Western Force v Fijian Drua Saturday 16 May 2025

[brokendown gunfighter]

I think the boys may as well hit the kava,now!

[wallabydarnd]

Thanks, Tazz.

"The coaches are closer to the players and watching and studying players more closely than we do, so in them we need to trust."

Absolutely.

A few points, as I understand it Miln is a 10 and was brought over for that reason. Pasitoa was a 10 and going great guns in his last full season (2022). Horan even wanted him in the Wallaby camp!

Kuenzle had played 10 at the Brumbies.

Burey's tackling could be the issue, I trust your figures on that. Maybe no new contract for him then?

I know Stewart can play 10, but I'd put him behind the others.

If the Force want to keep Pasitoa, and I'd suggest they should, I'd be giving him lots of opportunity.

But to have no faith in your own squad( in the absence of injury or other missing factor) is v unfair. Burey has been a loyal gutsy player and deserves one start!!!

[GIGS20]

Thanks, Tazz.

"The coaches are closer to the players and watching and studying players more closely than we do, so in them we need to trust."

Absolutely.

A few points, as I understand it Miln is a 10 and was brought over for that reason. Pasitoa was a 10 and going great guns in his last full season (2022). Horan even wanted him in the Wallaby camp!

Kuenzle had played 10 at the Brumbies.

Burey's tackling could be the issue, I trust your figures on that. Maybe no new contract for him then?

I know Stewart can play 10, but I'd put him behind the others.

If the Force want to keep Pasitoa, and I'd suggest they should, I'd be giving him lots of opportunity.

One of the things I've heard Crono talking about consistently is general play kicking.

I think the quality and range of kick is a pretty big thing in the game plan and it appears to be a key performance metric of a Cron-selected 10.

Burey tends to kick to a contest for a moderate gain rather than long for territory. Whnever I've seen him kick long it hasn't had anywhere near the distance that Donno or Hamish pick up.

Reesjan also had kicking identified as a work on in one of the coach chats.

maybe shifting them all into different positions in the backline is to suit the specific skillsets they bring to the game.

I would also think that Burey is on his way out (off contract this year right?)

[Tazzmania]

Looks like Harford is auditioning for a longer term role this weekend.

Cron confident Australian eligible flyhalf Harford can handle Fijian heat

Western Force coach Simon Cron believes debutant Alex Harford can make a big difference as they prepare to face the Fijian Drua in Lautoka.

Cron opted for the former Auckland and Canterbury playmaker to start against the Drua, with the club needing a win to stay in contention for the finals.

READ MORE

[andrewM]

first half was a bit messy

[Valz]

Could they stop kicking the friggin ball away again? Kurtley’s a bit of a liability.

[todd4]

Mistake after mistake. I don't know how hot it is out there but there are far too many mistakes.

[SNOB]

Handling errors possibly caused by the heat but not the penalties!
Very poor even if it is our 2 or 3 selections.

[andrewM]

I had to leave 10 minutes into the second half hopeful that the team could lift and string some plays together. I wasn't expecting the final score, especially since they had some promising territory in the first half, albeit marked by messy play. Not sure if I will bother watching the replay

[SNOB]

I had to leave 10 minutes into the second half hopeful that the team could lift and string some plays together. I wasn't expecting the final score, especially since they had some promising territory in the first half, albeit marked by messy play. Not sure if I will bother watching the replay

Unfortunately with the way they played today I’m not sure how many will bother watching next week!
This year started with a bang which should probably now be called a pop. We have deteriorated over the year as a team but luckily have got a few standout players who have lifted and covered for moments of sloppy, stupid and ugly play.
We now have a scrum that’s getting tossed around by Fiji who two or three years ago didn’t know how to scrummage.
For a season that started with such high expectations it’s actually ended up a pretty disappointing season. IMO
See you next week.

[bootsetal06]

At the beginning of the season we were stringing 15 + phases together with quick ruck speed…. Today we were lucky to get 4 without a mistake or penalty. Let’s show those Tahs/Rebels how we can play !

[Tazzmania]

That was a really disappointing outing for the Force and a season low point for one that showed such early promise.

It was a disjointed, un-cohesive and impatient performance.

That said, my disappointment factor has been downgraded after taking into account mitigating circumstances:

1) Half time injury Tomkinson, resulted in an early Donno appearance and the backs already in unfamiliar combinations being shuffled around.
2) Coxon then Moli being injured in a short time frame.
3) The travel schedule.
4) The talent injured in Perth especially Tizzano, Champion de Crespigny, Ekuasi, Pearce, HJH and Pietsch.
5) Drua always play better at Churchill Park, nine in a row unbeaten including far better opposition than ourselves.

The stats show that we conceded far too many turnovers.

The higher than normal number of offloads suggests, low number of carries, with minimal kicking indicative that we were trying too hard.

Defence again decent with turnovers won higher than average.

On a disappointing day out, however a shout out must go to Tom Robertson, 80 minute shift, 51 at tight head and 29 at loose head. 13 tackles and 3 carries, a true Force man.

In attack Grealy, Beale and Kunzele tried hard, and in defence Princep rock solid with 21 tackles ably supported by Koteka and T Robertson.

[Tazzmania]

Game Stats

Attack:



Defence:



Kicking:

[Tazzmania]

Individual Stats:

Attack:



Defence:

[Tazzmania]

Overall stats

Tries
(1) Tizzano 12

Carries
(10) Grealy 130

Clean Breaks
(2) Potter 19

Defenders Beaten
(2) Potter 45
(6) Grealy 38

Line outs won
(1) Swain 72
(8) Williams 37

Metres Gained
(2) Grealy 815
(3) Potter 727

Offloads
(5) Potter 13

Points
(2) Donaldson 94
(8) Tizzano 60

Tackles won
(2) T Robertson 182
(3) Tizzano 180
(8) Nic Champion de Crespigny 160