Battye ready for battle

Battye ready for battle




By RugbyWA Media





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Phoenix Battye

There has been significant change at the Emirates Western Force as the club relaunches for the 2103 season. When the side takes the field against the Rebels in Round One, perhaps one of the most noticeable differences will be the absence of Nathan Sharpe and his trademark headgear.

Lock Phoenix Battye is looking forward to pulling on the blue jersey once again in 2013 despite no longer lining up alongside his mentor.

Battye, who has an extra four centimetres on Sharpe, knows he and his teammates must step up to fill the void left by the inaugural captain.

“It’s a huge loss but it also brings with it opportunity,” Battye said.

“There’s that jersey and those boots that need to be filled and you can see the boys that do play lock are jostling for that position. It’s a big opportunity and we’re all really going to have to step up into that role.

“I’d love to start this year; I’d love to wear the number four or five on my back.”

Battye made his Super Rugby debut against the Reds in Brisbane last year and earned nine caps off the bench before a shoulder injury abruptly ended his season.

However, with his rehabilitation program completed, he’s back on the training track and reaping the benefits of a rigorous pre-season.

“Making my debut was great and a lifelong dream but to get injured at the back end of the season made it bittersweet and I would have liked to have pushed for more,” Battye said.

“Training has been really good, I’m in career best shape at the moment and fitter and stronger than ever and hopefully shaping up for a good season.

“The new coaching staff brings with them a new style so we’ve been doing a lot more ball-in-hand skills at training which is very different for us for what we’ve had in previous years.

“We’ve done a lot of straight line running which has been very beneficial for the boys and we’re producing really good results and not coming out with as many soft tissue injuries so I think we’re shaping up really well for the beginning of the season.”

Battye said the team was hungry to show they were fully invested in the changes at the club and ready to get some results on the field.

“We really want to earn respect from the opposition and get the crowds back by getting some solid wins on the board. I think we’re in a really good space to do that and we want to be contenders in this competition.”

Can't help but feed off the players excitement! Love the fact they are doing more "ball-in-hand skills". Hopefully that means not only do we carry the ball more, but we drop it less. Also hope the young fella can step up and lessen the loss of Sharpie (cause no one will ever replace him).

the first time the red headgear came on (I think it was during the NZ tour?) we were all stunned at his work load! he was in EVERYTHING!
hopefully, the red headgear can become recognisable in the absence of the blue one!

More encouraging news coming out of the pre season. It will be interesting in a manner of speaking to see what impact the loss of Sir Nathan has on the side.
I believe they have recruited well positionally and also with the coaching staff so we should be able to see sustained success for the EWF and make this team the best in the Australian Conference