Western Force 2012

[Eyes and Ears]

Seems like the Force have been to a social media course in the off-season. Many of them have just joined Linkedin as well. I am not sure that it is the smartest idea to open yourself up to such public criticism while you are an emerging sportsman.

 

[Boomer]

It's pretty close to the jersey I've seen. Wonder if they'll have their twitter profile on them as well.

Well that's interesting. So, a stripey jersey with black highlights. The Western Force Numbats are born.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Seems like the Force have been to a social media course in the off-season. Many of them have just joined Linkedin as well. I am not sure that it is the smartest idea to open yourself up to such public criticism while you are an emerging sportsman.

That's always a risk. However, I see it as an attempt to create a greater connection between the the players and thus the team with their core fan base. It humanizes them and build the sense of inclusion for there local and extended fans.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Well that's interesting. So, a stripey jersey with black highlights. The Western Force Numbats are born.

Just read that its their training gear not their new strip. That will be released soon. Pity as I thought it would of made a really good fresh new looking strip.

 

[Jethro Tah]

Before his injury he was certainly coming on in leaps and bounds. Quality young half back.

Absolutely. I would put him up there with Nic White as a future Wallaby.

 

[MrTimms]

That's always a risk. However, I see it as an attempt to create a greater connection between the the players and thus the team with their core fan base. It humanizes them and build the sense of inclusion for there local and extended fans.

Woody has said as much on the podcasts. A great initiative as long as they are only being encouraged and not forced.

 

[spectator]

Turner is a terrific player but hasn't had a lot of chances. He looked great at the beginning of the 2010 season when he got on the park but he did his ACL in the IRB U/20 tournament not long after that, then had to have a 2nd operation when he injured it again before the 2011 season. Turner's fitness must be dodgy but he is contracted for 2012; so the Force are probably taking a punt.

He's a better player than Swanepoel on his best day though I thought Swannie had a good couple of games pairing with Stannard at 10 when Sheehan was out at the end of last season.

Turner is the best school scrummie I saw in the last 10 years and better than Genia, at least when I saw both players in their different school years. Whilst that doesn't mean a lot now, since he left school 3 years ago, it indicates a bit of natural talent.

Not quite to the point but I thought that Stannard was disappointing at scrumhalf in the Shute Shield in Sydney when I saw him after the S15. The best rugby I have seen him play is being the quarterback for the Oz 7s team and at 10 for the Force in the games with Swannie at 9, just mentioned.

Lee, did Turner play in 2008? I remember seeing him play for WA in 2007, and he went on to OZ A, but he was behind both Qld halfbacks, Hamlin and Swanepoel at the time.

 

[Lee Grant]

Lee, did Turner play in 2008? I remember seeing him play for WA in 2007, and he went on to OZ A, but he was behind both Qld halfbacks, Hamlin and Swanepoel at the time.

He played in both 2007 and 2008; both in Canberra. He didn't take my eye in 2007 but he did in 2008 when he was brilliant.

IIRR he was selected for Oz Schools after the 2008 tournament but was omitted soon afterwards and did not play. He was contracted by the Force in some capacity for 2009 (probably academy, I forget) before the tournament and elected to leave school early to go on a 2008 Force trip to Europe.

Otherwise he would have been the 2008 Oz Schools starting scrummie IMO.

 

[Lee Grant]

Before his injury he was certainly coming on in leaps and bounds. Quality young half back. Looking forward to the day he can form a WA born and raised hlaves combinaion with Kyle Godwin.

Absolutely. I would put him up there with Nic White as a future Wallaby.

Both these things may happen but only if Turner has come out of two ACL operations OK. I'm no doctor but it's not a good look for such a young player, is it? If it doesn't happen because of that it will be a pity because he has a terrific long pass both ways without the dithering, and has massive confidence.

As for Godwin : I saw him play in Sydney early in the year for Force A and thought he was the MOTM in a game against the Brumby Runners in a brilliant all round display in a heat wave. It's only a small sample since he left school in 2009, but I've got the feeling that he will he develop better for the Force if they send him to Sydney to play in the Shute Shield next year in what will be his 3rd season out of school.
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[Bowside]

How come godwin didnt play in the u20 world cup?

If he is half as good as he is cracked up to be he would have been better than the bloke we had last year.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Both these things may happen but only if Turner has come out of two ACL operations OK. I'm no doctor but it's not a good look for such a young player, is it? If it doesn't happen because of that it will be a pity because he has a terrific long pass both ways without the dithering, and has massive confidence.

As for Godwin : I saw him play in Sydney early in the year for Force A and thought he was the MOTM in a game against the Brumby Runners in a brilliant all round display in a heat wave. It's only a small sample since he left school in 2009, but I've got the feeling that he will he develop better for the Force if they send him to Sydney to play in the Shute Shield next year in what will be his 3rd season out of school.
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Agreed. Would do him a world of good.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

How come godwin didnt play in the u20 world cup?

If he is half as good as he is cracked up to be he would have been better than the bloke we had last year.

That's a very good question. From everything I have heard of the kid he's supposed to be rather good. LG sees a lot of up and comer's and as evident from his comment he thinks he has potential. Why the U20s selectors haven't taken him is odd. I still think he's only 19 this year so we could see him next year.

 

[kiwi]

Kyle was out of all Rugby last year due to a shoulder recon
Yes he would benefit from a season in Sydney just look at Zack Holmes this year

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Kyle was out of all Rugby last year due to a shoulder recon
Yes he would benefit from a season in Sydney just look at Zack Holmes this year

Just read the article regarding the Force's extended playing squad. Injured in the Force A vs Aus Baa Baas game.

 

[Bowside]

So since the crusaders and the the force have both knocked back swanepoel for next season I expect he will be heading back to the east coast to play club footy. Amazed he didn't even get an eps spot yet a guy like grayson hart did, you have to wonder about aru player development sometimes. Is he to old for the ARU academy?

 

[barbarian]

Just read the article regarding the Force's extended playing squad. Injured in the Force A vs Aus Baa Baas game.

Where is that article WCR?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Where is that article WCR?

On the RugbyWA website in the academy section.

 

[qwerty51]

So since the crusaders and the the force have both knocked back swanepoel for next season I expect he will be heading back to the east coast to play club footy. Amazed he didn't even get an eps spot yet a guy like grayson hart did, you have to wonder about aru player development sometimes. Is he to old for the ARU academy?

Maybe he shouldn't have played so poorly for Canterbury.

 

[Bowside]

Maybe he shouldn't have played so poorly for Canterbury.

Fair call, but in the couple of games I saw he looked alright, coupled with last years form, and the relative depth at 9 I thought he would have picked up some sort of professional contract.

The comment about hart was not so much based on his exploits as a player, but more the fact that he is a kiwi getting an australian provincial contract ahead of an australian who is of a similar standard. If the whole point of provincial rugby is to develop players for test rugby, it seems kind of counter-productive.

 

[Lee Grant]

Just read the article regarding the Force's extended playing squad. Injured in the Force A vs Aus Baa Baas game.

I was at the game, and it was the Brumby Runners they played that afternoon. It was the main Force team that played the Baas team, and JOC (James O'Connor) was the flyhalf. [The Brumbies main team played the night before in Darwin IIRR].

I reported about the two games at TG Milner that day, in the forum, and mentioned Godman's injury which looked nasty. I didn't realise he was out for so long and queried why he wasn't in the Oz U/20 squad. Maybe someone responded, but I forgot it if they did; so now his absence from the U/20 squad and no mention of him as being a likely candidate or not, is explained. It also explains why he was named in the Oz U/19 team to play England a few months ago, but did not play.

But as WCR indicated: he is eligible for the Oz U/20 team next year.

He was a good all round player, about like To'omua at the same age, when I saw him about 9 months ago, but he's missed all that development time. Don't expect miracles when he appears on the park but I think he will get a Force full contract one day if he can stay healthy for a while.

He's in the Force EPS squad and coach Graham mentioned that he can play 12 and 15 also.

Watch this space.
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