Reds v Western Force Sat 29 March 2025

[Tazzmania]

Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force expecting a different beast facing the Reds in Queensland

Just weeks after a heartbreaking loss to Queensland in a last-gasp finish in Perth, Western Force winger Harry Potter is wary the Reds are a “different beast” at home in Brisbane.

The Force head east to take on Queensland, who Potter warns have gone from strength to strength in recent weeks, in a crucial match on Saturday at Suncorp Stadium....

READ MORE

Note: Great to see Caitlin Bassett writing about the Force in The West

[wholetruth]

Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force expecting a different beast facing the Reds in Queensland

Just weeks after a heartbreaking loss to Queensland in a last-gasp finish in Perth, Western Force winger Harry Potter is wary the Reds are a “different beast” at home in Brisbane.

The Force head east to take on Queensland, who Potter warns have gone from strength to strength in recent weeks, in a crucial match on Saturday at Suncorp Stadium....

READ MORE

Note: Great to see Caitlin Bassett writing about the Force in The West

Nothing against her, never met her, but what does she actually know about rugby?
To me it shows The West don't have people with knowledge/experience of our game and don't care.

[jargan83]

Yeah, it's much better when there's no coverage of the Force at all.

[Tazzmania]

FORCE (1-15):

1 Marley Pearce,
2 Nic Dolly,
3 Tom Robertson,
4 Jeremy Williams (c),
5 Darcy Swain,
6 Will Harris,
7 Carlo Tizzano,
8 Nick Champion de Crespigny;
9 Nic White,
10 Ben Donaldson,
11 Dylan Pietsch,
12 Hamish Stewart,
13 Sio Tomkinson,
14 Harry Potter,
15 Mac Grealy

Relacements:

16 Tom Horton,
17 Ryan Coxon,
18 Atu Moli,
19 Vaiolini Ekuasi,
20 Reed Prinsep,
21 Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa,
22 Max Burey,
23 Reesjan Pasitoa

[Tazzmania]

Glad to see a settled side.

It will be good to see Pietsch take the field we need his strength in attack and defence for the fast outside backs of the Reds.

Surprised to see Coxon on the bench he looked in serious pain coming off on Saturday, hopefully it was minor.

[shasta]

Surprised to see Coxon on the bench he looked in serious pain coming off on Saturday, hopefully it was minor.

I was thinking that way last week. Either a quick healer or one of those tough buggers who play through it. Probably the latter as he looks like a prop should.

[chiraag]

Team looks good, although disappointing to not see BPA or a lock on the bench. The reds starting and bench scrum are very strong...

[GIGS20]

Glad to see a settled side.

It will be good to see Pietsch take the field we need his strength in attack and defence for the fast outside backs of the Reds.

Surprised to see Coxon on the bench he looked in serious pain coming off on Saturday, hopefully it was minor.

I think this is our best possible side. Having Reed and Vaolini on the bench gives us heaps of impact late, not sure Harris is a starter because he's better, but it's working.

Who'd be George Poolman? has his first game in....ever....where he hasn't looked out of his depth and is shunted straight into a tracksuit.

btw Coxon held his own in multiple games last year with a series of what looked like brutal injuries. I have two thoughts
1 he's the toughest rooster since the invention of chickens.

2 he has a really expressive face when he's in pain and what looks like a major injury is something he shakes off in recovery.

I suspect a little column a and a little column b

[andrewg]

I rarely read the West Australian as I don't need the advertisements.
OK, I know that WA is a big AFL state with two local teams playing in the Derby this weekend.
The Derby gets a full 8 page lift-out plus four back pages of today's West Australian.
The WF v Reds game gets a tiny gutter article four pages in.
Pathetic coverage after the great home win against the Drua!

[andrewg]

Quite like our chances with the Reds missing ALL of its normal Back Row.
Be aggressive WF - same attack as against the Drua and lift the intensity of defence and bring home the WIN.

[shasta]

I rarely read the West Australian a..............................
....................Pathetic coverage after the great home win against the Drua!

I'd hazard a guess it's simply a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. I can't recall what coverage we got in the early years but it was probably better when we had crowds of up to 23,000 at Subi oval (don't recall membership numbers). There are a lot of reasons why that has changed but it's obvious that winning consistently and rebuilding the membership & attendances is key.

There's also the fact that the AFL have media insiders who have always worked to limit coverage of other codes. Apparently the NRL are copping that right now if you believe PVL. I heard him asked on SEN radio about the Perth Bears lack of progress the other day and he stated one reason was that this kind of interference was going on behind the scenes. I won't cry if that bid falls over, but I'd prefer it did so on it's merits. Or the lack of same, as I see it.

[bootsetal06]

Worrying ….a 6 day turnaround after 34 + degrees then 80%+ humidity with a long flight and time zone issues makes a really challenging environment for the guys… Go Force !!

[andrewg]

Worrying ….a 6 day turnaround after 34 + degrees then 80%+ humidity with a long flight and time zone issues makes a really challenging environment for the guys… Go Force !!

They've been given a relatively easy week in recognition of this.

[Valz]

So long as they don’t turn up like they’re half asleep as in the Tahs game. Once again am sure the reffing/penalty count will be against them so hope they’ve worked on offside issues etc this round.

[shasta]

Well if Gunny reckoned last week was a "must win", this week is a real opportunity to get right in the mix. After the RabbleTahs & Crusaders slipped up, a win will see us leapfrog NSW and stay clear of an improving Hurricanes. Go well boys!!