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Consistency - if we were happy for Nick Jooste to go for his development, then for the same reason we should be happy for Kyle to go. Kyle has great talent and the comments are not aimed at him - he needs someone to fully develop him, and it's selfish to keep him here, and not help him improve. While I'm writing this I'm looking at Beauregard's comment - our talent is going backward, and they need to realise they need to keep an eye on their own development.
I wouldn't say that there's many. Moono mentioned Mitchell & Ioane, but I wouldn't have said Mitchell was substantially better with the Tahs than with us (although he did get more ball and scored more tries, but on a better team) and Ioane left because he was 'homesick', not because we didn't want him. He was a known star and someone the team wanted to keep.
Maybe Luke Jones and Mitch Inman at the Rebels, but again Jones was a known future star and Inman has been solid, but not massively better. You could possibly argue Cruze Ah-Nua and Paul Alo-Emile, but both left young and haven't excelled outside of the Force; they've improved as a young player would.
So I wouldn't say that there have been many who blossomed after leaving the Force; we tend to get players who have been passed in the pecking order by younger players with more potential.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Scott Fardy is a pretty good example.
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Classic one is Jake Ball, Paly 2nd rower, got cut from the Force training squad, went back to the UK ( his Dad Dave is still with Paly as far as I know ), and walked straight into the Wales 6 Nations side as a starter, you've got to have some talent to do that, Foley as I've said before couldn't identify talent if it bit him on the arse.
Ralto - agreed that the players need to keep an eye on their own development which is why so many have left and flourished. Zack Holmes is another example - doing very well in France but a victim of Foley's my way or the highway attitude. You may comment that the French competition is not as good as super rugby but regardless of opinions, those that play regularly in any top comp should be getting better under quality coaching. DHP is only where he is today thanks to the seasons overseas inspite of Foley, not because of him. Dylan Leyds could not get a crack and show his stuff as he never got the ball under Foley's coaching and look what he is doing now.
All Hail Adam Coleman... leading the stats in line out takes... and what else, one half break last weekend and thats that inspite of one season where he showed that he has more. Tet is a champ but has not delivered much (yes injury has taken its toll) so far since coming back. Is he fully fit or is Foley pushing half recovered players on to the paddock again. Guy Millar, "the next big thing" has not been seen thanks to some one realising that he is lost on the rugby field and is actually rubbish. Peter "granddad" Grant, tries so hard but is 20 years past his use by date and sad to say so it Pek. Love the bloke, love his heart and loyalty but he is now far behind Van Wyk. Taps... hands like feet and feet like hands... not the 13 I was expecting.
All of this smacks of poor planning, recruiting, player management and skills which, IMHO, falls at the feet of Foley. When we loose another bunch of players at the end of this season, keep tabs on them and see how they develop over the next few years. Slag off the fringe guys and the under achievers and wait for the clamour to bring them back when in 2 years time when they have been developed by a competent club.
After being at the ground last week and watching the team capitulate because the ref did this and the ball bounced this way and they have more money, and the ARU don't love us, I am over it. It was a sad indictment of a side that has no confidence in anything including themselves and the coaching staff regardless of what the Coach may say to the press. Sorry team but I will be converting to tiddlywinks .. a far more passionate game.
Not all of that is necessarily Foley's doing.
Finance has a part to play,
The recruiting staff are not the coaching staff in any professional organisation, Foley will give them a Job Description, perhaps with a list of names, and they get on with finding the best option they can.
Yes he has to answer some hard questions, but he's not the only cause!
C'mon the![]()
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It's a quandary. But I think what is the root cause that is causing the cascade of factors that keep us from being competitive on the field? I think it is the lack of support from the ARU, whether that be lack of direct funds or lack of a level playing field between the franchises. It does irk me that the johnny come lately rebels seemed to be treated much more favourably by the ARU with funding and support. The on-field results at the moment would seem to reflect that.
In any event the ARU cannot continue on its current course - it's broke. can easily see government intervention in the ARU like when soccer australia became FFA.
Then it might be possible to get a centralised contracting system in place like new zealand and a salary cap to create a level playing field for the 5 Australian franchises. seems like the only thing that will make us competitive - and save australian rugby.
Non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate
There is already a salary cap in place for the 5 Franchises.
It's $4.5 Million per year + $0.5 Million from sponsorship (available for distribution).
The problem is the Wallaby Top-UP/Contract system and the 'special' deals for 'special' players. (e.g. Folau, Cooper, Hunt etc).
There are 25-30 SR/Wallabies who only have a single contract - An ARU contract.
The ARU determine the worth of a player and agree how much of this is covered by the club.
The remainder comes from elsewhere - independent of the franchise.
Folau costs the Waratahs only $150k as all the rest comes from elsewhere.
In addition to this Wallabies get match payments - now only about $10k per match (previously $14k/match).
Last year a player such as Palu was still getting a ~$300k top-up from the ARU despite the fact that he couldn't stay on the park.
The Waratahs have the same salary cap ($4.5M + $0.5M) plus get >$2 Million in player remuneration from the ARU top-up system.
(This was confirmed by Wayne Smith in his Australian article today).
The only player getting a Wallaby Top-Up for the WF is Ben McCalman (and I understand that it's MUCH less than what was getting paid to Palu.
The only way to get some level of parity into the system is a player DRAFT but Queensland and NSW (and probably the ACT) don't want this to happen as they are currently the major kindergartens of Australian Rugby. They lose the benefit of their hard work. (or so it's perceived).
The WF has only a single player currently getting a ARU Top-Up, Ben McCalman, and I understand that it is MUCH less than what was paid to Palu.
The only way to fix the issue is via a DRAFT system which is opposed by Queensland and NSW (and possibly the ACT) as they are the major kindergartens of Australian Rugby.
Yes the Rebels have had far more concessions than the WF. I suggest that with greater population they are considered a better target for growing rugby. Look at the numbers that turn up for Test matches in Melbourne.
I hope that Wayne Smith's article get the talk happening out in the open and at the right level.