Mathewson to skipper in Force trial

[PeterM]

New signing Alby Mathewson will captain the Western Force in their pre-season trial match against a Tongan Select side in Mandurah tomorrow.

Regular captain Matt Hodgson strained a hamstring at training on Tuesday and is out of the match. Prop Pek Cowan and winger Nick Cummins have been rested.

Coach Michael Foley has picked 29 players for the game against a side of non-Super Rugby contracted players from Australia, New Zealand and Tonga.

Some will also feature in a Force A squad to take on a side of New Zealand origin players from the RugbyWA Premier competition.

Foley said the game was the last chance for players to put their hands up for the opening Super match against the Rebels in Melbourne next Friday. The Force went down 20-18 to the Brumbies in their first trial match last week.

"Last week's game was an important one as our first opportunity to play together as a team," he said.

"While our effort was good in the first quarter, we lacked cohesion. However, to the players' credit, they remained composed and became more comfortable together as the game progressed.

"I couldn't be more impressed with the attitude of this playing group."

The games will be played at the Mandurah Rugby Club ground at Meadow Springs. The A game kicks off at 5.30pm, the Force at 7pm.

[kipper_mckinnon]

Cummins isn't injured is he ?
I would have thought that it would be imperative that he at least has 20 minutes in one of the warm up games ?

[PeterM]

I am just thinking that possibly the management feel he has had enough competitive rugby compared to the other lads in the squad given his involvement with the wallabies

[GAFFA]

I am just thinking that possibly the management feel he has had enough competitive rugby compared to the other lads in the squad given his involvement with the wallabies

saving him for the first game. he will be itching to get out there.

Unleash the Badger on Brand boy and his punchy buddy.

[PeterM]

What odds on a HB hat trick against the rabble!

[DinkyDi]

2013 Super Rugby – Pre-Season Match
Emirates Western Force v Tonga Select XV
Meadow Springs Sporting Ground, Meadow Springs
Friday, 8 February 2013
Kick-off: 7pm

Chris Alcock, Richard Brown, Luke Burton (Bankwest Academy), Nathan Charles, Sam Christie, Adam Coleman (Wider Training Group), Angus Cottrell, Patrick Dellit, Tetera Faulkner, Kyle Godwin, Richard Hardwick (Bankwest Academy), James Hilterbrand, Ollie Hoskins (Bankwest Academy), Brad Lacey (Bankwest Academy), Kieran Longbottom, Ryan Louwrens (Bankwest Academy), Toby Lynn, Alfie Mafi, Salesi Manu, Alby Mathewson (c), Ben Matwijow (Wider Training Group), Locky McCaffrey, Ben McCalman, Hugh McMeniman, Junior Rasolea, Winston Stanley, Chris Tuatara-Morrison, Will Tupou, Sam Wykes.

Force ‘A’ v Perth Kiwi
Meadow Springs Sporting Ground, Meadow Springs
Friday, 8 February 2013
Kick-off: 5.30pm

Phoenix Battye, Corey Brown (Wider Training Group), Luke Burton (Bankwest Academy), Adam Coleman (Wider Training Group), Sias Ebersohn, Nick Haining (Bankwest Academy), Richard Hardwick (Bankwest Academy), Jayden Hayward, James Hilterbrand, Ryan Hodson (Bankwest Academy), Ollie Hoskins (Bankwest Academy), Ben Jacobs (Wider Training Group), Kane Koteka (Bankwest Academy), Brad Lacey (Bankwest Academy), Ryan Louwrens (Bankwest Academy), Salesi Ma’afu, Salesi Manu, Ben Matwijow (Wider Training Group), Locky McCaffrey (c), Junior Rasolea, Mick Snowden, Heath Tessmann, Rory Walton

Good to see the Force giving the locals a crack in the main game.

[GIGS20]

Good to see the Force giving the locals a crack in the main game.

I know where you're going with that DD, but there are 22 contracted players named in that squad. I haven't tried to get a lineup out of the 22 that are there, but I wouldn't hold a great deal of hope that the locals will get stacks of field time.

[DinkyDi]

True but 2 mins V a Tongan side wearing the Blue will motivate the youngsters to keep plugging away and it backs up Foley's talk about developing WA players. Good to see that he is keeping his word

[GAFFA]

there a 5 local players down to play in both matches and a few more just in the "A" game

[GIGS20]

I'm currently working on a guess at the 22s There are a couple of spots so far, but they need to hope for massive changes in the latter stages.

Does anybody know what positions the locals play?

[GAFFA]

Brad Lacey Wing From Wests
Luke Burton 10 From Uni
Oliver Hoskins Prop From Cott
Ryan Louwrens 9 from Cott
Kane Koteka Flanker From Wests
Nicholas Haining No.8 From Cott
Ryan Hodson Flanker From Cott
Richard Hardwick Flanker wannaroo

[PeterM]

Anyone on here who is a regular follower of first grade WA rugby do they think any of the above named players likely to make the grade?

[GIGS20]

GIGS having a crack at picking the teams for tomorrow.

1 Kieran Longbottom
2 Nathan Charles
3 Salesi Manu
4 Toby Lynn
5 Hugh McMeniman
6 Richard Brown
7 Chris Alcock
8 Ben McCalman
9 Alby Mathewson (c)
10 Kyle Godwin
11 Patrick Dellit
12 Chris Tuatara-Morrison
13 Winston Stanley
14 Will Tupou
15 Alfie Mafi

16 James Hilterbrand
17 Tetera Faulkner
18 Ollie Hoskins (Bankwest Academy)
19 Sam Wykes
20 Angus Cottrell
21 Sam Christie
22 Junior Rasolea
(23)


Luke Burton (Bankwest Academy), Adam Coleman (Wider Training Group),, Richard Hardwick (Bankwest Academy), Brad Lacey (Bankwest Academy), Ryan Louwrens (Bankwest Academy), Ben Matwijow (Wider Training Group), Locky McCaffrey


1 Salesi Manu
2 James Hilterbrand
3 Salesi Ma’afu
4 Rory Walton
5 Phoenix Battye
6
7 Locky McCaffrey (c)
8
9 Mick Snowden
10 Sias Ebersohn
11
12 Jayden Hayward
13 Junior Rasolea
14
15

16 Heath Tessmann
17 Ollie Hoskins (Bankwest Academy)
18
19
20
21
22
(23)


Corey Brown (Wider Training Group), Luke Burton (Bankwest Academy), Adam Coleman (Wider Training Group), Nick Haining (Bankwest Academy), Richard Hardwick (Bankwest Academy), Ryan Hodson (Bankwest Academy), Ben Jacobs (Wider Training Group), Kane Koteka (Bankwest Academy), Brad Lacey (Bankwest Academy), Ryan Louwrens (Bankwest Academy), Ben Matwijow (Wider Training Group)

The assumptions
1 The coaches will want to get as much of a run as possible under the belts of the contracted players. So I've done my best to name contracted players in their positions.
2 Not really sure what to do with Manu, McCaffery and Rasloea, they are named in both teams, and obviously can't play much of both matches. I reckon McCaffery (being captain of the "A" team, won't see much time in the main game (there are heaps of backrowers there anyway) and Manu might be loosehead in the curtain raiser. That would mean Kbomb and Faulkner to carry the load in the main event....unless Ollie Hoskins gets a significant run somewhere. Rasloea is just generally a difficulty, there are a bunch of centres named in the first team, but not many outside backs....I reckon he could crack the wing as the squads are named, but more likely to play centre in the curtain raiser.
3 I guess it's no surprise that there are plenty of spots in the curtain raiser for Academy players, but really...Ebersohn will play a lot, Battye will play a lot Maafu will play as much as he is able, Hayward, Snowden and Hilterbrand will get quite a few minutes. Leaving the scraps to be fairly slim.

I reckon Ollie Hoskins will see quite a bit of game time as will any Academy players in the backrow or outside backs.

Words from the dark side!

[GAFFA]

Anyone on here who is a regular follower of first grade WA rugby do they think any of the above named players likely to make the grade?

Ollie if all goes well this year should have an EPS spot next year when maafu buggers off and manu is upgraded.

Ryan Hodson was last year given a shot at super rugby with the rebels dont think he got on the field but was def on the bench a few times so you would think he is not far off the mark.

Luke Burton is another promising 10 who has played with the Force last year in the match against SAXV and played well so hopefully he has continued to improve.

The rest im not sure about.

[PeterM]

cheers Gaffa