2
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
Good question. Carlo is 21. Kane 27. both around the same size and weight. Apart from Koteka we are a little light on 7's in 2022. Not sure if Ollie Callan plays openside but he's 20 and has only 1 appearance - in 2020. Could Kano put on 5-odd kegs and end up as an 8 option? He carries strong enough. Nnice problem to have.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Tizzano is Wallaby material. Koteka unfortunately isn't. It is early days for him, but his ceiling is high.
Tizzano fits into the group as a replacement for Lezana. Do we need him? Not as much as we need depth in other positions. Will we appreciate having him? Damn right.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Just watching the replay. Didn't notice on Saturday but Callan came on for Stander at 8 just before Kahui scored.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Is it unusual for Stander to be replaced? I always thought he was an 80-minute player.
Unless he was hurt?
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
I suspect Anstee will bulk up a bit. I think he was hedging his bets with the Olympics. Anstee could make the perfect 8- good ball runner, good at the breakdown, good jumper, decent tackler- particularly with a grunty 6 like FLW.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
The whole get player x from team y because they are only there for training sounds like a good reason for a draft to help spread talent. I think Tony Lewis said that was one of his concerns.
Anyone have access to the below article
Western Force poach four players from Brumbies in Super Rugby coup
https://thewest.com.au/sport/western...ng-b881881499z
Western Force poach four players from Brumbies in Super Rugby coup
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Tue, 25 May 2021 12:48PM
Western Force have been on a raiding party to Canberra, snaring four young Australian backs from the Brumbies as they rebuild for their Super Rugby future.
They have secured the signatures of scrum-half Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, fly-half Reesjan Pasitoa, versatile inside back Bayley Kuenzle and outside flyer Reece Tapine in the first stage of building a new young side.
Last year the Force vowed not to strip talent from Australian clubs.
They opted instead for international experience from Australia and overseas to produce a competitive Super side after being invited back by Rugby Australia who axed them four years ago.
But the gloves are off as they prepare to lose about 10 players from the current squad including Argentinian Test halves Tomas Cubelli and Domingo Miotti and flanker Tomas Lezana.
Others not returning will be legendary Irish full-back Rob Kearney and winger Jordan Olowofela on loan from English heavyweight Leicester Tigers.
They are hoping to keep former Wallabies centre Tevita Kuridrani to add experience to what is shaping up as a young backline.
Speedster Fines-Leleiwasa, 25, who won the 2019 Nathan Sharpe player-of-the-year medal, returns after two years with the Brumbies.
He played for Australian schoolboys, the junior Wallabies at the youth Olympic games and won the 2016 Alec Eves medal for Queensland’s Premier Rugby player of the year in his first season.
Playmaker Reesjan Pasitoa, 20, played his early rugby with the Perth-Bayswater club before moving to Queensland’s Nudgee College on a scholarship.
He was in the Reds academy system but signed for the Brumbies straight from school, one of the youngest players signed by an Australian Super team.
He played for the Australian Schools and under-18s sides with Rugby Australia using its then “fighting fund” to lock him in as rugby league clubs circled.
Pasitoa made his Super debut last year and has jostled with Kuenzle for places in Brumbies’ game day squads.
Kuenzle, 22, has made a dozen Super Rugby appearance starting about half of them at fly-half.
The former junior Wallabies representative joined the Brumbies in 2018 and made his debut in round two of the 2020 pre-Covid Super Rugby competition.
He joined from the Canberra Vikings who he helped to the 2019 NRC grand final where they were beaten 41-3 by the Force.
Outside back Tapine, 21, joined the Brumbies this year from Norths Eagles in Brisbane’s Hospital Cup competition.
He switched from rugby league’s Burleigh Bears, when the Queensland Cup was shut down in the COVID pandemic.
He is a rangy speedster who can play both wing outside centre.
Reesjan Pasitoa. Credit: Jono Searle/Getty Images
Just what the doctor ordered, some young, speedy backs to go with our already decent forward pack.
Really looks like yet another step further up the rung with recruitment progress being made year on year
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Great signings. Nice to see Pasitoa and Fines returning to WA.