Waratahs 2021

[RugbyReg]

Interesting as he has signed with the reds.
Lets see what stance SJ, BT and DR take on this considering they did not pick the last 3 hookers from 2019 WC and BT stance re KH and JS

wait...what?????

 

[Rob42]

So you accept the point. A lot happened that was totally outside the Board's control. I have supported Penney, but I do think it is disingenuous of him not to acknowledge that the impact of a huge financial disaster was a large factor affecting the franchise, and his ability to spend more on recruitment. That said, a couple of his lock recruits are pretty dreadful.

So, COVID only impacted NSW? Seems like the Reds and the Brumbies were able to keep pretty reasonable squads together. Bullshit excuse.

 

[Sheepie]

So, COVID only impacted NSW? Seems like the Reds and the Brumbies were able to keep pretty reasonable squads together. Bullshit excuse.

More the decisions they took to Covid and how NSW reacted to it, which was different from all other franchises. They reacted in preparation for the hit being much worse than it ended up being. Wrong call, and they're suffering badly for it now.

Edit: To me the board made the wrong call. It's another way they've screwed it all up. To me Covid is not an excuse for them just another thing for the list against them.

 

[7137]

Far be it from me to support Davis. I have disliked him intensely ever since his club rugby days. However, we did have a bit of a problem last year. Everybody seems to have kind of overlooked that.


Promises that might have been made prior to the onset of the pandemic are hardly grounds for complaint when they were broken.

On the two promises made and broken. Why was NSW unable to spend the same as other sides in the world of COVID. What made NSW special? And what does COVID have to do with not having patience with developing results? If anything, the financial situation should have increased the boards tolerance of bad results. Yet Penney was afforded nothing.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

On the two promises made and broken. Why was NSW unable to spend the same as other sides in the world of COVID. What made NSW special? And what does COVID have to do with not having patience with developing results? If anything, the financial situation should have increased the boards tolerance of bad results. Yet Penney was afforded nothing.

Simple Brums, Reds and Rebs decided to take a positive view on the outlook. Force didn't care as Twiggy has bag loads $$$$ and the Waratahs spent within their means if COVID was to continue.

 

[wamberal]

On the two promises made and broken. Why was NSW unable to spend the same as other sides in the world of COVID. What made NSW special? And what does COVID have to do with not having patience with developing results? If anything, the financial situation should have increased the boards tolerance of bad results. Yet Penney was afforded nothing.

One of the points that Penney makes is that he had been told by Davis that "money would not be a problem" according to the article I read in the SMH. It was this implied promise, made before the pandemic struck, that seems to me to have been a big issue in Penney signing on.

Again, I am not defending the Board. But having been around a long time, some of that time in general management (in and out of professional sport) I am not surprised that they were unwilling to spend money that they belatedly realised they might not have.

Anyway, it is all water under the bridge. Davis will be gone soon (I hope), and we can all criticise whoever takes over. The long term trend of popularity (or unpopularity) goes back to Chris Hickey's days, with a couple of seasons of relative prosperity under Chubby since then.

 

[Agent]

I rarely comment on here but am a semi-regular reader. I am probably like a many other on here and becoming very disheartened by the Tahs and there lack of success. I feel for Rob Penney (he got the rough end of the pineapple) and the players (they are trying hard and should keep their collective heads up). I think the board has PLENTY to answer for and hope that there is change for the better not far ahead in the future.

One thing I have noted over the past couple of months is how quiet many of the former NSW legends of the game have been. It was only last year that we saw a group of outspoken former Wallaby captains - Kearns, Farr-Jones, Poidevin et al - call for the sacking of Raelene Castle due to her apparent lack of foresight and ability as the CEO of RA.

Where are these formers NSW players now? Why are they not jumping up and down and calling for positive change within the Tahs? Surely they can see that there is an urgent need for change in the NSWRU boardroom and hierarchy? They portrayed themselves as the saviours of RA 12 months ago but I haven’t heard a peep from them throughout this latest Tah debacle.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I rarely comment on here but am a semi-regular reader. I am probably like a many other on here and becoming very disheartened by the Tahs and there lack of success. I feel for Rob Penney (he got the rough end of the pineapple) and the players (they are trying hard and should keep their collective heads up). I think the board has PLENTY to answer for and hope that there is change for the better not far ahead in the future.

One thing I have noted over the past couple of months is how quiet many of the former NSW legends of the game have been. It was only last year that we saw a group of outspoken former Wallaby captains - Kearns, Farr-Jones, Poidevin et al - call for the sacking of Raelene Castle due to her apparent lack of foresight and ability as the CEO of RA.

Where are these formers NSW players now? Why are they not jumping up and down and calling for positive change within the Tahs? Surely they can see that there is an urgent need for change in the NSWRU boardroom and hierarchy? They portrayed themselves as the saviours of RA 12 months ago but I haven’t heard a peep from them throughout this latest Tah debacle.

That is an interesting question. Strange that when it's an outsider (who ironically was right and who's vision did in fact come to be in terms of broadcasting) they are willing to kick all kinds of stink up about things but when it's a group of good old boys the go all radio silence on everything. Though, to be honest. I really wouldn't want a number of those who came out from under their rocks last year to do so again. As I'd have as little faith in their motives as I have in the current mob.

 

[I like to watch]

Reading smh online this morning whilst having brekky.

misread headline “Kafer’s shock Tahs coach choice”

thought it meant he’d been appointed, spat my tea all over the keyboard.

I hate sub editors...

 

[John S]

Reading smh online this morning whilst having brekky.

misread headline “Kafer’s shock Tahs coach choice”

thought it meant he’d been appointed, spat my tea all over the keyboard.

I hate sub editors.

I had the same thought when I saw it at lunch. My computer nearly wore my lunch.

 

[Sully]

Hasn't Latu fallen asleep at the wheel before?

 

[7137]

One of the points that Penney makes is that he had been told by Davis that "money would not be a problem" according to the article I read in the SMH. It was this implied promise, made before the pandemic struck, that seems to me to have been a big issue in Penney signing on.

Again, I am not defending the Board. But having been around a long time, some of that time in general management (in and out of professional sport) I am not surprised that they were unwilling to spend money that they belatedly realised they might not have.

Anyway, it is all water under the bridge. Davis will be gone soon (I hope), and we can all criticise whoever takes over. The long term trend of popularity (or unpopularity) goes back to Chris Hickey's days, with a couple of seasons of relative prosperity under Chubby since then.

I get there is a reset on the “Money is no option” line. And I think Penney would accept that. But I doubt that he would have ever expected that trimming the frills would include a cut to the salary cap. I’m sure he had factored in losing personnel, losing specialist coaches or trainers, losing out on all sorts of things. But never would he have imagined having the squad funds cut while being expected to get results against sides that were still fully funded (or in the case of the Force, on overs).

 

[RugbyReg]

the make up of the NSW RU Board is very interesting. Is there a separate Waratahs Board or is this all inclusive?

https://nsw.rugby/about/about nsw rugby/governance

When did they become so 'representative' or have they been like that for a while?

Directors from Sydney RU, NSW Country RU, NSW Jnrs and NSW Suburban??? It seems your a volunteer representative or a banker/lawyer.

Not much of a high performance rugby focus anywhere

 

[Braveheart81]

the make up of the NSW RU Board is very interesting. Is there a separate Waratahs Board or is this all inclusive?

There used to be when the Tahs was run as a separate entity to NSWRU. In 2018 they were reunited.

The NSWRU board has (at least in my time following) always had that representative style appointments from sub-unions making up roughly half the board.

Shute Shield, Subbies, Country all have a boardmember.

When there were two boards, there was overlap of about 3 people (in the final one in 2018 it was Davis, Kerry Chikarovski and Tony Crawford).

The former Waratahs board used to have a player rep on it too.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

the make up of the NSW RU Board is very interesting. Is there a separate Waratahs Board or is this all inclusive?

https://nsw.rugby/about/about nsw rugby/governance

When did they become so 'representative' or have they been like that for a while?

Directors from Sydney RU, NSW Country RU, NSW Jnrs and NSW Suburban??? It seems your a volunteer representative or a banker/lawyer.

Not much of a high performance rugby focus anywhere

Nothing on development either.

 

[I like to watch]

Not much of a high performance rugby focus anywhere

No high performance?
david Harrison current golden oldies player for Mosman, and has been for 9 years!

 

[Rob42]

Reading smh online this morning whilst having brekky.

misread headline “Kafer’s shock Tahs coach choice”

thought it meant he’d been appointed, spat my tea all over the keyboard.

I hate sub editors.

Kafer writes an article about the Tahs, and most of it is reasonable and accurate. We have entered the end times.

 

[TSR]

Hasn't Latu fallen asleep at the wheel before?

Unfortunately yes

 

[Slim 293]

Interesting as he has signed with the reds.
Lets see what stance SJ, BT and DR take on this considering they did not pick the last 3 hookers from 2019 WC and BT stance re KH and JS

Frank, I hope this hasn't come from one of your inside sources......... because I've gone through your posting history and so far they've led you astray.

 

[TSR]

the make up of the NSW RU Board is very interesting. Is there a separate Waratahs Board or is this all inclusive?

https://nsw.rugby/about/about nsw rugby/governance

When did they become so 'representative' or have they been like that for a while?

Directors from Sydney RU, NSW Country RU, NSW Jnrs and NSW Suburban??? It seems your a volunteer representative or a banker/lawyer.

Not much of a high performance rugby focus anywhere

I did look the board composition myself a couple of days ago.

My first though was that as a President, Al Baxter appears to make a good prop forward.

Which is kinda ironic.