What have you done for me lately.........

[.X.]

You know something my friends, one of the things I feel that I missed out growing up was not learning about Rugby Union whilst I was living in Western Australia. I discovered Rugby in 1991 and I was living in Katherine in the Northern Territory.

I never heard about Rugby growing up in Geraldton. I never knew about it while I was living in Perth as a 18- 20 year old. If I had perhaps I would have a better understanding of things. Perhaps I would understand why Everyone that has any involvement in Perth Club Rugby has an absolute Hatred for all things RugbyWA and all things Western Force.

I like to read most of the posts on TWF. I learn something new everyday - But one thing I have never been able to get my head around is why each of the Clubs that are loosely represented here on TWF by middle aged men drinking red wine and writing snarky comments to and at each other on the Metro WA forum threads. It seems that there are only 3 things that they all agree on:

• Each year - they steal each others players
• RugbyWA have never done anything for us
• Western Force have never done anything for us

I would love to know what they have done wrong.

But - Rather then asking what have RugbyWA done for you lately? What has your Club done for RugbyWA?

Has any club contacted Coach Foley and invited him and his players down to a training session one afternoon?

Has any club asked for some assistance from one of the Coaching staff with some training drills they could use to help improve their scrum engagement?

Has anyone invited the whole Force squad down to the Club Rooms to hear about the History of your Club - Just to help the players from other nations or other states understand what they are playing for?

Has anyone asked for a few players to attend a Junior Presentation night?


Look I might be out of line here - and its very possible I know nothing about what I am talking about,

But if RugbyWA make it possible for a couple of players and Coach to come to JB O'Reillys once a year to acknowledge the existence of a fan website and its members - then surely anything is possible.

[whodunnit]

You know something my friends, one of the things I feel that I missed out growing up was not learning about Rugby Union whilst I was living in Western Australia. I discovered Rugby in 1991 and I was living in Katherine in the Northern Territory.

I never heard about Rugby growing up in Geraldton. I never knew about it while I was living in Perth as a 18- 20 year old. If I had perhaps I would have a better understanding of things. Perhaps I would understand why Everyone that has any involvement in Perth Club Rugby has an absolute Hatred for all things RugbyWA and all things Western Force.

I like to read most of the posts on TWF. I learn something new everyday - But one thing I have never been able to get my head around is why each of the Clubs that are loosely represented here on TWF by middle aged men drinking red wine and writing snarky comments to and at each other on the Metro WA forum threads. It seems that there are only 3 things that they all agree on:

• Each year - they steal each others players
• RugbyWA have never done anything for us
• Western Force have never done anything for us

I would love to know what they have done wrong.

But - Rather then asking what have RugbyWA done for you lately? What has your Club done for RugbyWA?

Has any club contacted Coach Foley and invited him and his players down to a training session one afternoon?

Has any club asked for some assistance from one of the Coaching staff with some training drills they could use to help improve their scrum engagement?

Has anyone invited the whole Force squad down to the Club Rooms to hear about the History of your Club - Just to help the players from other nations or other states understand what they are playing for?

Has anyone asked for a few players to attend a Junior Presentation night?


Look I might be out of line here - and its very possible I know nothing about what I am talking about,

But if RugbyWA make it possible for a couple of players and Coach to come to JB O'Reillys once a year to acknowledge the existence of a fan website and its members - then surely anything is possible.

They couldn't give a shit!

[GIGS20]

They couldn't give a shit!

evidenced by?

[fulvio sammut]

Gigs, when was the last time you attended a club committee meeting or a RugbyWA council meeting?

[boof1050]

evidenced by?

Well said Giggs! Haters are gonna hate!

[boof1050]

Fulvio at least you aim up on this forum and give some alternative solutions (whether they be used is another story) unlike other posters who just wanna be snide tools and not offer up any alternative answers.

[G_Beard]

We've had nothing but fantastic experiences with the Force and RugbyWA.
Players coming to ref our games, players down at practise.
Players coming down on a Saturday morning just to cheer on our team.
I've found most of the players super approachable.
The staff at RugbyWA have also always been very friendly and accommodating.
We had a summer academy for a few of teenage lads and at the end, Tetera and Benny Taps popped down to encourage.


For all the dead shit drop kicks out there, it could just be a case of people reacting to what's in front of them.

[whodunnit]

We've had nothing but fantastic experiences with the Force and RugbyWA.
Players coming to ref our games, players down at practise.
Players coming down on a Saturday morning just to cheer on our team.
I've found most of the players super approachable.
The staff at RugbyWA have also always been very friendly and accommodating.
We had a summer academy for a few of teenage lads and at the end, Tetera and Benny Taps popped down to encourage.


For all the dead shit drop kicks out there, it could just be a case of people reacting to what's in front of them.

They wouldn't be there or ply club if they didn't have to.

[G_Beard]

They wouldn't be there or ply club if they didn't have to.

Beg to differ.
When players, Marcel Brache and Chris Heiberg pop down in civvies for an hour on a Saturday morning to cheer on the juniors and know the kids names and get down to opposition clubs grounds.
My own kid was that chuffed he was just about in tears on the way home - that a Force player knew his name, and cheered him on the rugby field.
Makes a hell of a difference.

[fulvio sammut]

There are some ingrained problems at RugbyWA, but the Force as a team, their immediate management and coaching staff, aren't among them as far as most clubs are concerned, at least in my experience..

Most players have made themselves appropriately available to clubs, and yes, as a club we have asked for and usually received the kind of assistance Exile is talking about, from coaches and players. In return we have thanked them, provided small tokens of appreciation and refreshments.

The Force has been relatively unsuccessful - that's a fact, not a criticism - and the lack of success has built up some degree of frustration and unhappiness with some supporters. When they want to lash out, anyone will do.

Some on here conflate disappointment and anger shown by others towards RugbyWA because of the way Rugby WA has irreparably damaged and converted our local club competition into a shambles and a travesty, as somehow a condemnation of the Force as a team. It is not.

Their are two distinct issues, and I have always restricted myself to the one I have insight and knowledge of.

It's a pity more don't do the same.

[GIGS20]

Gigs, when was the last time you attended a club committee meeting or a RugbyWA council meeting?

I am OK with saying I have never attended a club committee meeting, nor a council meeting, however every year my boy played I was an assistant coach in his team.

No I am not currently involved in community rugby, that's because I have a busy life with other sport that my kids are involved with. That doesn't mean I'm disinterested or dismissive, just not involved.

The question was directed, however, at the person who was suggesting that RugbyWA and the Force don't give a shit and I simply asked for the comment to be backed up, I wasn't expecting to be personally challenged, however I have provided an honest answer to your question.

I wonder if the favour will be returned?

[Ecky]

I have an acquaintance at one of the old District clubs and some relatives at another.

They would argue that they get minimal support from RugbyWA; be it ground kit or player/coach attendance etc.

[palitu]

can't think of the last time a force player/coach was at the goats. But i dunno if one was ever asked for.

[fulvio sammut]

All I was suggesting was that the evidence you sought from whodunit in respect to his sweeping and generalised statement was there to be found, not by empirical example, but by examination and lived experience of RugbyWA's handling of club rugby over many years.

It was and is to be found within the clubs themselves and in the unilateral decision making process adopted by RugbyWA and rammed through by it. The system of votes allocated at council meetings is just one aspect of how the system has been manipulated to entrench the over-riding control of the executive and give them free reign to screw over who ever they wish.

To ask for "evidence" for what is an ingrained and institutional problem as if it was as straight forward as providing examples, appeared to me, with respect, to be simplistic.

I'm sorry that you were offended, and I can see you have been, but it was not intended as a personal attack on you. It was a shorthand way of saying what I'm saying now.

For what it's worth I disagree with whodunnit's observation on the Force, and have far greater respect for your demonstrated knowledge on that subject than that of he and others.

The last sentence in my preceding post was gratuitous and unnecessary, but was not referenced to you or Exile.

[.X.]

Fulvio,

whilst I did take a cheap shot with my "Middle age men drinking red wine line" I have always had a high level of respect for you and your Rugby knowledge. I like that you give your opinion, there is no doubt who you and and who you represent. I respect that more. I hope that my original post was not aimed at you. It wasn't.