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NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian
December 27, 2010, 7:08 am
Sam Wykes is probably best known for his massive hair on the rugby field, but the Western Force second- rower recognises he has to change that.
Wykes, who is in the last year of his contract at the club, is well aware that he has to become known for his physical presence.
If he can do that and consolidate the education from veteran Wallaby and club captain Nathan Sharpe, he could go a long way to establishing himself as part of the next generation Force second row.
Wykes, 22, whose career at the Force was put on hold by a shoulder injury, admits he has to make an impression in next year's revamped Super competition.
"This is the make or break season for me," he said.
"I had a mixed season last year and consistency is the big goal for me. I've had a couple of setbacks with the shoulder reconstruction but I'm going to give it a real good crack this season.
"It has been tough at times but we're going through a tough pre-season and mentally and physically I am fresh and in good shape."
Watching David Pocock and Ben McCalman, his teammates in the Australian schoolboys and U19 sides, make the Wallabies is also spurring him on. "A lot of young guys that I played with are making the Wallabies. That's what I want. That's what I want to aspire to," he said.
But first Wykes has a job to do at the Force and he will have a couple of battles to get into the engine room with Sharpe. Tom Hockings will be putting his hand up and coach Richard Graham has the option of using McCalman. New rookie signing Phoenix Battye will also be pushing his cause.
"It's going to be tough to get a starting spot with Hocko, possibly Ben and young Phoenix, who's a big lump of a lad, all in there," Wykes said. "I've been working hard in the pre-season and I'm in the best condition I've ever been in.
"It helps that I have the option to cover the No.6, but second row is where I want to play. It's where I want to stamp my mark."
Wykes made his Force debut in 2008 against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. In his first season, he was used as an impact bench player and finished the year with nine appearances.
He needed reconstructive surgery after suffering a shoulder injury during that year's development tour of England and was forced to sit out the first half of 2009. Last season he had six starts, two of them at No.8 and five off the bench.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...ar-resolution/
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