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 |
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