Western Force 2011

[en_force_er]

You are correct as usual Barbarian, schoolboys are not ready for Super rugby level.

BUT the early exposure is usually beneficial for them personally in the long run (rather than for the team) and like I said, I'm only suggesting it because the Force have made a habit of selection in this manner already (Pocock and Postal from what I can recall).

EDIT: There was also Jones.

 

[Lee Grant]

Perhaps Browning would be a good Force signing

At 16 years old?

 

[en_force_er]

I presumed he would be 17 turning 18 at some point next year, like most Qld products like JO'C.

As I stressed before, this is using precedence rather than what I would personally do as a Force coach.

 

[Joe Mac]

Does anyone know whether Jono Jenkins is going to get a run again this year? I think he is a top player and was unlucky to only get a few minutes last season due to breaking his ankle...

 

[RugbyReg]

this year? Nah. He's signed for the Force next year, but you'd have to think he'd be behind each of Pocock, Hogdson and Brown as openside options.

 

[en_force_er]

this year? Nah. He's signed for the Force next year, but you'd have to think he'd be behind each of Pocock, Hogdson and Brown as openside options.

I wouldn't look at it like that as the Force selectors have a crush on playing multiple opensides. If one of them goes down he could sneak into the 22.

 

[farva]

I wouldn't look at it like that as the Force selectors have a crush on playing multiple opensides. If one of them goes down he could sneak into the 22.

Having said that, there is a new coach, so it will be interesting to see if that idea keeps up.
And also, when Pocock and Brown went down last year, Hodgson moved to 7, with McCalman and Wykes filling in at 6 and 8.
How would Jenkins rate against Wykes? Id suggest though that if we lost 2 of the opensides again this year that Jenkins would at least get a bench run.

 

[en_force_er]

Having said that, there is a new coach, so it will be interesting to see if that idea keeps up.
And also, when Pocock and Brown went down last year, Hodgson moved to 7, with McCalman and Wykes filling in at 6 and 8.
How would Jenkins rate against Wykes? Id suggest though that if we lost 2 of the opensides again this year that Jenkins would at least get a bench run.

The fact that the Force are so rich in opensides (Pocock, Hodgson, Postal, Jenkers and arguably Brown) means that regardless of what the new staff want they will have to play double openside for at least another year.

I don't see Jenkins and Wykes as a competition because between the two you have the back row and 2nd row covered, they would make quite a complete bench.

 

[Lance Free]

Postal's a blindside or lock isn't he? He was at school anyway.

 

[en_force_er]

Postal's a blindside or lock isn't he? He was at school anyway.

He looks short so I doubt it. Early sprouter?

 

[farva]

He is listed as 190cm - http://www.rugbywa.com.au/players/ted_postal,57865.html/section/54680

Might be a little short for lock, but could play blindside perhaps.

 

[en_force_er]

He is listed as 190cm - http://www.rugbywa.com.au/players/ted_postal,57865.html/section/54680

Might be a little short for lock, but could play blindside perhaps.

Fair enough. He looked much smaller when he played but perhaps that was his age showing.

 

[dobduff11]

He probably is much smaller in real life , the ARU lists will genia as 182 cm and he is around five foot eight or nine not 5'11-6'0.

They do it in england as well for the schoolboy players, bump up their weight to psych out the opposition that sort of thing

 

[Joe Mac]

this year? Nah. He's signed for the Force next year, but you'd have to think he'd be behind each of Pocock, Hogdson and Brown as openside options.

I hope he gets a go this season. I have always been interested to see whether he could make the step-up to Super 15...

 

[Lance Free]

New signing by the Force:

The Western Force has signed Manly backrower Tevita Metuisela to their squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season, further adding to the club’s loose forward stocks.

The WF press release said: "Metuisela enjoyed a terrific Shute Shield campaign with the Marlins as he continued to develop his rugby credentials after making the switch from league where he previously represented the Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers over six seasons"

The 27 year old was part of the ACT Brumbies Academy in 2009 and was an instrumental figure in Manly’s 2010 Shute Shield campaign playing alongside Western Force players Tim Fairbrother and Mark Swanepoel.

Name: Tevita Metuisela
Position: Loose forward
Height: 186cm
Weight: 107kg
Date of Birth: 16/10/1983
Clubs: 2003-04 Sydney Roosters (NRL), 2005 Melbourne Storm (NRL), 2006-08 Wests Tigers (NRL), 2009 ACT Brumbies (Academy), 2010 Manly Marlins (NSW 1st Grade)
Honours: NSW Schoolboys

Another back rower?

 

[RugbyReg]

New signing by the Force:

Another back rower?

exactly????

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

How about signing another lock guys?

 

[Lance Free]

Methinks they might be using McCalman a bit more often in the 2nd row?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I hope not. He's developing nicely as a big bustling back rower (how's that for some alliteration) and isn't really tall enough to play lock. The problem is that the back row at the Force is already pretty bloody good.

 

[fatprop]

Metuisela looks pretty good, they have Hockings, Sharpe, Stanford, Wykes & Battye - as well as McCalman to cover lock