Western Force 2021

[Rebels3]

So you know this as a fact? Or is this just more Fake News?

I'll call this out as BS - especially when you look at the calibre of the new recruits.

Matt Hodgson has good knowledge of the player market/worth.
Do you really think that Forrest is going to short-change the players who are showing their loyalty to WA and GRR?

The feedback from internationals such as Greg Holmes and Richard Kahui is that the WF programme and culture is one of the best with which they've been associated/involved.
Perhaps that's why the WF has no problems with recruitment?

The players wouldn't be getting short changed, but they would also be paid their market value. Given their roster during GRR that would be less than the Super Rugby players because they were players of less standard.

If you think Ian Prior playing GRR is earning the same wedge as Joe Powell or Stander is earning Jack Dempsey cash thats delusional

 

[RugbyReg]

Ok, I will keep my powder dry but I still think there are massive concerns with the squad.

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Ok, I will keep my powder dry but I still think there are massive concerns with the squad.

Time are changing.

The Force have signed Kuridrani/Robertson/Montoya/Cubelli/McCaulay/Kearney

The Tahs have signed Sam Wykes

 

[D-Box]

Kahui and Thrush confirmed for next year

https://www.facebook.com/142068615831896/posts/3449339875104737/

 

[RugbyReg]

The Force have now signed 10 foreigners. I suspect more to come.

All this talk of bringing back expats with names like McMahon and Gill mentioned.

And they’ve brought back Holmes and Frisby.

Sure sprinkle some international talent as experience.

Why not Morohan or Beale instead of Kearney?
Why not Latu instead of Montoya?
Genia instead of Cubelli?
Tomane instead of Brache?

I assume if they want to play Super Rugby then they’ll have to comply with RA comp laws which hopefully include caps on OS players. Perhaps some leeway next year - but then again, why? They don’t have a salary cap and have unlimited budget. Why shouldn’t they be restricted to a cap on ineligible players.

 

[ForceFan]

The players wouldn't be getting short changed, but they would also be paid their market value. Given their roster during GRR that would be less than the Super Rugby players because they were players of less standard.

If you think Ian Prior playing GRR is earning the same wedge as Joe Powell or Stander is earning Jack Dempsey cash thats delusional

So you don't know - you're just guessing but present the statement as fact.

 

[Rebels3]

So you don't know - you're just guessing but present the statement as fact.

It’s common sense. Just as much as the average Super Rugby salary is less than the average salary in the Top14, the average GRR salary would be less than the average Super Rugby salary. Obviously some of the new signings are a completely different situation as they would have to pay more to attract more talent to compete in a higher level. It’s great to see, Kurindrani and Montoya in particular automatically raise the standard and brings challenges other teams will have to be weary of.

 

[dru]

They don’t have a salary cap and have unlimited budget. Why shouldn’t they be restricted to a cap on ineligible players.

I wouldn’t think that RA have a lot of strength in negotiation.

Do you feel ready for a 4 team Super Au 21?

 

[ForceFan]

The Force have now signed 10 foreigners. I suspect more to come.

All this talk of bringing back expats with names like McMahon and Gill mentioned.

And they’ve brought back Holmes and Frisby.

Sure sprinkle some international talent as experience.

Why not Morohan or Beale instead of Kearney?
Why not Latu instead of Montoya?
Genia instead of Cubelli?
Tomane instead of Brache?

I assume if they want to play Super Rugby then they’ll have to comply with RA comp laws which hopefully include caps on OS players. Perhaps some leeway next year - but then again, why? They don’t have a salary cap and have unlimited budget. Why shouldn’t they be restricted to a cap on ineligible players.

Wow Reg - maybe it depends upon who's available and who's off contract.......
Are you aware that CV19 presents it's own challenges in getting people back into or into country??
Yes there are a lot of foreigners but don't underestimate the benefit of these experienced players both within the young player group and within the broader WA rugby community.
McMahon and Gill have mostly been mentioned by others. I think the last time Forrest dropped McMahon's name was back in 2018.
Would love to see Morohan back but he's well settled at Bristol.
You can keep Beale and Latu as the WF has a no DH policy.
Great to see Cubelli back in Oz even if only for 1 year.
Brache has effectively become a Perth lad who showed his support for Forrest from AF's initial involvement in saving the WF. He's become very much a utility back.
WF didn't bring back either Holmes or Frisby - both were already returning to Oz due to CV19 disruptions etc.
Greg Holmes has obviously integrated well into the WF structure.

26 player group so far so as I said keep your powder dry - another 14 still to come.

Clearly the WF is building a more competitive team for 2021 and will continue to do so once the game plan/competition is known. Obviously it appears that it will be at Super Rugby level and most likely in Oz.
The WF is a private entity - it's entitled to operate it's business as it sees fit.
The WF players operate under their own contracts and are not under the RUPA or RA arrangements.
I'm sure that size of player groups, salary caps etc are all part of ongoing negotiations.
I can't imagine that a 4 team competition for SRAu is of interest to any broadcaster.

Western Force fans are often criticised for not moving on from the axing of the WF from Super Rugby in 2017.
Can you believe that there are still some Qld Reds fans who haven't forgiven the WF for recruiting players from Qld when setting up the initial 2006 player squad??

 

[Adam84]

The Force have now signed 10 foreigners. I suspect more to come.

All this talk of bringing back expats with names like McMahon and Gill mentioned.

And they’ve brought back Holmes and Frisby.

Sure sprinkle some international talent as experience.

Why not Morohan or Beale instead of Kearney?
Why not Latu instead of Montoya?
Genia instead of Cubelli?
Tomane instead of Brache?

I assume if they want to play Super Rugby then they’ll have to comply with RA comp laws which hopefully include caps on OS players. Perhaps some leeway next year - but then again, why? They don’t have a salary cap and have unlimited budget. Why shouldn’t they be restricted to a cap on ineligible players.

Reg,

Are those players you're comparing on similar wages, more importantly are they even available?
Are the Argentinians also getting top-ups or support from their governing body to play in the Super Rugby next year?

I don't really understand the grievance towards the Force recruitment so far, as a team they're building from a lower base and lesser experience. Recruiting ome experience from overseas regardless of been eligible for Australia or not is surely a better outcome then plundering the existing aussie teams of the new talent coming through.

It would be ridiculous to expect the Force to compete in 2021 and subsequent years, and then demand they also cull their number of international players.

 

[7137]

I wouldn’t think that RA have a lot of strength in negotiation.

Do you feel ready for a 4 team Super Au 21?

Do the Force feel ready to relocate to NZ?

 

[dru]

Do the Force feel ready to relocate to NZ?

The answer to that is very clearly a commercial call. Which puts RA in the box seat. But does little to impact what and how the WF recruit.

Honestly, these discussions sometimes need a little reality leaking through the cracks.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

The Force have now signed 10 foreigners. I suspect more to come.

All this talk of bringing back expats with names like McMahon and Gill mentioned.

And they’ve brought back Holmes and Frisby.

Sure sprinkle some international talent as experience.

Why not Morohan or Beale instead of Kearney?
Why not Latu instead of Montoya?
Genia instead of Cubelli?
Tomane instead of Brache?

I assume if they want to play Super Rugby then they’ll have to comply with RA comp laws which hopefully include caps on OS players. Perhaps some leeway next year - but then again, why? They don’t have a salary cap and have unlimited budget. Why shouldn’t they be restricted to a cap on ineligible players.

Frankly i don’t care - they have 10 internationals means at least not poaching other domestic players - they have brought home some o z talent but reality is we just don’t have depth for 5 sides at this point but do with marquees.

Keeping the footprint of 5 sides more important here and I note Reg you were supporter of less sides which really makes me annoyed with your comments here. No footprint means where do you provide a pathway if invest in grass roots. Please leave force alone as they are doing fine and don’t need your guidance.

 

[dru]

Keeping the footprint of 5 sides more important here and I note Reg you were supporter of less sides which really makes me annoyed with your comments here. No footprint means where do you provide a pathway if invest in grass roots. Please leave force alone as they are doing fine and don’t need your guidance.

+1
Lets just keep them in Super Au, yeah?

 

[Derpus]

The Force have now signed 10 foreigners. I suspect more to come.

All this talk of bringing back expats with names like McMahon and Gill mentioned.

And they’ve brought back Holmes and Frisby.

Sure sprinkle some international talent as experience.

Why not Morohan or Beale instead of Kearney?
Why not Latu instead of Montoya?
Genia instead of Cubelli?
Tomane instead of Brache?

I assume if they want to play Super Rugby then they’ll have to comply with RA comp laws which hopefully include caps on OS players. Perhaps some leeway next year - but then again, why? They don’t have a salary cap and have unlimited budget. Why shouldn’t they be restricted to a cap on ineligible players.

Be a bit fairer to throw these criticisms at the team if they hadn't just been cut - forcing the majority of the Super Rugby talent elsewhere.

Seems they are just collecting whatever talent is immediately available to make them more competitive for the 5 team series next year.

Which should, Reds included, benefit all of us in the short term. Why? because a 4 team series is much worse than a 5 team series.

Deal with the long term issues in the long term.

 

[Forcefield]

I have to chuckle. On one hand there appears to be complaining about us recruiting foreigners, having no salary cap and an unlimited budget, and on the other hand telling us to spend god knows how much on 4 or 5 guys of which probably only one (Latu) would every play for the Wallabies again.

 

[Dan54]

Personally I would be happy if all Aus teams were allowed more foreign players, even for 4-5 years, just have a little more depth while helping the undoubted potential that is coming through!

 

[Slim 293]

You can keep Beale and Latu as the WF has a no DH policy.

There's a couple of former Reds players on the books that might suggest otherwise.........

 

[RugbyReg]

I wouldn’t think that RA have a lot of strength in negotiation.

Do you feel ready for a 4 team Super Au 21?

happily take a Japan or Pacific team if the Force want to keep playing Singapore and China

 

[Bandar]

happily take a Japan or Pacific team if the Force want to keep playing Singapore and China

I would much rather the Force & Fiji...