Who should be the Marquee player for 2011

[Buddha Handy]

We should look to poach some of the reds players. They are top of the ladder but have had lots of injuries so some fringe players have been given game time and gained experience. Next year some of them will be struggling for game time if everyone if fit.

These are all of their centres and back 3. Some of these might be leaving already that I don't know about:

1. Rod Davies
2. Anthony Faingaa
3. Digby Ioane
4. Peter Hynes
5. Luke Morahan
6. Will Chambers
7. Mike Harris
8. Ben Lucas
9. Don Shipperley
10. Ben Tapuai
11. Kimami Sitauti

That is 11 players to fill 5 positions (11,12,13,14 and 15) and a couple of bench spots

[Crime Squad]

QLD rugby is always a great source of talent. If the Force is to realise the dream of the ARU, it must develop its own players, club scene and school system to a more competitive level. Rugby WA must develop its own champions. The flesh and blood is the same as the east coast. Plenty of ex pats that have the passion and talent. I have South African friends that drive their kids several hours so they can play in the metro comp. The kids are damn good players too......well developed in South Africa.

[SinBin]

Let's leave Nonu well alone.. We need a game breaker and cover for Sheps - Jane would be an outstanding coup if we could do it.

[James]

That's the problem with not having a 3rd tier behind International and Super Rugby, the talent is there but there are less opportunities to take risks and try it out and help it to develop.

It is a real shame that the whole Super Rugby couldn't be revamped so that it was under written by the Currie Cup, ITM Cup and an ARC, and contracted into more of a Heineken Cup/European Challenge Cup competition. Much easier to involve others e.g. the Americas, Pacific Islands, Japan etc. Could have ARC on free-to-air TV.

[shasta]

Props: Definitely not.............. I wouldn't rule out Ma'afu yet either. We are generally a fitter team than the Brumbies and hopefully a good pre-season will see him shed a bit of that unnecessary baggage.
We definitely need an outside back. .

On reflection your probably on the mark. let's hope some Force conditioning turns him out as well as Donut. He (Donut) looks good enough for a season or two more. Is he going to play on somewhere else?

[Rex Messup]

If we were a fitter team we wouldn't lose 75% of our games in the last 10 minutes. The top teams are much fitter than the Force.

[todd4]

If we were a fitter team we wouldn't lose 75% of our games in the last 10 minutes. The top teams are much fitter than the Force.

I don't think they are physically more fit probably just mentally more fit.

[Hansie]

We have talent here.....Zac Holmes. he has had to play 7's. look at how Chucky developed from 7's.

We have to get more local boys involved. It creates an identity, brings in the punters to cheer on local developed talent and is a little cheaper in saving re-location money.

Have a look at JP - 13 for Neddies - ask Pally if he is any good?

[farva]

The issue the Force face is that while we have the playing numbers to look like we should be able to supprt a team (I think we are up to 15k players now, which rivals those in Canberra), the majority of those are too young. We have a host of players in the academy now, but there are no senior players. Unfortunately it takes maybe 10 to 15 years to really be able to stand on your own feet for a new franchise like this.

Consider a player who is 12 who decided to play rugby instead of AFL when the Force came in to being. He would now be 18, and still kicking around at the academy / high school level. After the Force's 10 year anniversary (another 4 years), he will be 22, and entering his prime as a player. And we have quite a few guys at that level.

There are a few freaks coming out now like Longbum and Haylett-Petty, but we havent been around long enough to really get the locals into leadership positions.

[shasta]

but there are no senior players.

I don't know that things are that bleak. There has also been Ryan Tyrell and Justin Turner besides K-Bomb and DHP. I don't get to look at a lot of seniors, except for 3rd grade. But I tend to listen to what people like Fulvio and Hansie are saying about looking to the local comp. Particularly to fill bench spots during one of our injury crises. Stannard was plucked from the local first grade after not being noticed in Qld. Look what he's achieved. I have seen Dave Cloete play a couple of times I would not be surprised if he has the ability to do a Chuck.

[Hansie]

Cloete is very talented. Reads the game well, good tactical kicking, however i think he's quite a way past 25.

Have a look at a young winger that Wests have - sadly he dislocated his elbow a couple of weeks back but a super talent. Ollie Hoskins at Cott needs to be blooded in S15. he's anther James Slipper.

[almac]

What about Andre Pretorius, i hear hes on the Up ....!!!

[BeeJay]

Peter Grant was just excluded from the preliminary Boks squad for the World Cup. I reckon we should make another play for him. When does his contract for the Stormers run out?

[palitu]

nope, keep stannard in at 10.

Man, we keep getting ring in 10s..

[sandgroperrugby]

We need a 15 desperately we have no reliable player there at the moment. Yes Shep is a good player when on the field and dellit can cover but is more to my mind a 13 and then who???