Western Force 2009

[RugbyReg]

Tough luck I say. I reckon someone must have smuggled a few into Sharpie's and Drew's luggage. If you're going to poach from the east you have to take the good and bad.

A cane toad has been found at Karratha on the Pilbara coast, alarming West Australian authorities anxious to keep the pest out of the state.

The cane toad, which is now prevalent in the Northern Territory, is known to be encroaching on the West Australian border but has so far been kept at bay by authorities and groups including Kimberley Toad Busters and Stop the Toad Foundation.

Environmentalists say cane toads are a danger to fauna at landmark Kimberley sites, including the World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, commonly known as the Bungle Bungles.

Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) said the adult cane toad discovered at a Karratha nursery at the weekend may have arrived on a truck from Darwin.

"It's difficult to know where it's come from, but we are investigating the possibility it may have hitched a ride on a pallet of plants delivered to the nursery from Darwin," regional wildlife officer Brett Lewis said.

"All plants delivered to the nursery from Darwin are inspected and sprayed for plant pests and a certificate is issued declaring they are free from infestation.

"There are also vehicle checks in place at the border but the toads are not always easily found."

Mr Lewis said other cane toad sightings had previously been reported in the Pilbara but further examination showed all were native frog species that resemble the pest.

"As cane toads move closer to the WA border, the chances of cane toads hitching lifts on vehicles or freight are likely to increase," he said.

He said the toad had been euthanased by DEC officers.

West Australians or travellers who suspect they may have found a cane toad should isolate it and report the sighting to DEC immediately on 1800 084 881 or 9182 2000.

 

[moolooman]

Have the Force secured Gitty yet? deadset, they have nothing without him, James O'Connors voice hasnt even broken yet so forget him as the next Jesus.

 

[Lee Grant]

I see that John Mitchell is having a look at club players from elsewhere who have passed through the S14 net and have stayed in Oz, unlike other unblooded S14 players Rory Sidey and Lachlan Mitchell, who are starting for their European clubs already.

He is giving them a 2 week training shot. Mitchell said: "We don't have a full roster for the 2009 season yet." But that could mean anything from an amateur Academy spot to a rookie S14 contract.

The Sydney players include skilful 23 y.o. fullback Adam D'Arcy, a late bloomer who hadn't played 1st grade for Manly until this year, but finished up 4th in the Catchpole Medal voting.

I rate him and also rate another fellow chosen: young flyhalf Dave Paurini from the Pirates. He's another who has good skills.

The others going are:

13. Matt MacDougall (Gordon)
6. David Fungalei (Sydney Uni)
8. Trent Dyer (Sydney Uni Colts)

No doubt there are a few other players, from Brisbane and elsewhere, who will get an invitation also.

D'Arcy is hopeful of being picked for a rookie spot. His aim is to play pro rugby in Oz but said, "But obviously if nothing happens I will look at options to play overseas down the track."

 

[TOCC]

the Force have also signed David Te Moana, that useless kiwi prop that played for the Force in the 2006 season and also played for the Reds in 2007 when we had the front row injury crisis...

i guess there grand plans of signing a international prop as there marquee playere failed

 

[RugbyReg]

wha wha what?

Has he been playing in NZL? Haven't sited him back here since that horrible year.

 

[TOCC]

yeah he was playing in the ANZC for Manawatu(finished last)

Manawatu rugby's 'Big Dog' heads to Perth

David Te Moana's departure to the Western Force now means the Manawatu Turbos have 12 players involved at a higher level rugby in the offseason.


Such an overview warms the cockles of coach Dave Rennie whose team finished bottom of the Air New Zealand Cup competition this year.

Te Moana, 26, returns to John Mitchell's Western Force Super 14 squad. He played for the Force in 2006 in seven Super 14 games, all as a substitute tighthead prop before arriving in Manawatu in July that year.

The following season he played the last five games for the Queensland Reds.

The first approach this time wasn't enough to entice 130kg tighthead prop Te Moana, but when the Force came back with another offer, he accepted it.

Rennie is happy "Big Dog" is going to Perth. He will be back in Manawatu after the Super 14 season.

"He had a good season with us," Rennie said. "He's going to get a lot of high level footie and hopefully he'll come back fitter."

In two seasons Te Moana has had a dozen Super 14 caps and has toured South Africa four times, twice with Force and Reds development sides.

Last season, the Reds offered him a rookie deal, which didn't appeal so he stayed in Manawatu to get himself shipshape and worked for a Higgins road crew.

That makes three Manawatu men in full Super 14 squads. The others are flanker Josh Bradnock (Hurricanes) and Johnny Leota (Highlanders). Lock Hayden Triggs would have been the fourth had it not been mutually agreed he would transfer permanently to Otago.

In the Hurricanes wider training squad are wing Andre Taylor, flanker Nick Crosswell and hooker Sean O'Connor who broke his contract with Boroughmuir in Edinburgh to take the opportunity.

Three other Manawatu players are in the Hurricanes three winds programme for promising players outside the wider training group. They are prop Ma'afu Fia, fullback Kurt Baker and halfback Aaron Smith.

Fia and first-five Aaron Cruden are training with Dave Rennie's New Zealand under-20 training squad at Massey University this week.

There are three in the New Zealand Sevens squad on tour to Dubai and Orange (South Africa) _ Baker, Junior Tomasi Cama and Lote Raikabula.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4781218a1823.html

 

[formeropenside]

wha wha what?

Has he been playing in NZL? Haven't sited him back here since that horrible year.

yeah, he had a big yeah for the Manawatu Turbos in the 2008 NPC.

http://www.manawaturugby.co.nz/cgi-...3&view=show_player_profile&border=view_turbos

He was at the Force in 2006 also.

 

[RugbyReg]

hmm, only 26...interesting.

So I think that's the Force's 33! Squad done, except for Gits?

 

[formeropenside]

hmm, only 26...interesting.

So I think that's the Force's 33! Squad done, except for Gits?

older than Blake.

Yes, to be honest I'd like to see him come good with age: these days it seems if you dont have a S14 contract as a teenager you might as well go O/S rather than try to impress in club rugby.

 

[Cutter]

I posted this on TSF re starting lineups for next year so thought I would copy it over here. * means Wallaby.

The Force:

15. Cameron Shepherd*
14. Drew Mitchell*
13. Ryan Cross*
12. Scott Staniforth*
11. Nick Cummins
10. Matt Giteau*
9. Josh Valentine*
8. Richard Brown*
7. David Pocock*
6. Tamati Horua
5. Nathan Sharpe*
4. Tom Hockings
3. AJ Whalley
2. Tai McIsaacs
1. Gareth Hardy

16. Luke Holmes
17. David Te Moana/Pek Cowan/Troy Tariaki
18. Richard Stanford/Sam Wykes
19. Matt Hodgson
20. Chris O'Young
21. James O'Connor*
22. Junior Pelesasa/Scott Daruda

Rubbish front row. Not much depth at 6 or lock.

 

[formeropenside]

I posted this on TSF re starting lineups for next year so thought I would copy it over here. * means Wallaby.

The Force:

15. Cameron Shepherd*
14. Drew Mitchell*
13. Ryan Cross*
12. Scott Staniforth*
11. Nick Cummins
10. Matt Giteau*
9. Josh Valentine*
8. Richard Brown*
7. David Pocock*
6. Tamati Horua
5. Nathan Sharpe*
4. Tom Hockings
3. AJ Whalley
2. Tai McIsaacs
1. Gareth Hardy

16. Luke Holmes
17. David Te Moana/Pek Cowan/Troy Tariaki
18. Richard Stanford/Sam Wykes
19. Matt Hodgson
20. Chris O'Young
21. James O'Connor*
22. Junior Pelesasa/Scott Daruda

Rubbish front row. Not much depth at 6 or lock.

Tai McIsaac is a Wallaby. Probably a better THP than AJ Whalley too.

 

[Cutter]

I posted this on TSF re starting lineups for next year so thought I would copy it over here. * means Wallaby.

The Force:

15. Cameron Shepherd*
14. Drew Mitchell*
13. Ryan Cross*
12. Scott Staniforth*
11. Nick Cummins
10. Matt Giteau*
9. Josh Valentine*
8. Richard Brown*
7. David Pocock*
6. Tamati Horua
5. Nathan Sharpe*
4. Tom Hockings
3. AJ Whalley
2. Tai McIsaacs
1. Gareth Hardy

16. Luke Holmes
17. David Te Moana/Pek Cowan/Troy Tariaki
18. Richard Stanford/Sam Wykes
19. Matt Hodgson
20. Chris O'Young
21. James O'Connor*
22. Junior Pelesasa/Scott Daruda

Rubbish front row. Not much depth at 6 or lock.

Tai McIsaac is a Wallaby. Probably a better THP than AJ Whalley too.

Right you are. I was getting sick of using the *. Its not an easy key to find.

He may be a better THP than AJ Whalley, but he cant play hooker and THP at the same time. Do you think the front row would look stronger

3. McIsaac
2. Holmes
1. Hardy

I thought about it, but Holmes doesnt seem to me to have a front rowers' mindset. A bit like Huia Edmonds.

 

[TOCC]

i dont understand how the Force are able to poach all these good backs, but failed so abysmally at picking up any kind of decent frontrow'er..

woops, just remembered Cannon, but he was at the end of his career anyway so it doesnt really count.

 

[RugbyReg]

And Hardy was a decent prop I reckon. He was the form prop, arguably, in his first year for the Force.

Good props are hard to find, but each of the other teams seem to have picked up decent ones through the club systems and other places with Edwards and Weekes to the Reds, Kepu at the Tahs, and Jerry Y (jury somewhat out) and Alexander at the Brums.

Its a real weakness for them, there's no denying.

 

[Lindommer]

All the abovementioned props come from the Premier State. What more can we do to support Oz rugby? :-X :-X :-X

 

[formeropenside]

All the abovementioned props come from the Premier State. What more can we do to support Oz rugby? :-X :-X :-X

I think you will find Edwards and Kepu came from NZ.

 

[Lee Grant]

I see that John Mitchell is having a look at club players from elsewhere who have passed through the S14 net and have stayed in Oz, unlike other unblooded S14 players Rory Sidey and Lachlan Mitchell, who are starting for their European clubs already.

Was just watching a match from about 2 weeks ago with young Mitchell again playing fullback for Wasps and again having a top game.

During the commentary one of the commentators said that Mitchell had been recruited for Wasps by Trevor Woodman, ex Pom prop, who had been giving scrum coaching to Sydney Uni.

Thanks for the coaching Woodie but that kind of help we don't need.

 

[Lee Grant]

I see that John Mitchell is having a look at club players from elsewhere who have passed through the S14 net and have stayed in Oz, unlike other unblooded S14 players Rory Sidey and Lachlan Mitchell, who are starting for their European clubs already.

He is giving them a 2 week training shot. Mitchell said: "We don't have a full roster for the 2009 season yet." But that could mean anything from an amateur Academy spot to a rookie S14 contract.

The Sydney players include skilful 23 y.o. fullback Adam D'Arcy, a late bloomer who hadn't played 1st grade for Manly until this year, but finished up 4th in the Catchpole Medal voting.

I rate him and also rate another fellow chosen: young flyhalf Dave Paurini from the Pirates. He's another who has good skills.

Geez, I like quoting myself.

D'Arcy is back in town. Apparently the Force roster is already full but D'Arcy has been pencilled in for 2010.

Force assistant coach, John Mulvhill, had been impressed with him when saw him play for Manly against Sydney Uni this year and liked his pace. "That's his real strength, you can't coach that," he said. "He's naturally gifted. He did well here over the last 2 weeks and that's why we've asked him back (for another 2 weeks in January)."

"We'll give him some areas of his game he can improve on, see what his form is like next season with a view to 2010."

D'Arcy is similar in style to the Force's Nick Cummins, is fast as Mulvhill said, and has got a good boot on him - a handy attribute under the ELVs.

I wish him well getting a S14 spot, because he has mentioned the possibility of going offshore if he doesn't - just as Lachlan Mitchell and Rory Sidey did before they ever got onto the park in a S14 game, but are now starting variously in the Guiness Premiership, Magners League and Heineken Cup.

 

[Lee Grant]

Tomorrow night Cam Shepherd starts his comeback and we will all wish him well. You may recall that he damaged himself badly against France this winter and missed 3N and the EOYT.

At 6.00pm, the Force Squad will play an internal trial of 3 x 20 minute periods. Most of the squad will have their first hit out of the season.

Meantime on another Force topic and quoting from another thread:

I see someone mentioned that Giteau, Drew Mitchell, JOC (James O'Connor) and Shepherd might all leave. Fun boys one and all. Giteau may be the best player at the Force, but he isnt the most senior player. Those older, more experienced, more senior blokes (probably only Sharpe and Staniforth) should be telling the young fun boys to pipe down.

Mitchell has improved the games of Giteau, D. Mitchell and Shepherd. I suspect JOC (James O'Connor) has probably benefitted from his guidance as well.

We have all read in the papers that the meeting of Force coaching staff and players gave Mitch a big vote on no confidence.

My mail is that Mitchell was at the meeting and that Staniforth confronted him at it. He berated him for not having any original ideas in his game plans and accused him of copying game plans that other coaches had used against opponents but they weren't suitable for the Force.

When Mitch denied it Staniforth gave three examples of game plans other coaches had used against opponents that were identical to what the Force players were instructed to do when they played the same opponents afterwards. One of these three involved a plan for the Force to take on a big SAffer team up front when they obviously didn't have the physical presence to do so.

I must point out that this is just hearsay but it is hearsay that is going the rounds in rugby administration.

 

[fatprop]

Tariaki is there only hope at THP, Whalley is rubbish.

Hardy did very well around the field, I can't remember him scrummaging well.