• Welcome to the Green and Gold Rugby forums. As you can see we've upgraded the forums to new software. Your old logon details should work, just click the 'Login' button in the top right.

Force 2023

Tazzmania

Ted Thorn (20)
Force team for Drua friendly tomorrow:

Fo-bYApaYAI8aeS.jpg
 

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Is McCauley injured? I didn't realise how short the Force were on locks.

Outside of Rodda it's McCauley, Felix Kalapu, Jeremy Williams and Will Sankey.
Rejects or nobodies.
 

Wilson

David Codey (61)
Is McCauley injured? I didn't realise how short the Force were on locks.

Outside of Rodda it's McCauley, Felix Kalapu, Jeremy Williams and Will Sankey.
Rejects or nobodies.
Jackson Pugh can play there as well though he's definitely more of a backrower
 

Tazzmania

Ted Thorn (20)
Great to see Bayley, Chase, Toni and Bryce getting game time as they seemed to have had recent niggles.

Stoked to see Marley listed for some game time.

I am assuming it is listed in playing order, with an additional hooker and scrum half included, if so Spink seems to have the inside running rail for outside centre and I like a bigger body like Williams at six.

Forwards bench young but just were you want your development to be.

Well balanced back's bench
 

Tazzmania

Ted Thorn (20)
Is McCauley injured? I didn't realise how short the Force were on locks.

Outside of Rodda it's McCauley, Felix Kalapu, Jeremy Williams and Will Sankey.
Rejects or nobodies.

Thats a bit rough considering their ages:

Williams 22 ( Played two games for Australia A 2022)
Kalapu 23 ( Played for North Harbour in the NPC 2022)
Sankey 24 and McCauley 25 still have room to grow and develop.

In the academy they have two players that played in the Australia U20 last year:
Luke Callan (Lock, Wanneroo), and Connor Seve (Lock, Wests Scarborough),

In need Pugh and Anstee can also slot in but more likely to be back rowers.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
It's an issue across the board with Aussie locks being paid buckets overseas. Difficult to keep them here when Adam Coleman is the highest paid player in the UK, or Sam Carter, being paid overs in Ireland or even Tom Staniforth being paid a fortune to captain Castres.
 

Mr Pilfer

Bob Loudon (25)
It's an issue across the board with Aussie locks being paid buckets overseas. Difficult to keep them here when Adam Coleman is the highest paid player in the UK, or Sam Carter, being paid overs in Ireland or even Tom Staniforth being paid a fortune to captain Castres.
Losing Fergus Lee-Warner was a big loss as we know, plus we lost Thrush who was reliable. Not easy to replace second rowers unfortunately.
 

todd4

Jim Clark (26)
Someone has to play 13, would like to see Kuenzle tried there.
Sam Spink has been recruited from Wasps as a No.13. He is starting both trials at 13 so you would think he has the inside running at outside centre.

 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
In reality the WF is in reasonable shape for line-out options:
McCauley - 203cm (I think he is being rested with a shoulder strain)
Rodda - 202 cm (Caller)
Sankey - 200 cm
Kalipu - 196 cm
Williams - 195 cm (Caller)
Pugh - 194 cm
Anstee - 191 cm
Wells - 190 cm (Caller)

Acadamey Players, Callan and Seve are >200 cm.

These players lost only a single lineout against the Reds in the trial game and stole at least 4.
The WF clearly won the set pieces againt the Reds.

Keen to see how they go against the Drua.

The WF is in a development phase for SRAu and is constrained by the same salary cap as other teams.
There is a strong focus on developing local talent (30% of the above are from WA - all are competing for game time)
 
Last edited:

7137

Alex Ross (28)
Tom Robertson representing Force at Captains photo. I guess FF (Folau Fainga'a) cost Feleti Kaitu'u the armband.
 

Tazzmania

Ted Thorn (20)
Western Force winger Manasa Mataele confident of progress ahead of Super Rugby season

Manasa Mataele may be a long way from home, but the Western Force winger has zero regrets when there is a new Super Rugby season to look forward to.

The Fijian international made an impact on Force fans last year and now in his sophomore season, the winger is confident in the direction the side are heading.

The Force take on Fijian Drua in Queensland in their final pre-season hit-out on Thursday evening, ahead of next weekend’s Super Rugby opener at HBF Park against the Melbourne Rebels.....

Read More
 

Tazzmania

Ted Thorn (20)
This was a trial game and the Force correctly tried to play a structured game to fine tune the team and combinations, however when the ball came loose or shape lost, this suited the Fijians and they made the Force pay time after time.
Great to see Rodda get fifty good minutes.
Williams had a very strong game and needs to be in the starting 15 (either 6 or lock)
Worried about 10 and Hegarty did not get much time to show what he may offer.
Marley Pearce, say no more, absolutely chuffed for the young fella getting a pie, and also playing tighthead. (rewarded with call up to the Junior Wallbaies camp this morning)
Spink is growing on me.
Faingai, Maetele, Tiatia played well within themselves, I am sure lots more to come from them.
Pulu has to start and stay injury free.
Not much to choose between the three scumhalves.
Gave away too many penalties.
Ollie Callan needs consistency he did a lot well but also gave away a lot of penalties.
The Force need to learn to only kick if they can chase and put the oppostion under pressure, just kicking to a team like the Drua and giving them metres to start an attack was and proved their undoing.
The finishing team was very young and if they stay the course the future looks good.
 

Brumby Runner

David Wilson (68)
Marley Pearce looks to be a star in the making - very strong in the U19s last year. Well done on his Junior Wallabies camp selection.

Spink had a very strong game at 13 (as did the Drua No 13) and will probably fill that hole more than adequately for the Force this year.

I don't agree with some of your other comments, Tazzie. I thought it was a pretty lack lustre performance all round. Bayley Kuenzle was impressive before his injury.
 

Wallaby Way

Herbert Moran (7)
It was the first time I have seen Spink play and I was very impressed. Runs a good line, reads well in defence, and breakdown work (counter & jackal) excellent for OC. He reminds me of AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) in body shape and running style.
 
Top