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The Force have chalked up their first win of the season and sent the Rebels back to Melbourne licking their wounds. In just 27 minutes the Force scored 4 tries securing themselves a bonus point, and ultimately the match.
The Rebels were held scoreless until substitute Telusa Veainu scored a belated try after the fulltime siren. The win lifted the Force off the bottom of the table, and snapped their four-game losing streak against the Rebels.
Skipper Matt Hodgson scored a try in his 100th match for the Force, while flanker Angus Cottrell, former Reds winger Luke Morahan and scrumhalf Alby Mathewson also scored.
The Force led 32-0 at halftime, with scrumhalf Mathewson key to the early onslaught.
The Rebels were beaten in nearly every aspect of the game, with the Force enjoying 75 per cent possession in the opening 30 minutes.
Rebels coach Tony McGahan made a surprising six changes to his starting line-up, and the mass changes backfired badly as the Force took control from the outset.
Mathewson started the riot in the second minute when he sold the dummy to Rebels lock Caderyn Neville before strolling over.
Hodgson's bravery then set up the second try, with the former Wallaby launching himself at a high ball to open the door for Morahan to cross.
And the inspirational skipper had a try for himself in the 24th minute when he pounced on a lucky bounce.
The four-try bonus point was in the bag by the 27th minute when Rebels flyhalf Angus Roberts dropped a high ball, allowing Cottrell to cross a few phases later.
McGahan had seen enough by that point, dragging prop Max Lahiff and lock Neville from the field in a desperate bid to spark his side.
Flyhalf Bryce Hegarty was also thrown into the fray at halftime and the changes paid dividends as the Rebels stemmed the flow.
However, it was too little, too late as the Force cruised to their first win of the year to celebrate Hodgson's milestone before a 10,000 strong sea of blue.
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
über proud of the boys tonight!! Awesome effort from the whole 22!! Celebrate well tonight everyone!!
Rebels coach dissed the Force! Underestimate us at your peril!
Great win and it must make Hodgo feel very proud of his team. Just what the team and fans needed.
No go and do the the same in NZ.
May the FORCE be with you!
Can Marcel celebrate as well Alison, he was 23
Amazing effort by all, thought Angus was best tonight. Well done, I'll be back in a few weeks for Chiefs![]()
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Agreed everyone put in 110% fantabulous! Felt grrreat riding home on my trike displaying the Force co ours! Really good!
does anyone else agree with me that this was the best 1st half performance we have ever put in ?
Great to see the boys win, especially the way they played in the first half!
BUT
This was against a team that made 6 changes to the previous week's team. One might conclude that the Rebels had already chalked this up as 4 points, so didn't send their 1st 15. Had we lost to that team then the sky would definitely be falling and we'd all be roon'd.
That we were able to get a 4-try bonus point win was fantastic, but we should be now thanking the Rebels for playing us into some form and looking for at least the same again next week, preferably a full 80 minute effort with that same start.
Got to agree with you Alison. Angus had a pearler along with many others. Also Jayden Hayward seemed to step up and should be a starter again. Alby seemed to be back to his snipping best, keeping the opposition guessing. Probably one of his best games since coming to the Force. Congratulations to all team members. Now let's back it up in NZ.
I loved Alby's cheeky dummy and try. Me thinks that was a great payback for the Rebels cross-field penalty kick try of a couple of years ago.
I was going to post similarly, now that we view this win in the cold light of day, when the euphoria has had a moment to settle down, there are some things that haven't changed as a result of last night.
Thing 1: in this comp, there are teams that are consistent (Crusaders, Chiefs, Sharks) and teams that are inconsistent (Force, Rebels, Cheetahs, Lions) that hasn't changed at al, we're still inconsistent until we can back this up with another couple of good performances
Thing 2: the consistent teams always play well, the inconsistent teams sometimes play brilliantly. This is most likely the source of the notion that anybody in this comp can beat you. Rebels played brilliantly last week, we played brilliantly this week...no changes yet.
Thing 3: we have beaten a team who came to Perth assuming it was going to be an easy game, nothing new there, the Saders fall into this trap every time they visit. Sometimes they win, but it's not as common as you would expect.
Thing 4: we played maybe 30 minutes of amazing rugby....to date this season we haven't played more that a half of footy to our level of capability, sure we did it at the right time, and crushed their spirit before we shut down and looked to the showers, but it doesn't change the fact that we didn't play for 80. With a start like that a good team would have been looking at one (or both) of two numbers, 50 and 0, we didn't hit either target.
Thing 5: I guess this comes as no surprise to anybody but the reserves made a big difference to the complexion of the game. That tells me that our new-found depth isn't complete yet. We certainly have a more intense battle for places on the field, but there isn't a consistency of effort, or possibly understanding, between everybody yet. This may improve with time, but I might be a bigger issue than that.
So, in preparation for next week, we need to name exactly the same team (barring injuries) to send the message that the first 20 minutes are what we require, but we also need to tell them that they will be hooked at five minutes if they look like they aren't going to cut it......I would rather finishe the game with no reserves and 14 on the field than have starters think that their spot is safe after playing 20 minutes of good rugby.
C'mon the![]()
![]()
I was going to post similarly, now that we view this win in the cold light of day, when the euphoria has had a moment to settle down, there are some things that haven't changed as a result of last night.
Thing 1: in this comp, there are teams that are consistent (Crusaders, Chiefs, Sharks) and teams that are inconsistent (Force, Rebels, Cheetahs, Lions) that hasn't changed at al, we're still inconsistent until we can back this up with another couple of good performances
Thing 2: the consistent teams always play well, the inconsistent teams sometimes play brilliantly. This is most likely the source of the notion that anybody in this comp can beat you. Rebels played brilliantly last week, we played brilliantly this week...no changes yet.
Thing 3: we have beaten a team who came to Perth assuming it was going to be an easy game, nothing new there, the Saders fall into this trap every time they visit. Sometimes they win, but it's not as common as you would expect.
Thing 4: we played maybe 30 minutes of amazing rugby....to date this season we haven't played more that a half of footy to our level of capability, sure we did it at the right time, and crushed their spirit before we shut down and looked to the showers, but it doesn't change the fact that we didn't play for 80. With a start like that a good team would have been looking at one (or both) of two numbers, 50 and 0, we didn't hit either target.
Thing 5: I guess this comes as no surprise to anybody but the reserves made a big difference to the complexion of the game. That tells me that our new-found depth isn't complete yet. We certainly have a more intense battle for places on the field, but there isn't a consistency of effort, or possibly understanding, between everybody yet. This may improve with time, but I might be a bigger issue than that.
So, in preparation for next week, we need to name exactly the same team (barring injuries) to send the message that the first 20 minutes are what we require, but we also need to tell them that they will be hooked at five minutes if they look like they aren't going to cut it......I would rather finishe the game with no reserves and 14 on the field than have starters think that their spot is safe after playing 20 minutes of good rugby.
C'mon the![]()
![]()
I'd say we need at least the majority of games in a season played like the first 30 mins before we can call it consistent.
Unless we back it up week in week out we won't ever have any real progression as a team.
We can smash whoever it is one week. But we need to do it again the week after. Or at least play like we want to smash them.
I'd say we need at least the majority of games in a season played like the first 30 mins before we can call it consistent.
Unless we back it up week in week out we won't ever have any real progression as a team.
We can smash whoever it is one week. But we need to do it again the week after. Or at least play like we want to smash them.