DOUBLE TAKE

[RugbyWA]

Players and coaches alike at Emirates Western Force training this week could be forgiven if they thought they were seeing double.
The arrival of James O’Connor’s younger brother Jonny had a few people rubbing eyes, the pair sporting similar builds, looks and hairstyles!

Jonny, who is a couple of years younger than his star sibling, arrived in Perth this week for a month’s trial and has been put through his paces with the main squad and will alternate between the Super Rugby set-up and the Bankwest Academy side.

The 18 year old represented Queensland in U15’s and was part of the First XV at The Southport School in 2009 and 2010. Last season the elite Gold Coast school celebrated their 100th year of rugby and clinched the GPS premiership.



RugbyWA

[farva]

Where does he play?
And is he any good - I mean likely to go all the way like his brother?

[zimeric]

he really is a chip off the slightly older block isnt he

[blueandblack]

It sounds promising for the that JOC's younger brother is here as well as JOC. Same for the Pococks.

[Burgs]

Yeah agreed BnB, that's probably the bigger story!

[James]

Steve Pocock has gone back to QLD I think. Career ending injury- neck I think. It's good that the Force is pulling out the stops to keep O'Connor but I don't think his brother will make it. Otherwise why didn't he at least make Queensland A or Queensland B in the schoolboys? Ahh well, here is hoping he turns out to be a star like his brother.

[.X.]

Another neck injury

how many at the Force is that now????

Am I living in a bubble or does it seem like we are having a glut of neck injuries.

Scott Staniforth
Brendan Cannon
Adam Clarke - I think - sorry if I got it wrong
and now Steve Pocock
and I have a feeling I may have missed one or two

[brokendown gunfighter]

pocock's injury was last year,Iwouldn't be excited about a Star's brother unless the name was Ella

[GIGS20]

The exciting thing IMHO is not that there's a huge likelihood that the gene pool will support two superstars (not impossible, but highly unlikely, try and think of another family where siblings have gone to the top of the tree) I'm more excited that two of our hottest young properties are saying to their brothers yeah come and check it out, have a trial. It's obvious bam and rabbit think the programs ok if they're letting family have a crack.

[zimeric]

dont forget Tyrell as well.. hopefully hes ok now though, if it were me id leave well enough alone..

[blueandblack]

The exciting thing IMHO is not that there's a huge likelihood that the gene pool will support two superstars (not impossible, but highly unlikely, try and think of another family where siblings have gone to the top of the tree) I'm more excited that two of our hottest young properties are saying to their brothers yeah come and check it out, have a trial. It's obvious bam and rabbit think the programs ok if they're letting family have a crack.

Didn't I just say that?

[GIGS20]

Ummm, I thought you said the alternate side which I mentioned. Ie that they would be good because their siblings would be good. In any case, I don't have a problem agreeing with you!

[Burgs]

I think the exciting thing in this story is that it would indicate that the older sibling is comfortable in Perth and is looking to the long term, enough to suggest to the younger sibling the Force is a good place to have a crack at having a career...oh, hang on...

[Elf1]

Didn't I just say that?

I agree with both of you

[shasta]

try and think of another family where siblings have gone to the top of the tree

Ken John & Dick Thornett. Matt & Christy Giteau - their Dad was ok too. Buddy & Bianca. Glen & Garry Jackovic. Ron, Maurice, and John Raper - and his sons Arron and Stuart. Steve, Peter and Chris Mortimer - and his son Daniel. Mark, Graham and Garry Hughes and his sons Corey and Glen.

The Ellas also had a sister who repped Aus in Netball, like Mo'onia Gerrard.

I'm more of the opposite view, GIGS. I'm struck by how often the sporting genes are distributed among families. Not all enter the superstar category but many play at an elite level. Lets hope we've got two more.