Western Force 2022

[ForceFan]

But how many flyhalves to they need?

A team can never have enough good player options..........

Godwin hasn't played F/H for the WF for a long time. Has consolidated himself as a Centre.
McGregor does OK for Palmyra and in NRC but has yet to show that he can play at Super Rugby level.
Prior a faithful servant for the WF but probably his last season but a great mentor for the younger players/team.
McIntyre really needs to show what he can do this year.
Strachan has consolidated himself as a F/B - particularly under Kearney's mentoring.
Kuenzle has only just returned to full training after some good management of a stress fracture.
Will be interesting to see who gets time at F/H in the trials.

Parata may be a sign of the type of game Mark Ozich wants to bring/create at the WF.
I hope so, as the Magpies have been great to watch over the past two seasons.
The squad have been looking sharp/slick on the training track with a visible improvement on skills/pace.

Fan Day/squad trial game at Wanneroo this Saturday, 22 Jan.
Squad heads off East on Tues, 25 Jan for trail games against Fiji (Ballina) and the Reds (?).

PS George Poolman, (Syd Uni/Force Academy) is having a great pre-season and looking a top prospect - and has a great boot.
Ned Slack-Smith, Barker College/Force Academy has yet to make it to the West.

 

[RugbyReg]

PS George Poolman, (Syd Uni/Force Academy) is having a great pre-season and looking a top prospect - and has a great boot.
Ned Slack-Smith, Barker College/Force Academy has yet to make it to the West.

as a flyhalf???

 

[Mr Pilfer]

Squad looks good. Ollie Callan was very good when he got a chance last year and McCaulay after spending off season playing in UK should have improved as well. Very excited to see all the young players and who can step up. Fines must start and I am predicting to be in Wallabies set up by end of year

 

[Tazzmania]

as a flyhalf???

Future Flyhalf / Fullback

Chris Goodman Academy GM: "George is a quality playmaker. We are looking to build the next 10 and 15 for the senior side. By investing in a young man of his ability we will be able to see those results in the next couple of years.”

Source The West Oct 2021

 

[RugbyReg]

good...was just worried about your depth in the flyhalf/fullback type player.

 

[ForceFan]

as a flyhalf???

Of course not - he's a likely F/B.

Thought that it was a good post to give some commentary on some of the new prospects.
PS Ned Slack-Smith is not a F/H either.

 

[ForceFan]

Confirmation Just here for a year at the moment
Western Force grab former WA schoolboy star Campbell Parata from Crusaders for new Super Rugby season
Nick Taylor - The West Australian -Wed, 19 January 2022

Western Force have snared former WA schoolboy star Campbell Parata from New Zealand heavyweight Crusaders for the new Super Rugby Pacific season.
The fly-half was poached by the Crusaders four years ago for their Nelson academy, with a development deal with the Tasman Rugby Union.

The former Wanneroo Districts junior will join the Force in their Super squad as a tier one academy player before returning to Tasman for the New Zealand National Provincial Championship.
A decision will be made on his future when that competition finishes.

Parata, now 21, was four years old when he moved to Perth with his family.
He was spotted by The Southport School, the famous Queensland rugby nursery, as a 15-year-old playing in the 2018 WA side that won the national Junior Gold Cup competition.
He accepted a TSS scholarship, played 1st XV in Year 10 and was selected for the Australian Schoolboys Barbarians.

Parata was chased by Rugby Australia but wanted to play in New Zealand and was grabbed by the Crusaders.
The Force have strong connections with Tasman.

Chief executive Tony Lewis was Tasman boss before taking charge at the Force and academy general manager Chris Goodman ran the Crusaders academy under Lewis.

Parata played in the same Gold Cup side as another local product, playmaker Reesjan Pasitoa, who has already returned home this season.
Pasitoa played his early rugby with Perth-Bayswater before moving to Queensland’s Nudgee College on a scholarship.
He was in the Reds academy system but signed for the Brumbies straight from school, one of the youngest players signed by an Australian Super team, and made his Super Rugby debut last year.

Good to see another local lad return to the West.

 

[Tazzmania]

Something to whett the appetite.

Tasman v BOP 17/10/2021 Highlights

Parata starts at ten debut match and comes into his own in the second half section.

2 Penalties, a converion (his first, first class points) and two try assists.

This kid has heaps of potential

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Saw that too. Nothing confirmed and a very exciting signing. But how many flyhalves to they need?

9 Prior
10 McIntyre
11 McGregor
12 Parata
13 Godwin
14 Kuenzle
15 Pasitoa

with Strauchan as well all who have played fly half at a decent level.

Well they need a fly half who can play top quality super rugby - they are still looking for that.

McGregor and strachan both been playing fullback in recent seasons. Kuenzele can also play 10 or 12. Back him for 12 option. Which leaves pasitoa and Parata to battle McIntyre for 10. Again not sure if pasitoa or parata in line for other back line options as centre depth lacking whilst fullback not also locked down.

 

[Hogie]

Good to see another local lad return to the West.

This is a great pick up and really demonstrates how the Force are building for the future. If these young talented players can stay together over coming years the Force will surely be challenging for titles.

Hoping that another talented WA product in Tamaiti Williams at the Crusaders can also be lured back West...

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Of course not - he's a likely F/B.

Thought that it was a good post to give some commentary on some of the new prospects.
PS Ned Slack-Smith is not a F/H either.

Well if you have 10 players who can play fly half you might yet unearth a top shelf super rugby quality fly half.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

This is a great pick up and really demonstrates how the Force are building for the future. If these young talented players can stay together over coming years the Force will surely be challenging for titles.

Hoping that another talented WA product in Tamaiti Williams at the Crusaders can also be lured back West...

Given how well force are backed I think this would be added attraction to lure back oz players. Particularly given knowing the force with their backing will continue to invest in quality players.

 

[ForceFan]

Given how well force are backed I think this would be added attraction to lure back oz players. Particularly given knowing the force with their backing will continue to invest in quality players.

Forrest's backing has certainly helped us to build a good coaching and support group.
The recruitment is ongoing - and seems like it will be continuous.
The WF Academy now contains the best of local talent plus some of the better U20 players with potential.
However, what's getting lots of the feedback from the experienced and developing players from elsewhere is the quality of the programme and the cohesion of the player group.
The benefits of being in Perth to live and play professional rugby are being spread far and wide.
It's an exciting feeling after the pain of 2017.
Plenty of excitement in town about the Fan Day and in-club trial on Saturday.

 

[RugbyReg]

Can you explain why they are talking up the cohesion of the team ? Or I guess what they are saying because surely that’s the one thing they don’t have given the turnover over recent years?

The Academy recruitment has been excellent. Some very talented players there. I’m particularly keen to see Masibaka’s development.

 

[Wilson]

Force have locked in their trial games:

Queensland Reds, Western Force lock in Super Rugby Pacific trial games

The Queensland Reds and Western Force have confirmed their 2022 trial schedules, headlined by a match between the two sides on February 5.

www.rugby.com.au

January 30 trial against the Drua at Ballina and the game against the Reds is now being played at Ballymore on the 5th of February. The Reds game is being streamed with the link going to all Reds email subscribers, so jump on that list if you're keen to see it. No word on a stream for the Drua game yet.

 

[ForceFan]

Can you explain why they are talking up the cohesion of the team ? Or I guess what they are saying because surely that’s the one thing they don’t have given the turnover over recent years?

The turnover has really mean no different from other franchises as most change about 30% each year.

The "cohesion" relates to what I see on the training track.
+ I see one team - despite the changes
+ The pre-season has focused on the input of two new coaches (Tito & Ozich) so it's all new - for everyone
+ I see academy players running the Test players through the new drills that they've missed out on
+ There are no set groups or cliques - that I witness when seeing other Aussie teams work out/train/play.
+ There is great input and willingness to listen during feedback sessions - whether the feedback is from the most or least experienced in the player group (and there's been a lot of mixing of longer-term players, new players, academy and club players.
+ Any casual observer would not be able to differentiate between the attitude, treatment, involvement, commitment etc etc
+ And it's not just BS - the benefits of the "no d/head policy" is clearly evident
+Fantastic seeing the co-ordinated input from the Head Coach (Sampson), 3 x Assistant Coaches (Tito, Ozich & Hensley), the skills coach (Parsons), the Academy GM (Goodman) and the Athletic Performance people (ex Tah's Cutrupi and recently recruited ax Melb Storm Hal Marsden) and other Support Staff. How many Super Rugby franchises have the Head of Rugby starting every day at 0630 hrs, always in training kit, attending every field session and providing regular input into breakdown sessions?)
+ The feedback from the new players and IS academy players is enthisiastic and genuine - it's a programme worth belonging to.

I generally watch a couple of field sessions each week during the pre-season and beyond.
So my comments above are based upon watching the preparation for many new seasons at the WF.

It's certainly good to see the benefits of the financial surety offered by Forrest's involvement.
I could go on - but that's probably enough.
I hope I've answered your question.

 

[ForceFan]

The Western Force will go head-to-head with Fijian Drua and the Queensland Reds in pre-season clashes ahead of the upcoming 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.

This will be the first time the Force and the Fijian Drua meet since our successful 2019 National Rugby Championship campaign. The match-up will be played at Ballina Rugby Union Club in New South Wales on Sunday, January 30.

The squad then travel to take on the Queensland Reds at Ballymore on Saturday, February 5 after WA border restrictions prevented the fixture taking place in Geraldton.

Read more......

 

[RugbyReg]

The turnover has really mean no different from other franchises as most change about 30% each year.

The "cohesion" relates to what I see on the training track.
+ I see one team - despite the changes
+ The pre-season has focused on the input of two new coaches (Tito & Ozich) so it's all new - for everyone
+ I see academy players running the Test players through the new drills that they've missed out on
+ There are no set groups or cliques - that I witness when seeing other Aussie teams work out/train/play.
+ There is great input and willingness to listen during feedback sessions - whether the feedback is from the most or least experienced in the player group (and there's been a lot of mixing of longer-term players, new players, academy and club players.
+ Any casual observer would not be able to differentiate between the attitude, treatment, involvement, commitment etc etc
+ And it's not just BS - the benefits of the "no d/head policy" is clearly evident
+Fantastic seeing the co-ordinated input from the Head Coach (Sampson), 3 x Assistant Coaches (Tito, Ozich & Hensley), the skills coach (Parsons), the Academy GM (Goodman) and the Athletic Performance people (ex Tah's Cutrupi and recently recruited ax Melb Storm Hal Marsden) and other Support Staff. How many Super Rugby franchises have the Head of Rugby starting every day at 0630 hrs, always in training kit, attending every field session and providing regular input into breakdown sessions?)
+ The feedback from the new players and IS academy players is enthisiastic and genuine - it's a programme worth belonging to.

I generally watch a couple of field sessions each week during the pre-season and beyond.
So my comments above are based upon watching the preparation for many new seasons at the WF.

It's certainly good to see the benefits of the financial surety offered by Forrest's involvement.
I could go on - but that's probably enough.
I hope I've answered your question.

I think the turnover factor is way bigger than what you suggest. I don't think there will be a single new player in the Reds 23 to start the season, perhaps a couple on the bench for the Brumbies and the same for the Rebels (plus Matt Philip back in the pack). The Force and the Tahs will have the most new players in their match day 23 I reckon. Hooper and Hanigan will be amongst those so don't really count, and you could make a similar case for Fines for the Force.

And they are awesome observations of yours on the training. Fantastic stuff. I think your "no cliques like other teams too" is one of the finer examples of Kool-Aid drinking we've come to expect from the west. But whatever.

I was more interested in your statement that you said the players were giving you feedback as to how good the cohesion is, rather than you just watching training?

 

[ForceFan]

I think the turnover factor is way bigger than what you suggest. I don't think there will be a single new player in the Reds 23 to start the season, perhaps a couple on the bench for the Brumbies and the same for the Rebels (plus Matt Philip back in the pack). The Force and the Tahs will have the most new players in their match day 23 I reckon. Hooper and Hanigan will be amongst those so don't really count, and you could make a similar case for Fines for the Force.

And they are awesome observations of yours on the training. Fantastic stuff. I think your "no cliques like other teams too" is one of the finer examples of Kool-Aid drinking we've come to expect from the west. But whatever.

I was more interested in your statement that you said the players were giving you feedback as to how good the cohesion is, rather than you just watching training?

You seem to be an expert on all things in the West RR

Out of curiosity how often have you visited Perth to watch the WF play/train, touch base with club rugby etc.?

Have you been since the Force were axed in 2017?

 

[RugbyReg]

You seem to be an expert on all things in the West RR

Out of curiosity how often have you visited Perth to watch the WF play/train, touch base with club rugby etc.?

Have you been since the Force were axed in 2017?

I have been to WA twice. Never related to the Force. What is the point? Is it that I don't know the players? Because a fair chunk of those players have played elsewhere and I've seen the majority play. Still, that's not relevant to what I asked.