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NRC Semi Final - Melbourne Rising v Perth Spirit - Saturday 25 October at 3:30 pm

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Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Melbourne Rising will play Perth Spirit at AAMI Park on Saturday at 3:30 pm.


The game will be shown live on Fox.
 

GaffaCHinO

Peter Sullivan (51)
If the spirit send the a team I think they can get the job done.

This is what I want to see assuming godwin Faulkner and Hodgo are off with the wallabies.

1 Pek
2 Able
3 Heiberg
4 Wykes
5 Murphy
6 Stander
7 Kane
8 RHP

9 Turner
10 Holmes
11 Morahan
12 Burtoj
13 Junior
14 Brache
15 DHP

16 Scoble
17 Savage
18 Hoskins
19 Thomas
20 Hardwick
21 Prior
22 Joubert
23 Va'a
 

Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
I'd start Hoskins over Heiberg but they would pretty much be it. Might want an extra forward on the bench too. The Rising will be tough up front.
 

Bairdy

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Think I read somewhere that the no travel policy for the first-choice Force players extends to the finals, which sucks.
 

Mr Wobbly

Alan Cameron (40)
At the game on Saturday, one of the Rising ground announcers said "Let's just hope the Spirit bring their A Team so we can have a contest", or words to that effect.
 

elementfreak

Trevor Allan (34)
Melbourne Rising Head Coach Sean Hedger has issued a call to action to the Victorian Rugby community, as he named his side for the Rising’s Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) Semi Final against Perth Spirit at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon.
Click here to buy tickets.
With a record number of non-contracted players included in his matchday 23, Hedger said it was imperative that Melbourne got behind their team in what promises to be a tight encounter.
“Securing a home semi final was a wonderful achievement, but in essence it means little now,” Hedger said. “Its knockout time and we know how capable Perth Spirit are, so it’s so important that we have a large, vocal crowd to make full use of our home ground advantage.”
With Tom English, Luke Jones and Sean McMahon departing with the Qantas Wallabies on the European Spring Tour, Hedger has handed a first NRC start to Harlequin backrower and Dewar Shield Player of the Year OJ Noa.
In a further boost to the Rising team, electrifying centre Sefanaia Naivalu returns from a hand injury, while former Australian Schoolboys representative and local talent Angus Hamilton is a chance to make his NRC debut from the bench.
Hedger is confident that the squad he’s named are capable of continuing the Rising’s winning run, but is aware of the challenge ahead of his side.
“We are confident that the players selected to replace Tom, Luke and Sean will continue to drive the Rising forward,” Hedger said. “Every player has looked right at home whenever given the opportunity to test themselves in the NRC; they will step up and do a great job.
“OJ has been fantastic when he has come on, and Sefa’s quick recovery is a credit to both him and the Rising staff tasked with getting him back onto the field; he has been diligent with his rehab and returns to action earlier than originally forecast.
“Perth Spirit gave us a really physical battle in Round Four, however, and they are a very dynamic and experienced team. They come here knowing that a win puts them into the NRC Grand Final, so our boys need to be on their game and need to draw off the noise of the crowd.”
Hedger paid particular tribute to Harlequin lock Hamilton, with the enthusiastic Victorian named in a matchday squad for the first time.
“Angus has been superb in his endeavour, his attitude and his willingness to work hard towards selection,” Hedger said. “He’s a very popular member of the squad, and goes out of his way on game day to help the boys in any way possible. He has always had a ‘team first’ mentality, and the entire squad are thrilled to see him get his chance.
“On top of that, ‘Gus’ is a very talented second rower. You don’t get selected for the Australian Schoolboys without possessing a high degree of ability, and he also has international experience with the Glasgow Hawks in the Scottish Premiership. We’re really excited to see him getting an opportunity.”
Melbourne Rising team to face Perth Spirit:
1. Toby Smith (Melbourne Uni/Rebels)
2. Pat Leafa (Box Hill/Rebels) (Vice Captain)
3. Paul Alo-Emile (Power House/ Rebels)
4. Sam Jeffries (Melbourne Uni/Rebels)
5. Cadeyrn Neville (Foostcray/Rebels)
6. OJ Noa (Harlequin)
7. Sione Taufa (Harlequin)
8. Lopeti Timani (Footscray/Rebels)
9. Nic Stirzaker (Endeavour Hills/Rebels) (Captain)
10. Jack Debreczeni (Endeavour Hills/Rebels)
11. Joe Kamana (Moorabbin)
12. Mitch Inman (Southern Districts/Rebels) (Vice Captain)
13. Sefanaia Naivalu (Box Hill/Rebels)
14. Rennie Lautolo-Molimau (Endeavour Hills)
15. Jonah Placid (Rebels)
16. Tom Sexton (Power House/Rebels)
17. Fereti Sa’aga (Melbourne Uni)
18. Cruze Ah-Nau (Footscray/Rebels)
19. Pom Simona (Harlequin) (Vice Captain)
20. Angus Hamilton (Harlequin)
21. Luke Burgess (Melbourne/Rebels)
22. Lloyd Johansson (Harlequin)
23. Martin Naufahu (Foostcray)
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
2014 Buildcorp NRC – Semi-Finals
Melbourne Rising v Perth Spirit
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Saturday, 25 October 2014
Kick-off: 3.35pm (local)/12.35pm (AWST)
1. Pek Cowan (West Scarborough)
2. Robbie Abel (Cottesloe)
3. Oliver Hoskins (Cottesloe)
4. Sam Wykes (c) (Wests Scarborough)
5. Brent Murphy (Perth Bayswater)
6. Brynard Stander (Nedlands)
7. Kane Koteka (Wests Scarborough)
8. Al Rovira (Associates)
9. Ian Prior (Nedlands)
10. Zack Holmes (Associates)
11. Marcel Brache (Perth Bayswater)
12. Solomoni Rasolea (Cottesloe)
13. Ammon Matuauto (Associates)
14. Luke Morahan (Kalamunda)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (Cottesloe)
Reserves
16. Harry Scoble (UWA)
17. Joe Savage (Palmyra)
18. Chris Heiberg (Perth Bayswater)
19. Kieran Stringer (Cottesloe)
20. Richard Hardwick (UWA)
21. Justin Turner (Associates)
22. Davis Tavita (Nedlands)
23. Christian Joubert (UWA)
- See more at: http://www.westernforce.com.au/arti...tion-semi-final-showdown#sthash.foiBodZm.dpuf
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
great to see the Spirit pick a strong team. These will be two very good games you'd expect.
 

oztimmay

Geoff Shaw (53)
Staff member
Nice to see Angus Hamilton there. You could call him a homegrown talent


Since he went to Scotch College and plays at Quins, You could say that. Excited to see him get a run, he's been training the house down and is ready for this.

Considering the losses to the Wallabies Squad this is a very good team. Great to have Sefa back, although I hope he isn't too underdone. It is indeed a very strong Spirit team, but I think we will have their measure in the pack and will set a good platform to win.

Rising by 10.
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Double standards from Perth picking their Force players only when it suits them. They have the better side. Perth to win in a close one.
 

Scoey

Tony Shaw (54)
I assume they have qualification rules regarding eligibility for finals? ie players must play X amount of games or something similar? If so, then don't hate the player, hate the game. If they got to this point by not fielding their strongest team then they still deserve to be in this position.
 

Highlander35

Andrew Slack (58)
1-15, Man for Man, I reckon we've got the better side, exception of Morahan v RLM and Wykes v Jeffries.

Some of parts and all that. We're also missing the advantage of greater fitness that we've had in the last few weeks. Still tipping us, but its gonna be close. Not so when we play Country next week.
 
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