Force

Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Misinale Epenisa, Jeremy Williams (c), Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Carlo Tizzano, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Bayley Kuenzle, George Bridge, Zac Lomax, Mac Grealy

Replacements: Nic Dolly, Sef Fa’agase, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Franco Molina, Will Harris, Nathan Hastie, Hamish Stewart, Kurtley Beale

Crusaders

Finlay Brewis, George Bell, Seb Calder, Tahlor Cahill, Jamie Hannah, Dom Gardiner, Johnny Lee, Christian Lio-Willie (c), Louis Chapman, Taha Kemara, Macca Springer, Dallas McLeod, Leciester Fainga'anuku, Chay Fihaki, Johnny McNicholl

Replacements: Manumaua Leitu, George Bower, Kershawl Sykes-Martin, Will Tucker, Corey Kellow, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Sevu Reece

I started reading the Saders team listed above and thought, fuck me they are going deep into their squad. Then I scrolled a bit more

@Crazy-Horse Oops, fixed the title now

Crusaders just lost at Suncorp to the Reds. The week before the Force won comfortably against the Reds

Unlikely but maybe the Force can put up a decent fight?

@Duluth not exactly a crusaders side that screams "champions". On paper I favour the force, especially looking at the forward pack. If I was a betting man I'd put money on them.

So that probably means saders by 30.

@Duluth said in Force v Crusaders:

Crusaders just lost at Suncorp to the Reds. The week before the Force won comfortably against the Reds

Unlikely but maybe the Force can put up a decent fight?

The Force have been very competitive despite their record, only getting hammered once this year against the Brumbies in round 1, but have lost by no more than 10 points since, and welcome back a few this week. A shame they went down last week, as they might have been an outside chance of a playoff spot with plenty of home games left.

Could be a bit of rain on Saturday and not overly warm by Perth standards, so that might suit the Crusaders a bit more.

Is Kemara now cemented as the first-choice 10?

@African-Monkey said in Force v Crusaders:

only getting hammered once this year against the Brumbies

And that was only in the second half, when I think they started playing the scoreboard and lost all shape.
They dominated the early part of the game.
Wouldn't be surprised in the least if they get up for this.
But they are working a very bad loser habit.

That's a very NPC looking Crusaders team. Arguably, only Lio-Willie and Faingaánuku in the starting XV would have a place in our best XV.

Looks a bit like Penney might be surrendering the points in this one.

@Chris-B. said in Force v Crusaders:

That's a very NPC looking Crusaders team. Arguably, only Lio-Willie and Faingaánuku in the starting XV would have a place in our best XV.

Looks a bit like Penney might be surrendering the points in this one.

With the run home Penny cannot afford to surrendering the points in this one.

@Chris Risky strategy - but, it looks - additional to all the injuries - he's completely resting Newell and Shalfoon, and he's switching Bower, Hotham, Reece to the bench.

I think the plan from here is just to hopefully make the top 6 and try to have our best team fit and ready to win play-off games away from home.

We're not going to be topping the table.

The Force are very good at bringing teams down to their own level. Crusaders are under a bit of pressure here, should win comfortably, but if it gets tight does the last few results start creeping into the back of the mind?

Looking at those teams, I can easily see the Crusaders dropping this game after a lackluster performance against the Reds.

The Force have been highly competitive this year and that looks to be their strongest team of the season. At home, they won't be easy beats. A must win for the Cantabs, that's for sure.

@Chris-B. said in Force v Crusaders:

Looks a bit like Penney might be surrendering the points in this one.

Coaches might do that when playing a top team away. The Force should be considered a winnable game

Depending on your feelings about the Crusaders its either confidence or arrogance. Lets go with sickening arrogance

@Duluth said in Force v Crusaders:

@Chris-B. said in Force v Crusaders:

Looks a bit like Penney might be surrendering the points in this one.

Coaches might do that when playing a top team away. The Force should be considered a winnable game

Depending on your feelings about the Crusaders its either confidence or arrogance. Lets go with sickening arrogance

I would go with stupidity.

Why not both?

Interested in how Lee goes vs Tizzano

I reckon they're prioritizing the first game in the new stadium as a must win and treating this one as expendable.

Of course, if we don't get a few of our walking wounded back next week, we could easily lose that game.

I would argue that the Crusaders might actually do better playing away from home in the finals. They benefit from stodgy winter weather, which will be mitigated somewhat by playing under the roof.

My mate up in Northland reckons Toby Bell is set for a debut from the bench as Reece is apparently now starting

@Mr-Fish looks like it, I thought him and Reihana have been very equal out there

Fihaki out.

@george33 Thanks George - Just amended my Fantasy team. No doubt he'll play and have an absolute blinder!

@antipodean good luck

@Mr-Fish said in Force v Crusaders:

I would argue that the Crusaders might actually do better playing away from home in the finals. They benefit from stodgy winter weather, which will be mitigated somewhat by playing under the roof.

I don't have much fear of playing away at NZ venues. I don't want to go to Brumbieland.

Aside from Big Tamaiti, who we definitely won't have (and is a major loss), we could go:

Bower, Taylor, Newell, SBarrett, Shalfoon, Grace, Blackadder, Lio-Willie, Hotham, Faingaánuku, Reihana, Havili, Ennor, Reece, Jordan.

Which is, to my mind, our best XV - and almost totally different from this week.

We're better off playing at home, though. But, we won't have much of that this year.

Oli Mathis also in for a debut off the bench (along with Bell)

Good to see Springer back eh @canes4life

@bellsgeorg what a run.

Kemara is really coming into some form

@Bones said in Force v Crusaders:

Good to see Springer back eh @canes4life

Another 5 tries incoming

Force aren't very smart, guys lying all over the show trying to play the ball

Hannah held up by a halfback

Fire-anger-are-nookoo

Have the Force had the ball on attack yet in the Saders half?

I can't decide if Bell has had a haircut or is growing his hair

Man McNicholl is great value for an old bastard.

Unreal finish

@Bones said in Force v Crusaders:

Unreal finish

Fair play Johnny, bravo!

Deft kick by Macca. More often than not those kicks bounce out of bounds.

Old man thumb is a bitch

I do like how both Peach and Tizzano always attack the ball hard when it hits the deck.