Waratahs 2024

[Strewthcobber]

Decent Tom Decent interview with Waratahs CEO Paul Doorn today

‘It’s full-on’: Waratahs boss answers the tough questions after another underwhelming year

Paul Doorn has overseen the Waratahs and NSW Rugby for four years during a turbulent period. Ahead of a must-win clash with the Brumbies, the CEO sits down for a Q&A.

www.smh.com.au

Don't quite understand this bit

PD: I hate that phrase, Tom.

TD: Why?

PD: Largely because Waratahs Limited is its own company. NSW Rugby own the Waratahs. When people say that you handed the keys over it implies that Rugby Australia is completely in charge. We’re a separate company, which happens to be owned by Rugby Australia. It’s autonomous in the sense that it’s got to do what’s best for the Waratahs and NSW.

 

[Braveheart81]

Don't quite understand this bit

I don't really either. I guess there's a fair bit that's still unclear about how the arrangement works.

Clearly at this stage the structures in place for the Waratahs have remained the same. I guess that will change to some degree at least next year.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I don't really either. I guess there's a fair bit that's still unclear about how the arrangement works.

Clearly at this stage the structures in place for the Waratahs have remained the same. I guess that will change to some degree at least next year.

Is he saying NSWRU own the "Waratahs", but RA own Waratahs Ltd?

Waratahs ltd's purpose is to run "Waratahs" and rugby in NSW, but not NSWRU?

 

[Braveheart81]

My assumption is as follows:

There are three entities, New South Wales Rugby Union Limited, NSW Waratahs Limited and Waratahs Rugby Pty Ltd. The first entity owned the second and the second owned the third.

NSWRU transferred the ownership of NSW Waratahs Limited to RA. From the 2023 financial report they have retained Waratahs Rugby Pty Ltd so the shares in that company must have transferred from being owned NSW Waratahs Limited to NSWRU.

My understanding is that RA has assumed complete control of the Waratahs team but NSWRU will retain the rights to the Waratahs in terms of brand and IP (and will be licensing that back to RA for $0 or close to).

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Hate talking about what Rebels players we could get when they’re literally playing tonight.

I know it’s no different to saying I want Pollard at the Brumbies but it’s being said because they might fold not natural free agency.

 

[Caputo]

Decent Tom Decent interview with Waratahs CEO Paul Doorn today

‘It’s full-on’: Waratahs boss answers the tough questions after another underwhelming year

Paul Doorn has overseen the Waratahs and NSW Rugby for four years during a turbulent period. Ahead of a must-win clash with the Brumbies, the CEO sits down for a Q&A.

www.smh.com.au

Don't quite understand this bit

This is my bit not fully understanding
Q: Are you happy with talent identification in NSW and retention of Waratahs players?

PD: We punch above our weight for sure. I think we do pretty well. We probably have historically had a churn-and-burn culture, which is a bit unfortunate. I’d be the first to say that that’s something that we’re trying to rectify. Once upon a time, when I read an article and it would say ‘former Waratah, player X, now at the Brumbies’ … you’d say jeez, they’re just having a dig. The reality is when you can only have 38 employees, and you’ve got so many kids coming through the system, you have to disperse that talent. Everyone’s holy grail is working it out. Which one do you keep? Which one do you have to let go? Sometimes you get that right. Sometimes you get that wrong.

You have first pick of talent.

 

[fatprop]

This is my bit not fully understanding
Q: Are you happy with talent identification in NSW and retention of Waratahs players?

PD: We punch above our weight for sure. I think we do pretty well. We probably have historically had a churn-and-burn culture, which is a bit unfortunate. I’d be the first to say that that’s something that we’re trying to rectify. Once upon a time, when I read an article and it would say ‘former Waratah, player X, now at the Brumbies’ … you’d say jeez, they’re just having a dig. The reality is when you can only have 38 employees, and you’ve got so many kids coming through the system, you have to disperse that talent. Everyone’s holy grail is working it out. Which one do you keep? Which one do you have to let go? Sometimes you get that right. Sometimes you get that wrong.

You have first pick of talent.

Every program churns more than we realise

 

[Strewthcobber]

This is my bit not fully understanding
Q: Are you happy with talent identification in NSW and retention of Waratahs players?

PD: We punch above our weight for sure. I think we do pretty well. We probably have historically had a churn-and-burn culture, which is a bit unfortunate. I’d be the first to say that that’s something that we’re trying to rectify. Once upon a time, when I read an article and it would say ‘former Waratah, player X, now at the Brumbies’ … you’d say jeez, they’re just having a dig. The reality is when you can only have 38 employees, and you’ve got so many kids coming through the system, you have to disperse that talent. Everyone’s holy grail is working it out. Which one do you keep? Which one do you have to let go? Sometimes you get that right. Sometimes you get that wrong.

You have first pick of talent.

I don't think he's necessarily wrong here. The number of pro rugby players worldwide who were identified in NSW must be huge, without even considering how many are also in the NRL.

They just can't afford to keep many (most?) of the ones they want to keep.

 

[Caputo]

Decent Tom Decent interview with Waratahs CEO Paul Doorn today

‘It’s full-on’: Waratahs boss answers the tough questions after another underwhelming year

Paul Doorn has overseen the Waratahs and NSW Rugby for four years during a turbulent period. Ahead of a must-win clash with the Brumbies, the CEO sits down for a Q&A.

www.smh.com.au

Don't quite understand this bit

Also
Q: NSW generally has first crack though and that’s why fans may get annoyed when the Brumbies continue to outperform the Waratahs.

PD: We’ve got to manage a large cohort of kids coming through. Put it this way, everyone except us and the Reds has a different strategy, where they just watch and go ‘bang [and sign someone]’. It’s been incredibly successful for them.

They’ve got an amazing reputation down at the Brumbies. That’s not me having a shot. That’s just a different strategy. No one is an expert in it but it’s an area that I would say we’re always trying to do better in.

This is NSW being delusion in that Brumbies don't usually sign Super Ready players (Cherry pick).
The 8 players from NSW on the ACT Brumbies list
Alaatoa - Academy, Pollard - Academy, Schoupp - Shute Shield train & play (Vella ACL), Cale - Academy, Goddard -Journeyman, Debreczeni - Journeyman, Reimer - Academy, Hooper - Academy and Frost - signed from Canterbury Crusaders Academy.

 

[Highlander35]

I think "punch above our weight" comment is pretty much wrong, objectively, but the rest is fairly reasonable.

 

[Yoda]

So Harrison is gone for next year. Not wanted which would seem hard to believe? Rebels fold … we still don’t know yet…. and Carter Gordon looks for a new team. Will the Tahs grab him? If this is a possibility, has Edmed renewed his contract there? Surely from a player’s perspective they need to know what the fu.k is happening with the Rebels so that they can work out where they can play? Must be pretty disconcerting.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

The punch above our weight is the odd bit. We have the most and we dominate the junior games year on year now.

Vic punch above their weight in talent production.

 

[mst]

So Harrison is gone for next year. Not wanted which would seem hard to believe? Rebels fold … we still don’t know yet…. and Carter Gordon looks for a new team. Will the Tahs grab him? If this is a possibility, has Edmed renewed his contract there? Surely from a player’s perspective they need to know what the fu.k is happening with the Rebels so that they can work out where they can play? Must be pretty disconcerting.

If you flow with the rumours, the Rebels fold, most of the players end up at the Tahs it will be relatively deja vu post Force cut where the bulk of the underperforming Force squad ended up in Melbourne, mixed in with the underperforming Rebels squad to continue underperforming in a different location.

So if I was a Waratahs fan I would be worried about what coming is likely the 3rd edition of this cluster and filthy that the incompetent management has sold you out as essentially RA's bitch. Which, is in reality the same poor management just with a better access to funding via the Wallabies to piss away.

 

[Yoda]

If you flow with the rumors, the Rebels fold, most of the players end up at the Tah's it will be relatively deja vu post Force cut where the bulk of the underperforming Force squad ended up in Melbourne, mixed in with the underperforming Rebels squad to continue underperforming in a different location.

So if I was a Waratahs fan I would be worried about what coming is likely the 3rd edition of this cluster and filthy that the incompetent management has sold you out as essentially RA's bitch. Which, is in reality the same poor management just with a better access to funding via the Wallabies to piss away.

Why will most of the players end up at the Tahs? If Rebels actually fold.

 

[Neo]

Waratahs team have been pathetic for 7yrs straight now. Pathetic team management, recruiting and retention. Heads have to roll.

 

[Highlander35]

Why will most of the players end up at the Tahs? If Rebels actually fold.

I don't think there's a suggestion that we'll see a smashing together of 2 sides we did with the 2018 rebels.

But as the weakest performing Australian side, known losses of players at both top and bottom end, and being the only one managed by RA, I think it would be difficult to imagine that the Tahs don't get first crack at the Rebels top end to bulk out a fairly vanilla group of forwards (Bell aside) in particular.

 

[LeCheese]

If you flow with the rumors, the Rebels fold, most of the players end up at the Tah's it will be relatively deja vu post Force cut where the bulk of the underperforming Force squad ended up in Melbourne, mixed in with the underperforming Rebels squad to continue underperforming in a different location.

So if I was a Waratahs fan I would be worried about what coming is likely the 3rd edition of this cluster and filthy that the incompetent management has sold you out as essentially RA's bitch. Which, is in reality the same poor management just with a better access to funding via the Wallabies to piss away.

You’d think Tahs would struggle to too many into their cap given their current signings - some very good quality players at the Rebels (i.e. not cheap contracts) that many teams would like to get their hands on.

 

[Slim 293]

Pass the bad luck repellant: The Argentinian flown in to solve NSW’s prop crisis

Argentinian Enrique Pieretto is the Waratahs’ newest starting prop after season-ending injuries to everyone else.

www.theage.com.au

The Tahs have also drafted in Harry Lloyd from Brisbane club rugby... a decent pickup to play against his old team.

 

[Wilson]

Pass the bad luck repellant: The Argentinian flown in to solve NSW’s prop crisis

Argentinian Enrique Pieretto is the Waratahs’ newest starting prop after season-ending injuries to everyone else.

www.theage.com.au

The Tahs have also drafted in Harry Lloyd from Brisbane club rugby... a decent pickup to play against his old team.

Was very good for Brothers last year and I thought he might have been a shout for a super contract this year. Probably should've been called in earlier given his age and experience at this level.

 

[Marce]

Congrats Jake Gordon on your 100th Waratahs games

It was a pleasure to meet you and share words with you: