Force Five-Eight?

[.X.]

If this season has shown us we need the reserves. I would like to think that we wont have as bad a run with injuries like we did this season (touch Wood) but we need to plan for a worst case scenario

[Burgs]

We have a great depth coming through the squad with so much early exposure due to injury this year.
It is almost a shame that we have drafted anyone new for '07 as these new fellas will be really hitting their straps by then.
The word in the press is still that we are favourites to sign up Drew Mitchell.
I think this is possibly recruiting in the wrong area but his experience will certainly fast track those training and playing around him.
The beauty of getting Giteau (and potentially Mitchell) is that they are at the beginning of their "time to shine" and will drag those around them along too.
They are also fantastic living "billboards" for the code in this state and that value at this stage in the "Western Force Project" should not be underestimated.
I doubt Mitchell would come to Perth unless he is to line up at #15 most often so you would think this will mean Shepherd to a Wing and Staniforth to #13 at the expense of Graham and Pelesasa.
Assuming the Mitchell signing, I would go for the following for the first match '07:

9. Henjack
10. MacKay
11. Ioane
12. Giteau
13. Staniforth
14. Shepherd
15. Mitchell
20. O'Young
21. Hilgendorf
22. Pelesasa

[MysticBalls]

Amongst all of the above, you'd have to feel pretty disappointed for Graham to lose his spot, given that he's held down outside centre for most of the year, a difficult position in the backline, with a ton of tackling achieved as well in Force's inaugural year.
Graham has had a lot to do with keeping the scoreline respectable, just as Staniforth has been evening it up on the positive ledger!