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FORCE PLAYERS ALIGNED WITH LOCAL CLUBS
Western Force players will reinforce their ties with the state’s strong rugby community and help to grow the game at a grassroots level through a club allocation program unveiled today.
The players in the 2018 Western Force squad have been evenly distributed across the 13 premiership clubs in WA with a host of players maintaining long-standing links to clubs they have been a part of for years.
RugbyWA CEO Bob Hunter said the player allocation would foster junior rugby, support club teams at all levels and ensure the Western Force players maintained strong connections with the community.
“We are confident this linkage will add to the culture of the clubs and have a valuable, positive impact,” Hunter said.
“Whether it is through coaching, playing or mentoring others, the time the Force players will spend within these clubs will help to underpin and grow the game of rugby in Western Australia.”
The Force players will act primarily as rugby ambassadors but will also assist in specific coaching, mentoring or skills development sessions with senior grades, junior teams and individual players, and occasionally play with the clubs.
The club engagement will contribute to the 350 hours of community engagement per year that all Western Force players have committed to.
Western Force Head of Elite Performance Matt Hodgson said the linkage would have a positive impact on the players and the clubs.
“During my time as captain of the Western Force, I developed a real appreciation for the importance of club rugby in Western Australia,” Hodgson said.
“It’s here that young talent develops and the passion for the game is at its strongest. Making sure the Force players stay close to that passion, and give something back, is crucial to the ultimate success of rugby in WA.”
While the players have been directly aligned to Premier Grade clubs, any junior and Community Grade club can access the players through RugbyWA and make requests to seek support and engagement from the Force stars.
Some of the exciting new player-club matches include the Orr brothers, Harrison and Cameron, who will join ARKs, former Wallaby Rod Davies will head to Wanneroo, Springboks Veteran Jacque Fourie will link up with Southern Lions in a coaching and ambassador capacity while Fijian gold medallist Masivesi Dakuwaqa joins Kalamunda.
Maintaining old ties, Brad Lacey and Aj Alatimu will continue to run out for Wests Scarborough, 2017 Nedlands captain Tevin Ferris remains at the Foreshore, UWA 2014 premiership winning forwards Harry Scoble and Chris Alcock are back for the Students while Rockingham product Kieran Longbottom returns home to join the newly amalgamated Coastal Cavaliers.
See the full list of Western Force player club allocations below.
Cam Orr ARKS Harrison Orr ARKS Elliot Turner ARKS Rod Davies Wanneroo Andrew Deegan Wanneroo Leon Power Wanneroo Fergus Lee Warner Southern Lions George Pisi Southern Lions Jaque Fourie Southern Lions TBA Perth Bayswater Harry Lloyd Perth Bayswater Johan Bardoul Perth Bayswater Kieran Longbottom Coastal Cavaliers TBA Coastal Cavaliers TBA Coastal Cavaliers Chris Alcock UWA Harry Scoble UWA Brynard Stander Joondalup Brothers Clay Uyen Joondalup Brothers Masivesi Dakuwaqa Kalamunda TBA Kalamunda Tevin Ferris Nedlands Tom Sheminant Nedlands Heath Tessmann Nedlands Chris Heiberg Palmyra Josh Furno Palmyra Ian Prior Associates Rodney Iona Associates Marcel Brache Cottesloe Peter Grant Cottesloe Ryan Louwrens Cottesloe Feleti Kaitu’u Wests Scarborough Aj Alatimu Wests Scarborough Brad Lacey Wests Scarborough
