Western Force 2019

Western Force coach Tim Sampson among trio to re-sign for 2019
Nick Taylor - Perth Now - November 22, 2018

Western Force coach Tim Sampson has begun re-shaping his squad for Global Rapid Rugby’s 2019 debut season after re-signing for another year in charge.

Forwards coach Van Humphries and captain Ian Prior will also return with Sampson looking for a new defence assistant after Jaque Fourie joined the USA Eagles ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Sampson needs to replace second-rower Josh Furno, centre George Pisi, former Future Force academy and Super Rugby hooker Harry Scoble and ex-Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Elliot Turner who have not been re-signed after World Series Rugby.

He hinted that the club was on the verge of bringing back local products and former Force Super Rugby players.
A number of players who have missed out on 2019 Super Rugby contracts, including from the Rebels, are also keen to move west.
“There has been a little bit of dialogue with some players,” Sampson said.
“They are quality players, guys that have played at a high level, guys that we might get back to Perth.
“We want more of the type of guys we have here….a bloody good rugby player but a bloody good person.
“I’m looking forward to the continued growth of the club and I’m comfortable with rolling out very much the same squad.”

Sampson is also working on a restructured system with up to five players in an extended group sitting below the GRR squad and likely to include current academy players.
“Our under-19s were very good at the national championships. The Future Force guys have been training with us for the past month to give us a good look at them in a professional environment,” Sampson said.
“There are some quality guys that we are impressed with.
“Having seven guys in the initial Aussie under-20 squad is a good sign of where things are at for succession planning for the next, two, three, four years. We are in a really healthy spot.

“Obviously we’ll need a replacement for Jaque. That was not an easy decision for him.
“If it wasn’t about the World Cup he would have stayed but the position is not one he could refuse.”

Prior returned to Perth after a brief spell with English heavyweight Harlequins when the Force was axed from Super Rugby.
“Staying was a pretty easy decision to make and I’m very excited to be on board,” Prior said.
I’ve really enjoyed the captaincy I think it has helped my game and given me a new lease on life on rugby.
“A lot of guys took a leap of faith coming over here and it’s an exciting time to be a player, to be a pioneer and be in the forefront of a new competition.
“This year there was a huge emotional attachment with the Force being back and giving West Australian rugby hope.
“There’s always nervousness from people who are outside the bubble but being part of it seeing the plans, seeing what has happened is very exciting.
“Any time there’s change there’s hesitation and people want to jump on it. We proved people wrong this year who said it wouldn’t work.”

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/we.ng-b881029621z

Seriously Peter Grant? He is so passed it..n

People need to remember that there were 3 players who showed support for the current owner of the Western Force at the initial IPRC announcement.
They were Ian Prior, Marcel Brache and Ian Prior Peter Grant. (at a time when many others went missing)
Andrew Forest has a history of rewarding loyalty.
I would expect that Peter Grant will see less game time but will still be available as emergency cover for SH/FB if required.
PG will also as coach in key skills areas and be active in community work as he is a capped Bok and is well thought of by the WA community.

I would be very surprised if forest is making team list decisions at the force, and if he is something is very wrong. That style of management is right at the heart of what's wrong with the rest of Australian rugby.

Did you mean to drop Granty in there? Or did Prizey feature twice on purpose?

Twiggy can have anyone he wants

That can't be true o'wise we'd have had a new comp in 2018...

News from Brisbane is that Andrew Ready and Nick Jooste have signed with the force for 2019

Jooste has been talked about for a bit over on TWF as already being signed which makes sense as he's a local product and Ready mentioned as a prospective target. But interesting to see Ready is more than just talk now. Wonder if they'll try and get Verity-Amm back west from the Brumbies.

They can have him (the Brumbies haven't retained him), and we'll throw in Peni for free...

Given Peni's performances and ill-discipline I'd be asking for a transfer fee if I were the Force.

A huge shame that the Force weren't able to retain their Nathan Sharpe Medal winner. Stander is always aggressive and offers a bit of starch wherever he plays.

Where's he off to?

Andrew Forrest will always reward loyalty but he allows his GM High Performance - Rugby, Matt Hodgson, to support Tim Sampson, the Head Coach to build the player squad.
Anyone who thinks that Matt Hodgson is a yes man doesn't know him very well...

The style of management to which you refer IS NOT part of Minderoo/Western Force.

I don't believe it is, but there you were suggesting Forrest was rewarding loyalty by keeping these guys in the squad. If they're doing it right than that was Sampson/Hodgson rewarding loyalty, Forrest rewarding loyalty is offering back office roles.

Perhaps I'm just a glass-half-full kind of bloke.

IMO all of the 3 players mentioned are currently worth their place in the squad:
Ian Prior as Captain and recently voted MVP by the Sea of Blue.
Marcel Brache awarded the Force Man Award and playing for USA national side.
Peter Grant because of the experience he brings to the Back Line, back-up kicking and ability to influence young players such as Andrew Deegan. However, he is likely to be a bench player in 2019 due to his growing history of concussions.

The looking after by Andrew Forest will come later with on-going, non-playing roles as you suggest.

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/11/29/carlos-tizzano

The article in The West for those re-signings had a tidbit at the end on the Rapid Rugby teams:

The Force will play seven sides from Japan, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia in the GRR competition bankrolled by mining magnate Andrew Forrest.

So the seeming on again, off again status of Hawaii might be back on. It's only from a news story so can't be taken to the bank, but still.