RugbyWA hit with $150,000 fine

[Darren]

I'd say it was $150,000 very well spent! Look at the players they secured for the first season, and the subsequent sponsorship and the member numbers on the back of this. Clever numbers guys at RugbyWA....

[Force1]

Yes, I can Gerry and thank you for your apology on behalf of the member for their ongoing abuse.

This is a topical matter. If a public co's CEO and Chairman behaved liked this, they'd be sent to Siberia. But this is sport -- and business out West is a little different to the rest of the World.


Cheers!

PS - you might be asking whats next? I've give you a clue - it starts with F and includes the word fire....

[travelling_gerry]

It was no apology Force1....and I have been to Siberia....it was quite nice...

[Force1]

I guess some people will never admit to a wrong. And its equally sad that some defend their actions.

All the best.

Ps - "Melbourne Force" has a nice ring to it actually.......

[brokendown gunfighter]

I'm sorry, some of the comments here are way off the mark.

I think you all should ask the Force CEO and Chairman why for months they denied doing anything wrong; denied any breaches of protocols; denied making secret payments but today, when faced with serious threats, have admitted to a range of breaches and serious breaches at that. Quite an amazing coincidence.... I think its called a plea bargain....

It seems you are all very tolerant of management that waste RugbyWA's money. Thats $210,000 in fines now to date! Wouldnt that have been better spent with clubs and juniors?

A deal was done here to save RugbyWA's butt. If this had gone to an inquiry things would have been and looked a hell of a lot worse.

This is incredibly unfortunate. But the question needs to be asked of the credibility and competence of the senior people at RugbyWA. Would you trust them again not to break the rules?

This might be funny if it wasnt all so sad. But as they say about politicians, if you vote for them, you have to live with them.

Good luck.

Doesn't junior development monies come directly from the ARU,not RWA?

[Darren]

Now that would be a Farce...

[AndyS]

I'm sorry, some of the comments here are way off the mark.

Quite possibly - we are just calling it as we see it from the trenches

I think you all should ask the Force CEO and Chairman why for months they denied doing anything wrong; denied any breaches of protocols; denied making secret payments but today, when faced with serious threats, have admitted to a range of breaches and serious breaches at that. Quite an amazing coincidence.... I think its called a plea bargain....

Because it is clear that they didn't think they had breached any protocol that existed in 2005. Perhaps JO'N is right and everyone else interpreted convention and protocol as interchangeable - easy position to take once sponsors have already come through. The protocols on third-parties were formalised in Feb 2006 and I'm sure if there were any transgressions when negotiating for, say, Mitchell or Giteau they would hardly have been overlooked in the current climate. The Force has consistently stated that they have conformed with the rules of the day, but they would inevitably be subject to some degree of interpretation - maybe the other teams should make the point plain and volunteer to have their 2005 contracts audited also.

Thats $210,000 in fines now to date! Wouldnt that have been better spent with clubs and juniors?

Certainly - I guess it comes down to what you think the actual transgression was and whether a monetary penalty is appropriate. The things the Force is supposed to have done - intentionally or otherwise : what and who did they cost?

A deal was done here to save RugbyWA's butt. If this had gone to an inquiry things would have been and looked a hell of a lot worse.

Sorry - The two top ARU guys sat down with the two top RWA guys, exchanged formal written questions and responses, and it wasn't an inquiry? What exactly would constitute an "inquiry" then, and are you sure you aren't confusing it with populist witchhunt/kangaroo court?

This is incredibly unfortunate. But the question needs to be asked of the credibility and competence of the senior people at RugbyWA. Would you trust them again not to break the rules?

This might be funny if it wasnt all so sad. But as they say about politicians, if you vote for them, you have to live with them.
Good luck.

Yep, no question. Silly of them not to know the game - as we saw with Tuqiri, it is important to get permission to break the rules first (or at least before anyone makes a fuss)

[brokendown gunfighter]

could someone explain to me how force1 name doesnt appear in the registered users online visitors list?

[Darren]

She/He has opted to use "invisible" mode...

It's the first option in the User Options section here: http://thewholeforce.com/profile.php?do=editoptions

[Flamethrower]

Force1, you are starting to sound a bit desperate. The tone of your last posts are starting to portray a bitter disappointment that the Earth Shattering result you predicted have not come to fruition.

[slomo]

yeah i think our good friend force 1 was expecting fines around 500,000 so i guess he was way off the mark.

p.s. you may ask whats next? it starts with f and includes the word fire....


you've got me stumped mate can i buy a vowel?

[Flamethrower]

Hmmmm..................fire...............

Fire engine
Fire ball
Fire truck
Fire tower
Fire starter
Fire hose
Fire in the hole

I must be getting close

[Jehna]

Hahah nice flame

I've already said this to Force1 elsewhere as he informed me he had no intention of writing in the forums anymore, but given he broke that promise to me i'll post the reply i gave to him....


It's not a case of believing you Force1. I still don't feel they've provided an adequate response. And as a lawyer I am smart enough to question the circumstances under which they did admit to payments rather than whatever bullshit you believe such a background should force me to do. Secondly, as I wrote in the forum, the media reports thus far have failed to specify exactly what it was RWA admitted to...which players, which contracts, is this when the club first started, does this extend to contracts such as Giteau? The answers to these questions make a lot of difference. Finally, I have to question the fine itself. $150,000.00 is certainly not the $500,000.00 you were claiming. Given the hardline stance the ARU is now taking on this sort of thing, it seems to suggest that the ARU themselves had difficulty in finding enough evidence to punish RWA any more severely than they did. It would also seem slight hypocritical for them to punish RWA for these past events, when they themselves are guilty of failing to clarify exactly what is protocol and what are laws....take tuqiri for example...they were pretty happy to be relax the 'protocols' in relation to his contract and endorsements for fear of losing him to league.

As far as i can see, RWA have been used as a scapegoat. You can't tell me that there is not one other club out there that is guilty of the same misdemeanors and that goes for the ARU as well. This has been going on for years because of the loopholes in the laws. It's only now the ARU have realised that people are catching onto this when you've got the media reporting ridiculous contracts like Giteau's, or Tuqiri's that have people questioning how it is possible for a footy player to get paid so much? So they use the Force as an opportunity to expose the problem themselves so as to jump the gun and avoid blame as much as possible. It's an old trick of admit a problem and fix it before someone else points it out first....

Well that's the way i see it...please enlighten me if you feel i'm wrong, which no doubt you do


And just to add to that again, without the Western Force there would be no juniors to support anyway so I feel it is money well spent.

Final comment - Nice work Andy I'm passing the buck to you now...i'm tired of Force1

[The Lone Hydrangea]

Force1, you are starting to sound a bit desperate. The tone of your last posts are starting to portray a bitter disappointment that the Earth Shattering result you predicted have not come to fruition.

Force1 we are a friendly bunch of true Force people here. Ive had pimples and got over it. Im a man now and i enjoy this site. You are boring me to death, so please bugger off to some other site who appreciate knobs. Thanks.

[jazza93]

everyone your wasting your life complaining about some random person on the internet.

1. do you think he cares about what you have to say
2. your doing what he wants you to do


if you stop talking to him then you can sit here and watch him rev up people.