Western Force 2014

[GaffaCHinO]

What's the deal with CTM?

I found it strange that he was in Sydney playing for Eastern Suburbs last weekend. I know the Force were on a bye, but shouldn't he be playing in Perth, particularly if he is any chance to be selected to play for the Force this season?

Yeah I'm really not sure I know a few people have been told they aren't required next year so whether he is one and went back to play or the force wanted to see him up against some tougher opposition to see how he was going.

This is his second year on the list and he hasn't played a game yet which isn't good but he is the captain of the force a team and has been playing great for them so it may be his chance this weekend of not I would say he is gonski.


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[Braveheart81]

You just answered your own question,I reckon.
It would appear that he is surplus to requirements over there.

The only thing that makes me doubt that is that the Force had a bye and then he didn't play for Easts in round 2 this weekend.

It seems crazy that he'd come back to Sydney to play one Shute Shield game when his team had a bye though.

Just for the record, he was pretty average for Easts. If he got named at 13 for the Force this weekend I'd be a pretty happy Tahs fan.

 

[I like to watch]

They won't let Salesi Manu come back & play for the Rats,& he has not been getting a run with the top team either.

 

[Bairdy]

What about Ed Stubbs for 13? I've not seen his name floated around, so I'm guessing he's not required this year?

 

[qwerty51]

They won't let Salesi Manu come back & play for the Rats,& he has not been getting a run with the top team either.

They don't need him! They're flying.

 

[ForceFan]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/m...ng-western-force/story-e6frf4pu-1226876662807

Good article by Iain Payten...

I too think Foley got it right last year.

It was just a shame that the players didn't lift when they were faced with an energenic, young Tahs side.

 

[en_force_er]

They won't let Salesi Manu come back & play for the Rats,& he has not been getting a run with the top team either.

I was tipping him for a breakout 2013 after an excellent end of 2012.

Yet he can't make the Force 23, who have plenty of journeyman props about. They do the job and I think Cowan in particular is a terrific statesman, but Manu looked SO promising.

I'd be a shame if he went overseas and we found him dominating in the Top 14 and for a Pacific nation in a couple of years. Though we don't seem to let quite as many of those guys go as a Kiwis (but, I suppose they can afford to).

 

[Braveheart81]

I think Cowan is one of your real form players so despite Manu's promise, you'd be crazy to give Cowan less game time right now.

Pek Cowan is still only 27. In prop years he should still be getting better.

 

[en_force_er]

I think Cowan is one of your real form players so despite Manu's promise, you'd be crazy to give Cowan less game time right now.

Pek Cowan is still only 27. In prop years he should still be getting better.

Is he really? I always wonder if he'll get back into the test squad, he's so consistent.

I guess we just have too many LHs in Aus, so many that Alexander and Slipper are our test THs.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

On Manu I was talking him up so much before round one and was very surprised he wasn’t in the match day squad come round 1.

Considering Ollie got the gig ahead of him (Manu has been playing at THP) I though he must be injured or something.

But then I watched him play in the Japan A game before the Brumbies game and I could see why he wasn’t getting a gig. He was very slow and lazy around the park and was getting towled up by the Japanese LHP who would have been 5ft nothing and 90kg.

Considering how the way he played in 2012 and the little we saw of him in 2013 I though this year was his year but I guess Foley is repaying the blokes who are putting the hard work in Ollie case in point.

 

[I like to watch]

He has played fuck all Rugby since 2012.
From memory he came off the bench in the last game of the year in 2013,and that was it.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

He has played fuck all Rugby since 2012.
From memory he came off the bench in the last game of the year in 2013,and that was it.

Your point? A 21 year old bloke in his first year of full time training has out preformed him on the training paddock and has been given the chance to play and has taken that chance and run with it and doing a great job with it.


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[PeteO]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/04/07/sacre-bleu-why-super-rugby-needs-less-blue/


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[caymantim]

Any news on the injuries from the Tahs game?


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[WFDOM]

Interesting to hear what Tracey Holmes says 1:05 in to the clip. I think that's how the majority of us feel.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

 

[Ash]

It's not the sole responsibilty to see the Western Force, the majority of the responsibility falls to the franchise.

Sure, the ARU isn't blameless, but if you feel that the Force are not being sold enough, then surely the Force management / head office themselves must take the majority of the blame.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

1.88 each!
I would have thought the Force would have been firm favourites?

I think you have missed the point it's not so much the force she was talking about but rugby itself in the west or even vic.

The ARU is so caught up with qld and nsw they are missing out on other opportunities around aus to grow the game it's not the forces or the rebels job to grow rugby it's the ARUs but the force have almost single handedly been doing it for 8 years because someone has to.


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[Sully]

The ARU does sweet FA to grow rugby in Qld. You're not on your own there.

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[gel]

Its an interesting topic, isn't it.

How to divert funds into markets where there is potential for high growth, but not at the expense of keeping the existing long term markets.

I am not sure there would ever be an algorithm that would satisfy everyone.

One item that would be difficult to justify big investment is that it has a very low market share which puts it (from an investment perspective) at the riskier end of the spectrum.

On the other hand it has a potential for significant market growth, as Perth is a rapidly growing city, which surely must be demanding more and varied sports and entertainment. That puts it into an educated gamble sort of category.

If the ARU were in a position where we had just hosted a world cup and flushed with cash, I would imagine that the option would be to invest some serious cash into the gamble in order to try to reap the rewards (which is probably what happened and why the Force exist today).

If they were broke (which they appear to be), then the decision would be more towards the conservative, which would be to stick with what they know.

It isn't Queensland, either. It is NSW. That is their focus, as it is where the largest market is, the most "fans", the biggest potential dividend, the least amount of effort to convince people to come on board (it is a QLD and NSW sport more than any of the other states after all), and also the place to get the biggest ratings (if waratahs are doing well, watch the foxtel ratings - its because they have the most subscribers).

What better way to get more foxtel money, than to showcase higher ratings?

I'd invest most heavily into the rebels, myself, but only because the Melbourne people traditionally love their sports and will follow anything that is sport related, win lose or draw and it is the second largest city with a huge market that makes even a small market percentage a very large market indeed.

But I have witnessed the Force fans first hand, and I have to say they are very passionate about their team, and there's no way I would venture to suggest that they are not deserving of more.