Force brings Haylett-Petty back to Perth

[GAFFA]

The Emirates Western Force has brought home another Perth local, with Dane Haylett-Petty signing with the club for the 2014 Super Rugby season.

The Durban-born, WA-raised outside back’s signature follows the return of Perth-born flyhalf/fullback Zack Holmes for next season.

Head Coach Michael Foley says bringing local talent like Holmes and Haylett-Petty back to Perth had been a focus for the organisation.

“We are determined to bring home quality Western Australian talent to represent the Force and we’re very pleased to have secured both Zack and Dane,” he said.

“Dane’s had a number of good seasons with Biarritz and demonstrated last night against the British & Irish Lions, he has a desire to work off his wing and will have a lot to offer us next season.”

The 23-year-old played three seasons for the Emirates Western Force between 2008 and 2010, making his Super Rugby debut against the Chiefs five seasons ago.

Haylett-Petty was a member of the Australian Sevens side during the 2008/2009 IRB Sevens World Series and featured prominently for the Australian Under 20 side in their IRB Junior World Championship in 2008 and 2009, including starting at fullback in their 2009 semi-final loss to South Africa.

The Hale School graduate returned to Force colours last night, when he started on the right wing in the Western Australian’s clash against the British & Irish Lions at Patersons Stadium.

Haylett-Petty says he’s keen about returning to the Emirates Western Force on a more permanent basis.

“I’m really excited to be coming back to the Force,” he said. “It was always the plan to come back to Australia and play Super Rugby, and my preference was to come back to the Force because it’s home to me.

“Having been a part of the squad for the last week in the lead into the Lions match, you can see there’s a great feeling there. The whole feel and atmosphere of the team has changed a great deal and I’m really excited about coming back.

“It was a great experience going overseas and I feel like I learnt a lot. You play 36 games a season against some of the best players and teams in Europe week in, week out which gave me some valuable experience, but I’m ready to come back and give Super Rugby a crack.”

Haylett-Petty will join the Emirates Western Force squad on a full-time basis for the start of the 2014 Super Rugby pre-season.

Profile
Name: Dane Haylett-Petty
Born: 18/06/1989
Position: Fullback/wing
Height: 1.89m
Weight: 95kg
Representative Rugby: 2008-2009 Australian Under 20, 2008-2009 Australian Sevens, 2006-2007 WA .

http://www.westernforce.com.au/NewsE...0/Default.aspx

[PeterM]

Because he played for the force last night does that mean he can our could play on Sunday or against the Brumbies?

[GAFFA]

with Mafi gone i would say he could play for us on a short term contract if they wanted him to.

[The InnFORCEr]

Either way it is a good signing IMHO

[shasta]

It's fantastic news. He's still pretty young really, so let's hope he can cement a starting spot and make it his own. I'ts beginning to look pretty promising for home grown talent at the Force and that's the recipe for a sustainable future

[MI5_Dog]

Head Coach Michael Foley says bringing local talent like Holmes and Haylett-Petty back to Perth had been a focus for the organisation.

“We are determined to bring home quality Western Australian talent to represent the Force and we’re very pleased to have secured both Zack and Dane,” he said.

This is a great thing to hear from the organisation.
That's what the Force should be all about. Developing local talent to add to the pool of potential Wallabies!

[The InnFORCEr]

This is a great thing to hear from the organisation.
That's what the Force should be all about. Developing local talent to add to the pool of potential Wallabies!

It was part of the original "Mission Statement" of the franchise

[Hansie]

An absolute gentleman.

[sandgroperrugby]

Zac, Kyle, Dane and Kieran will be a good start now when can Cruze Ah-Nau come back and how is Justin going?

And is the next crop ready to come into the squad. I haven't heard much comment about decentralising the development program's out of the ARU for a while.

[GIGS20]

I really like this focus of bringing Perth kids into the team. It might take a while to pay dividends over buying some big money superstar, but building a team of locals into the real deal will have lasting effects. WA kids will want to stay in Perth and play for their team, the bigger names will take less money to stay 'because it's home'

[AndyS]

Personally I think they should go further and go for accelerated development instead of bringing in names. We've been down that road and we know it doesn't work. If players from the eastern states want to play here, have them move over and show some commitment. But enough playing the ARU game - the rules are crooked and there is no winning that way.

[The InnFORCEr]

Nick Taylor,
The West Australian
June 7, 2013,
7:12 am


Dane Haylett-Petty had double reason to celebrate on Wednesday.

Just hours before lining up against the British and Irish Lions, he re-signed with the club he made his Super Rugby debut for five years previously.

Haylett-Petty, a former Hale School student who played nine games for the Force, has returned from a three-year spell with French club Biarritz, agreeing to a one-season contract with the WA club.

Coach Michael Foley has about 10 players coming off contract.

Haylett-Petty, 23, who played for the Australian under-20 side in the 2009 world junior championships, had one year left on his French contract but had been talking with the Force for some months.

"I just thought it was the right time to come home," he said.

"We've been talking for quite a while about the opportunity to have another crack at Super Rugby.

"They only asked me about the Lions game a week ago and obviously I jumped at the opportunity."

While his preferred position is full-back, Haylett-Petty has played in most back-line spots.

"The good thing about Europe is I moved around a lot. I played a bit of 12, a bit of 13, full-back a lot and on the wing," he said.

"The three years I was away I played about 60 games and I think I can bring a little bit of experience.

"The good think about Europe is you get a lot different styles."

He will spend a season playing for the Toyota club in Japan coached by former Force hooker Tai McIsaac before returning to Perth.

He is the second local product to be signed by Foley.

Former Force academy member, utility back Zack Holmes is returning from the ACT Brumbies.

"We are determined to bring home quality Western Australian talent to represent the Force and we're very pleased to have secured both Zack and Dane," Foley said.

"Dane's had a number of good seasons with Biarritz and demonstrated against the British and Irish Lions a desire to work off his wing and will have a lot to offer us next season."

Pat McCutcheon will lead a new-look Waratahs for the first time when they take on the Force at nib Stadium on Sunday.

Second-rower Ollie Atkins will make his debut and three other forwards, Will Skelton, Lopeti Timani and Jed Holloway, are poised for their first start of the season.

Foley names his side tomorrow.

Waratahs *: Jeremy Tilse, John Ulugia, Paddy Ryan, Will Skelton, Ollie Atkins, Lopeti Timani, Pat McCutcheon (capt), Jed Holloway, Brendan McKibbin, Bernard Foley, Cam Crawford, Tom Carter, Tom Kingston, Peter Betham, Drew Mitchell. * Reserves from *: Richard Aho, Luke Holmes, Adam Coleman, Liam Winton, AJ Gilbert, Matt Lucas, Ben Volavola, Terrence Hepetema.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...old-for-force/

[goony]

He will spend a season playing for the Toyota club in Japan coached by former Force hooker Tai McIsaac before returning to Perth.

So he is playing in Japan before the force? He will be pretty burnt out by the time he arrives back in Perth if that's the case

[GAFFA]

same deal as SNK i guess.

[GAFFA]

The coach of the team he is heading to is Tai McIsaac his name was mentions as a possiable Forwards coach next year i guess thats not the case as he would have to be here for the preseason.