Emirates Western Force Awards update: Ben McCalman takes out the Rising Star award & Matt Hodgson is the Force Man winner.
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Emirates Western Force Awards update: Ben McCalman takes out the Rising Star award & Matt Hodgson is the Force Man winner.
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Emirates Western Force Awards update: Sharpie takes out the Members MVP.. Player of the Year to come soon.
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Matt Hodgson gets his 2nd Rolex
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Western Force flanker Hodgson capped a remarkable Super 14 campaign by winning the Force award for the second straight year.
Hodgson featured in every minute of every game last season and played all three backrow positions with aplomb as the Force struggled to cope with a crippling injury crisis.
The 29-year-old's sensational form at Super rugby level was rewarded with a Wallabies call-up for the recent tour, where he finally earned his maiden Test cap.
Hodgson notched 236 votes to win the Force award ahead of skipper Nathan Sharpe (230), David Pocock (205), James O'Connor (144) and Brett Sheehan (101).
"It's a huge honour to again be recognised by your peers for the effort you put in," Hodgson said.
"It honestly comes as a surprise to me after some great individual performances in the team.
"The likes of Nathan Sharpe, who once again was a fantastic leader and performer, and also David Pocock, who made a huge difference to the squad when he came back from injury, both would have been worthy recipients.
"This was definitely the hardest Super 14 campaign I've ever been involved in, particularly those first seven or so games with so many quality players out of action.
"While injury did hurt the team it enabled us to blood a lot of young players so when we had our full complement on deck we were able to show what we could do in the latter part of the season.
"Being able to take on more of a leadership and guidance role was something I really enjoyed. I think that improved my rugby as well and I hope to continue with that next year."
Hodgson also took home the Force Man award which recognises the player that best represents the team's values both on and off the field, while 22-year-old back rower Ben McCalman was named the Force Rising Star.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html
You're only late if you are sober PB :P
From the lunch with the Fairbrother, Mitch, Sharpie and Pek on Friday, and the Awards Night..Sharpie asked me to ask everyone about getting a new season War Cry for the team organised....I told him we tried last year, but it didn't come to much..so how about it everyone...as a request from our captain....
Sharpie's wish is our command, hertryk.
Are we gunna get any help? I'll gladly shout anything to support the team, but one voice just isn't gunna cut it!
A successful campaign depends on some decent planning and breaking it down into achievable stages which allow various people to all contribute do-able amounts of work. Gigs - this means that you will not be a lone voice 'cos we will have it organised so that other keen supporters (who are not TWFers) will be set up in a way that lets them join in.
First (and hardest) bit is to get a war cry that people will buy into - that requires some creative brains (count me out). From there it is organisation, cooperation and coordination. We need to get some significant numbers of flyers with the war cry printed; we need a number of people (TWFers?) handing them out at gates; we need a distribution of shameless types (again - TWFers) scattered through the stands to start it off and keep it going.
I do not think there is a lack of enthusiasm in the general crowd - just a lack of a concerted and organised approach.
Vote 1 - Hertryk for War Cry President!
what we really need is some help from the PA system..
a bit like the trumpet sound they play in SA sometimes and everyone goes OLE'!
if we can get them to play a little tune so that everyone can recognize when they should shout it would make it that much more impressive and coordinated.
Take a leaf out of the Reds' playbook- that bloke on the PA who kept chanting "We Are Red, We Are Red" every other minute at Suncorp this year annoyed the crap out of me, that probably had something to do with the rugby lesson the boys were getting at the time. Were the situation reversed and it were more in the "Go the Force" genre, I imagine it'd make things a littel uncomfortable for the visitors.
It's simple, but bloody hard to ignore.
Meanwhile, do I spy a TWF-er in the photo gallery?