Super Rugby Au Rnd 3 Waratahs vs Force 5th March, Sydney

[Rugbynutter39]

Agree - but just as importantly it’ll improve the quality of our super teams across the board.

In the short term we need to get to a point where we can field 5 quality sides without reliance on imports (or maybe 1 marquee import). As we go in the ideal would be to grow the number of teams without diluting the quality. I don’t think this is achievable from our current position in less than 5 yrs, but I don’t see why it couldn’t be achieved over a 5 - 10 year period. But that’s all pie in the sky stuff at this stage. Immediate focus needs to be just increasing the quantity & quality of our domestically produced rugby players.

Or maybe 6 teams with more imports to help grow the game. But agree we want growth in our pathways to field more local players but to me also need enough of a footprint to grow the game in terms of the market.

 

[ForceFan]

Not a bad response from a Centre who just earned a t/over at a critical stage in the match - and from a player who some rugby fans think is only with the WF for the $$s.

He's a professional rugby player who could make more in Japan but he's in Perth so his family can be together and he can make a difference. Just ask all of the Sea of Blue who met Richard Kahui at the recent Fan Day.

 

[drewprint]

I only tuned in for the last 30 and thought the Tahs would storm home. Harrison, Ramm, and Dempsey were running right through them. That’s the Jack Dempsey we all want to see more regularly. Lots of catching practice for the Tahs this week I’d hope.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Geez Fergus was good last night. He's such an honest hard working player who seems to love the contact. I think he should be in Wallaby contention if he keeps playing like this.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Not a bad response from a Centre who just earned a t/over at a critical stage in the match - and from a player who some rugby fans think is only with the WF for the $$s.

He's a professional rugby player who could make more in Japan but he's in Perth so his family can be together and he can make a difference. Just ask all of the Sea of Blue who met Richard Kahui at the recent Fan Day.

View attachment 12104

Thought he had a good game last night.

 

[ForceFan]

Can anybody who went to the match confirm the crowd size?

Talk is that it was only just over 3,000.

Andrew Forrest had about 40 in his corp box which was reportedly equal to all other corporates.

Surely we have a real problem for rugby in Oz when that's the level of support in one of our heartlands.

Please don't tell me that it's a long way to Parramatta from North Sydney or the Shire.

It has to be bigger issues than just distance.
The Sea of Blue regularly drive from places such as Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Dunsborough and Albany to attend games in Perth.

 

[Dan54]

Can anybody who went to the match confirm the crowd size?

Talk is that it was only just over 3,000.

Andrew Forrest had about 40 in his corp box which was reportedly equal to all other corporates.

Surely we have a real problem for rugby in Oz when that's the level of support in one of our heartlands.

Please don't tell me that it's a long way to Parramatta from North Sydney or the Shire.

It has to be bigger issues than just distance.
The Sea of Blue regularly drive from places such as Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Dunsborough and Albany to attend games in Perth.

To be fair FF (Folau Fainga'a), I not there so can't say for sure, but unfortunately in this day and age a lot of so called fans only want to be seen cheering for a winning team, and perhaps not a lot have a lot of faith in the young fellas fron the Tahs. Seems it a bit hard for some people to be proper supporters.

 

[Silverado]

Can anybody who went to the match confirm the crowd size?

Talk is that it was only just over 3,000.

Andrew Forrest had about 40 in his corp box which was reportedly equal to all other corporates.

Surely we have a real problem for rugby in Oz when that's the level of support in one of our heartlands.

Please don't tell me that it's a long way to Parramatta from North Sydney or the Shire.

It has to be bigger issues than just distance.
The Sea of Blue regularly drive from places such as Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Dunsborough and Albany to attend games in Perth.

I was there, and 3 k seems about right. In a 30 k stadium it looked terrible. Imagine what it will look like at Homebush? The Allianz Stadium demolition/construction has been a debacle because Tahs fans won't travel out of the Eastern suburbs when they are going well, let alone when they get beaten by 50. Sad really, but Sydneysiders are the definition of fair weather friends

 

[hifflepiff]

I was there, and 3 k seems about right. In a 30 k stadium it looked terrible. Imagine what it will look like at Homebush? The Allianz Stadium demolition/construction has been a debacle because Tahs fans won't travel out of the Eastern suburbs when they are going well, let alone when they get beaten by 50. Sad really, but Sydneysiders are the definition of fair weather friends

From speaking to some union following friends that live out that way, even those that live close to the stadium aren't that interested in attending as the Tahs are heavily associated with the dreaded Eastern/Northern suburbs.

Does make you wish for a purely Western Sydney team (as unlikely as that is).

 

[Rugbynutter39]

From speaking to some union following friends that live out that way, even those that live close to the stadium aren't that interested in attending as the Tahs are heavily associated with the dreaded Eastern/Northern suburbs.

Can’t help but think they made a huge mistake knocking back western Sydney team from grr...I think we need 2 teams - one to represent western Sydney and one for traditional east/ north tah supporter base as don’t feel would hurt tahs support (low base) and opportunity to get more closer affination with specific Sydney regions to build and grow support over time

But without doubt when support for tahs over years already on the decline the stadium rebuild and lack of dedicated home ground really hurting tahs. No doubt why financial struggles given very low gate takings last season and this season

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

It's a shame it's so far away from the fanbase, because Parramatta is far and away the best stadium in Sydney.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Yeh

It's a shame it's so far away from the fanbase, because Parramatta is far and away the best stadium in Sydney.

Yep perfect stadium for a western Sydney team but not perfect team for traditional tahs supporter base

 

[Derpus]

From speaking to some union following friends that live out that way, even those that live close to the stadium aren't that interested in attending as the Tahs are heavily associated with the dreaded Eastern/Northern suburbs.

Does make you wish for a purely Western Sydney team (as unlikely as that is).

You'd have a better chance marketing the Brumbies to western Sydney than the GPS old boys.

 

[Slim 293]

Yeh

Yep perfect stadium for a western Sydney team but not perfect team for traditional tahs supporter base

And yet, there it is......... smack bang in the geographical centre of Sydney.

 

[wamberal]

And yet, there it is... smack bang in the geographical centre of Sydney.

So what? The geographical centre of rugby support in Sydney is a long way to the east. That is just a fact. It has been a fact for as long as I can remember, through good days, and bad days.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The geographical centre for the Waratahs, certainly Wamb. But isn't there a chance that there is another large supporter base in western Sydney who are not attracted to the Tahs?

 

[Braveheart81]

The geographical centre for the Waratahs, certainly Wamb. But isn't there a chance that there is another large supporter base in western Sydney who are not attracted to the Tahs?

There just isn't though.

Thinking that another rugby team based in Western Sydney would get a large amount of extra support is a furphy.

Parramatta, Penrith and even West Harbour aren't close to being the most supported Shute Shield clubs. Grassroots participation in terms of number of clubs at each age/level isn't highest there either.

 

[eastman]

There just isn't though.

Thinking that another rugby team based in Western Sydney would get a large amount of extra support is a furphy.

Parramatta, Penrith and even West Harbour aren't close to being the most supported Shute Shield clubs. Grassroots participation in terms of number of clubs at each age/level isn't highest there either.

I think if a Western Sydney club had been introduced to the competition instead of the Western Force circa 10 years ago- rugby would be in a stronger place than it is now (even if it had been a half-hearted commitment). Nice hypothetical though

 

[Froggy]

Probably missed that boat. There is a significant proportion of the western Sydney population with Pacific Islander background, who would probably have an initial inclination to play rugby, given it's the national sport in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga etc. However, the NRL were much quicker to jump on that, and now a very significant proportion of first grade NRL players are of islander ethnicity.
Unfortunately, the myopia of rugby establishment failed to pick up on that, thinking that what got them through the amateur era would continue to do so through the professional era. Very hard to see that being wound back anytime soon.

 

[VassMan]

The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago, the second best time is now.