Dane Haylett-Petty
In a disappointing season for the Western Force, Dane Haylett-Petty was a shining light for the Sea of Blue. While he only managed to string 10 games together, he was influential in all. Haylett-Petty was a threat in attack, where he was ranked third for the season in run metres per game, averaging over 100m, while managing 17 offloads and 48 tackle busts for the season. It’s unfortunate for Haylett-Petty that he currently sits behind a once in a generation player in Israel Folau.
Ben McCalman
Another Western Force player who can walk away from the 2015 Super Rugby season with his head held high is backrower Ben McCalman. The man they call ‘Big Dog’ is renowned for his tireless work-rate around the ground. McCalman made the most runs by any forward in Super Rugby, and alongside Matt Hodgson is the leader of the forward pack. The Force received a huge boost when McCalman signed a new three year contract with the West Australian side a couple of months ago.
James Hanson
The Queensland Reds were struck down by injury and poor form throughout the 2015 Super Rugby season, but one man to step up was James Hanson. With incumbent Qantas Wallabies hooker Saia Fainga’a missing the majority of the Super Rugby season through injury, Hanson stepped up to successfully fill the void. He will be a huge loss for the Reds in 2016, after signing a new contract with the Melbourne Rebels.
