Irish star to skipper WA Reds

Xavi6

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=147&ContentID=57203

Irishman Shayne McMenemy will be the inaugural captain of WA Reds when they contest the secondtier Jim Beam Cup before bidding to join the National Rugby League after 2011.

Second-rower McMenemy has moved to Perth after five years with English Super League club Hull.

Local stalwarts and likely first teamers Isaac Thomas and Jon Phipps will assist him with leadership duties.

Perth has been a rugby league outpost since the demise of the Perth Reds after the 1997 season but WA returns to the national fold, albeit not the premier level, on March 29 when the Reds play Chester Hill in Sydney.

The new team will remain in Sydney to play Erina and Campbelltown the following two weeks before playing their first home game, against Cronulla at Members Equity Stadium on April 19.

The Jim Beam Cup is a 13-team competition played over 22 rounds. The Reds will finish the regular season with a home game against Chester Hill on September 6.

Coach Chris Dever, who played for the original Reds, said the new team would play two pre-season games at North Beach, against the Sydney Bulls on March 1 and South Logan on March 8.

The Reds have concluded sponsorship deals totalling $400,000 and will soon announce a naming rights agreement.

Despite the encouraging balance sheet, Dever said the emphasis of the competition was on developing, rather than buying, success because a points system restricted the number of big-name players teams could recruit.

He said McMenemy was an excellent choice as the club’s hallmark player because vast experience complemented his ability.

“He’s been at the top level in England for the past eight years,” he said. “He’s a big, strong, ballplaying forward with a decent kick.

“He’s the kind of player who can break the line and create opportunities for others.”

Joel Rawlins and Mick Small have been recruited from the Newcastle district and Perth products Phipps and Tyrone Coppedge have been lured back from Queensland club South Logan.

Dever said the Reds would not be the biggest team but would try to make up for a lack of brute force with mobility.

Players had been preparing since October for WA’s return to mainstream rugby league.

“A change in the interchange rule will also help,” he said.

“The number of substitutions per game is down to 10 from 12 so clubs can’t go with too many big players anymore because they need an early rest.”

The Reds’ training squad of 36 will be cut to 25 in three weeks.

Rugby League is making a comeback here in WA and it would be great if an Irishman was to lead the new team back to the big league. Best of luck to him.

scaramanga

what level is this jim beam cup?
i see they're playing cronulla:eek:;)
best off luck to em but will be hard with the eagles,bulldogs and freo out that way and with the majority of league teams in sydney area.
is there a union team in WA?

toomevara

Don't know anything about the guy, but maybe the wolfhounds will come knocking for the world cup?


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/7224864.stm

Xavi6

scaramanga wrote: »

what level is this jim beam cup?
i see they're playing cronulla:eek:;)
best off luck to em but will be hard with the eagles,bulldogs and freo out that way and with the majority of league teams in sydney area.
is there a union team in WA?

AFAIK the Jim Beam Cup is the level below the NRL.

Yeah the Western Force are the Union team here. Finished mid table in the Super 14 last year. A few wallabies play for them including Matt Giteau. Drew Mitchell, Nathan Sharpe and Cameron Shepherd. They have done ok considering they are only two years old but membership is apparently down for the 2008 season which starts this month.

I feel it could be a struggle for a WA team to get into the NRL but this Irish lad must see something he fancies if he joined (probably the beaches and fine women!).

scaramanga

Xavi6 wrote: »

I feel it could be a struggle for a WA team to get into the NRL but this Irish lad must see something he fancies if he joined (probably the beaches and fine women!).

was thinking that:D
jesus id give my right arm to be on cottesloe beach next sunday:(

Xavi6

scaramanga wrote: »

was thinking that:D
jesus id give my right arm to be on cottesloe beach next sunday:(

I tell you waht, I'll go down there and have a nice cold one for ya yeah?!

mountain

there was a perth team about 10 years or so ago,
if memory serves me right the expense of travelling both for them and visiting was a factor in them folding.

I see that rugby union player Henjack may be dumped by the perth union team,
any talk of him going to league?