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Nick Taylor
October 24, 2014, 7:39 am
The days when Dane Haylett-Petty used little brother Ross as a tackle bag in the rough and tumble of backyard rugby are long gone.
Little brother is now bigger brother and the dream of playing top-flight rugby together is set to become reality with Ross joining his older sibling at the Western Force.
They are the first brothers to sign for the Super Rugby club.
With five years between the pair - Dane is 25 and Ross 20 - the early games were one-sided.
Not now with No.8 Ross, at 197cm and 110kg, taller and heavier than his winger brother.
"Sometimes I'd run at him and he'd tackle me. I was the tackle bag. I never got to do the fun stuff," Ross said.
"He would throw off-loads and I had to catch them. There were some shockers and I had to go and fetch them. There was a moment when I didn't think this (signing) would happen, but about a year ago I decided to give it a proper go. It's good for me because Dane has done it and I'm thinking 'he's already done it, why can't I'?"
Dane left for Biarritz in 2010 after three years at the Force but returned last season.
"One of the exciting things about coming home was to play together," he said. "Ross has always had the talent now he realises he's got the ability to play at the next level."
Dane is one of 11 Force players in the Perth Spirit side for tomorrow's NRC semifinal against Melbourne Rising.
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