Western Force 2010 - Strengths & Weaknesess

[Lee Grant]

Sorry about that headmaster.

Often one asks these kinds of questions because you want to nail a fact down and people come up with vague thoughts and you realise that you have wasted their time by not requesting exactly.

Thanks for those links, but I had already seen them.

My real question is: who have the rookie contracts this year?

Jones, Swanepoel and Hunt are listed as having rookie contracts.

Inman and McCalman are rookies in the sense that they haven't played S14 before but it's possible that one or both have full contracts, though that would be unusual. Part of the conditions of a rookie contract is that such players have to do more technical work for their position.

Assuming that all 5 have rookie contracts for 2010 - that is the limit for the amount of rookie contracts a S14 franchise can have (IIRR).

So: Tyrrell's contract position is anomalous, because he would make 6.

It is trainspotting in its highest form but is significant in some situations. Sometimes a player is listed as having a contract but it's a professional Academy contract, which means his franchise, or another franchise, could pick him in a subsequent year as one of their rookie quota - and every franchise has to have at least 3 rookie contracts each year.

Thus the query about Tyrrell.

[Burgs]

Possibly more expedient to ask your "real question" first up then...
Fact remains he is on a full contract.

[Lee Grant]

Do you have a link to that Burgs?

PS - Apologies if you are involved somehow with the Force and can't give out too many details.

[Bruiser]

LG, thanks for clarifying a couple of points which I queried.

It looks like I was off target in suggesting you had not seen enough of these players. You certainly qualify as a rugby tragic.

I would not be surprised to see Mitch Inman mature as a "hard bastard" on the field although like Luke he is a real gentleman off it.

[AndyS]

The 2010 academy is HERE and Tyrell's name is no longer there. Either they've forgotten about him, he's been cut or he's been upped to a full contract. My money is on the third option.

[Timbo]

Well he is listed on Western Force Player Profiles:
http://www.westernforce.com.au/playe.../section/54680
so I am guessing that says he has full contract.

[Lee Grant]

Yeah I saw those things before I made my first post here.

I couldn't work out why the Force apparently had 6 rookie contracts. Burgs said above "Fact remains he [Tyrrell] is on a full contract." though I haven't seen a fact that could remain, just assumed that it must be so.

I like the looks of Whittaker as a young hooker - but is Tyrrell any good?

[bunter]

Ryan Tyrrell has performed consistently in the local comp here in Perth for a number of years now.
He has played his rugby at 6, 8 and 2 for his Club, with more time spent at 2 this season as the Force see this as his best position.
He is a hard charger with the ball and devastating tackler, as many in the local comp will confirm.
He also has that bit of mongrel in him which I think will benefit the Force.
I am aware that he has been giving Force training everything in pre-season, and he is enjoying the coaching, and demanding schedules that come with the higher level of the game.
Reports are that he is progressing very well with the squad and it has been said he is very likely to get a number of run on selections this season. ( sorry Lee, not at liberty to divulge informants)
Ryan's club, Rockingham, have a history of producing many tight forwards for the Academy and Perth Gold over the years, and of course Kieran Longbottom in the Force.
I hope Ryan is able to step up, and by his progress so far, he is looking to be a pretty good option.
Time will tell.
Must say, I am enjoying the opinions and writings of the new posters. Welcome to the site.

[Lee Grant]

Thanks for that, I look forward to seeing him play.

---------- Post added at 22:16 ---------- Previous post was at 21:57 ----------

PS A teaser: both Longbottom and Dunning have played hooker for Eastwood in 1st Grade this year.

But they didn't throw the ball into the lineout. Oz U/20 captain and Tah 3rd string hooker, Damien Fitzpatrick used to be a backrower in Yr 11 at Joeys. He played 6 and threw the ball in.

Thought - train one of the Force backrowers to chuck the ball in - just in case Whittaker, Tyrrell or even Cowan goes down.

[Darren]

I wondered if an alernative thrower may be on the cards ...

[Burgs]

I don't know why no Coach has had the brass to try it in a match, especially on Forward moves from a lineout.
We have evolved to a Forward standing at Halfback but can't seem to get past the Hooker having to through it in.

[James]

But they didn't throw the ball into the lineout. Oz U/20 captain and Tah 3rd string hooker, Damien Fitzpatrick used to be a backrower in Yr 11 at Joeys. He played 6 and threw the ball in.

Thought - train one of the Force backrowers to chuck the ball in - just in case Whittaker, Tyrrell or even Cowan goes down.

Fitzpatrick slotted in at 7.

Cowan practised a bit of throwing as an option a few years back and probably got a bit more practice on the recent tour. Definitely an option (probably not one we'll need) as a throwing prop if Dunning played at 2. Be silly to train a backrower to chuck the ball in because both Brown and Hodgson can jump and you want Pocock at the back and close to the action.

Ryan Tyrell and Ben Whittaker will be ready and will be good enough. Since the first year when we just had to get our hands on anyone we could, the Force haven't made one bad call when its come to untried players. Another player will be signed- whether they are any good or not remains to be seen but I have the feeling someone will come along in the same way Ben Castle did last season.

[GIGS20]

I have the feeling someone will come along in the same way Ben Castle did last season.

Well.....not EXACTLY the same way, we've used our marquee

[Cookie]

I think the strength of this team will depend on how quickly the new combinations can develop and how much depth we can develop.Last year I think our scrum improved with each game,this year our backs will need to do the same.Hopefully the new asst coach graham can take control of that off the feild,with one of the senior backs taking control on the field.

We will miss the leadership of Tai and Ben castle in the front row,hopefully their replacements will step up.Dunnings experience will be helpful here.

I will expect our defence to be strong,but you need a strong attack to score points and Im not too sure if we have enough line breakers in our backline.
Thats what I like about gits,he manage to do it when it counted.

Also Brownie needs to improve his dicipline,we cant afford yellow cards from him this season,but Im sure he will work on that for the sake of his international career as well.

I really hope Cam sheperd has a good season,and that rabbit can pull something special out of the hat this year and develop some consistency.

cant wait for the season to start....

[travelling_gerry]

The were the only teams in 2009 S14 that didnt recieve a Red/Yellow card.