Where do you think the "Perth Spirit" will finish in the years ARC?

[Burgs]

The "layers" of teams from top to bottom would be:

• The Emirates Western Force - Super 14
• Western Force Gold - EWF Development Matches (Such as '06 South African Tour etc)
• Perth Spirit - Western Australian based team representing RugbyWA in the Australian Rugby Championships
• Perth Gold - Western Australia's "State XV", previously in the Australian Rugby Shield
• RugbyWA Development XV - Similar to Perth Gold but as it states, for development
• Western Force Academy - For Academy development but supplemented by Junior Force Squad members and local Club players as required
• RugbyWA District Selection XV - Selected from "A Grade" Clubs to play-
• WA Country XV - Selected from the WA Country Competitions
• Age Rep and WA Schoolboys

[Mtbeaver]

Age Rep and WA Schoolboys

Thats me!

Did pruc get in?

[gustafsl]

The only other provision is if any of our players have elected to play for the Melbourne Rebels.
We have adequate cover in the tight five but would be relying on local players if any of the back row or backs chose to start in Melbourne.
Force Squad members not listed above are:
Pek Cowan, Michael Dan, Tom Hockings & Angus Scott.
I'm assuming the rest are going to make the Wallaby 30 or will leave in the next couple of weeks.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't there be some provision in each players contract that they have to have permission from the Force to play Rugby elsewhere. Even during the off-season? If so, I wonder if they can control where the players play. So for instance can they tell a player "yes you can play in the ARC but you have to play for Perth." Or does it have to be "yes you can play in the ARC." And then it is up to the player to decide. Guess it would depend on how the contracts are worded.

If they can control the players, my guess would be that they would try and keep as many of the younger players together. But if someone more established like Fava or Henjak wanted to play elsewhere they would let them go. Also considering that Sharpe is the only forward to get Wallaby consideration they may try to keep the whole forward pack together.

[Burgs]

They certainly had the power to keep them in WA for the off season and determine which local Clubs they aligned with gustafsl, that wasn't the players decision to make.
I don't know, but as the people paying the bills, I would imagine that RugbyWA would determine if a player can play for a different ARC team or not.
I do recall a mention of a clear seperation and distinction between the Emirates Western Force and the RugbyWA Perth Spirit due to contractual arrangements with SANZAR etc over Super Rugby.
You would assume that to extend to all coaching staff and players having a seperate contract for the ARC season etc but really, it will be same dog different leg action.
There are 28 players per squad, so even if my example above was our selection there would still be six more roster positions to be filled from the rest of the Force Squad, the Academy and the local comp and around Australia.
My gut instinct is that the "new blood" will be seen over in the East and the Spirit will be very much a Force Development XV in the first few years.
Not only will this be a boost for the Force, but also help see the Spirit have early success and therefore help establish the team on the WA sporting landscape.

[no.8]

Yes Burgs

[hopep]

Sounds like MTBeaver takes after his proginator.
no idea whats happening until hes on his 6th pint, then by the 8th its all too late.

[James]

If they can control the players, my guess would be that they would try and keep as many of the younger players together. But if someone more established like Fava or Henjak wanted to play elsewhere they would let them go. Also considering that Sharpe is the only forward to get Wallaby consideration they may try to keep the whole forward pack together.

I'd have thought they would want as many players to get as much game time as possible. So in the locks were we have O'Connor, Vedelago, Hockings and potentially Dan/Doherty we might let some go and play for another team, particularly the younger ones who might not yet crack the senior squad. In the props we have 5 with Hardy, Takiari, Scott, Whalley and Cowan surely one of those could go off and get more game time and improve their technique/skill set. Its all good experience especially with the changing of U21 and U19 into one U20 championship. The only area were you'd want to keep it together is in the backs where many of ours will be off with the Wallabies (and those still here might be frustrated by lack of game time).