Bruce Ross
Ken Catchpole (46)
The Force have to choose their eastern recruits better, but it isn't easy to judge players playing in the Sydney or Brisbane comps. This will always be the case which won't be resolved until we have a national semi-pro competition between the club level and the Super level. It is an old song, I sing.
I wouldn't mind too much if we used the 2007 model or the England and French club model (which would have to have Super Rugby A type teams for Perth and Melbourne added in). Some people will shriek about setting up elite rugby clubs but they shouldn't bother on this thread. I probably know their arguments against it better than they do,
I don't really care how it is done as long as a national comp is established because if we don't change things everything will stay the same.
How will this benefit the Force? We will see in this ARC Phase II, good players, including Super players not in the Wallaby squads, playing against and with each other.
The Reds and Tahs will know a lot more about the guys they want, but the Brumbies, Rebels and Force will be able to assess players better than they can now. How can they compare player A from a strong Sydney club team against player B from a weak Brisbane team, without seeing both play at a higher level than (virtually) amateur club rugby?
The Force will always be disadvantaged in this process but it will be a better situation than now: making a punt on young players coming good, and staying, or choosing apparently good senior club players who end up being not so good at all.
The second option is clearly the way to go, LG. It builds on what we have.