Our History
The story of the infancy of Emirates Western Force
On December 10 2004 at 11.30am RugbyWA and Perth pulled off a remarkable coup, beating Rugby Union Victoria and Melbourne for the right to host Australia's new Super 14 team. A large gathering of media, loyal supporters and staff members assembled at rugby headquarters at Perry Lakes to hear RugbyWA Chairman, Geoff Stooke, announce the winner. Australian Rugby Union Chief Executive Gary Flowers had telephoned Geoff a few minutes earlier and advised him of the result. But the Chairman kept the news to himself, telling only the WA Sports Minister, Bob Kucera. Then, at the agreed time, Geoff took to the stage and with a seriousness that suggested the news was not good, he brought the room alive. "The location of the new Super 14 team will be…Perth, Western Australia." The crowd erupted in cheers and screams of delight. Hugging, back slapping and tears followed. When asked what the key factor had been in the decision to go with Perth, Gary Flowers told the eastern States media it was "people power." In the lead-up to the announcement, more than 25,000 West Australians had signed a petition in support of RugbyWA's bid and over 5000 people - including the WA Premier, Dr Geoff Gallop - had attended Subiaco Oval on a hot day in November to show the ARU just how much they wanted the team. Gary Flowers would later describe the successful pitch as a "rugby bid" supported by the government, business, media and people of WA; the Victorian proposal, he said, had been a "government bid" supported by rugby.
Preliminary Work
The successful bid was the culmination of years of work. In 2002, a working group was formed to monitor developments in the push for a fourth Australian team in an expanded Super 12 competition. The group's job was to make sure RugbyWA was ready to go if, and when, the concept won SANZAR approval. It was chaired by Geoff Stooke and comprised RugbyWA's Terry Bradbury and Rick Smith, Market Equity's Brent Stewart, Grant Thornton's Geoff Kidd and David Round, the WA Department of Premier and Cabinet's David Hatt, News Ltd's Ish Davies, EventsCorp's Mike Rees, Castle Gates director John McGlue, Alinta's Tony Howarth, the WA Department of Sport and Recreation's Ronnie Hurst, Woodside's Gary Gray, John Fuhrmann and Robert Carroll.
Final Bid
On receipt of an invitation to bid for the fourth Australian team, RugbyWA assembled a team of people with expertise in a range of areas including the law, accounting, marketing, planning and major events. The project team was given four weeks to formulate the submission and was chaired by Geoff Stooke and comprised RugbyWA's Terry Bradbury, Rick Smith, Stuart Dart and Carolyn Pethrick, Market Equity's Brent Stewart, Owen Davies and Rick Keen, Grant Thornton's Geoff Kidd and David Round, Phillips Fox's Nicola Davies, the WA Department of Sport and Recreation's Ronnie Hurst, EventsCorp's Mike Rees, Castle Gates director John McGlue, Jaz's Tim Langford Smith, Standard Wool's Sandra Raffaele and consultant Glenda Martinick. All members of the team gave their services free of charge. The bid included strong support from the State Government, which agreed to provide a loan of more than one million dollars to RugbyWA and commit $25 million towards an upgrade of the Members Equity Stadium in East Perth.
The Search for a Chief Executive
The day after winning the bid the front page of the State's daily newspaper, The West Australian, trumpeted "SUPER!" The headline was accompanied by a photo of beaming schoolboy player Will Brock, Jennifer Hoskins - one of the so-called Rugby Mums who organised the gathering at Subiaco Oval (the other Rugby Mum was Irma Cooper) - and RugbyWA Chairman Geoff Stooke. With the celebrations barely over, a selection panel was assembled to identify the team's new chief executive. The panel was chaired by Geoff Stooke and comprised RugbyWA President Tony Harvey, RugbyWA Board member and treasurer Terry Bradbury and independent consultant, Steve Stock. On February 16, after a rigorous interview process, the Chairman and Board of RugbyWA announced that Commonwealth Bank general manager Peter O'Meara would be the organisation's new chief executive. The 48 year old Queenslander and former Brisbane Souths first grader came to the position with not only the required business skills and experience but an insider's knowledge of the game, having been a Board member of both the Queensland and New South Wales rugby unions. He began work in his new role on March 14.
The Search for a Head Coach
Another selection panel was formed to identify the team's first coach. It was chaired by Geoff Stooke and comprised Peter O'Meara, Tony Harvey, Terry Bradbury, former Wallaby Phil Kearns and the Director-General of the WA Department of Sport and Recreation, Ron Alexander. Many top-quality coaches from Australia and overseas applied for the job. As judgment day loomed, debate raged in the media about whether the position should only be offered to an Australian, with the ARU and the players' union pushing hard for a local candidate. However, Geoff Stooke - with the support of his Board - insisted on a transparent recruitment process, aimed at identifying the best person for the job. On February 28, RugbyWA announced that former All Blacks coach, John Mitchell, had been appointed to the position. His record as coach of the All Blacks spoke for itself: a win rate of 86% over 30 games between 2001 and 2003. The 40 year old had also assisted England coach Sir Clive Woodward for three years and was one of only three men to have played, captained and coached the All Blacks.
The Recruitment Begins
The RugbyWA board quickly adopted a recruitment policy aimed at securing a core of players with Test and provincial experience, and younger footballers with the potential to play for Australia. On April 5, Wallaby and News South Wales hooker Brendan Cannon became the first player to join the new team, agreeing to a two-year contract. The following day, the new team had secured its second player and another Wallaby in Queensland lock Nathan Sharpe. Not even a last-gasp flying visit by Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Theo Psaros to Cape Town, where the Reds were playing, could stop Nathan signing a three year deal with WA. The new team now had two big names in Australian rugby; two leaders who would set the standard both on and off the field and help attract more quality players west. By early July, all but one position in the playing squad of 33 had been filled.
The Assistant Coaches
On April 8, hot on the heels of signing Nathan Sharpe and Brendan Cannon, the new team had its third Wallaby, this time on the coaching staff. Former Australian prop and head coach of Sydney club Norths Ben Darwin signed up as assistant coach, forwards. He joined former Queensland and New South Wales flyhalf and Balmain Tiger, John Mulvihill, who came aboard in mid-March, as assistant coach, backs. They would later be joined by skills coach, Tom Fearn, strength and conditioning coordinator, Haydn Masters, analyst, Scott Anderson, and team operations manager, Greg Marr.
The Team Gets A Name
On April 19, RugbyWA unveiled the team's name and logo at Perth's Burswood International Resort. After months of detailed community consultation, the "Western Force" was chosen as a name which best reflected the team's location and its values of strength, energy and community. The logo features the State's traditional black swan insignia in a dynamic circular shape, representing unity and inclusiveness. It is set in a mid-blue representing WA's beautiful coastline and clear blue skies, while the sandy gold represents the State's stunning beaches, its mineral wealth and the ever-present sunshine.
The Western Force Gets A Jersey and Naming Rights Sponsor
On July 5, before 800 guests at a gala luncheon at Perth's Burswood International Resort, RugbyWA President Tony Harvey announced that leading international airline Emirates would be Western Force's naming rights sponsor. John Mitchell then spoke passionately of the importance of the jersey and the values it would represent before Brendan Cannon emerged from shadows and down the catwalk to reveal the team's No. 1 Strip - ocean blue embraced by the black swan icon. Former Waratahs flyhalf Lachlan MacKay followed shortly afterwards, wearing the Alternate Strip - a sandy gold also embraced by the black swan. Nine other members of the squad - Richard Brown, Luke Doherty, David Fitter, Matt Hodgson, Brock James, Junior Pelesasa, David Pusey, Rudi Vedelago and Matt Windle - also strutted their stuff. Fox Sports rugby commentator Greg Clark then interviewed Nathan Sharpe in a Live Cross to Camp Wallaby in Coffs Harbour, before auctioning off the team's first No. 1 Strip for $30,000 and then the first Alternate Strip, also for $30,000! ARU Chairman Dilip Kumar was heard to say he'd never seen a jersey (or two jerseys, for that matter) sell at auction for such a sum.
Membership
Shortly after RugbyWA won the right to host Australia's fourth Super 14 team, an online register was set up for potential members to record their interest. Within weeks, more 10,000 people had registered. When memberships were formally launched in July, more than 13,000 individuals were on the register and over 400 companies had expressed interest in taking-up a hospitality package. By Tuesday July 26, Gold memberships had sold-out and before the end of the week, almost 13,000 people had applied to become members of the Emirates Western Force. Within the space of a few days, the new energy in world rugby had the biggest membership base of any Australian Super 14 team, eclipsing the previous biggest - the Brumbies - with 11,200 members. By the time memberships closed at the end of January 2006, the Emirates Western Force had almost 21,000 members and about 270 companies had signed up for corporate hospitality.
On Monday October 3, after months of preparation and planning, the Emirates Western Force had its first training session on home soil. Many of the players had been attending fitness sessions in Sydney and Brisbane under the guidance of strength and conditioning coordinator, Haydn Masters; but this was the first team training at Rugby Park, Perry Lakes. Only 11 members of the squad attended the session, with the remainder either tied up in club finals commitments, injured or preparing for the Wallabies spring tour of Europe. For the record, those in attendance were Richard Brown, Luke Doherty, Gavin Debartolo, Luke Holmes, Tajhon Malaita, Alexander Peden, David Pusey, Angus Scott, Rudi Vedelago, John Welborn, AJ Whalley.
Rottnest Camp
On December 10 2005, on the first anniversary of RugbyWA's successful Super 14 bid, the whole squad assembled for the first time, on Rottnest Island. While some of the players had been in Perth since October, it was first time members of the Wallaby squad - Nathan Sharpe, Brendan Cannon, Matt Henjak, Scott Fava, David Fitter, Cameron Shepherd and Digby Ioane - had joined the team since their return from the Spring tour of Europe. On this hallowed bit of West Aussie soil, 20 km off the mainland, the players agreed on the team's vision and values, and chose Nathan Sharpe as the inaugural captain of the Emirates Western Force, Scott Fava his deputy.
The Trials
On Saturday 21 January, the Emirates Western Force took to the field as a team for the first time. Wearing the alternate gold jersey, they played the other Super 14 newcomers, South Africa's Central Cheetahs. A squad of 27 players was named for the clash, 19 of whom had never played at the Super rugby level before. Before a crowd of 17,000 people at Subiaco Oval, the local team scored first - a penalty try - but went down to the visitors, 29-19. Tim Davidson and Haig Sare were the try scorers. The following Saturday, the Emirates Western Force played Super 12 champions, the Crusaders, in Melbourne. Before a hostile crowd of more than 11,500 at Olympic Stadium, the Aussies scored first, through Scott Staniforth (he would also score the team's only other try in the match). But, on a wet track and in muggy conditions, the New Zealanders - boasting plenty of All Blacks including Richie McCaw and Dan Carter - went on to defeat the Emirates Western Force, 36 to 19. The final trial game was played against the Blues - again full of All Blacks - in Auckland on Thursday 2 February at Eden Park. The team's Wallabies joined the run-on team for the first time but the North Islanders were too good, running in seven tries to one in their 43-5 victory (Luke Doherty scoring on his birthday!).
The Emirates Western Force make their Debut
And then, on Friday 10 February 2006, the moment so many people had worked so long and hard for; the Tooheys New Super 14 debut of the Emirates Western Force. More than 37,000 people packed Subiaco Oval to watch their team take on Australia's benchmark in the Super 12, the Canberra-based Brumbies. The visitors boasted an all-Wallaby backline of Gregan, Larkham, Gerrard, Giteau, Mortlock, Rathbone and Ashley-Cooper. The Emirates Western Force squad of 22 included six players who'd never played an official game at this level. For the record, the inaugural squad was: 1. Gareth Hardy 2. Brendan Cannon 3. David Fitter 4. John Welborn 5. Nathan Sharpe (c). 6. Luke Doherty 7. Matt Hodgson 8. Scott Fava 9. Matt Henjak 10. Scott Daruda 11. Digby Ioane 12. Lachlan MacKay 13. Junior Pelesasa 14. Scott Staniforth 15. James Hilgendorf 16. Tai McIsaac 17. David Te Moana 18. David Pusey 19. Richard Brown 20. Chris O'Young 21. Josh Graham 22. Cameron Shepherd. When the Emirates Western Force hit the lead in the 47th minute, a fairytale finish was on the cards. Some great lead-up work from Matt Henjak, James Hilgendorf, Digby Ioane and Matt Hodgson helped bustling Number 8, Scott Fava, make a little history, becoming the team's first Super 14 try scorer. But injuries to Lachlan MacKay and, later, his replacement, Josh Graham, required a major reshuffle of the backline. That, and the experience of the Brumbies, saw the visitors jump ahead with two tries from two defensive lapses late in the game, going on to win, 25-10. While the Emirates Western Force may have lost their long-awaited debut, their commitment was never in doubt and professional rugby in WA had well and truly arrived.
