Force 2018

[swingpass]

the Rebels short term survival and longterm viability have nothing to do with the Force v ARU. MRRU have a participation agreement with the ARU (board) to run a Super Rugby team, who owns it is immaterial, so long as the rules of the deed are kept and the bills are paid. the former have been and the latter - we will see how that goes shan't we.

ps i want the Force to stay in the comp, whatever form that is, as much as the WA people do. this whole saga is because of a Sydney centric ARU with a complicit QRU and Brumbies, always back the horse called self interest.

pps Tex was correct in his original assessment of the nedlands blogger, far too much vitriol and sneer for my likeing. i can tell you the Rebels management/VRU have worked just as feverishly at keeping rugby alive in Victoria as have the Force in WA, just not as publicly.

 

[oztimmay]

Not being defensive, this is some guy's blog, not the Guardian. He/she can think what they like how they like.

Probably a good thing as descriptors of the Rebels like 'muddy the waters', 'clandestine', 'smoke-and-mirrors', and 'propaganda', all in the one paragraph, don't leave a lot of room for balanced opinion.

Good for a laugh though.

"Bleak City" was my favourite phrase.

 

[Braveheart81]

Personally, I liked the segue to the Diggers & Dealers Mining Conference in Kalgoorlie.

 

[oztimmay]

Personally, I liked the segue to the Diggers & Dealers Mining Conference in Kalgoorlie.

Yes, fair call. I mean, how can you just ignore to the most important business event on the WA calendar?

And that name - Diggers and Dealers. Just let the imagination run wild. Think of all the unbridled mental doodling you could do with that name.

 

[BLR]

Is it so bad to ask where the VRU will get the money considering the financial black hole the Rebels have been during their existence?

I would argue that the Rebels viability is very important to the Force as the ARU love throwing money at the Rebels, with no KPI's or conditions attached to it. It is one of the many reasons we came to point.

 

[swingpass]

Is it so bad to ask where the VRU will get the money considering the financial black hole the Rebels have been during their existence?

I would argue that the Rebels viability is very important to the Force as the ARU love throwing money at the Rebels, with no KPI's or conditions attached to it. It is one of the many reasons we came to point.

in due course the source of the funding will be made apparent. at the time of the transfer the MRRU were debt free, so some one must have paid it, perhaps Cox paid it himself, i don't know. in the future we are all assuming the Vic Govt will fund or underwrite in some fashion, and that may yet fall through, again i dont know. as things stand there is no legal mechanism whereby the ARU can prevent the Rebels from participating in Super Rugby next year. I sincerely hope that is also true for the Force, but the outcomes are not linked. we got to this mess by many means, "over spending" on the Rebels just one causative factor.

 

[FiveStarStu]

Is it so bad to ask where the VRU will get the money considering the financial black hole the Rebels have been during their existence?

Of course it's not - in fact, you'll notice that was the only part of that blog post I made no comment on.

The financial mismanagement of the ARU and all of the franchises is something that will need to be worked out as a priority, especially if we are to remain as a quintet next year.

Though he has not covered himself in glory this year by any means, Wayne Smith made a very sage point in his latest article. He said that the safe three teams could have used this debacle as a springboard to start that discussion, but instead chose to stay silent and wait to clean up the scraps of the cut team.

They're going to have to come back to the Rebels and the Force, tails between their legs, and together, figure out how to get all of us to 2020.

 

[FiveStarStu]

And that name - Diggers and Dealers. Just let the imagination run wild. Think of all the unbridled mental doodling you could do with that name.

Imagine that party in 2007, at the height of the mining boom and when all the Eagles were on the gear. Would have been raining cash.

I say this as an Eagles fan - laughing about it helps keep the tears away. We should have been a dynasty...

 

[lou75]

Seems we could be heading for a stalemate regardless of the outcome?

http://nedlandsrugby.com.au/2017/08/09/super-rugby-saga-get-ticket-rebels-chook-raffle/

It is a valid question - the ARU provide for the players, but what about the off field staff? How will their wages be paid - from now to December, no new memberships will be sold, no new sponsors have been announced, where is the money coming from? In fact, Clyne hinted at this two weeks ago when asked a question about whether the ARU would under any circumstances accept a new investor as owner of the Rebels he rather obliquely replied that the investment need to be rock solid because the ARU made commitments which need to be upheld, so Killer, it is a good question, how will the VRU maintain their new investment? Is Baden up to the job as CEO? What are his plans to raise working capital to get him through till membership monies start pouring in? Because, word on the street - read newspapers - is he is signing up players left right and centre, all good so far, since the ARU foot that particular bill, but who is gonna pay him? and the rest of the staff? and the rent? and the medicos?

 

[Shiggins]

The suspense is killing me. I can't wait another 48 to 72 hours

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[BLR]

The suspense is killing me. I can't wait another 48 to 72 hours

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Don't worry about it mate, either way the fight goes on.

 

[Shiggins]

We lost Faulkner to the rebels ......

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[Shiggins]

Apparently

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[FiveStarStu]

We lost Faulkner to the rebels ..

I wouldn't read too much into it mate, we were desperate for a prop especially after Toby Smith left.

 

[oztimmay]

I wouldn't read too much into it mate, we were desperate for a prop especially after Toby Smith left.

But isn't Tetera a TH predominantly? I know he can play both, but thought he plays more at TH.

 

[Shiggins]

I wouldn't read too much into it mate, we were desperate for a prop especially after Toby Smith left.

Just annoying to lose him to the Rebels. I feel that he is getting into that old prop forn which I like. We have some great talented young props though.

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[Killer]

But isn't Tetera a TH predominantly? I know he can play both, but thought he plays more at TH.

yes a TH, our number 2 TH at best, but realistically probably looking at number 3 with Ainsley and Vui in front of him.
He and Pek have been ok over the years but imo struggling a bit now against better than average props. Their bodies aint what they used to be.
Good luck to him.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

When you consider he is originally from Melbourne and has been behind Ainsley most of the year as well as the emergence of Vui it's a good move for all. It's sad to lose him but I wish him all the best.

 

[amirite]

yes a TH, our number 2 TH at best, but realistically probably looking at number 3 with Ainsley and Vui in front of him.
He and Pek have been ok over the years but imo struggling a bit now against better than average props. Their bodies aint what they used to be.
Good luck to him.

I don't think you can say in 2018 he would've probably been #3. I think he'd be in a similar position to this year, competing for #1.

By 2019 I'd say he'd be #3, with Vui and Ainsley having higher ceilings, being younger, and their ages being more in line with the Force team's developmental age (set to peak in 2-3 years).

When you consider he is originally from Melbourne and has been behind Ainsley most of the year as well as the emergence of Vui it's a good move for all. It's sad to lose him but I wish him all the best.

I agree with most of this.

 

[Killer]

I don't think you can say in 2018 he would've probably been #3. I think he'd be in a similar position to this year, competing for #1.

By 2019 I'd say he'd be #3, with Vui and Ainsley having higher ceilings, being younger, and their ages being more in line with the Force team's developmental age (set to peak in 2-3 years).


I agree with most of this.

I would say Ainsley is easily our best option at TH, but I really like the way Wessels manages them all, everyone is engaged and given starting responsibility.
But fair points and agree mostly.