2017 Player Contracts

[jono]

I dont mind them "rotating" the best player there every week until somebody proves themselves the standout best....competition for spots usually brings out the best in people.

If we go back to the scheduled "resting" of underperforming superstars who then turn out once they finally do hit the park to be underdone ill be right pissed tho

Agree on all points - with the "rotation policy" I was getting at something similar to what JM did with the front row back in the day. Where no matter performance or whatever he swapped out a prop week in week out to ease the workload or something like that.

[GIGS20]

We are over here discussing club rugby!

Gunny keeps on telling me i dont know what im taking about.....cant figure out why.

[MI5_Dog]

Back-rower Naisarani gives Force a taste of the future

Nick Taylor - The West Australian on October 3, 2016, 7:56 am

Perth Spirit moved into third spot on the National Rugby Championship ladder and into finals contention with a 60-22 thumping of Brisbane City at UWA Sports Park yesterday afternoon.

While most eyes were on the scoreboard as the Spirit racked up nine tries for a bonus-point win in the penultimate round of the competition, Western Force coach Dave Wessels was keeping a close watch on his new signing, blockbusting Brisbane No.8 Isi Naisarani.

The destructive ball runner has taken the NRC by storm after arriving at Souths in the Brisbane competition from Fiji last season.

Wessels said Naisarani, 21, would bring a new dimension to the Force back row.

“We’re very excited to have him. He proved during the NRC that he’s very dynamic,” Wessels said. “He’s going to give us another dimension to our back row which is the ability to really carry and play with power in the wider channels.”

The modest Naisarani said he was thrilled.

“I came to Australia last year and I thank God that the Force have secured me with a contract,” he said.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...ne-city/#page1

[wholetruth]

So confirmation from the coach.

[The InnFORCEr]

Force Sign NRC Star Isi Naisarani



By David Berrie on Mon 3rd October 16


The Western Force have added to their backrow stocks with the signing of Fijian No. 8 Isi Naisarani for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Naisarani has spent his first year in Australia playing in the Shute Shield for Souths and has been a force all season, which then lead to his Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) debut for Brisbane City, where he has played every game scoring three tries.

At 195cm tall and weighing in at 110kg, Naisarani takes full advantage of this out on the field, running the ball with ferocity and constantly making his presence known at the breakdown.

The 21-year-old says he is thrilled to get started at the club and can’t wait to be a part of the Force family.

“It’s been a long journey for me,” he said. “I’m excited to come to Perth and the Western Force and join the Force family.”

“I came to Australia last year and I thank God that the Force have secured me with a contract.”

With just one game left in this season’s NRC, Naisarani is eager to get over to the West coast and begin his first Super Rugby pre-season.

“Head Coach Dave Wessels spoke to me last week and told me that pre-season kicks off on the fourth of November, so I’m excited to join the team.”

Western Force Head Coach Dave Wessels says that Isi’s rapid rise has been quite incredible and is looking forward to him joining the rest of the squad.

“Isi has been very impressive in the (Buildcorp) NRC, he’s a dynamic ball carrier, he’s big and powerful and I think he’ll add another dimension to our backrow.”

“He’s definitely showed a willingness to work. He’s actually got himself a personal trainer in Brisbane and he’s working hard away from the field to be ready to come into our pre-season. So that also shows an aptitude to want to learn and that’s exactly the type of person that we’re looking for.”

Profile
Name: Isi Naisarani
Date of Birth: 14/02/1995
Place of Birth: Suva, Fiji
Position: Backrow
Height: 195cm
Weight: 110kg
Super Rugby caps: 0
Super Rugby points: 0
Super Rugby debut: N/A

https://www.westernforce.com.au/arti...-isi-naisarani

[Kalahard]

The Shute Shield is Sydneys comp not Brisbanes. 😂😂

[shasta]

Looks OK, as do a few other newbies. But as has been said lots of times, we've seen PLENTY of wunderkind signed from the Shite Shield, NRC etc and even NZ's NPC. The $64 dollar question is whether the player can make the giant leap to doing the same against the NZ Super franchises. I'm trying to be optimistic. Really I AM. But the the last 11 seasons have given me plenty of reality checks.

I must be a little glass-half-full though, or a raving masochist - cause we renewed.

[GIGS20]

You'd have to lay some of the blame towards the organisation tho shasta. I don't think I'm drawing too long a bow to say that every child prodigy the force has dealt with has disappointed until moving on. That is probably only unfair to Dave Pocock.

Anybody who has gone on to wear the Gold jersey from rookie status has either been a battler (like DHP) been better once signed by other teams (Digby Ioane) or never really lived up to massive potential (JOC)

It can't be only the recruitment that's going wrong. Perhaps it's coaching, possibly management (like removing great gobs of the S&C budget) or any one of a dozen things that aren't specifically the responsibility of the player.

It's way too consistent for it not to be systemic decay.

[Kalahard]

So, front page of the thread has 24 confirmed. If you include Scoble, Tessman and Hodgson that gives us 27 out of 35. That leaves us 8 more spots. Add in Vui, Philip and Ruru and we are at 30. So that leaves us 5 more spots to fill. Its going to be a busy month for signings with preseason starting in 30 days.
I wonder if we'll pick up an irish marquee signing with the irish connection of the new assistants....

[Buddha Handy]

So, front page of the thread has 24 confirmed. If you include Scoble, Tessman and Hodgson that gives us 27 out of 35. That leaves us 8 more spots. Add in Vui, Philip and Ruru and we are at 30. So that leaves us 5 more spots to fill. Its going to be a busy month for signings with preseason starting in 30 days.
I wonder if we'll pick up an irish marquee signing with the irish connection of the new assistants....

another 1 or 2 marquees would certainly improve the squad dramatically. I think we have recruited ok but still more to do.

We definitely seem light on in the centres. I think Brache is better on the wing so we are relying on Meakes and Taps so if injury occurs we are in trouble. We have 3 ok hookers as well but no one really standout so we a marquee hooker would have been good.

[MI5_Dog]

I could see Rona as a center

[ranga]

I'm with you M15. I think he would be better as a centre rather than wasted as a wing

[shasta]

Rona scored 24 tries in 2014.
22 in 15. As a right winger.

He tallied 11 this season when he played a fair bit at right entre. And he's a pretty handy centre at that.

Pick speciallist Rugby centres and tell them the game plan is to get early ball to DHP and Rona. QED.
Only injury should see Rona wear 13 I reckon.

[James]

If the rumours about Mack Mason being signed are true, it is highly likely that Luke Burton is now being seen as a replacement 12 or 15. There was a bit of talk from Europe that Ben Tapuai may be requesting an early release on his contract, which wouldn't surprise me. Bill Meakes looks like a lock in as one centre from his NRC form. Probably 13. Brache and Rona could make reasonable replacements there. Thing is that you possibly have Morahan, Masirewa, Rona and Brache all competing for two wing spots and one bench spot. Maybe 12 will be Tapuai or Burton. If Tapuai stays, no worries. If Tapuai leaves, we definitely need another 12. Not sure who though.

[wholetruth]

My usually very reliable sauces tell me Mason is not coming and Taps is staying.