Western Force 2012

[Lee Grant]

That's Dave Harvey. He is a very influential player at that level.

He is not the strongest defender, but as we have seen, one doesn't have to be able to tackle like a linebacker to succeed as a flyhalf in Super Rugby, though that is probably the reason why he hasn't been picked up by a Super team.

 

[tranquility]

I expected him to be more your bread and butter 10, hes looks electric on his feet. Would it be fair to say he is a running flyhalf as opposed to a play maker?

 

[izzywizzy]

Nothing like a Super contract to help you improve. Harvey can do this and he deserves it. Someone mentioned that he should take the money in Europe but this isn't why he is playing Rugby. He wants to play in his own country not for money. I obviously know Dave (family member) and I also work in the fitness industry. So many people go on about age but your fitness levels peak at 28-32. There is no need to slowly get him into the game, he knows the game already. Just saying...

 

[Lee Grant]

I expected him to be more your bread and butter 10, he looks electric on his feet. Would it be fair to say he is a running flyhalf as opposed to a play maker?

He has the attributes of a good all round 10 actually - he's a lot more than a runner and gives a good ball though it's fair to say that he overplays his hand at the run - something he probably wouldn't do at the Super level. Has massive confidence and is bloody annoying to play against, they say. Was captain of the Sydney team v. Country last year.

Not a bad kicker from hand and kicks over 80% of his goals. He often either wins the Sydney Club best player award or is close to it, and frequently is the highest point scorer for the year and sometimes scores the most number of tries at the same time. Scores a lot of them for a flyhalf.

I've mentioned him many times as a Super candidate but he keeps getting overlooked. Defence is his problem; that and perhaps being a bit too much of an individual player - plus he's getting on a bit now.

He would have been more useful at the Force than Ben Seymour, now that Ripia has gone, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and Seymour was contracted as a player for the future, and could end up a top operator.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Nothing like a Super contract to help you improve. Harvey can do this and he deserves it. Someone mentioned that he should take the money in Europe but this isn't why he is playing Rugby. He wants to play in his own country not for money. I obviously know Dave (family member) and I also work in the fitness industry. So many people go on about age but your fitness levels peak at 28-32. There is no need to slowly get him into the game, he knows the game already. Just saying...

Thanks for the insight Izzy. Are you able to confirm SudRugby's post per below?

It seems David Harvey is only with Narbonne to replace an injured guy.
He has been authorized to miss training for the last two days and might be negociating with the Force.
When I asked to Narbonne CM if he could be leaving soon he didn't answered me the usual "No he is under contract" but "We encourage all our players to progress"!

 

[tranquility]

Sounds like a very interesting prospect.

What has Ben Seymour done? Was he a good club player at a young age in NSW?

 

[Lee Grant]

Edit: Oops misread the question I was thinking of Dave Harvey but I will leave this in anyway..........

He was a league player with South Sydney when he was a youngster and went straight from there to Parramatta 1st grade (union). He's no spring chicken now though: he's 29, or could have had his 30th birthday already. But for a year or two he would be good value.

Not to any point but, as I have mentioned before: he is the grandson of cricketer Neil Harvey; so he has good sporting bloodlines.

 

[Lee Grant]

Ben Seymour came over to Oz from Kiwiland and played in the GPS for Scots. I saw him play against Joeys in a drawn game and he didn't exactly shine - and he wasn't picked in any of the three GPS teams either, though who knows: he could have been injured.

He played Colts for Sydney Uni straight out of school and like some in their stable elected to try his luck at another club to get to Grade quicker. His manager knew Phil Blake, coach of the Manly Marlins, and he eventually got a run in 2nd Grade. He played so well that by the end of the 2009 season he dislodged experienced journeyman and ex- Oz 7s player Josh Gamgee and was playing 1st Grade at 18 years old. He held his place most of the time until, ironically, Ripia came along in 2011 after the Super Rugby season; so he played some at fullback.

In 2010 he was in the Tahs amateur academy and in 2011 he was in the pro academy (to give them a generic name).

He is a driven young man who has played Ones in club rugby and received a Super contract, both before due time. According to him the Tahs didn't want him for 2012; so good on him for getting a gig out west - although he still has to learn how to manage a game. The demise of Ripia could see him get on the park in Super Rugby before his time too, and if he does let's all hope he takes that hurdle in his stride as he has the others.

 

[tranquility]

Edit: Oops misread the question I was thinking of Dave Harvey but I will leave this in anyway..........

He was a league player with South Sydney when he was a youngster and went straight from there to Parramatta 1st grade (union). He's no spring chicken now though: he's 29, or could have had his 30th birthday already. But for a year or two he would be good value.

Not to any point but, as I have mentioned before: he is the grandson of cricketer Neil Harvey; so he has good sporting bloodlines.

That's very interesting. From that high lights clip, their is a lot of rugby league about his play. He even does a chip'n'chase regather ha ha.
For some reason, I had it in my head that he was a Ronan O'Gara clone.

Cheers for the info on Seymour, very unusual path and given his lack of age, but also lack of time at 10 in club rugby you would have to be a tad concerned if they do not sign another 10.

 

[izzywizzy]

Thanks for the insight Izzy. Are you able to confirm SudRugby's post per below?

Sorry Paris, I can't comment on France but to say that he was asked to play for a short period from the start.

He played very little league and his mum managed the Rugby Union team he played in when he was young. He went back to league (Souths) for a season before deciding that Rugby was definitely his thing and the 2 x Ken Catchpoles show that.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Ben Seymour came over to Oz from Kiwiland and played in the GPS for Scots. I saw him play against Joeys in a drawn game and he didn't exactly shine - and he wasn't picked in any of the three GPS teams either, though who knows: he could have been injured.

He played Colts for Sydney Uni straight out of school and like some in their stable elected to try his luck at another club to get to Grade quicker. His manager knew Phil Blake, coach of the Manly Marlins, and he eventually got a run in 2nd Grade.

My recollection, LG, is that he trained at the Uni gym during Year 12 along with a couple of other Scots boys, Clinton Sills and Tom Heslop, and may have played a few Colts games for Uni that year.

On leaving school he went across to the Marlins. Player managers don't seem to like their charges playing for Uni. 15% (or whatever) of nothing equates to nothing.

 

[Newter]

Ben Seymour came over to Oz from Kiwiland and played in the GPS for Scots. I saw him play against Joeys in a drawn game and he didn't exactly shine - and he wasn't picked in any of the three GPS teams either, though who knows: he could have been injured.

He played Colts for Sydney Uni straight out of school and like some in their stable elected to try his luck at another club to get to Grade quicker. His manager knew Phil Blake, coach of the Manly Marlins, and he eventually got a run in 2nd Grade. He played so well that by the end of the 2009 season he dislodged experienced journeyman and ex- Oz 7s player Josh Gamgee and was playing 1st Grade at 18 years old. He held his place most of the time until, ironically, Ripia came along in 2011 after the Super Rugby season; so he played some at fullback.

In 2010 he was in the Tahs amateur academy and in 2011 he was in the pro academy (to give them a generic name).

He is a driven young man who has played Ones in club rugby and received a Super contract, both before due time. According to him the Tahs didn't want him for 2012; so good on him for getting a gig out west - although he still has to learn how to manage a game. The demise of Ripia could see him get on the park in Super Rugby before his time too, and if he does let's all hope he takes that hurdle in his stride as he has the others.

That's a great background story, Lee. He's certainly got the neck and shoulders for the job.

 

[Lee Grant]

Doors have certainly opened up for him, mind you: he knocked on a few of them. He played well enough for the Junior Tahs this time last year without blowing too many socks off.

Are you there lily? What's your assessment of how Seymour played for Manly last year? My impression is that he will still be learning some of his flyhalf tradecraft on the job in Super Rugby. He wouldn't be creating any precedents though, would he? He's certainly got the burning desire.

Let's not forget that Kyle Godwin is in the Force EPS. They could promote him to Ripia's contract spot to contend with Seymour, use the better of them to back up Chucky Stannard, and get a scrummie into the EPS to take Godwin's place there.

My choice would be to contract Harvey for 2 years, as it has been mentioned earlier in the thread that his stint in Narbonne is as a 'medical joker' only (short-tern injury replacement). By the time this contract is over the merits of both Seymour and Godwin at the Super level will be apparent.

 

[Lee Grant]

My recollection, LG, is that he trained at the Uni gym during Year 12 along with a couple of other Scots boys, Clinton Sills and Tom Heslop, and may have played a few Colts games for Uni that year. On leaving school he went across to the Marlins. Player managers don't seem to like their charges playing for Uni. 15% (or whatever) of nothing equates to nothing.

He mentioned that he played Colts for Uni - I assumed it was after he left school because it's unlikely he would be playing for Scots and Uni on the same Saturday. Maybe in the holidays though, as he didn't make the school rep teams.

 

[Bruce Ross]

The Colts season up to now has had 22 regular rounds plus finals, LG. I am led to believe, not being from a straw boater background, that the GPS season is only about 7 rounds.

 

[Shiggins]

Sound of crickets.

 

[Prodigy]

Dave Harvey is with Narbonne for the game today and, according to him, he is still waiting to hear from the Force about a contract.

There is a little bit of rugby league about Dave's play, but he played rugby as a kid for Hills and has always been a fan of the chip and chase.

 

[What2040]

rumour is that Salesi McFood is nearing 140kg on the scales - bloody hell - thought he had trimmed down at end of 2011 and was more mobile and playing better than ever.

 

[Shiggins]

I suppose there is know way the scrum will move on his side. Unless we are playing the cheetahs maybe. The force scrum was great last year.

 

[Done that]

rumour is that Salesi McFood is nearing 140kg on the scales - bloody hell - thought he had trimmed down at end of 2011 and was more mobile and playing better than ever.

Salesi was 140kg playing loose head for Wests colts.The tight head at the time , was Rodney Blake at 150kg.