Perth Spirit have named an extended squad for the inaugural NRC, with 40 names being listed ahead of their first match to be played on 23rd August against the Canberra Vikings in the nation’s capital.
There are 20 players from the Western Force squad named alongside 20 from premier rugby in Perth. Nathan Charles, Pek Cowan, Mat Hodgson and Ben McCalman are the allocated Wallabies for the spirit.
Western Force coach Michael Foley Spirit will function as an extension of the Western Force program and will provide playing opportunities for both his premier grade players and Super Rugby players. The Queensland-based teams will also have a similar approach.
“This time last year we undertook an intensive development period which targeted three key areas,” he said.
“Firstly, achieving elite levels of fitness and strength; secondly, strengthening our involvement with our local clubs; and finally, ensuring every player had begun planning for life after rugby. The 2014 NRC competition provides us with another forum to target further development.
“While a number of our front line Super Rugby players will target improvement in speed, power and skill, the Perth Spirit match program will present a great opportunity for a number of the Force’s younger players to experience competition at one level up from club rugby.
“To complement our younger professional players, we have identified a number of aspiring local players that will be given the chance to stake a claim for squad positions into the future.
“Our program will continue to remain focused on the development of our players on and off the field, but as part of that, the NRC competition will allow us to broaden the base of players with experience that are available to the Western Force. To that end, it’s important we’re providing those opportunities as a priority to players within the RugbyWA family.”
The Spirit will play home matches in Perth at McGillivray Oval (Sunday, 31 August), Joondalup Arena (Sunday, 28 September) and Rockingham Rugby Union Club (Saturday, 4 October).
Perth Spirit 40-man NRC squad
Name | Position | Club | |
Robbie | Abel | Hooker | Cottesloe/Western Force |
Marcel | Brache | Centre/wing | Perth Bayswater/Western Force |
Luke | Burton | Flyhalf/centre | UWA/Western Force |
Nathan | Charles | Hooker | Palmyra/Western Force |
Pek | Cowan | Prop | Wests Scarborough/Western Force |
Tetera | Faulkner | Prop | Wanneroo/Western Force |
Nili | Fielea | Wing | Cottesloe |
Kyle | Godwin | Centre | Associates/Western Force |
Richard | Hardwick | Flanker | UWA |
Dane | Haylett-Petty | Fullback/wing | Cottesloe/Western Force |
Ross | Haylett-Petty | No.8 | Cottesloe |
Chris | Heiberg | Prop | Perth Bayswater/Western Force |
Alec | Hepburn | Prop | Cottesloe |
Matt | Hodgson | Flanker | Wanneroo/Western Force |
Zack | Holmes | Flyhalf | Associates/Western Force |
Oliver | Hoskins | Prop | Cottesloe/Western Force |
Kane | Koteka | Flanker | Wests Scarborough |
Brad | Lacey | Wing | Wests Scarborough |
Dillyn | Leyds | Fullback/flyhalf | Palmyra |
Va’a | Mailei | Wing | Palmyra |
Ammon | Matuauto | Centre | Associates |
Ben | McCalman | No.8 | Kalamunda/Western Force |
Luke | Morahan | Wing/fullback | Kalamunda/Western Force |
Brent | Murphy | Lock | Perth Bayswater |
Ian | Prior | Scrumhalf | Nedlands/Western Force |
Junior | Rasolea | Centre | Cottesloe/Western Force |
Alex | Rovira | No.8 | Associates |
Michael | Ruru | Scrumhalf | Nedlands |
Joe | Savage | Prop | Palmyra |
Harry | Scoble | Hooker | UWA |
Brynard | Stander | Flanker | Nedlands/Western Force |
Scott | Stevens | Lock | Nedlands |
Kieran | Stringer | Lock | Cottesloe |
Davis | Tavita | Flyhalf | Nedlands |
Heath | Tessmann | Hooker | Nedlands/Western Force |
Corey | Thomas | Flanker | UWA |
Justin | Turner | Scrumhalf | Associates |
Rory | Walton | Lock | Wests Scarborough/Western Force |
Francois | van Wyk | Prop | UWA |
Sam | Wykes | Lock | Wests Scarborough/Western Force |