2024 Squad - Speculation Thread

[Tazzmania]

Manasa Mataele, Folau Fainga'a, Bryce Hegarty, Zach Kibirige, Gareth Simpson, Will Sankey and Rupeni Mataele all leaving, did not see Mataele one coming, very surprised

[Tazzmania]

Hopefully that means Ben Dowling may be heading our way as Tahs have just thanked him and bid him farewell

[The InnFORCEr]

29 confirmed with those now departed above.

[Burgs]

did not see Mataele one coming, very surprised

The longer it went without an announcement the more apparent it became that it was inevitable.
Also picked up on the lack of "future talk" in how Martha gave her winners address, was clear something was afoot.
Hopefully can still lure her back for the season if it remains staggered with the NZ Women's.

[Tazzmania]

Cannot get behind the The West Paywall but they are talking of twelve departures, I count only eleven yesterday and today, so not sure if an older already announced one is amonst them or else one more still to be announced.

On the positive side we should start hearing of signings soon, said he hopefully

[WFDom]

Cannot get behind the The West Paywall but they are talking of twelve departures, I count only eleven yesterday and today, so not sure if an older already announced one is amonst them or else one more still to be announced.

On the positive side we should start hearing of signings soon, said he hopefully

Voyasco Tazz?

[Leo86]

I think the article was referring to Tom Robertson's sabbatical

"The Force will also be without star prop Tom Robertson next season, who has undergone surgery to repair his torn ACL, but had already planned to take a sabbatical to study at Oxford University."

[boof1050]

Sad to see the Mataele's and Gareth going. For me Zach was great to watch in attack but a bit of a turnstile in defence.

[Garry Owen]

Cannot get behind the The West Paywall but they are talking of twelve departures, I count only eleven yesterday and today, so not sure if an older already announced one is amonst them or else one more still to be announced.

On the positive side we should start hearing of signings soon, said he hopefully

Well if this means we are keeping medrano it will be huge news as he is crucial for us

[AndyS]

... they are talking of twelve departures...

So about a third of the team. Would be curious to know how that compares with the NZ sides, and where the respective replacements are sourced.

[andrewg]

So about a third of the team. Would be curious to know how that compares with the NZ sides, and where the respective replacements are sourced.

This site appears to be the most current.

It shows 13 for the WF which includes Tom Robertson (who is on a sabbatical for 2024 following knee recon) and the 2 injury covers of Vosayaco and Simpson. So it's really only 10 (so far) or 25% of our 40 man squad.

This compares with Highlanders (16), Rebels (13), Waratahs (12), Drua (10) and Blues (9).
I don't know how many of these were injury covers.
Obviously the number of wins (6 or less) impacts squad stability + Blues.

Few of the SRP teams are showing many replacements so far with 90 departures and only 20 recruits.
Moana Pacifica appear very light on for any announcements despite only the single win in 2023.

For the Western Force:

It should also be noted that 40% of our squad are signed through 2025.

A further 7 players (18%) have yet to be announced signed for at least 2024 - Amone (Prop), Medrano (Prop), Romano (Prop), Slack-Smith (BRow), Robertson (SH), Ala (Wing), Pulu (Wing).

There are also the Wider Training Group players: Foliaki (Centre), Connolly (Prop), Chan (Centre), Parata (SH) and Ranawai (Prop).

Plus a heap of graduates from the Fortescue Academy including: Connor Seve (Lock), Luke Callan (Lock), Marley Pearce (Prop), Ryan McGloin (Centre), Doug Phillipson (FH) and maybe Jhy Legg (Lock) and Ronan Leahy (Wing).
We can expect some of the graduates to progress through the WTG as happened this year.
I reckon that Pearce has earned a squad position.

[GIGS20]

. I reckon that Pearce has earned a squad position.

I was thinking about that and, while I do agree, I don't think this is the year.With Robbo out for the season rehabbing and studying, we want at least one prop on a one year contract, preferably a starter. Marley is not yet a starter and we don't want him to leave at the end of the year because our Robertson replacement is too good.We also don't want to burn a prop contract on a guy who doesn't fill the gap.Now, if we can find a world class prop who wants one year and can teach Marley what he needs to know to be a regular starter, then that's the way we should go, but that's a pretty specific set of circumstances.

[The InnFORCEr]

Flyers Kibirige, Mataele headline dozen departing Force group
Wed, Jul 12, 2023, 7:23 AM


The Western Force have confirmed a host of departing players, headlined by wing duo Zack Kibirige and Manasa Mataele.

The duo are amongst 12 players set to leave the club at the end of 2023 after they narrowly missed the finals.

Kibirige had an electric debut season for the club after joining from struggling English club Wasps.

The winger scored in six consecutive games in 2023, including doubles against the Hurricanes and Reds.

As for Mataele, he has become an integral member of the Force squad since making the switch from the Crusaders in 2021.

The winger won the 2022 Nathan Sharpe Medal alongside Tim Anstee, scoring eight tries in 23 games.

Hooker Folau Fainga'a's departure had already been confirmed at the start of the year, off to French club Clermont.

Meanwhile, injury cover duo Gareth Simpson and Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco will not remain with the club.

Simpson played just four games for the club, however, found himself thrust into the captaincy role for their round six match against the Hurricanes.

Warren-Vosayaco joined from the Waratahs midway through the season, featuring in nine games in 2023.

Bryce Hegarty will also leave the club, having returned to Australia after a stint with English club Leicester, starting six games at flyhalf.

He is joined by locks Will Sankey and Ryan McCauley, winger Rupeni Mataele, fly-half Jake Strachan and centres Grason Makara and Reece Tapine.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/flyers...-group-2023711

[Tazzmania]

Saw Sisifa Amone on the weekend going through rehab to clean up some leg / knee issues in the off season and will be out of action for a while. He was watching club rugby with Reesjan so I am assuming he will be around for next season.

[Burgs]

So about a third of the team. Would be curious to know how that compares with the NZ sides, and where the respective replacements are sourced.

So far-

Blues- Out 9 In 1

Crusaders- Out 5 (+1 Academy), In 1

Chiefs- Out 6, In 1

Highlanders- Out 16 In 7 (+1 Academy)

Hurricanes- Out 2 In 1 (+1 Academy)