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wed...ugby-news-136/
Western Force captain Matt Hodgson says players are feeling reassured following a meeting with ARU CEO Bill Pulver.
The Force will not be relocated to Western Sydney but the ARU is expected to form an ‘alliance’ with the club giving the ARU more control.
“They laid out the idea and what’s happening to all the players and the coaching staff. So we feel a lot more comfortable now, knowing what’s going on, and we know the ARU are backing WA and want Western Australia to stay in the competition,” Hodgson said.
“That puts a lot of confidence in the boys and we know that we need to get better results on the park. The boys just needed to know what was happening, but with Bill coming over last week and also Ross … to explain the situation, that helped.”
Now for the ARU/Western Force alliance to reassure the supporter group!
It might if we actually knew anything about it.
Time to lock in Hodgson forever, assistant forward coach when he stops playing. Also bring ex Force player Luke (Dogger) Doherty as an assistant and lineout coach.
Get rid of those other useless assistants.
Western Force captain Matt Hodgson says players feeling reassured following meeting with ARU boss Bill Pulver over club’s future
MAY 31, 20166:18PM
Iain Payten
VETERAN skipper Matt Hodgson says Western Force players are relieved after being told they won’t be moved to Western Sydney and hope their new relationship with the ARU can lead to solutions for the “uphill battles” they fight each season.
As revealed by the Telegraph in March, the ARU and Western Force are expected to formally announce an “alliance” next week that will see the club’s financial affairs be run by the ARU and CEO Mark Sinderberry re-badged as managing director.
Short of ARU oversight on recruitment, the Force’s football program will remain untouched but coach Michael Foley is under pressure to keep his job for next season despite being under contract.
Matt Hodgson in action for the Western Force against the Crusaders.
Matt Hodgson in action for the Western Force against the Crusaders.Source:News Corp Australia
ARU boss Bill Pulver and RUPA CEO Ross Xenos visited Perth last week to talk thorough the changes with Force players, which Hodgson said gave the squad some comfort after reading reports the Force could be relocated to Sydney.
Pulver re-affirmed the ARU’s position on keeping a national footprint until at least the next broadcast deal in 2021.
“They laid out the idea and what’s happening to all the players and the coaching staff. So we feel a lot more comfortable now, knowing what’s going on, and we know the ARU are backing WA and want Western Australia to stay in the competition,” Hodgson said.
“That puts a lot of confidence in the boys and we know that we need to get better results on the park. The boys just needed to know what was happening, but with Bill coming over last week and also Ross ... to explain the situation, that helped.”
The “alliance” will see the Force lose some of their autonomy but many in the west are viewing it as a positive. Going under the ARU’s wing not only provides financial stability, but also ensures the eastern-based bosses get a daily view of the challenges faced by the Force.
Hodgson, who is recovering from shoulder surgery but hopes to play on next season, said the club’s difficulties have over many seasons: gruelling travel demands and a lack of depth.
The Force, who have finished in the bottom four sides four of the last five seasons, have won just five of their past 28 games.
He hopes the ARU aligning itself with the Force can see them fight a few battles on their behalf.
“The travel is a big thing for us. Getting a draw that suits our travel. This year we went to Japan via Sydney. We spend time in New Zealand but fly back and forth. It’s just getting a draw sorted out that’s fair,” Hodgson said.
“Also you see most games we are competitive for 60 minutes, but if we have injuries or the bench comes on, and we don’t have the same level. So it is a bit more depth (needed) in our squad, and that’s just talent equalisation across Australia. We have one Wallaby player on a top-up.
“Definitely with the ARU coming in and supporting us, it is going to help us.
“It is just good to be able to talk to them and explain what we go through every year.
“No-one really knows what uphill battles we have, unless you live it for a while.
“After talking to Bill, and having them in our camp and helping us out, they can see the issues we have and will definitely help in that area.
“But in saying that, we will always keep fighting. You see that in every game and every season we have. We will always fight hard.”
Originally published as Boost for Force following ARU meeting
http://www.news.com.au/sport/rugby/w...a182c17df929ee
Original article from news.com
Now the ARU are in charge, I wonder how long before someone suggests it would make 'financial sense' to play Force home games against the 'Tahs and Reds over east...?![]()
Prolly about as long as it would take to figure out that having Zero paid up members puts a bit of dent in the bottom line.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
True, but every article that has been written about this takeover (merger, partnership, whatever you choose to call it) is pretty accurate about where the problems lie. Hodgo himself (a little surprisingly IMHO) said it was depth, we get to 60 minutes and run out of legs.....it must be pretty bad for the captain to be publicly saying that we've only got 15 players in the club that are good enough.
If the ARU don't hear the messages about how to fix the Force they simply aren't listening.
C'mon the![]()
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Isn't that the big danger?
Once the ARU have taken over and moved management and control of the finances east, it will be that much easier to move the players and the home games to somewhere like Penrith or Parramatta, and to do it in the latter part of the year so that the television deal is not interrupted.
As shasta says, the main problem if they move the team and the home games to Western Sydney will be replacing present income:
- Getting new sponsors on that side of the country who are willing to hand over a total of $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 each year
- Replacing the 10,000 or so members which the Western Force presently has (and the $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 which those memberships bring in each year)
They could leave a couple of "home" games in Perth, for example, something like the Rabbitohs "Western Australian" memberships or Hawthorn AFL's Tasmanian memberships, but that would replace only a fraction of the current income from memberships.
FFS ALL reports have indicated they are not moving to Western Sydney now, or any time before 2021 when the current broadcast deal is up for renewal, that is about the only guarantee that has been made so far.
Let save this speculation for another five years or so and if we need to open up Pandora's box again then, we can refer back.
In the meantime, Western Sydney only belongs in the soccer forum on TWF.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
C'mon TIF, dont you know what a post like that will do to the sales of al-foil in the metro areas? Stop talking sense man!!!
As well as the needs of the people who need to get validation in the way of replies to their posts as a substitute for human interaction and affection.
Well said TIF. Georgina Robinson has taken the mantle of best troll on TWF from old mate Growden.
A throw away line in a predict a headline segmant on Rugby360 still has people on this site losing their minds.
Georgina Robinson 1 TWF 0