Blue Collar Bunch Take Over

This Saturday, Doug Tate brings a solid group of Vikes to Windsor Park.  The Vikes appear to be a stronger combination on paper than that XV that took JBA apart last week.  It is a group that could include as many five or six "grads" from CW's Junior and Mini ranks however, it is just a duet, led by Beau Parker and includes Mac Bos.  Joey Erlic gets the start with Norsemen.  It seems many moons since Beau wooed local fans with his blistering speed as a U17 and U19 player.  He has been somewhat injury prone however in the recent International Sevens, showed that he has both bulked up and seems just as quick as he ever was.  The Vikes have other players who will surely come into consideration for ARC selection - Jamie MacKenzie, Nathan Yanigiya and Dustin Dobravsky.  Others such as Chase Kelliher and Liam Murray we have seen and they are good.  It will be the fan's first look at pivot, Guiseppe du Toit, an outstanding High School player.

For the faithful, there will be new names.  These will become "household" as the season progresses for very few of those players that CW has worked hard to provide a club playing experience for on the west coast, will be available during the season.  In fact, if they can manage the compulsory three games to be elligible for Playoffs, it will be miraculous!  So, the Blue Collar Bunch.....what to look for.  Braddock and Sears-Duru will be the FRF bookends and should more than hold their own, Kehoe (the consumate club guy who seems to be overlooked for whatever reasons) is joined by Horan, a journeyman Kiwi who always gives his best.  We like the look of loosie, van Buren (has played at the U20 Rep level) and Diesel Jones fills the #8 slot.  The backs will rely heavily on Armstrong, a player who, this time last year, performed admirably in his sole ARC opportunity, only to mysteriously disappear off the radar.  Returnee, Jordan Henderson sparked last week and for the rest it will be another opportunity to show they belong.  UVic are blessed with depth that is simply not possible at the club level, so just how level Saturday's playing field will be, remains to be seen.  First Home game - beer on the balcony, sunny day.....what more?  Go, Ceedub.  Ruggernut.