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Thread: Richard Graham says Western Force no longer competition underdogs

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    Richard Graham says Western Force no longer competition underdogs

    Ben Papalia From: PerthNow February 16, 2011 11:04AM


    WESTERN Force coach Richard Graham has shied away from declaring his team underdogs this Super Rugby season, instead declaring them fit and raring to go.

    The Force begin their 2011 campaign on Sunday against the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium and head into the clash with a fully-fit squad - something the Perth-based franchise lacked last season.

    The only minor injury scare is to fly-half Willie Ripia who injured a foot at training. He'll be given until Friday to prove his fitness, while captain Nathan Sharpe is expected to be 100 per cent fit after recovering from a hernia operation.

    "We're as confident as be can be," Graham said about Force's first match.

    "There's been a lot talked about them (Reds) pre-season and that expectation, but all we can control is ourselves and we're really happy with where we are at with our preparation."

    The first-year Force coach has brought fresh energy and ideas to the club which managed just 13th on the ladder last season.

    A back row picked of Dave Pocock, Richard Brown, Matt Hodgson and Ben McCalman is tipped to stand tall, while young gun James O'Connor and winger Cameron Shepherd are rumoured to be gearing up for a blistering season.

    And Graham said while the underdog status can work for sides, he believes the Force are confident in their own ability.

    "I think for us it’s important to go about our business quietly and do your talking on the field," he said.

    "There’s enough good footballers in this team to know what we’re capable of, and, I don’t think the underdog status does anything for us."

    Wonderkid O'Connor appears set to start the season at five-eighth for the Force after solid displays at No.10 in the side's pre-season trials against NSW.

    O'Connor spent the majority of the 2010 season at No.15 for the Force, but it appears Graham is intent on bringing him closer to the play with the 20-year-old showing an early willingness to run the ball from deep in his own territory.

    http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug...-1226006969363

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    Interestingly, from the same interview, different writers have vastly different stories, the other thread suggests that Graham doesn't care that we're underdogs, this on, he rejects the suggestion.

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    C'mon the

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