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Rugby WA have just updated the squad list on the website. They haven't added Fairbanks yet. We are sitting on:
Props: Cowan, Dunning, Fairbrother, Longbottom
Hookers: Charles, Whittaker
Locks: Sharpe, Wykes, Hockings
Backrowers: Brown, Pocock, Hodgson, McCalman
Scrumhalves: Sheehan, Swanepoel, Turner
Fly-halves: Hunt
Centres: Staniforth*, Inman, Fairbanks
Outside backs: Rapana, Cummins, Shepherd**, O'Connor*, Bartholomeusz, Haylett-Petty
* O'Connor will probably continue on with 15 and I'd like to see Staniforth back at 12.
** Shepherd yet to re-sign but looking promising.
That looks to be about a squad of 26. Sounds like Ripia could be coming over leaving about 3 open spots. I reckon Cruze Ah-Nau and Siliva Siliva will probably move to one of the 3 level 1 academy slots to cover hooker and prop. And maybe they'll give the other level one spot to Kyle Godwin or Zac Holmes. Of the other three senior squad spots we could definitely use a lock, a backrower and a 10/12.
Wonder who/what the Force are looking for.
I wonder if the Force will look to play Bartholomeusz as a backup 10 or Cummins as a 13 this year.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I had thought that maybe they'd get a specialist lock and use Wykes and McCalman as 4/6 options. That way they could stick with Ted Postal in the academy.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Stannard ar number 9 also
I have been watching quite abit of Sydney club rugby of late and I've got to say I think Josh Tatupu and Sam Harris are going to be big losses for the Force if they don't resign for next year. With the departure of Ryan Cross I think either of those 2 could have easily slotted into the 12 jumper instead they have recruited Gene Fairbanks and are expecting to play Staniforth as a 12. I think Staniforth's best position is wing and the form of Gene Fairbanks has been very poor. I'm not sure why they have recruited him. Tatupu and Harris's form have been outstanding.
I've also got to say Brett Sheehan has been playing so well at 10 and his combination with Harris has been outstanding.
Pek Cowan scrummaging has been very poor and Tom Hockings work around the field has been quite good.
A couple of guys the Force should have a look at for abit of depth are Hugh Perrett (number 7) and Sione Pukala (number 12).
Stephano Hunt has switched clubs from Southern Districts to Norths so he can play abit of first grade, apparently he went quite well in attack but the big inside backs of West harbour ran over the top of him.
Stanners was the form #12 in the comp in 2006, he has never had that prestige as a Wing. I believe he can make a sensational pairing with Mitch Inman and is now wasted on the Wing.
Tatupu and Harris were both found wanting at the next level and don't need to just be standing out at Shute Shield, out classing lower standard players, they need to demonstrate significant personal improvement if they are to come onto the Super Rugby radar again.
The jury should still be out on Fairbanks with the verdict after his first couple of matches for the Force. There are many reasons for good players to play badly and bad players to play well at the lower levels.
Pretty much the last thing the Force need is another #7 with Pocock, Hodgson, Brown and Postal all first choice Openside players.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Well said Burgs.
Everyone deserves at least once chance and you shouldn't write Fairbanks off yet. He was at least competent for the Brumbies and will be a pretty good bench player being fairly versatile.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Does Ryan Tyrrell still have a contract? Word was that he'd made a good recovery and is cleared to play. We are looking pretty comfortable in the hooking dept if he's OK.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Does anyone know much about the academy. Who is in it, and more importantly, who is likely to be able to make the step up?
Im interested not just in the pro academy players but the second and third tiers.
---------- Post added at 22:37 ---------- Previous post was at 22:36 ----------
For example, I see metion of Zac Holmes, but I know bugger all about him.
in the australian yesterday, there was mention that an offer has been tabled to stannard as well, at the bottom of the article about graham
2010 Academy tiers 2 and 3:
Level 2: Steven Pocock, Cruze Ah-Nau (Kalamunda), Siliva Siliva (Associates), Zack Holmes (Associates), Kyle Godwin (Associates), Heremaia Te Aute (Wests Subiaco)
Level 3: Benjamin Hales (Associates), Oliver Hoskins (Nedlands), John McCabe (Joondalup), Bruce Smith-Wright (UWA), Conrad Gillingham (Kalamunda)
Steven Pocock seems to be a bit of a lighter weight version of his brother. Cruze Ah-Nau is a prop (mostly loosehead I think) who has been in the set-up for a long time but has shown a lot of promise and was in the Australian U20s JWC team. Apparently he's had a couple of injury problems in previous years. Siliva Siliva was a member of the Melbourne and Combined States Schoolboys side last year- pretty sure he can play both hooker and prop. Zac Holmes has been in the set-up a long while- he's posted on TWF before. I think he started out as more of a fly-half but has been playing more as an outside back recently. Zac was a member of the Australian 7s squad for a while but I don't know how well he went there. Kyle Godwin played for the WA, Combined States and Australian Schoolboys last year. Apparently an amazing prospect as a fly-half with an incredible kicking game for his age. I don't know much about Heremaia te Aute save that he's been in the academy for a while and seems to play in the centres.
Don't know as much about the level 3s. Ben Hales is a lock. Apparently quite tall and gangly. Mixed reports on him- some say he has tremendous potential and others say he is untalented and clumsy (a bit harsh I think). Oliver Hoskins is a prop and is apparently a beast of a kid. I think he's only 17 this year but a lot of people who watched last years schoolboys championships reckon he was unlucky not to get into the Australia squad. Maybe this year huh. Don't know/haven't heard much about the other three.
Last edited by James; 04-07-10 at 23:33. Reason: mistake
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I heard a whisper at Soaks on Saturday that RugbyWA has canned the Academy.
Anyone know anything about this progressive development?