Australian Rugby / RA
- Thread starter Dave Beat
- Start date
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
As you have made it clear, etc etc, what is the point of engaging in conversation here? All I have is my own knowedge base, professional qualifications, and work experience. Should I just talk from a position of ignorance?
However, just for the record, I was not implying that anything would have been better, or worse, I was simply pointing out that the option to appoint an Executive Chairman (somebody who would have had total power over the game) had been considered, and rejected. That's it. I did not say it would have been a good thing, or a bad thing.
If you don't like my posts, ignore them. Feel free.
Rugby Central
Charlie Fox (21)
I was until very recently one those who believed the assistants had to go. But after learning a little more about the power wielded by Cheika, I'm not so sure. While it's easy to criticise the individual aspects under the respective coaches lets look at this differently.
Defence: Nathan Grey has to come up with a structure that shifts players constantly out of position in order to protect their failings. Selections is all Cheika, so Grey just has to play the hand he's dealt.
Attack: Foley can't, or won't run to the line or run straight. No amount of brilliance from Larkham's brain can fix that. Put Foley at 12 and his running causes more problems. Add to this Cheika is constantly changing things around so even the attack coach doesn't know what he's working with.
Forwards: The lineout is a problem quite simply because we have a lack of options with "Pooper" in play. Hooper has a massive heart but he can't scavenge as well as others, he's redundant in the lineout and he's too small to take it to the line. His purpose (which is done brilliantly) is solely to cleanup the mess left by backs selected who can't tackle. Raiwalui is quite literally left with trying to put lipstick on a pig.
I agree there are more than just Hooper and Foley at fault here but when your captain and 10 are not working properly, nobody is. They are also the only 2 players consistently picked throughout our direct slide from number 2 to number 7 - now 6
Cheika is a decent coach but his loyalty to players who simply aren't up to the task is hindering the ability of his other coaches to do their job.
Selection power needs to be divested because Cheika isn't making the right calls on his own.
Brumby Runner
David Wilson (68)
Yeah, why don't the HO muppets grow a backbone and sack the under performing "he who can't be named".
Seems it isn't just RA in financial strife.......
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...eveal-loss-and-redundancy-of-54-staff-members
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...eveal-loss-and-redundancy-of-54-staff-members
Is this the downfall of the centralised contracted system?
"“[Overspending] did happen but we have got control of it and everyone is clear about that, from Eddie and his team downwards,” Brown said. “Sometimes through injury or trying different players out we need to select more players in a series. It’s just the way that the model works. It can work for us and sometimes it works against us financially.”
A core group are centrally contracted, and budgeted, but if you pick players outside that central squad you're paying extras? I reckon that would break RA as well.
"“[Overspending] did happen but we have got control of it and everyone is clear about that, from Eddie and his team downwards,” Brown said. “Sometimes through injury or trying different players out we need to select more players in a series. It’s just the way that the model works. It can work for us and sometimes it works against us financially.”
A core group are centrally contracted, and budgeted, but if you pick players outside that central squad you're paying extras? I reckon that would break RA as well.
WorkingClassRugger
David Codey (61)
If you look to centralise you have to do it involving 100% of the playing pool (or as close to 100% of the playing pool as possible) or not at all. For RA it would be simpler to do so than the RFU as they only have 4 teams under their direct auspices and one outside in the Force. So it shouldn't involve too many external expenses than it currently does in regard to player payments etc.
RedsHappy
Tony Shaw (54)
They interlace though, to a major degree.
The core issue in all the coaching-related discussion we engage in here is not Cheika.
The core issue is that it is evident - and has been for some considerable time - that the ARU/RA have not assembled the competence and experience essential to the task of the selection, development, oversight and general recruitment of professional rugby coaches in this country.
Worst is, they have not even understood the need for it. Accordingly, they have no idea how to perform this crucial strategic task set and they have not been seriously interested in learning how to perform it. In this, our topmost supervisory body has been both deeply complacent and deeply derelict in their duty to the Australian rugby players and public that they are formally bound to serve.
The consequences are everywhere from the conduct and competencies of the Wallaby coaching group, the lack of Australian professional coaching excellence at Super level, the lack of a robust long-term plan (and the resources to support it) to develop amateur level Australian coaches into capable professional grade coaches, and so on.
Appointing a person such as R Kafer - an avowed poor rugby coach for all of a few months and whom possessed zero experience of elite rugby coaching development systems - to head some form of emergency surgery to the problem and vacuum of their own making is evidence enough of the strategic incompetence of the ARU/RA board and its operational management in this mission critical area of code development and sustainment.
Given this history there is no supporting evidence that RA 2018 version will possess the capability to conduct a sound near-term reconstruction of Cheika's coaching group, or even dispense with Cheika and replace him in a sensible, considered manner.
There is just as much likelihood that RA will lurch into some panic-stricken, ersatz choice such as promoting Larkham to Wallaby HC (the RA 'anointed successor' - can you bear it?) or simply in frozen-deer-in-the-headlights mode, do nothing but 'we support Cheika to the hilt'.
The central problems in Australian rugby all are rooted in an incestuous, complacent, arrogant, self-satisfied, elitist culture and MO that has pervasively dominated the appointment of board members and officers to positions of rugby power in this country for at least 10-15 years.
Until this deep-rooted dereliction and ethical deficiency changes radically, the state of the code in Australia will continue its inexorable decline and degradation. As we witness in 2018.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
The RFU setting new standards for RA to follow...
It really is a different ball game over there
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/46344676
It really is a different ball game over there
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/46344676
The Classic Wallabies are one of the best things happening right now - check out this video if you want to smile about rugby again:
https://www.classicwallabies.com.au/match-highlights-classic-wallabies-vs-central-west-barbarians/
https://www.classicwallabies.com.au/match-highlights-classic-wallabies-vs-central-west-barbarians/
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
Who wants to have a guess how much it would cost to pay out Cheika for the remainder of his contract, buy out White for the remainder of his Japan contract and pay White's salary for whatever he demands while he has us bent over a barrel?
This is not to say it shouldn't be done
Scott Johnson is the other name that is being bandied about. That shouldn't be done.
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
Can't remember who i was listening to yesterday, but they said if we get rid of Cheika, you will probably have to pay out all the assistants as well, as the new coach will want a clean slate. But also getting rid of the assistants might mean that Cheika will walk in protest. Perhaps we should call his bluff and get rid of the Assistants, and then hope he leaves in protest which will mean we could get rid of him without having to pay him out. Unless he does a Trent Barrett and sticks around haha
Rebels3
Jim Lenehan (48)
Only issue i have with Scott Johnson is that he's been a DOR for a number of years now and hasn't actually been a head coach for a while.
I'd be happy for us to throw the keys to Johnson or Nucifora to play DOR like they have both done in Ireland and Scotland, to build from the ground up
Bandar
Bob Loudon (25)
I think the timing is right to pull the trigger on Cheika - It will cost a bit but not as much as it would have done six months ago.
I like the idea of offering White a short term incentive based contract from now until the end of the world cup - big bonuses and automatic extension if we win. It would cost a bit but how often do we have a world cup in our timezone, we need to perform.
It's either that or keep Cheika and give up on the world cup and watch rugby drop further down the pecking order of Australian sports.
I like the idea of offering White a short term incentive based contract from now until the end of the world cup - big bonuses and automatic extension if we win. It would cost a bit but how often do we have a world cup in our timezone, we need to perform.
It's either that or keep Cheika and give up on the world cup and watch rugby drop further down the pecking order of Australian sports.
Strewthcobber
Mark Ella (57)
No record of success as Head Coach