Waratahs 2013

In regards to the few backs, theres a number of them putting their hand up in Club Rugby.
- Rohan Saifoloi
- Nicky Price
- Matt Schwager
- Michael Hodge
- Jesse Leota

Thats just a few of plenty more.

In regards to the prop position, IMO Jeremy Tilse has been great since being called up. Are there reports of him leaving the club ? I would keep him in the top squad and hand an EPS contract to a younger prop with Robinson, Kepu, Ryan still there the front row is the least of our worries.

However with Mumm leaving that leaves us in a big gap. Timani and Douglas look like starters relatively inexperienced also with Peterson having a year left on his contract. Earlier in the season Richard Stanford played trials you would think he will pick up the contract.

Thoughts ?

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...s-despite-players-backing-20120528-1zfej.html

Foley bracing himself for demotion.

Not many, I'm out of touch with grade these days, what positions do the players you mentioned play and what's your opinion of them?

Have a lot of respect for him coming out to say that he would be willing to take a step down for the good of the team. However I'm a big believer in a new head coach having the ability to put their own team in place.

But I still believe Foley should be given more time as head coach but also given the same option to pick his own back up team rather have management at the Tahs replace people and not give him a say in it. If he's at the Tahs next season as head coach he should be judged purely on results rather than KPIs.

An alternative to him being demoted is to bring someone in as director of rugby above him, but with him remaining head coach. This is a model that's worked well in Europe and it would allow Foley to concentrate on the area he's most passionate about, coaching.

More like suggesting they demote him,not sack him.Sounds like he is putting it out there so the board has more than one option when they meet tonight.
Unfortunately the human side makes it a tough call. No doubt he has put his heart and soul into the joint this year, but on any measurement it has been a failure.
If the decision is to replace him, then the incumbent should decide his fate, not the board prior to any new coach being appointed.
If the board decides to punt him (which I believe they should) I wish him all the best and genuinely hope he gets another gig.

I personally don't believe Foley is the problem.. I believe it to be a inherent problem which is just engrained in the philosophy of the Waratahs..

Im not going to advocate that i know all about the internal politics of the Tahs.. But i highly doubt that Foley was given free reign to pick the coaching and support staff that he really wanted, nor do i believe that he would be given free reign in the player recruitment/retention field or in general training and team strategies.

Both of which i believe where key platforms in the case of White and McKenzie building successful teams.. These two coaches obviously have the experience and clout to know/demand what they want, but they were also coming into programs with noticeable issues, so it was easy for them. Something which Foley wasn't given the opportunity to do.

I was chatting to an ex NSW/AUS hooker tonight and asked him what the problem was, his response "the Tahs are the oldest union but the youngest professional team" went on to say that until the Boards separated they wern't professional and it still isn't fully professional until the Tahs board doesn't answer to the NSWRU board.

Foley sounds like he's gone and he knows it.
It would be a move of uncharacteristic courage for the board to meet and not sack him. This is because if they confirm him suddenly the results are their responsibility too. so you can see the blazer boys ( and girl) sitting down with the thought, maybe even subconscious, that they didn't call this meeting cos there's nothing wrong and if there's something wrong they should change it: note - they don't think "fix it".
If so he is hardly a suitable candidate to remain given that his sacking is presumably justified in their mnds on the basis that he is the cause. Leaving him in an assistants role would be a recipe for calamitous disharmony: this probably means its exactly what will happen, given its the tahs (sarcasm).
Also if the culture is wrong he's part of it.but I guess the board would not recognize that as an issue.
Presumably they don't have a successor lined up.
When can a successor be appointed? How quickly can he get up to speed with the roster and what types of players in what positions he needs?
....2013 sounds like another rebuilding year: so if foley was ever the right choice he deserves a chance to do the rebuilding having taken the supporters into his and the tahs' confidence that 2013 will not be a championship year.
If he was never the right choice then the board and whoever recommended his appointment need to fall in their swords for the good of the tahs.
Neither will happen and so the circus will continue.

I don't think they will sack/demote him unless they have secretly lined up another coach. These guys are all about protecting their arse. If they sack him without a suitable replacement, then they will be fingered as the ones responsible next time around.

true - but if they confirm him their arses replace his.what chance Cheika has been signed?

If they do sack him -- and I'm not in favour of mid-season sackings -- then whoever comes in should have carte blanche to clean out the coaching and support staff.

and the board...

The Waratahs board held accountable? I should live so long.
.

So the current board is (as far as I know):

Edwin Zemancheff (Chairman)
Arvid Petersen
Sally Loane
Al Baxter
Ross Grant
Michael Miller

Who should be changed?

Who isn't doing a good job?

Who is being too controlling and not letting the coach make decisions?

I don't know the answer to any of these questions, but I don't accept the whole "sack the board" mentality. To make a big decision there needs to be reasons behind it and there need to be people who can take over the job who can do a better job than the current lot are doing.

Cheika will be confirmed during the june test break.

Speculation, prediction, or inside knowledge?

got the info from a staff member but i did ask the right questions, Chieka has definately been in contact, confirmed, true. i asked if he was going to be confirmed as coach, got told i know more than them, asked if that meant it would happen during the test break, reply was "it would be a great time to make an announcement wouldnt it" so pure speculation with a sprinkle of truth.

Nicky Price reminds me of the Kiwi player Robbie Robinson, but he's fresh and pretty light.

Pace to burn and a bold attacking player, but I think he needs a couple more seasons under his belt. A lot of the Southern Districts players are worth having a look at though.

On what basis could anyone overrule the coach?
I don't think Foley is that weak that he would take directions from a faceless man.
I agree braveheart, what has anyone on the board done or failed to do that warrants their departure?
They have brought in a new CEO & a new coach, how they deal with these appointments will be a good measure of their abilities.
BTW anyone know how the CEO's 10 10 3 1 plan is going?