Sydney Spirit vs Perth Stars

[SNOB]

Fair say Tazzie! But if this is the case why has nobody from RWA had the balls to say this is what's happening?
That's what gets my goat. Not all of up us get the inside story and if there is one, like now, it should be made public! Yes maybe the team flying over from East may rest a few S15 players will that diminish the numbers on the hill? Possibly but be bloody open!
Rant over!

[Whatsdoin]

Please folks take a deep breathe and let logic apply.

The Force players are one of the most travelled of the Super 15 sides and bearing in mind player welfare they were going to again this year be the less travelled of the players and likley to be included in the home matches.

Most of the club players hold down jobs as well as play rugby and advance warning for their employers and themselves would have been one of the considerations when putting a team together, also no matter how well they were playing could the commit eight weeks to the team.

This comp has always been about giving as many club players a chance to put their hands up for higher honours not winning although that would be nice.

This comp was to give more time to Burton and Koteka, but injuries have brought Jooste on earlier than expected but with year 12 exams under way shortly he cannot commit full time, so not sure about being told when players will come on play is fair maybe which week they were likley to get a go.

Brad Lacey had a chance for two weeks and did not show, yet Daley and Onehunga took their opportunities last week and were noticed.

This comp is for the greater good of the Future of the Force and not the here and now.

I will be on the hill again this week shouting for the boys irrespective who is picked.

Tai I am behind you and your team, go the Spirit

Sorry Tazzie,
You are in fantasy land.
Forget about travel and all that rubbish. Check out the Eagles and dockers for a 1 - 2 finish. every second week they travel!
The force may go to NZ and SA but that was months ago.
Why are Super 15 players player in NZ consistently with no thought about travel taken into account. Before you say NZ is small and lacks same amount of travel, correct, but they are playing at times 3 games in 8 days with the prospect of going to airports waiting around, hotels and buses with no complaints.
Here at the force we put them in cotton wool and still came last. What about world cup players, they have played super 15 comp, test matches, physical trainings and about to play seven games in seven weeks! And they will still front for super 15!
Yes this same shit happened last year so nothing has changed. Good chance same result next year - last!
Some force players would rather just train at this time of year instead of playing NRC, and Foley gave them their wish!
Check out ITM and see how many Super 15 players even fringe all blacks, who are fronting weekly.
This all about players getting their own way and Foley and co sucking up to them and making scientific excuses, so they keep their jobs by having players on their side.
Get your heads out of the sand! Force is stuffed financially and is lacking in leadership and a presence in australian rugby.
Last in super 15 and running last in NRC!!!! Proof is in results, nothing is working!
I feel for club players going into something that lacks any conviction!

[Cowboy]

I'm sorry Tazz, but your comment kind of reflects the dismissing of basics and buying into something too smart for our own good type of ideas that I think are part of the problem right now. It all seems so logical, yet basic ideas are thrown away. An example would be if Jermaine Ainsley wanted to risk it all by throwing in his job and trying to play his way into a contract, impossible in this structure.


It doesn't mean that the players do not have my support, in fact the opposite. I want to see them achieve their best and in order to do this they need the best coaching and support structure we can possibly provide. At the moment I am not convinced that the players have this, until I am I will be critical.

[Tazzmania]

Gee whiz, sounds like you all would love to see the end of rugby in W A.

I have been there from day one at the rally, I do not care if we come first or last, I love rugby and I am grateful that we now have a second tier comp and I can watch rugby almost all year long with club games filling in a few gaps in the calendar.

Long live rugby in W A, cannot wait to see the boys on Saturday arvo

[AndyS]

Sorry, but I have to agree with the discontent. I said it last year and it is seemingly even more true this year - the Force/RWA really don't seem to take this competition seriously, so it is hard for the fans to take it seriously either. I'm really enjoying the competition this year, but I have to say I am finding it very difficult to care about the Spirit. They just don't seem to have got that the NRC is a competition first and foremost, not just an exercise in training runs. The Queensland teams seem to be the ones that have got it best, seeming to have established genuine pride in their teams and real rivalries...the derby last week was an absolute cracker. Maybe it is because neither is seen as a Reds B team and the Reds seem to take a light hand.

Personally I think the Spirit and all the teams should be run independently from the Super teams. They certainly seem unable to really leverage off it anyway, and while they have some loyal fans here I didn't think the crowd at McGillivray the other week was as big as the corresponding game last year. Anyone have actual numbers?

[Tazzmania]

. The Queensland teams seem to be the ones that have got it best, seeming to have established genuine pride in their teams and real rivalries...the derby last week was an absolute cracker. Maybe it is because neither is seen as a Reds B team ?

Unfortunately what it highlights is that the depth and quality of players over East is way above the level of our boys, and by U.S. Playing in this comp will have a long term benefit of brining our lads up a level or two with the exposure.

Great to see our boys giving it s go week in week out. one day we will get there but until then.ets enjoy and appreciate what we have?

Go the spirit

[Beliefs]

The problem with the Spirit contracted players is that Foley stops them playing in the local comp. at Round 14, so no Rugby for 6 weeks, and then they are expected to perform against Eastern States teams whose players kept playing Club Rugby after Super Rugby finished. If you're not match fit, you're going to be pushing the proverbial up hill, and it showed last week, leading at half time, but getting done in the second half. Whilst Foley's there the Force and the Spirit will go nowhere, he needs to be moved on.

[AndyS]

Unfortunately what it highlights is that the depth and quality of players over East is way above the level of our boys, and by U.S.

It has nothing to do with depth - the Spirit is hardly lacking in S15 talent. Nor is it about results - U.S blew last year and Q'ld Country is 0 from 3 as well, although there has been a world of difference in how they got there. And it is probably not about the Spirit lads themselves. It is about what the competition seems to mean to the Q'ld teams and how they've gone about promoting it and engaging interest. They treat it like a competition that matters and is worth winning, while the Force/Spirit have consistently given every indication that it is nothing much more than a series of friendlies to give the academy guys a hit out.

Frankly if I was a sponsor I'd be paying it less attention than the Force pre-season hit-outs. As a fan of rugby I'll show up and watch the games, but in all honesty my main concern is the future of the NRC. My hope at the moment is that the other teams really take this comp and run with it...maybe if they leave the Spirit far enough behind someone will have to do something about it.

[beige]

Gee whiz, sounds like you all would love to see the end of rugby in W A.

[boof1050]

Tazz i like your enthusiasm seeing the rugby for what it is through those rose coloured glasses. NO ONE that has posted negative statements about the Force or Spirit are saying they want Rugby in WA to die. On the contrary they're probably just as passionate about it as you. I'm hardly a person to agree with whatsdoin but i think the time may have arrived to start asking serious questions of our board and coaching staff. As most people here as well we spend our hard earned coin to get our memberships and supporter gear I think we'd like to see a lot more consistency and better results than what we've been getting. Excuses are starting to get tiring. Time to harden the Fuck Up and the board to make some decisions before its too late to win the members back.

[palitu]

I for one have no interest in following the spirit if they are not a team that actually wants to win the comp.

seems the Kiwi boys can play full time in a semi professional capacity, but apparently the aussies cannot. If Ainsley wants a shot, drop his job or get part time work/casual, and give it a crack.

I see it as reducing the value of the competition, and it does not give me a team to support. there is no consistency to the boys they put out. If they want to rotate the S15 players, that is fine, but do not break the back of the team every week.

also, ONE captain, who plays week in week out, barring injury.

[andrewg]

Have only now been able to watch the game.

Lots of the articles here could have been written BEFORE the NRC even started.
Lets have a rant against RWA, The Force in general, Foley etc etc.
Time for a cold shower, a Bex and a lie down.
It's time for a bit of realism not pipe dreams.

The score was Spirit 16: 5 Stars at 35 minutes when Rangi was YC'd for a stupid no-arms shoulder charge.
The Stars scored 2 Tries while he was off the field.

Despite the above the Spirit soldiered on to get back to Spirit 29:24 Stars at 49 minutes.
Then Nikoro gets pinged with another YC at 54 minutes and the Stars get another easy try within a minute.

This isn't a coaching problem - the players have to stand-up and be accountable.
They are being given a chance to be shown on a bigger/national stage and some are being found wanting.
There is a big step up to NRC and a staircase to SXV. The more players who get this message the better!

The Sydney Stars had zero SXV players in their squad. The Perth Spirit had 8 Western Force squad members.
I reckon McIsaac picked a team with the capability to win this game.
Up until the 1st YC there was a good game plan.

Despite the ill-disciplined 2 x Yellow Cards and too frequent handling errors the Spirit were still very much in this game when the score line was Stars 29:24 Spirit at the 70 minute mark.

The Stars played the last 10 minutes better than the Spirit who kept making errors/missing tackles.
Some of our 80 minute players were obviosly tired after playing 20 minutes with 14 men.
Three over-throws at LineOuts didn't help the Spirit's cause.

For every game so far the Spirit has had their chances to take the game.
Yes, they have come up short but a broader pool of local talent has been given a go.
Isn't that what the NRC is for? Some non-WF players are certainly stepping-up well.

I thought that Rangi, Winter, Rovira, Jooste, Havili and Konelio showed some real talent.
Great to see Houkamau and Savage get a chance to show their stuff and Ainsley get some more game time.
Rory Walton had his best game so far.
Hardwick toiled hard all day but missed working in tandem with a Cottrell or Alcock.
Ian prior led the team well.
Fantastic to see Junior Rasolea return from serious injury with half a game.

I can't agree that the Spirit should be full with WF players and the focus should be on winning (at all cost).
There was some really good rugby played by the Spirit to still have a 29:24 score line at 70 minutes.

For me one low-light of the NRC is the inconsistency in the reffing.
I know that they want to keep the game flowing but the Spirit has been getting the rough end of decisions in the games so far.

BUT I too would like to see some wins.
But NOT at the cost of testing/playing new and local players.

(No ruck stats taken so far - maybe later but the TV coverage of the NRC makes it very difficult).

[westies man]

No one is bemoaning the use of club players and anyone that has read my posts over the years may just slightly get the impression that I more than anyone else here promote the local lad's cause even if they are not up to Super 15 mark at this stage of their career.
What we demand is a team that is competitive and a fair reflection of what we have to offer.
No one is bagging RWA or the Spirit coaching staff who I don't know personally so have no opinion as to their coaching ability good, bad or otherwise.
Actually spare a thought for the coaching set up who I would imagine would be pretty pissed having to drag guy's when they were told to and giving others a start when they know those players will have little or no impact. Rasolea ripping it up on Sat is a classic example and then get's dragged for his efforts.
They will be judged on their record when the team selection they get is not necessarily what they would consider the best squad available.
Tazzie you weren't the only one at that rally, there were a lot of us there that also love the game that don't want to see it go any further backwards due to the actions as far as I can ascertain of one man's pig headedness..

[brokendown gunfighter]

Westies,was this policy used last season as well?

[westies man]

Last season was pretty much club players went over East with the odd exception and Force players played home games with the odd exception. Basically 2 different teams.