Sideline Hack
Peter Burge (5)
Always good to hear from you RR - but you're part of the problem that I highlight above.
You too have done nothing but slag the WF even before the 2017 axing.
The eventual success of the West Coast franchise will be all the sweeter.
Please enlighten me........................
Since 2017, (that's 6 years rather than ancient history) what other Australian franchise has done more to grow our great game in in the Asia Pacific region than the Western Force?
Since the onset of Covid-19, what other franchise has had anything equivalent to two games in Japan (2022) and a 4-match series against another OS team (Cheetahs).
What other franchise has a 20 person Academy and payed women's Academy players?
The Western Force is doing heaps to grow the game while the East Coast empty vessels do very little but make lots of noise.
These days I limit my comments to what the Western Force is doing.
You know, that I'm always ready to give credit where credit is due.
The constant flow of negativity gets very tiresome even for a Fan and a follower of G&GR.
The proof is in the Forum pages.
I rest my case.........
I'll have a crack
Since the onset of Covid-19, what other franchise has had anything equivalent to two games in Japan (2022) and a 4-match series against another OS team (Cheetahs).....
Off the top of my head - Reds / Rebels
What other franchise has a 20 person Academy and payed women's Academy players?
Academy - All of the franchises. All fairly normal.
Paid female academy (or team) players - Pretty sure the Rebels have whilst NSW and ACT may not have directly paid them but quite a few of their Academy / Fringe Super W players have been employed as regional Development officers which has allowed them to focus on their training and development around the provided employed role. Not saying there isn't room for improvement but pretty sure I've read you say previously how great that these Academy / WF players are out in the community - effectively the same thing.
For what it's worth - all of the items you do well to highlight are a great step in WF rugby building to self-sufficiency to grow the game over in WA. I'm just not sure what adulation you are expecting (and others have tried saying the thing) given there's nothing revolutionary in what's being done.
If you want a comparison to what I regard as something "revolutionary" compared to what is being undertaken in Qld / NSW - and apologies if this is being done in WA - but take a look at the Academy Movement program and the work Jimmy Orange is doing in non-traditional schools in Victoria. It has been 10 years in the making but is great to see the fruits of the labour just starting to show through from the various schools like Fountain Gate with more and more schools getting involved each year.
Qld & NSW both have community rugby staff with DOs that bust their ring pushing the proverbial uphill but I don't believe have had the support or resources to make the inroads that the Victorian program seems to have made.