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Western Force 2019

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Forwards
Aisake Meo*
Andrew Ready
Ben Grant
Brynard Stander
Cameron Orr
Carlo Tizzano
Chris Alcock
Chris Heiberg
Dom Hardman*
Feleti Kaitu’u
Fergus Lee-Warner
Harrison Lloyd
Heath Tessmann
Henry Stowers
Jack Bromely*
Jackson Pugh*
Jeremy Thrush
Johan Bardoul
Markus Vanzati
Ollie Callan*
Tevin Ferris
Tom Sheminant
Backs
AJ Alatimu
Andrew Deegan
Brad Lacey
Byron Ralston*
Chris Tuatara-Morrison*
Grason Makara*
Halaufa Lavaka*
Henry Taefu
Ian Prior
Issak Fines
Jack McGregor
Jake Strachan*
Jonah Placid
Kiti Ratu*
Leon Feke*
Marcel Brache
Nick Jooste
Pama Fou*
Rory O’Sullivan*
 

Shaker

Ron Walden (29)
I like seeing Tuatara-Morrison back. Cool throwback to the Super Rugby days. Alatimu/Taefu/Stowers/Brache all named but are all in their country's squads, you'd expect them to head to Japan.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
Only just saw these quotes from a few days ago:

Hooker Heath Tessmann has rubbished claims by Canberra Vikings that Global Rapid Rugby gives Western Force an advantage in the National Rugby Championship.​
The fiery veteran said the Brumbies-backed Vikings were the most experienced squad in the competition as they wheeled out five Wallabies and another 11 Super Rugby players for the Round 4 clash at UWA Sports Park.​
“These guys have the biggest group of Super players playing together,” he said.​
“They spend a lot of time together, they know how each other plays, they know their structures, they get into them quickly. They have knowledge and experience.​
“It’s a very good reason why they have featured heavily in this competition. They have been the bar-setters for this competition.​
“They are bringing a very strong squad and will be our biggest challenge so far but we don’t just want to match them, we want to better them.​
Good on 'im
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
He’s wrong of course.

The Force have been playing and training with this team for the year.

The Vikings may have wallabies and super rugby players but the combinations they have are new and inexperienced.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
He’s wrong of course.

The Force have been playing and training with this team for the year.

The Vikings may have wallabies and super rugby players but the combinations they have are new and inexperienced.

Sounds like you really rate this GRR comp, Reg. Good to hear, mate. I like what it's developing for the Asia-Pacific sides.

But that's only relevant to the no-wallabies forward pack playing against Valetini, Samu, et al.

Take a look at the Force backline -- 7 of the 10 Western Force backs named for this Vikings game only joined the squad a few months ago, leading into the NRC.

Now the halves are certainly a match for wallaby Powell and young Lolesio, but Prior and Deegan were also injured and missed playing stretches of GRR this year.

9 Prior
10 Deegan
11 Placid
12 Tuatara-Morrison
13 Ralston
14 Feke
15 Strachan

21 Fines
22 Makara
23 Miller
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Comprehensive top-of-table result for the Western Force gives a chance to have their next two games at home.

The team stats show the WF very much middle of the road for all stats except highest points and close to lowest turnovers conceded. Excellent team stats with only Jonah Placid and Andrew Deegan standouts on individual stats.

This is the kind of results the Western Force has been aiming for.

Hope they can make it 2 from 2 at home.

Capture.JPG
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Very good effort in the Finals by the Western Force considering the number of first-choice players who were unavailable for selection either through injury or RWC commitments.

The list was a long one:
Injuries: Ian Prior (capt), Kieran Longbottom, Johan Bardoul, Chris Alcock, Brad Lacey
RWC: Marcel Brache, AJ Alatimu, Henry Taefu

Other regular players who moved on prior to the start of the NRC included: Masivesi Dakuwaqa, Rodney Iona, Clay Uyen and Rod Davies.

Was also very good to see the young talent from Club Rugby and interstate who were given a chance to show their stuff in the NRC.
Including: Pama Fou, Byron Ralston, Dom Hardman, Rory O’Sullivan, Jake Strachan, Aisake Meo, Chris Miller, Leon Feke, Kiti Ratu, Grason Makara.

Jonah Placid, who had a fantastic return to the NRC, also needed to get used to an entirely new player group.
 
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