Brown and Swanepoel to Start for Cottesloe In This Weekends Semi-Finals

[TommyM]

So to those opposing Brown and Swannepoel playing, do you not want the Force Wallaby reps (and others) to play in WA club rugby at all? Because if they can't come back and play in WA when they are told they have to play club rugby, then they will definitely ALL play in Sydney or Brisbane next year and into the future rather than the local comp.

[jazza93]

They already do play in NSW, that is the part of the problem, no force players are eligible for finals.

But it is more about RWA letting this happen.

[TommyM]

They already do play in NSW, that is the part of the problem, no force players are eligible for finals.

But it is more about RWA letting this happen.

Exactly. But sweet FA chance of them risking playing in WA in the future if they aren't guaranteed a game...

[James]

So Richard Brown has a choice of where he plays rugby this weekend but he has to play. He could play in Perth, in Sydney or in Brisbane. A given that the Sydney and Brisbane competitions are tougher due to the funding the ARU gives them (not the issue today). So we have a player who chooses Perth because it is what he wants to do. Had he not been playing for the Force, training with the Wallabies or playing for the Wallabies it seems fair to assume he would have played a few more games for Cottesloe. So is it really that bad? Perhaps, in the spirit of fairness Cottesloe should have sought approval from the opposition.

And if it is so unfair maybe that will be just the kind of motivation needed for Wanneroo to lift as a team and teach Cottesloe a lesson.

[jargan83]

Exactly. But sweet FA chance of them risking playing in WA in the future if they aren't guaranteed a game...

If they hung around post Super 14 instead of getting out of Perth as fast as they could they would be guarenteed a game I'd have thought

I saw someone else mention when Wanneroo had 3 Force players and no one raised a fuss, probably because they actually played qualifying games and aren't being parachuted in for a sudden death fixture
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[laura]

If they hung around post Super 14 instead of getting out of Perth as fast as they could they would be guarenteed a game I'd have thought

They went into Wallabies training 2 weeks after super 14 season finished. If you only had 2 weeks of holidays wouldn't you want to catch up with family or have a bit of a rest from training 7 days a week for near on six months straight? And yes, he is a professional rugby player who is paid to play and train but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a family and need a break like every other person.

Brownie could have sat on his bum and sulked about not being selected for the Wallabies this week but he was TOLD to go play club rugby and he CHOSE to come to WA. I'm sure if he was left out of the squad for the rest of the Wallabies season, he would have stayed and played here for all that time as well...not many other players would or have done that.

[normie]

The rule says (in part)

Clubs seeking dispensation for players to participate in a Finals match in a team that they would, pursuant to these Competition Rules, be otherwise ineligible to play for, must apply in writing to the Competition Manager

RWA have said:

“The decision to grant him dispensation was not taken lightly, and was made without reference to the clubs involved in the fixture (Cottesloe and Wanneroo). We ensured that no parties from either club were involved in the decision.

No mention of any club making an application, though the decision of an application is clearly stated;

Is it fair to assume that no club did actually make an application?

If a dispensation can only be granted if applied for by the club concerned; and
the club concerned didn't apply for any such dispensation, then, how can it legally be so?

... over to you Fulv


Ps GR8 that Brownie chose to play locally; Its a shame that the nature of actual game he is playing in is somewhat contentious.

[jazza93]

Wanneroo have had a few consistent force players in the last 2 season, but they were all gone by the time Australia A started training, so they were never around by the finals. No one made a fuss because at the time it was normal for clubs to have them every game.

RWA are trying to make it sound like he is forced to play here and he is chosing to play here at the same time when really, Cott probably begged him to play for them because they are so scared of losing after Wanneroo beat Paly.

No one is against Brown, everyone is against Cottesloe who started this and RWA for helping them along, not Wanneroo against force players...

[chertubler]

did'nt brownie say that he wanted to see his girlfriend here in perth i don't think he really cares wat team he plays for as long as it is in WA

[bunter]

Got the shits with the lot of it. RugbyWA is obviously prepared to accept a disjointed competition as it has done in previous years. Force players and higher, train eat and play professional rugby for a living. It's a bit different from the local guys who often have show up for a night shift at work before the day of the match, and then return for the following shift.
Share 'em about or f--k em off.

[jargan83]

They went into Wallabies training 2 weeks after super 14 season finished. If you only had 2 weeks of holidays wouldn't you want to catch up with family or have a bit of a rest from training 7 days a week for near on six months straight? And yes, he is a professional rugby player who is paid to play and train but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a family and need a break like every other person.

Wallaby players have annual leave at the end of the year (after the European tour. I assume that players not on tour have their annual leave sooner. I have nothing against Richard Brown as it is clearly not his choice. But the fact that it has been allowed to happen by the administrators of the game.
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They went into Wallabies training 2 weeks after super 14 season finished. If you only had 2 weeks of holidays wouldn't you want to catch up with family or have a bit of a rest from training 7 days a week for near on six months straight? And yes, he is a professional rugby player who is paid to play and train but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a family and need a break like every other person.

Given that Club Rugby is no where near the intensity of Super Rugby, a point that is made whenever someone raises depth issues in regards to the Wallabies and when the argument for an Aussie 3rd tier competition. Training twice a week and just rocking up to play would probably be a holiday to Pro-Rugby players. Lets not forget that they choose to play Rugby as a job, they are rewarded handsomely to do it as well. If needs to train that long, sit through endless team meetings he chooses to do it. Most people only get 4 weeks of Annual leave a year I fail to see how this makes him worse off then any other person

[WaterBoy]

11.3 Dispensations
(a) Clubs seeking dispensation for players to participate in a Finals match in a team that they would, pursuant to these Competition Rules, be otherwise ineligible to play for, must apply in writing to the Competition Manager for that dispensation by 12 noon on the Wednesday prior to the match concerned. Clubs that make a timely application for such a dispensation will be advised as to the result of their application (and of the conditions (if any) on which any such dispensation have been granted) by 5pm on the Thursday prior to the match concerned. Applications for dispensation that fall outside the prescribed submission deadline will be considered by the Competition Manager only in the most exceptional circumstances.

(b) Dispensations will only be granted under Rule 11(3)(a) for the purposes of safety, or through injury to players for the duration of the Finals series, or in cases where a player is graded as ineligible as a direct result of that player’s involvement in representative matches for a WA State team(s) or some other RugbyWA representative side(s).

(c) Breaches of the conditions (if any) under which a dispensation has, pursuant to this rule, been granted by the Competition Manager, or the provision of false information to the Competition Manager for the purposes of securing such a dispensation will automatically disqualify the offending team from all Finals matches.

Complete Document Here: http://gotheforce.com/uploaded/1/1251962257.pdf

Why would Cottesloe or Wanneroo have to make the application? The rules don't seem to make it clear that a third party club can't make the application for dispensation thereby not involving either Cottesloe or Wanneroo. I know it is a stupid interpretaton of the rule but FULV could it be like that?

I get benched alot and i would be peeved if someone made the finals and took my bench spot in this type of situation.

[Burgs]

There may be a little bit of reading what you want to read in reference to the RWA statement IMHO.

They say the decision was made without reference or involvement, not that there was no application to consider dispensation in accordance with Rule 11(3)(a).

And, as previously stated by many that we aren't aiming this at the player, I also think it is a little unfair to aim it at Cottesloe either, they have either discovered a way to enhance their chances through Rule 11(3)(a) or they have been "encouraged" to do so by the ARU. In both cases any of the other clubs would have taken the same course of applying to RWA and let them make the decision.

[fulvio sammut]

How can you make a "decision" without reference to the application?

[Happy]

ever watched "Yes Minister" Fulv???