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Western Force 2013

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Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
A lot of positives for the Force last night. IMO the biggest was that Godwin has lived in Perth since he was 8 and has come through the WA school/club system to Super rugby. He's still young, but I thought he showed a bit last night, particularly after a couple of knocks, he got back up and played on as though nothing had happened. He seems composed and has a bit of class.
 

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
Not necessary. You could easily have three jumpers in the two locks + Ben McCalman. Matt Hodgson has been used as a jumper for the Force in the past.

McCalman is not a dominant jumper like Higgers and certainly doesn't rate anywhere near Mowen for lineout ability. The issue will remain how easily Pyle and Jones won ball from the Force and how many times they were turned over.

It was easy for me to see the Foley stamp on the forwards and how they played the one out runners around the ruck. They will totally rely on having absolute speed to the breakdown time and time again to get over the gain line. They do not however have the pack to play the forward game that Foley did at the Tahs with the scrum especially going to be a point of weakness.
 

Forcefield

Ken Catchpole (46)
McCalman is not a dominant jumper like Higgers and certainly doesn't rate anywhere near Mowen for lineout ability. The issue will remain how easily Pyle and Jones won ball from the Force and how many times they were turned over.

Gut feeling is that was more the Force fucking up then the Rebels expertise. At least a handful were overthrows.
 

farva

Vay Wilson (31)
I posted this in the game thread. Thought it would be better over here.

"What's everyone's thoughts on MMM, cummins, Sheehan,Hodgson and SKN still to come into the force squad.

I thought Alby was good and probably underplayed his card. He didn't mind running at the line. As the game went on there were ( hope I used the right there were lol) holes around the breakdown but he still passed the ball instead of having a go. All in all he was good. Sheehan offers a bit of mongrel that Alby doesn't have. It will e great when they are both in the 22.

Hodgson is needed IMO. We need the experience in the back row. I know brown and Benny have some experience but Hodgson being the team leader needs to be there with cottrell.

MmM will add some much needed height and experience to the line out he is the tallest member of the starting side. We defiantly need help in the line out department going forward.

Cummins speaks for himself. Passion 110% effort and that's all you can ask. Runs hard and strait. I though we did well getting the ball out wide compared to last year. Cummins should see more ball this year which is great. With Mafi on the other wing we have 2 good wingers.

SNK. Who knows? Could be great. Could be average. Either way he will add good experience to the backs.

1. Pek Cowan (c)
2. Nathan Charles
3. Tetera Faulkner
4. Sam Wykes
5. MMM
6. Hodgson
7. Chris Alcock
8. Ben McCalman
9. Alby Mathewson
10. Godwin
11. Alfie Mafi
12. Eberson
13. Winston Stanley
14. Cummins
15. SKN
Reserves
16. Heath Tessmann*
17. Kieran Longbottom / Manu/ maafu
18. Phoenix Battye / Lynn
19. Richard Brown/ cottrell
20. Sheehan
21. Christie/ Hayward/ delit
22. Junior Rasolea/ tupou

That bench isn't to bad. Good props and back row. It's going to be hard to pick a whole 22 for coach."
Like the ideas.
SKN to the bench, I dont really rate the guy. Tupou to start at 15.
If we are going with Hodgson and Alcock (which is a good idea) then Cottrell to the bench, we already have 2 fetchers, no need for a third.
Lynn to the bench, he has experience.
 

en_force_er

Geoff Shaw (53)
I thought Christie looked excellent and I wouldn't dream and demoting him to the bench.

The bloke's ability to pull in defenders before making the pass was magnificent and his work at the back fielding kicks was okay too.

For mine, I'd play:

9. Mathewson (good solid player, maybe could snipe more)
10. Godwin (he is a natural 10 and looks a long term legacy, if he gets good I think you'll find he'll be a very marketable player like JOC (James O'Connor), QC (Quade Cooper), etc).
11. Mafi
12. CTM (hits like a mack truck and putting heavy ball runners outside your 10 is great for spreading the D and making your forwards' lives easier)
13. Topou (he's a born to play 13 player and he mightn't have Stanley's subtleties but he's a better fit)
14. Cummins
15. Christie (his work at the back against the Rebels leads me to believe he could be a great 15, playing similar to how Beale or JOC (James O'Connor) would play 15, like a 2nd player marker).
 

Shiggins

Simon Poidevin (60)
Emirates Western Force squad: Chris Alcock, Richard Brown, Nathan Charles, Sam Christie, Angus Cottrell, Pek Cowan, Nick Cummins, Patrick Dellit, Sias Ebersohn, Tetera Faulkner, Kyle Godwin, Jayden Hayward, Matt Hodgson, Kieran Longbottom, Toby Lynn, Salesi Ma’afu, Alfie Mafi, Alby Mathewson, Ben McCalman, Hugh McMeniman, Junior Rasolea, Mick Snowden, Winston Stanley, Heath Tessmann, Will Tupou, Sam Wykes.
 

Woodenspoon

Herbert Moran (7)
Nah. Probably ate too many pies watching the game on Friday.
He's improved his shape by eating meat pies instead of chocolate ones.
Ok, bad joke.
Anyway, I'm rather satisfied with what I saw in the first round, considering it was the first superrugby match for the Force, with a new couple of halves, a renewed and "strange" backline, away in Melbourne against a good team and a pair of yellow cards, too.
I've been impressed by Godwin's match. I had lots of doubts he could fit well at 12 (and still have in case he'll play against more solid/defensive teams) but he did. He broke the line several times and he was a problem for Beale to deal with. Hope this guy can keep on this way all the season round. I'd give him a chance at flyhalf anyway.
Mathewson was simply the halfback the Force needed. The only flaw was the stupid yellow card he got.
Christie was so fine that I wonder if Ebersohn's purchase was worth it (anyway, the bloke from South Africa needs more chances)
Mafi proved himself a wonderful winger as usual.
And we still have to see Honey Badger back on the pitch and give chances to CTM (as I said before the beginning of the season, I hope he won't disappoint us...and now I wonder why he's not even on the plane to SA) Hayward, Rasolea and Sam Norton-Knight.
So, this season doesn't look as disappoint as the last one, the Force can play good rugby against any team now.
 

D-Box

Cyril Towers (30)
Ok True the joke may have been bad, however what little I saw of him from the videos of the trials suggests that while he may look slimmer and fitter he still doesn't have the legs to go. I mentioned this previously but the first try the Brumbies scored they ran past him - fair enough, but he didn't appear to even try to accelerate to shut down the space.
 

GaffaCHinO

Peter Sullivan (51)
Pat Delit has fractured his jaw and is on him way home. Ed stubbs on his way to SA.

You would think Cummins comes streight in on the wing.
Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2
 
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