Pocock Gone.

[Lions1024]

http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/...for-the-brumbies/story-e6frfkp9-1226437617128

Amazing turnaround,considering a few months ago the Force seemed destined to have two of the best players in world.

 

[Starlin Castro]

Shame for the Force, they're going to really struggle now.

 

[Mint Condition]

The Force really need to be allowed another couple of imports.

 

[Lions1024]

The Force really need to be allowed another couple of imports.

Sounds good in theory, but the Force have deeper problems. The Force can't even attract half-decent club players let alone decent international players. They can't even attract a half-decent coach. The way the Force handled Nalaga this year will surely scare off any top-line international players. Nalaga came to the Force as one of the world's best wingers and leaves as an average winger.

This next week is really make or break for The Force. They need to sign up a coach by the end of Monday. Another week of posturing will be the end of The Force as Australia's 5th rugby team; they'll never recover from it. I personally would sign up Steve Meehan on the spot without interviews and all that crap. He's proven that he can work with sub-par teams and make them competitive. He'll also attract a lot of his former players, such is his popularity with the players. If they can't get him, sign up Tim Lane or John Mulvihill. Signing the latter would have been handy a few days ago as Pocock would have never ever left if Mulvihill was in charge. Waiting for Michael Foley to make up his mind is just plain stupid and will ruin the Force.

 

[Mint Condition]

I think (if they were allowed to sign more foreign players) that they should target Argentinians. With their addition to the new rugby championship the european clubs are more reluctant to sign them, and there is plenty of good players that would jump at the chance of playing professional rugby in the southern hemisphere.

Ultimately the Force need to produce more of their own players...and then keep them. It's a slow process but they're starting to come through. I really hope that Godwin reaches his potential.

 

[S120]

Foley has left the Tahs now and seems headed for the Force so at least they have secured a coach of note. Whether it will attract decent players, I am doubtful.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Foley has left the Tahs now and seems headed for the Force so at least they have secured a coach of note. Whether it will attract decent players, I am doubtful.

Praise the lord! LOL!

 

[wce_all_da_way]

Really, really hard to see us doing well now.

Spoke to someone who works at Rugby WA and they thought that Pocock was gone months ago and that his letter was a bit of bullshit. Great guy, but they're not happy with the way he handled it. There needs to be a major restructuring of the management of the Force.

 

[Lions1024]

Praise the lord! LOL!

Should be praising Nick Farr-Jones. He's effectively sacked Foley and Ed Zemancheff. Cheika will be brought in as head coach and there are talks that Todd Louden will be an assistant. 2 of the very best coaches.

 

[Lions1024]

Really, really hard to see us doing well now.

Spoke to someone who works at Rugby WA and they thought that Pocock was gone months ago and that his letter was a bit of bullshit. Great guy, but they're not happy with the way he handled it. There needs to be a major restructuring of the management of the Force.

From what I've heard (source is 100% legit), Pocock was set to stay at the Force up until the Force screwed up the Cheika talks. Pocock had expressed his desire for Cheika to take over the reigns to senior management. You've got to remember that Cheika was set to sign with the Force after meetings with senior players (Pocock included) and coaching staff.

 

[wce_all_da_way]

From what I've heard (source is 100% legit), Pocock was set to stay at the Force up until the Force screwed up the Cheika talks. Pocock had expressed his desire for Cheika to take over the reigns to senior management. You've got to remember that Cheika was set to sign with the Force after meetings with senior players (Pocock included) and coaching staff.

Haha this person certainly didn't claim to be high up or that involved! So disappointing the way this has all been handled, just one screwup after another the past few years.

 

[Lions1024]

Haha this person certainly didn't claim to be high up or that involved! So disappointing the way this has all been handled, just one screwup after another the past few years.

Yeah, I know from personal experiences just how incompetent some senior officials are. It's fair to say that this didn't happen overnight, it's been a problem right from the start.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Should be praising Nick Farr-Jones. He's effectively sacked Foley and Ed Zemancheff. Cheika will be brought in as head coach and there are talks that Todd Louden will be an assistant. 2 of the very best coaches.

Well anyone is an improvement on Michael 'no ideas' Foley

 

[Lions1024]

Well anyone is an improvement on Michael 'no ideas' Foley

A lot of people will disagree with you on that. Michael Foley is universally regarded as one of the best tactical minds in rugby. Foley is a very good coach, regardless of his performance as head coach of the Waratahs. It was the culture at Tahs that led to their downfall this year more than anything. Michael Foley is more of a brotherly-type figure, which no doubt resulted in senior players becoming lazy.

I do think Cheika will put an end to that. He's not going to be a Ewen or Jake White type of coach but he'll get the appropriate results relative to the roster. He's definitely more of a Chris Hickey type. I wouldn't be expecting a transformation in terms of playing style. The Tahs don't have team, unless they pluck a decent flyhalf out of thin air.

It wouldn't surprise me if the first thing Cheika does is a massive cull. I don't expect any of the assistants to remain. Todd Louden should be the second signing. I personally think he should be the head coach, if Tahs are really desperate to turn things around Todd Louden is the man. He's very much in the mould of Ewen McKenzie in that he'll actually develop the players and the team.

It's funny that the 2 great white hopes of Australian coaching in Graham and Foley have both moved on and gone to different teams. A few years ago there was even talk of a Foley/Graham team taking up the Wallabies to the next World Cup.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

A lot of people will disagree with you on that. Michael Foley is universally regarded as one of the best tactical minds in rugby. Foley is a very good coach, regardless of his performance as head coach of the Waratahs. It was the culture at Tahs that led to their downfall this year more than anything. Michael Foley is more of a brotherly-type figure, which no doubt resulted in senior players becoming lazy.

I do think Cheika will put an end to that. He's not going to be a Ewen or Jake White type of coach but he'll get the appropriate results relative to the roster. He's definitely more of a Chris Hickey type. I wouldn't be expecting a transformation in terms of playing style. The Tahs don't have team, unless they pluck a decent flyhalf out of thin air.

It wouldn't surprise me if the first thing Cheika does is a massive cull. I don't expect any of the assistants to remain. Todd Louden should be the second signing. I personally think he should be the head coach, if Tahs are really desperate to turn things around Todd Louden is the man. He's very much in the mould of Ewen McKenzie in that he'll actually develop the players and the team.

It's funny that the 2 great white hopes of Australian coaching in Graham and Foley have both moved on and gone to different teams. A few years ago there was even talk of a Foley/Graham team taking up the Wallabies to the next World Cup.

If he was that 'tactical' he wouldn't have put Halangahu at 10 or Kingston at 13...let alone putting Barnes at 12 with spud Halangahu!

I don't mind a Chris Hickey type but I personally would rather go after a coach that plays attacking rugby and I would be looking directly at the NPC coaches in New Zealand. Louden is a chance at the head job, but either one needs to make tough decisions and be comfortable making decisions that may result in short term pain eg. Palu as good as he is, should be cut.

 

[Lions1024]

If he was that 'tactical' he wouldn't have put Halangahu at 10 or Kingston at 13...let alone putting Barnes at 12 with spud Halangahu!

I don't mind a Chris Hickey type but I personally would rather go after a coach that plays attacking rugby and I would be looking directly at the NPC coaches in New Zealand. Louden is a chance at the head job, but either one needs to make tough decisions and be comfortable making decisions that may result in short term pain eg. Palu as good as he is, should be cut.

You've come way too late to the party. Mark Anscombe and Penney were really the 2 promising coaches in the NPC and both have left for Ulster and Munster respectively. In saying that, Todd Louden would be a far better option. The work he's done with Sydney Uni in his first and second stints should be used as a development model for every single coach in the world. Apparently Ewen McKenzie tried getting him to come up as an assistant a few times over the past few years, so obviously he rates him as a coach.

No one in their right mind will cut Palu especially considering that he's the only genuine No.8 in Australia. But I do agree some tough decisions have to made, the likes of Benn Robinson, Barnes and TPN simply cannot be allowed to influence the club like they have in the past few years. It's fair to say under Foley, player power reached a pinnacle and it needs to be curbed.

On the decision to play Halangahu and Foley at 10 and play Barnes at 12, I personally would have done the same thing to be honest. Barnes isn't a playcaller and struggles as the main decision maker. Even in the series against Wales, Barnes continually called the wrong play at crucial times. In saying that, Foley wasn't in charge of the backline, Alan Gaffney was.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

You've come way too late to the party. Mark Anscombe and Penney were really the 2 promising coaches in the NPC and both have left for Ulster and Munster respectively. In saying that, Todd Louden would be a far better option. The work he's done with Sydney Uni in his first and second stints should be used as a development model for every single coach in the world. Apparently Ewen McKenzie tried getting him to come up as an assistant a few times over the past few years, so obviously he rates him as a coach.

No one in their right mind will cut Palu especially considering that he's the only genuine No.8 in Australia. But I do agree some tough decisions have to made, the likes of Benn Robinson, Barnes and TPN simply cannot be allowed to influence the club like they have in the past few years. It's fair to say under Foley, player power reached a pinnacle and it needs to be curbed.

On the decision to play Halangahu and Foley at 10 and play Barnes at 12, I personally would have done the same thing to be honest. Barnes isn't a playcaller and struggles as the main decision maker. Even in the series against Wales, Barnes continually called the wrong play at crucial times. In saying that, Foley wasn't in charge of the backline, Alan Gaffney was.

Well I would still be looking at the NPC or even in England, see what coaches they have to be honest, the NPC have the best coaches in the world, I would be looking at Wellington and Canterbury personally.

Palu is a perfect example of why NSW are struggling, he makes 2 good runs a game and then goes to sleep for 70 minutes, I would be cutting him and developing a no8 that is a lot safer. Give me a Ben Mowen-type no8 over Palu any day of the week. I don't mind Robinson, Barnes and TPN having influence they are 3 of the very top players.

Barnes at 12 was stupid, he is the best 10 NSW had...especially after Halangahu lost the game against the Reds through being a total disaster. He was that bad it wasn't funny. Kingston at 13 was even worse. Good tactical coaches don't make these mistakes.