Force v Waratahs, round 13, Saturday 9 May

[Lindommer]

The Force have further to go to attend this match in Perth than the Tahs! It would seem Foley's shortcomings are starting to affect the Force's performances. A shame. A very good 2IC with responsibility for the pigs, a poor head coach.

 

[A mutterer]

It's starting to look like deja vu all over again.

I think the pasting the Force copped on the field and in the media is a bad thing for the tahs, we don't need a pissed off Force hunting for the upset, especially after that bruising match against the ponies.

 

[Moono75]

Time to roll the dice on some selections. If your going to lose try some new players and get an idea of what they can do at this level. If Burton goes down at 10.....we improvise!

Western Force v Tahs

1. Pekahou Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Steve Mafi
5. Adam Coleman
6. Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman
9. Ryan Louwrens

10. Luke Burton
11. Brad Lacey
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Nick Cummins
14. Mitch Scott
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

Reserves
16. Heath Tessmann
17. Chris Heiberg
18. Oliver Hoskins
19. Wilhelm Steenkamp
20. Kane Koteka
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Patrick Dellit
23. Albert Nikoro

 

[Shiggins]

Why not!

 

[WTF?]

How far into the game before one of the Force go down with an 'injury'. Foley obviously teaches them to slow the pace down anyway they can. It has been such an obvious tactic over the past two years. It happened in Round 1 and it will happen again this weekend.

My only gripe is that that our captain does not push the blatant cynical nature of what they are doing with the ref. if the Force can get away with it, then good luck to them. It obviously works, so why would you not keep doing it.

It's bloody frustrating to watch though....!

 

[I like to watch]

Force will win the stats,Tahs will win the game.
Foley will say he is happy,Cheika will say they need to improve.
There is a message there somewhere!

 

[brokendown]

If the tahs don't put at least 50 points on us-then there will be something seriously with NSW rugby!

 

[A mutterer]

i doubt it will be a blow out. i expect the force to come into the game looking for claret.

 

[Braveheart81]

How far into the game before one of the Force go down with an 'injury'. Foley obviously teaches them to slow the pace down anyway they can. It has been such an obvious tactic over the past two years. It happened in Round 1 and it will happen again this weekend.

My only gripe is that that our captain does not push the blatant cynical nature of what they are doing with the ref. if the Force can get away with it, then good luck to them. It obviously works, so why would you not keep doing it.

It's bloody frustrating to watch though..!

I think Dennis was talking to the referee about this in round 1 but there is little you can do. It's just something that we need to deal with.

There's not so much the referee can do either. They don't really have the power to say that someone isn't injured

Force will win the stats,Tahs will win the game.
Foley will say he is happy,Cheika will say they need to improve.
There is a message there somewhere!

In our previous losses to the Force, we've dominated possession and territory.

I can't see us losing this fixture on Saturday but I definitely think we'll be right on top of possession and territory as well.

 

[farva]

Time to roll the dice on some selections. If your going to lose try some new players and get an idea of what they can do at this level. If Burton goes down at 10...we improvise!

Western Force v Tahs

1. Pekahou Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Steve Mafi
5. Adam Coleman
6. Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (c)
8. Ben McCalman
9. Ryan Louwrens

10. Luke Burton
11. Brad Lacey
12. Kyle Godwin
13. Nick Cummins
14. Mitch Scott
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

Reserves
16. Heath Tessmann
17. Chris Heiberg
18. Oliver Hoskins
19. Wilhelm Steenkamp
20. Kane Koteka
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Patrick Dellit
23. Albert Nikoro

I like that. f Burton goes down then Godwin takes over. Burton is a long term 10. Lets get him playing there now. Mitch Scott needs to start as well. I like that forward line too, it actually has some toughness and some skill to it.
Cummins at 13 is where he should be playing IMO. And Godwin back to 12 has to happen. Our major attacking asset has become a shell of himself playing at 13.

 

[brokendown]

Cummins defence is too suss to play at 13

 

[Moono75]

Force will win the stats,Tahs will win the game.
Foley will say he is happy,Cheika will say they need to improve.
There is a message there somewhere!

You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........You Tahs guys (Gnostic) are like broken records.........

 

[Braveheart81]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-xat1/v/t1.0-9/11209393_10152949020302144_6988163343056007259_n.jpg?oh=5ee207590ad724dd8d94b3ede4f1312d&oe=55D20512&__gda__=1440381648_c019cc133081eeb382acbacc24ef3b3e

Hopefully Tala Gray stays on the bench after they cut someone and gets a run this week.

Interesting that Betham has been dropped to the bench. His handling was pretty poor last Friday though.

 

[Moono75]

Western Force v NSW Tahs

1. Pek Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Steve Mafi
5. Adam Coleman
6. Angus Cottrell
7. Matt Hodgson (C)
8. Ben McCalman
9. Ryan Louwrens
10. Sias Ebersohn
11. Nick Cummins
12. Junior Rasolea
13. Kyle Godwin
14. Luke Morahan
15. Dane Haylett-Petty

Reserves
16. Heath Tessman
17. Chris Heiberg
18. Guy Millar
19. Wilhelm Steenkamp
20. Kane Koteka
21. Alby Mathewson
22. Luke Burton
23. Marcel Brache

 

[Moono75]

Gotta say i find it frustrating that the team selections 10 through 14 have been conservative again. DHP picks himself at 15 and Ryan Louwrens has been good at 9 so that's fine. Hopefully the rest has done Alby some good and he's not as jaded as he has appeared so a bench spot is good for him.

Sias at 10 hasn't worked this year and he is too conservative to spark this attack. The Badger hasn't lived up to the "Up and Go" plastered over the front of his jumper and Morahan has survived on scraps to snag a few trys but he has let some in too.

I know the Force are doing their best to get the Badger into the WC team but performance warrents selection and I think he could do with a spell. Mitch Scott should have got a bench spot.....I'm sick of pointing this out here and on the TWF site. FFS he can't be any worse......why not find out with a start. He got about 12 minutes in 2 games at the start of the season and was one of the leaders in metres gained and snagged a try against the Canes. He's on the books for next season why not find out what he can do now when there is nothing to play for???

If Sias doesnt deliver he needs to be pulled and put Burton straight in at 10. Godwin and Junior are paired again in the centres but out of position. Put Godwin back to where he showed his promise at 12. The Force bloody website says "the 22-year-old continued on from his breakout season in 2013, again locking down the inside centre role for the Western Force before a knee injury". False advertising I say!!

 

[Pfitzy]

Interesting that Betham has been dropped to the bench. His handling was pretty poor last Friday though.

More of a case that Cheika belief breeds we should be able to get Taqele into space and over the top of blokes.

With JacPot going home next year, hopefully guys like Gray and Holloway get more game time.

 

[Groucho]

It's starting to look like deja vu all over again.

I think the pasting the Force copped on the field and in the media is a bad thing for the tahs, we don't need a pissed off Force hunting for the upset, especially after that bruising match against the ponies.

Sports teams usually play worse when they're pissed off. That's why other sports teams devote so much time and effort to pissing them off.

 

[Melchior]

The tahs got mugged when they were asleep in round 1. They are hitting form and in an upward trajectory, no way they will let this one get away. As was seen in the Blues game, the Force just can't compete when the opposition play their own game. Tahs by 15.

Great to see Foley is mixing up the backline too after some many insipid performances .

 

[Moono75]

Target Naiyarovora on the wing. Chip over him or grubber through. He turns around as quickly as the Titanic. Coleman or Mafi to put a big hit on Beale.....game over. Force win And if I the team I wanted a bonus point win.

 

[Braveheart81]