NESTOR NAMES 35-MAN PERTH SPIRIT SQUAD

Aug 11 • General News, International • 1263 Views • Comments Off on NESTOR NAMES 35-MAN PERTH SPIRIT SQUAD

Perth Spirit Head Coach Dwayne Nestor has named a 35-man squad ahead of the upcoming 2016 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).

The squad is made up of a strong mix of Western Force contracted players and standouts from the Pindan Premier Grade with 12 players from the local competition called up following strong seasons for their respective clubs

Nestor has bolstered the squad with a host of Western Force stars including Luke Morahan, Ben Tapuai, Adam Coleman, Pek Cowan, Ryan Louwrens and last year’s Buildcorp NRC player of the year, Jono Lance.

Among the local payers called up are Nedlands scrumhalf Michael Ruru, Wests Scarborough play maker AJ Alatimu and Kalamunda flanker Auega Seumanutafa all of whom have been instrumental in guiding their clubs to strong Premier Grade seasons.

Rounding out the 35-man roster are five Future Force Foundation players, Angus Taylor, Mees Erasmus, Sham Vui, James Verity-Amm and Riley Winter.

Nestor says he believes the squad is well balanced and primed to attack the 2016 Buildcorp NRC season.

“I think it is a really good mix,” he said. “The contracted guys will be motivated just to play footy, the Future Force Foundation players are obviously looking to prove themselves and trying to take a step up to the next level and the club guys are presented with a fantastic opportunity.”

“I think the quality of the club players we have selected this season is really high and they have all been in fantastic form. As we’ve seen there is a proven pathway from club rugby to Super Rugby thanks to the NRC.

“For the contracted guys like Kane Koteka who didn’t play a lot of Super Rugby this year I think they will be really excited to rip in and play some really high level rugby.”

With less than three weeks until the opening match of the competition Nestor says the squad will look to get straight into their work.

“We have had the club guys in training for a couple weeks and starting next week we will have the Force players in as well and get into our preparation. We don’t have a huge amount of time so we have to get a lot of work done on the training track to get ready for game one against the Melbourne Rising.”

After the Spirit missed the finals last season the team is determined to redeem themselves with sights set on going all the way.

“We’re looking to win the thing. I think in the last two years there has been a bit of different set up in terms of rosters and rotation of players. This year there will still be a bit of that in terms of making sure the Force players are doing the best preparation for Super Rugby but there is more of an emphasis on winning.”

“We want to win this competition, no doubt about it.”

The Perth Spirit will kick-off their 2016 Buildcorp NRC campaign against the Melbourne Rising on Saturday, 27 August at McGillivray Oval.

NAME SURNAME PROGRAM CLUB
Jermaine Ainsley Force Nedlands
AJ Alatimu Premier Grade Wests Scarborough
Marcel Brache Force Perth Bayswater
Brad Campbell Premier Grade Wanneroo
Adam Coleman Force Cottesloe
Pek Cowan Force Wests Scarborough
Louie David Premier Grade Wests Scarborough
Manihera Eden Premier Grade Palmyra
Mees Erasmus Future Force Palmyra
Richard Hardwick Force UWA
Onehunga Havilli Future Force Palmyra
Ross Haylett-Petty Force Cottesloe
Beau King Premier Grade Kalamunda
Grayson Knapp Premier Grade Nedlands
Kane Koteka Force Wests Scarborough
Jono Lance Force Associates
Ryan Louwrens Force Cottesloe
Semisi Masirewa Force Wests Scarborough
Ammon Matuauto Force Nedlands
Hadleigh May Premier Grade Cottesloe
Luke Morahan Force Kalamunda
Liaone Mulikihaamea Premier Grade Joondalup
Ian Prior Force Nedlands
Anaru Rangi Force Nedlands
Michael Ruru Premier Grade Nedlands
Harry Scoble Force UWA
Auega Seumanutafa Premier Grade Kalamunda
Brynard Stander Force Nedlands
Ben Tapuai Force Wanneroo
Heath Tessmann Force Nedlands
Eric Vasukicakau Premier Grade Cottesloe
James Verity-Amm Future Force Nedlands
Shambeckler Vui Future Force UWA
James Wepener Premier Grade Joondalup
Riley Winter Future Force Wests Scarborough

Related Posts

« »