ROO-DOGS SEEK REVENGE IN 2009 SEASON OPENER
Cook Islands Sevens star Koiatu Koiatu will headline a strong Wanneroo team as they seek revenge for their grand final loss to premiers Kalamunda in the opening game of the Rugby WA club competition at Kingsway on Saturday.
The international centre has been in sizzling form in pre-season games and coach Elwee Prinsloo expects him to spearhead an attacking back line that will start the season with a win.
Wanneroo lost lock Richie Taumoepeau to the Warringah club in Sydney and centre Feterika Sage has left for Wellington NZ but otherwise last year’s successful combination is intact, including barnstorming flanker Fa’atu Saiumu and penetrative inside centre Palei Masili.
Prinsloo is fresh from a three week stint as a guest of the New Zealand Rugby Union, undertaking an elite coaching program with All Blacks coach Graham Henry, and is bristling with ideas to go one better in 2009.
“Last year is past, you have to take each year as it comes,” Prinsloo said.
“The boys have had a year together and now it’s time to make some changes and try out some new ideas.
“Our aim is to win this game, seven games in the first round and make the semi-finals.”
Wanneroo’s 2008 grand final was a startling reversal of fortune for the former wooden spooners and continued a recent trend of outer suburbs clubs upsetting the established order of Western Australian rugby.
Kalamunda led the competition throughout the 2008 season to win their first premiership and the unfashionable Perth-Bayswater club from Morley contested the finals after winning the 2007 premiership, while Rockingham finished a close fifth.
Only the Nedlands club represented the traditional inner city powerhouses in the finals, leaving former heavyweights Wests-Subiaco, Associates and Cottesloe languishing in the lower reaches of the table.
Premiers Kalamunda have lost flanker Jamie McQueen, veteran hooker Matt Peachey and number eight Brent Walker but their classy backline will benefit from the return of attacking fullback Deon Berryman. The club is replenishing losses from within after a successful year for their reserve and colts teams, and has retained the services of wily New Zealand coach Paul King.
King was reluctant to make predictions on this season’s form in defence of the club’s first premiership.
“Last year was last year,” King said.
“The club is going really well and we’ve got some good talent coming through.
“Our backline is untouched and we’ll just be trying to perform to the best of our ability.”
Perth-Bayswater coach John “J.T.” Taylor is not suffering from similar reservations, claiming a big season lies ahead for the 2007 premiers. The club faces a testing start to the year in its opening game against preliminary finalists Nedlands at Pat O’Hara Reserve on Saturday, followed by Kalamunda and Wanneroo over the following three weeks.
The club has lost halfback Curtis Mclean, prop Max Hearn has joined the Randwick club is Sydney, wing Fabian Broughton and hooker Adam Morris have left for England, flanker Mike Murphy is playing in Scotland and lock Jock Stanley has returned to Australian Rules.
But the club has benefited from a massive influx of talent, including Wellington NZ representative lock Jarrel Te Kahu, and flanker Josh McInnes, prop Joel Laugesen and centre Israel Stone, all from the Kaikoura club in New Zealand. Joining them will be locks Mal Atken and Steven Vickers, French prop Romy Beremale, Hurricanes academy prop Zac Letufaga, flanker Jackson Achilles and Irish halfback Mark James.
Powerhouse prop Dane Taingahue and fullback PJ Pittman are returning to the club while centre Rob Harris is switching from the Nedlands club.
Taylor expects a bigger and stronger forward pack than the monster eight that dominated the 2007 competition, complemented by greater depth and more strikepower in the back line.
Perennial heavyweights Nedlands under coach Tony Ball will be aiming for another finals appearance after 20 consecutive years, following a disappointing conclusion to their 2008 season. Celebrating the club’s 75th anniversary this year, the Royal Blues will be looking to repeat their season-opening win over Perth-Bayswater from last year.
In other games this Saturday, a resurgent Rockingham team will be aiming for a flying start to their season after coming so close to the finals last year when they take on the talented young Associates team at Allen Park. Soaks finished sixth in 2008 after a patchy season but may be gelling into serious contenders this year.
At Rosalie Park, underrated Cottesloe and unlucky Wests-Subiaco continue their battle as the ‘if only’ clubs, both producing quality performances mixed with baffling losses last season, and both will be aiming for more consistency in 2009.
At Tompkins Park the contest of the cellar dwellers sees a decimated Palmyra take on an unpredictable University with everything to play for. For both these clubs the only way is up but neither club shows great promise.
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