In the twenty-first Century, as we are regularly told, sport is all about winning.
On Saturday night at the Crown Casino in Perth the Western Force held their annual awards night, and there were a number of winners, but what was abundantly clear was the team was the collective winner.
It is understood that the player group had to fight hard to make sure that the Nathan Sharpe Medal continued as an end of season event. All of them understanding the importance of such traditions, and also just how important this night is to the club moving forward.
It was a night filled with emotion, as you can well imagine. After all a year ago many of these players had no idea if they would play professional rugby again, let alone don the Western Force colours.
Not surprisingly every recipient of an award was quick to acknowledge the work done behind the scenes by Matt Hodgson, outgoing CEO Nick Marvin, incoming CEO Brad Patch and their teams, as well as Andrew Forrest and his wife who agreed to finance the Force and keep the club alive.
In today’s sporting world we often get carried away with awards. There is a plethora of them, and most are simply an excuse to pull in another sponsor. They are in truth commercial awards rather than awards won on merit.
On Saturday night it was refreshingly clear that every winner was extremely proud of standing on the stage receiving acknowledgement for what must have been an incredibly tough twelve months for each and everyone of them. Maybe that was why the emotion rose to the surface, they all knew that everyone of them had been through a turbulent time, that they all could have won awards for sticking together, for believing and for committing to the Western Force.
The first award was the Rising Star award which was handed to Mandurah-boy Tevin Ferris. Tevin who has worked his way through the ranks at Nedlands was truly taken aback with his award and was quick to thank his family for their support. Choking back tears he acknowledged them not only for their support in his formative years, but for guiding him through the last 12 months.
Ian Prior, who led the Western Force this season from the front was another to shed a tear on stage when he was voted the Members MVP. He highlighted how the Western Australian Rugby community had embraced him, and his fellow players and made the club feel part of a community. He then announced that he and his wife were proud that their first born would be born in Western Australia.
Brynard Stander picked up the NRC Player of the Year award as well as the Nathan Sharpe Medal. Typical of a South African-rasied rugby player he showed immense humility when picking up both awards. Never did he welcome the spotlight. Instead he too looked to acknowledge the support given to him by former team-mate Matt Hodgson, and how supportive and strong his wife had been during the past year. Stander comes across as a no-nonsense player, but the importance of the award at this time in the club’s history also wasn’t lost on him, and the emotion once again bubbled to the surface.
Marcel Brache was awarded the Geoffrey Stooke Force Man Award from his fellow players and sent his thanks via video.
The Coach of the Western Force this year was Tim Sampson. A man who had a calm steely way about him, as he played his cards close to his chest. Yet the pride he had in his players was evident for all to see on Saturday night. It is unlikely he will ever be thrust into a situation similar to the one he had at the start of 2018. It was interesting to hear him talk of his first day in Perth and at the club, and how it happened to coincide with the club’s fan day. Again the emotion rose in his voice as he told of how from that very first day the passion of the fans and the commitment of the players was unlike anything he had experienced before. He knew that he was involved in something special, and with a special group of people on and off the pitch.
There are many who put down club awards, but on Saturday night it was clear to all those present that the Western Force awards for 2018 meant a great deal to the recipients. They also meant a great deal to every player in the squad, for as each lucky winner made their way up to the stage their team mates stood and applauded.
The Phoenix that is the Western Force has clearly risen from the ashes of Super Rugby. If anyone was in any doubt this is a club, a club that it means a great deal to each individual to be a part of. Long may those emotional ties remain as strong, but emotion is only one ingredient when building a great club. Unity is another.
A.R.U should hang their heads in shame for what they did to this club. Especially in light of the fact they did so to keep a completely rubbish and unpopular team such as the Rebels in the completion citing logistics and the size of the City when reality has it they can barely attract an average of around just 9000 people.