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So the Sevens are over for another year and the weeks pass inexorably towards the start of the local Club season. Next weekend many clubs will be having their first scratch matches. What can we expect this year?
Maybe the Sevens gave us a small window to see some of the talent available and measure the clubs against each other.
Nedlands showed they had some depth, fielding two sides of almost equal strength. The word is that they are getting very good numbers at training now. For a Sevens team they play good fifteen man rugby, and little can be taken away from their fairly ordinary results at the Sevens. It was apparent that they had little or no 7's training and the teams were just put together.
They had some solid performers, but fitness appeared a little underdone at this stage. I predict they will have an average start to the season but will pick up a lot of momentum about three weeks in.
Perth were a little disappointing. For a club that usually shows a lot of backline flair, they had little on display. However, again numbers are good at the club and they still have a few players to return to the fold. Like Nedlands, I think they will start slowly but quickly build up momentum.
Palmyra's first team looked impressive, although the second string were very pedestrian and reflected the lack of depth at the club. Their first team was bolstered by a few "guest" players including Force Academy no.8 Filipo Manu? and three Fijian Brisbane competition first graders over for a wedding. Standouts for them were Taj Mailati and Semi, a former Australian sevens player (about the time Mitch Hardy played for the Wallabies!). Palmyra should have a slight improvement this year over last, but are still lacking a few quality forwards which will prevent them jumping more than a position or two up the ladder.
Uni looked passable and their first team had the drills and the skills, but were a little on the light side to match the likes of Kalamunda (to whom they lost 12 to 42 in the final), or even Palmyra (who they didn't play) with the team Pally had on the day. I'm told Uni too have had good numbers turning up at training, and that they have picked up a top quality prop who, with their other new recruits (and occasional Academy players) will make them a lot harder up front. I'd say fifth or sixth position, up from second last last year.
Kalamunda. What can you say. Gave everyone a bath at the sevens except Palmyra with it's ring ins (who they beat 3 trys to two in the semi final anyway) and looked very solid and disciplined. I hear that numbers and quality recruits are so good this year that several of last year's premiership players are looking over their shoulders and wondering where they will fit in. 2009 Premiers.
Cottesloe looked like they were trying too hard, thinking that a Sevens tournament can be won by playing a team of forwards and relying on the steam roller effect. Doesn't work, boys. They did reveal however that they they will have an awesome forward pack and a few large, useful, if not spectacular, backs. Cott are in final four contention, for mine.
West look to have a lot of work to do, both in recruiting and retaining players. I think they have left it a bit too late, but with a top quality coach in Wayne Gibson, some money behind them, and reasonable player depth, they could still finish up mid table.
Soaks are a mystery to me. My spy has been able to come up with Jack squat intelligence, and their Sevens performance was like the curate's egg, good in parts.I'll know more when they trial against Palmyra next weekend. They have lost the services of a good assistant coach in Gary Dreyer, and I have heard rumours that young Matty Dreyer their class fullback is off to Queensland again. Don't trust the source though.They should do well enough this year, they have a good juniors base to draw on.
Wanneroo and Rockingham were no shows at the Sevens. I hear RugbyWA were mighty pissed off over this, especially with Wanneroo. I suppose they wanted to see the Cook Island Sevens team in action!Wanneroo will be finals contenders with the money they have had to throw around, and as I've said before, they have a capable and canny coach in Elwee Prinsloo.
Rockingham... I just don't know, but I wish them well. They are the only club in the competition who put principle above expediency. But principle sometimes isn't enough to win games in the cut throat competition that is rugby today.