Force Face Waratahs’ Young Guns in the Perth Decider
Venue: Scotch College Playing Fields, Perth | Date/Time: 3 October, 4:30 PM AEST | Referee: TBC
The Lowdown
Déjà vu, with the roles swapped. Last year the Waratahs rocked up to Perth on a 2-1 regular-season record and left with the trophy after a 33-26 win. This year they are back on the same flight with the same 2-1 record, but the Force have the home ground, a grudge and a 17-12 Round 3 win in their back pocket.
The Force look like the juggernaut here. They made one change to the side that beat NSW. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips takes the 10 jersey fresh from Wallabies camp. He is the bloke who scored a try and slotted the match-winning conversion after the siren on his Force debut against the Reds. Kurtley Beale, a 95-Test Wallaby, slides back to inside centre alongside Boston Fakafanua. Nathan Hastie, the competition’s top try-scorer, runs the show at nine. Misinale Epenisa, the 2026 Rising Star winner, anchors the scrum. Add Wallabies Tom Robertson and Dylan Pietsch, plus James O’Connor on the bench, and this is a side loaded with firepower. The Force are also hunting their first major trophy since the 2019 NRC Grand Final, and that drought will be on their minds.
There is a proper local flavour too. Four members of Cottesloe’s Fortescue Premier Grade-winning side are in the 23, including starting lock Zak Healey.
The Waratahs are the desperate side, and they are wearing it on their sleeves. They made seven changes after the Round 3 loss, and only three of the starting XV are 2026 Super Rugby Pacific players. The rest are seven Academy players and five Shute Shield players. Fullback Sid Harvey is out injured, so Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong, who scored in both of his first two games, steps in at 15. Otto Serfontein shifts to the left wing and Freedom Vahaakolo to the right.
The youth movement is the story:
- Teddy Wilson (23) returns at nine after three tries in the first two rounds.
- Charlie Bird (19), a Junior World Championships rep for Australia U20s, makes his first start at inside centre. He also captained Randwick Colts to a 55-21 Grand Final win over Gordon this month.
- Isaac Fonua (19) starts at number 8 for the third straight week.
- Nick Chan (25) arrives at outside centre after two seasons with RFC Los Angeles and California Legion.
The one familiar face across the ruck is Max Burey, the 2025 Super Rugby AUS player of the year. He now lines up against his old club for the second time in two weeks.
Head coach Lachlan McCaffrey, in the Waratahs’ own team announcement, reckons a loss like the Round 3 one is better Grand Final prep than a win. He backs a hungry bunch of Academy and Shute Shield kids, and he has Eamon Doyle captaining from lock. The bench brings some grunt in Folau Faingaa, Angus Scott-Young and Luke Reimer, plus former Australia Sevens man Hadley Tonga for backs cover.
Where it gets decided: it is the Force’s settled, Wallabies-laced spine against a rebuilt Waratahs pack and midfield. Half of NSW’s forwards and centres are new to this line-up, so the Force will target the set piece and the gaps between those fresh partnerships. The Tahs’ best route is Burey and Wilson finding room early, and that is a big ask.
Getting there: entry is free. The day is a double-header, with Game 2 of the North vs South Women’s Series at 2:00 PM AEST before the main event. Parking at Scotch is limited because the Perth Royal Show is on at nearby Claremont Showgrounds, so take public transport. If you are watching from home, catch it live on Stan Sport or the rugby.com.au YouTube channel, and check the Grand Final squads confirmed via Rugby.com.au for late changes.
Prediction
Youth and hunger count for plenty in a final, and the Waratahs have beaten the Force in Perth before. But the Force have the continuity, the home crowd and the Wallabies quality, and NSW are asking teenagers and club players to win a title on the road. Expect the Waratahs to hang in for a half before the Force experience tells.
Prediction: Western Force by 12
Match Squads
Western Force
- Tom Robertson
- Nic Dolly (c)
- Misinale Epenisa
- Will Harris (vc)
- Zak Healey
- Kane Koteka
- Jack Daly
- Jackson Iose
- Nathan Hastie
- Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
- Wallace Charlie
- Kurtley Beale
- Boston Fakafanua
- Dylan Pietsch
- Mac Grealy (vc)
Replacements: Albert Alcock, Max Sawers, Brad Kuhn, Regin Pratt, Aden Ekanayake, Ronan Leahy, Nate Gallagher, Tim Sail, Luke Aiken, James O’Connor
NSW Waratahs
- Tom Lambert
- Ethan Dobbins
- Edwin Langi
- Eamon Doyle (c)
- Tom Girle
- Joe Mangelsdorf
- Marshall Le Maitre
- Isaac Fonua
- Teddy Wilson
- Max Burey
- Otto Serfontein
- Charlie Bird
- Nick Chan
- Freedom Vahaakolo
- Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong
Replacements: Folau Faingaa, Brady Dawson, Will Goddard, Toby Brial, Angus Scott-Young, Luke Reimer, Oniti Finau, Ben Fuhiniu, Hadley Tonga, Joe Dillon
Wilson vs Hastie should be a good battle with an eye to Wallaby halfback spots next year
Hope no training ground dust up from Miles
Thanks for the info jeznez
Where is Amatosero?
He’s playing Super AUS, I heard on a pod (possibly Brett mackay) that he is carrying a slight injury. But thats poor management from Waratahs if so, as two weeks ago he played 80 and looked sore early on
He was initially named on the Tahs bench but has since been replaced by Toby Brial.
He was similarly named in a SMH article as being in the Bledisloe Cup squad but then quietly removed without mention, with Macpherson in, Frost named as a reserve squad member and Miles not listed with the injured/unavailable group.
Comms have been pretty ordinary by both Tahs and RA
“ Comms have been pretty ordinary by both Tahs and RA”
Only for a decade or two.
Thanks Ben
Carn da Force!
Hey you picked the Force!.
All it took was an undefeated regular season and a home grand final!
Beware what you wish for mate, I haven;t got good tipping form of late! I think I have said it, I was barracking for Force, they are my second team
My second team too but a far second this week. C’mon the Tahs!
I’m going for my second team
C’mon the Tahs
Force my number 1, Ben your tipping for wallaby’s has been very good and score close to what ewve said