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Thread: Lock, Prop and One Smoking Back

  1. #1
    (formerly known as Coach) Your Humble Servant Darren's Avatar
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    Lock, Prop and One Smoking Back

    The Emirates Western Force has bolstered their squad with versatile Eastern Suburbs outside back Pat Dellit and Australian U20’s representatives Paul Alo-Emile and Phoenix Battye all joining the club for the 2011 season.

    Alo-Emile and Battye were key members of Australia’s U20’s team that reached the final of the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina, playing alongside Perth young gun Justin Turner and Force Academy members Cruze Ah-Nau and Siliva Siliva.

    Dellit meanwhile has been rewarded for his outstanding performances in the NSW 1st grade competition over the past two seasons. This season he has scored ten tries to date and helped elevate Easts to third on the Shute Shield ladder.

    “We’re very happy to welcome these three quality young men to our programme,” said RugbyWA CEO Vern Reid.

    “Both Paul and Phoenix are exciting development propositions who have already shown enormous potential through their performances in schoolboys and the Australian U20’s.

    “They’re eager to learn and work alongside the high calibre of experienced players we have at the Force and also understand that we’re a club not afraid to give youngsters their opportunity to shine.

    “Pat is a player who has worked hard to become a consistent performer in the tough Sydney club competition. Just like Mitch Inman and Ben McCalman who joined the Force last season from the NSW 1st grade, Pat is someone we hold in high regard and look forward to seeing him grasp his opportunity at the next level,” Mr Reid said.

    At just 20 years of age Battye is an impressive 204cm and 115kg second row specimen who has modeled his rugby on Emirates Western Force skipper Nathan Sharpe and can’t wait to learn from the star lock.

    “Sharpie has been a huge influence for me growing up and the way I’ve played my rugby. Knowing he was at the club was a major factor in deciding to join the Force,” Battye said.

    “He is a great inspiration and leader across the field and also obviously in the specific position I play. I know I can learn a lot from him and I think that will be a huge benefit in the quality and speed of my development.

    “Stepping forward into Super rugby with the Force is a tremendous opportunity to take my football to the next level. It’s a club that has a great track record of helping young players achieve their potential.”

    Alo-Emile was one of the youngest members of the Australian U20’s World Championship squad however his performances left no doubt that an exciting future beckons for the 18 year old tighthead prop.

    One of eight children, the Queensland raised Alo-Emile said the blessing of his family and the opportunity to link up again with U20’s front rowers Ah-Nau (loose head prop) and Siliva (hooker), as well as developing under the guidance of former Hurricanes prop Tim Fairbrother and Wallabies veteran Matt Dunning was a chance too good to pass up.

    “The opportunity to be part of a Super rugby programme is something I was really hoping to get and with the support of the Force and of my family I’m very happy to be able to take that chance,” Alo-Emile said.

    “It is a big move and I wasn’t too sure what would be best for me but it all became clear once I went across to Perth and saw what the club was offering and that WA is a great place to live and play rugby.”

    Dellit, a 24 year old outside back who is comfortable filling any of the back three positions, will give Force coaching staff several options next season. The exciting prospect was pursued by a number of franchises but rejected their advances to join the Force, believing the Perth club offered the best chance of fulfilling his Super rugby dreams.

    “I was taking to a couple of the other teams but one of the things that was obvious to me was that players selected by the Force don’t just sit in the stable, so to speak. If you work hard you’re going to get an opportunity which was pretty appealing for me at 24 years of age and going into my first Super rugby season,” Dellit said.

    “I think the quicker I can get out onto the field and show what I’ve got the better. All the years that have gone in to developing my game and working towards getting a chance at the top level have paid off and I’m really grateful to the Force for giving me that chance.

    “I’m very excited and really just can’t wait to get over to Perth and meet the guys and start training for next season.”

    Alo-Emile and Battye have signed rookie deals while Dellit is on a standard player contract.

    Name: Paul Alo-Emile
    Position: Prop
    Height: 180cm
    Weight: 120kg
    Date of Birth: 22/12/1991
    Club: Sunnybank (Qld), Reds Academy (2010)
    Honours: Australian Schoolboys (2009), Australian U20’s (2010)


    Name: Phoenix Battye
    Position: Second-Row
    Height: 204cm
    Weight: 115kg
    Date of Birth: 28/9/1990
    Club: Tuggeranong (ACT), Junior Waratahs (2009), Brumby Runners (2010)
    Honours: ACT Schoolboys (2007-08), Australian U20’s (2010)

    Name: Patrick Dellit
    Position: Outside back
    Height: 192cm
    Weight: 100kg
    Date of Birth: 21/08/1986
    Club: Eastern Suburbs (NSW) 2007 - current

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  2. #2
    Veteran Sheikh's Avatar
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    Recruitment drive going well! Great to see young guys willing to come out here - it helps that we've got a reputation for giving them a chance to play and accelerating them into the reckoning for the Wallabies.

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    Veteran zimeric's Avatar
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    that is great news.. shoring up the outside backs and developing the spots we need cover for with retirements on the horizon...

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    Veteran zimeric's Avatar
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    Alo-Emile

    Position Prop
    Date Of Birth 22/12/1991
    Place of Birth Auckland, NZ
    Weight 120kg
    Height 1.80m
    Club Sunnybank
    Junior Club Pine Rivers Pumas
    School Brisbane State High School
    QLD Caps 0


    Battye

    Name: Phoenix Battye
    Club: Tuggeranong Vikings (ACT)
    Position: Second-Row
    Nickname: Batts
    Height: 204cm
    Weight: 115kg
    Date / Place of birth: 28/9/1990, Cooma, NSW
    Representative Honours: Junior Waratahs (2009), Brumby
    Runners (2010)

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    Apart from the depression of a player joining us who was born after I left school for the first time, these look like three very sound signings.
    I’m liking the look of a 120kg 18 yr old Prop and a 204cm/115kg 19yr old Lock!

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    Well done Force - well bloody done - to get PAE in particular.

    This guy is the best schools THP I ever saw and I've seen a few (he was still at school last year and doesn't turn 19 until December) - and was destined in my eyes to play Super rugby, at least. The Reds must be absolutely ropeable to lose this lad. Whereas they have recent gun outside backs coming out of their ears, this guy, in this position, is rare.

    I have given my opinion of Dellit on another thread: big, fast, good step, good fend, breaks tackles. You can never be sure that a good club player can take his form to Super rugby but he does have the makings. If the Force used Haig Sare from time to time on the wing this guy will be a lot better than Haig if he gets on the park.

    Battye made the Oz U/20 side this year. I wouldn't rate him as highly as Greg Peterson who is in the Tahs stable, but he is big enough and ugly enough. The pro environment will do him good and the coaches should work on his physicality and work rate.

    Bloody hell - PAE to the Force. Well done. Watch this space in a couple of years time and wait for my crowing: "I told you so."

    [Geez - talk is cheap, isn't it?]

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  7. #7
    Rookie Boomer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Grant View Post
    Well done Force - well bloody done - to get PAE in particular...

    Bloody hell - PAE to the Force. Well done. Watch this space in a couple of years time and wait for my crowing: "I told you so."

    [Geez - talk is cheap, isn't it?]

    Good one.

    Nice write-up, Lee. I know there have been a few threads featuring these lads on other sites that you're a regular at.

    Any chance you might be able to point us in the right direction with a few links, so we can get a heads-up on this trio of promising man-flesh?

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    Senior Player Contributor WF2006's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burgs View Post
    Apart from the depression of a player joining us who was born after I left school for the first time, these look like three very sound signings.
    I’m liking the look of a 120kg 18 yr old Prop and a 204cm/115kg 19yr old Lock!
    Absa-bloody-lutely!

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  9. #9
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    Thats the news I wanted to hear!
    So PAE and Battye have signed rookie contracts. What does that actually mean? Does that count towards our squad numbers?

    Either way, I think we had our starting squad sorted, and just needed 3 youngens in these three positions to train up!

    And I am very happy to see the Force getting hold of guys now that are young and training them up through the system (McCalman and Inman last year) instead of getting ready made stars that dont fit.

    Also, with PAE getting a gig, how does that affect Cruze Ah-Nau? Id like to see both getting game time this year and next, and dont want to lose the WA product to another squad. But equally, PAE has all the makings of a very good player.

    ---------- Post added at 07:37 ---------- Previous post was at 07:34 ----------

    Here is the squad for next year.

    James O'Connor (2011), Sam Wykes (2011), Nick Cummins (2011), Pek Cowan (2011), Richard Stanford (2011), Tom Hockings (2011), Richard Brown (2011), Tim Fairbrother (2011), Matt Hodgson (2011), Brett Sheehan (2011), Matt Dunning (2011), Mark Bartholomeusz (2011), Mitchell Inman (2011), Ben McCalman (2011), Stefano Hunt (2011), Kieran Longbottom (2012), David Pocock (2012), Nathan Sharpe (2011), Nathan Charles (2012), Justin Tuner (2012), Gene Fairbanks (2012), Scott Staniforth (2011), Cameron Shepherd (2012), James Stannard (2011), Jono Jenkins (2011), Willie Ripia (2012), Paul Alo-Emile (??), Phoenix Battye (??), Pat Dellit (??)

    Thats 29 players, who else do we need, I think we have 1 spot free?

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  10. #10
    Veteran Sheikh's Avatar
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    PAE and CAN play either side of the scrum. With Siliva they form a Wallaby U20 front row.

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  11. #11
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    Fair enough, but we also have Longbum, Fairbrother and Cowen.
    Assuming Dunning goes at the end of the season thats 5 props in the senior squad, with only 2 with any sort of experience. I really think we need a minimum of 3 experienced props - two to start and one for the bench. Can we justify developing two new props who wont be of starting quality for 3 or 4 years? Especially with Siliva Siliva, Nathan Charles and Ben Whittaker all very junior.

    I want to keep them all as it will give the Force long term talent, but we also need players for today.

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  12. #12
    Veteran TOCC's Avatar
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    Exactly, especially for props who generally aren't physically developed enough until they are at least about 20/21

    PAE will be a good player, but he still has another 18-24 months of solid work before he can be be considered for a S14 role
    Posted via Mobile Device

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  13. #13
    Veteran zimeric's Avatar
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    crikey there are a lot of players off contract next year!

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  14. #14
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    Ben Daley and Dan Palmer played a couple of games off the bench last year (did either one get a start?) and look where Daley has got to now. A couple of experienced props is important but we'll be fine for next year.

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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by James View Post
    Ben Daley and Dan Palmer played a couple of games off the bench last year (did either one get a start?) and look where Daley has got to now. A couple of experienced props is important but we'll be fine for next year.
    Ben Daley was a regular started for Qld.
    Palmer moved to the Brumbies to get a game.

    However, both of these lads have had the benefit of a couple of S14 seasons around the pro set up before they were considered for a S14s bench spot. And both are in their 20s.

    Its not a huge problem to have, we have two of the best young up and coming props in Australia in Cruze Ah-Nau and PAE. Just being the devils advocate for a second, and trying to figure out how to keep them both in the squad. Neither are going to want to be on academy contracts next year, and there will be interest from over east.

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