With the Waratahs featuring in a home semi-final for the second year in a row, I thought it would be a nice time to look back on the journey they have taken to reach this point.
The other day I was scanning back through my old articles (mainly to see if the jokes have gotten better with time. Spoiler alert: they have not) One stood out in particular. It’s a really interesting read given what has taken place over the past three years, since Michael Cheika and Israel Folau arrived at the Waratahs.
Back at the beginning of 2013, when the article was written, the resentment towards the Waratahs was palpable. The comments section seethes with angst from supporters of all stripes, bitter about Waratah dominance of the media and Wallaby selections. And those feelings were not entirely unjustified, though some may have taken them a little bit too far. The Waratahs in January 2013 were the embodiment of the underperforming franchise- lack of success despite a tonne of natural advantages, supporter apathy and a perceived attitude of entitlement. They were a punchline, a laughing stock.
What has happened since that point has been nothing short of remarkable, a meteoric rise from chumps to champs that is too often taken for granted by the long-suffering local fans. This year has only enshrined the legacy – finishing second on the ladder despite a season that had multiple hiccups along the way. Think about that one, Tahs fans: we spluttered and dropped key games, and still finished SECOND. Do you know how badly we craved such a result in 2012? To be below your best and still have a home final??
But it hasn’t just been about the on-field results. We agonised for years over the right ‘playing style’ – the Waratah way that would see tries scored and fans on their feet. And now we’ve fucking well got it, can you believe it? Even the most dour Tahs games, you could never use the word ‘kickathon’ or accuse them of lacking ambition with ball in hand. Again, it’s something we craved for so long, and now we have it.
Our star players are likeable guys, who keep their noses clean without a ‘nightclub incident’ to be seen. We’ve found a couple of good youngsters, and imported smartly. We have seen a long run of incredible player health, which surely can’t be by chance.
In short: it’s all coming up Waratahs.
Well, not everything. Even with all of these incredible developments, it’s interesting to note that the crowds haven’t risen as substantially as we would have hoped back in 2012. We looked to the Reds 2011-13 era with the hope we could emulate it in Sydney, drawing 40,000+ crowds on a regular basis. But that was not to be. Crowds have certainly increased, but it seems the difference of experiences in Sydney and Brisbane may be linked far more to the attitudes and habits of the local population than the fortunes of the teams themselves.
It also reflects badly on the Waratahs organisation, whose media strategy is ruled by a head coach with minimal desire for any sort of engagement or meaningful promotion, which seems so at odds with his stated ambition of getting closer to the local fan base.
Regardless of that fact, this week represents a time for Waratahs fans to sit back, have a deep breath and take it all in. We are in a situation we would have killed for but a few years ago. We are winning, and winning in style. Sure the crowds aren’t incredible, but you can’t win em all.
But here’s the kicker – it won’t last. It can’t. Professional sport in 2015 is a fickle beast, and success over a long period is next to impossible, and only achieved by a tiny handful of franchises across multiple codes. The Waratahs will almost certainly not be one of these teams. There is no point denying reality – this golden age is closer to the end than we might like to think, especially considering the exodus of players and coaches at the end of the season.
The answer is not to mope, or worry about the future. It is to enjoy what we have now, and realise how rare it is in the context of professional sport. Brumbies fans have had it, for a few years at the start of the century. Reds fans have had it too. We all had it as Wallabies fans, all too long ago. Those rare, fleeting moments on the roller-coaster of rugby where you are at the very top, with the world at your feet.
Breathe it in Tahs fans. And get to the game on Saturday. Because you never know when it will happen again.
