Their east coast rivals might have the lion’s share of household names but Simon Cron’s Western Force shouldn’t be underestimated in 2025.

With a crop of freshly capped Wallabies and the addition of Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Darcy Swain and Dylan Pietsch, the Force loom a dangerous prospect both at their HBF Park home and abroad.

Here’s five key talking points of the Western Force heading into Super Rugby Pacific 2025.

1. Experience no longer an excuse

With 13 Wallabies on the books and a stack of first-class veterans to call upon, the Force can’t hide behind a “rookies” or “developing side” tag in 2025.

Adding Paenga-Amosa, Swain and Harry Johnson-Holmes to a pack already featuring Carlo Tizzano, Jeremy Williams and Tom Robertson is genuinely exciting while veteran lock Sam Carter and Top 14 veteran Nick Champion de Crespigny offer plenty of experience.

In the backline, freshly minted Test wingers Pietsch and Harry Potter won’t walk into a wing role with fellow off-season recruit Mac Grealy a real contender to start Round 1 – and don’t rule out versatile 2023 World Cup tourist Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa soaking up a bench role to allow a 6-2 split.

There’s also plenty to like about the signings of centre duo Matt Proctor and Sio Tomkinson, both of whom boast well over 100 first class games across New Zealand and the UK, while fellow Kiwi Reed Prinsep is among the club’s most experienced and hard-nosed players.

2. Pressure from rising rookies

If the Sea of Blue aren’t excited enough by their established and recently-acquired stars, Force fans should take plenty of heart from their next-gen talents.

Australia U20 vice-captain Ronan Leahy (20) has already tasted Super Rugby Pacific as a winger and leads the young brigade’s charge for senior selection with national age-grade teammates Doug Philipson (20, halfback) and Divad Palu (20, centre) also in Cron’s top squad.

Slightly more established are Force academy graduates Marley Pearce (21) and George Poolman (22), both of whom are entering their third year of Super Rugby Pacific.

While few would predict these faces in a Round 1 squad, all five are supremely talented and will be pressing to earn a recall – or debut – throughout the season.

3. Where does Pasitoa fit into Force frame?

Nothing screams “pre-season content” more than stoking a #10 debate but the Force’s playmaking stocks deserve a second, or even third, look ahead of SRP 2025.

Ben Donaldson started 13 of a possible 14 games last year and routinely churned out 80 minutes with Max Burey and Kurtley Beale rotating at fullback yet the long-awaited return of Reesjan Pasitoa, 22, could prompt another change.

A prodigious schoolboy talent who earned 13 Brumbies caps before heading west, Pasitoa was the Force’s preferred #10 through 2022 before back-to-back season-ending injuries (ACL 2023, elbow 2024).

Equally comfortable at flyhalf and inside centre, Pasitoa looms the joker in Cron’s deck following Beale’s exit and could yet force his way into contention with Donaldson and Burey left to battle for 15-23 coverage.

4. Shaking the travel bug

Sorry Force fans, but your travel argument doesn’t fly when the likes of Fijian Drua and the Highlanders covering similar miles and pick up road wins.

The Westerner’s away record is simply appalling – their last win outside HBF Park was in May 2022 against Moana Pasifika – and they’re 0-15 across the past two seasons.

A kind opening month means the Force won’t set foot outside Australia until their Round 5 trip to Christchurch (March 15) so if Cron’s side are to be taken seriously in 2025, they need to shake their travel bug with wins in either Rounds 2 (Brumbies in Canberra) and 4 (Waratahs in Sydney).

Meanwhile a Round 7 clash with the Reds in Brisbane looms a litmus test midway through the season before a two-week New Zealand leg across Weeks 11-12 to tackle last year’s finalists – Blues and Chiefs.

5. Crunch time for coach Simon Cron

There’s plenty of leeway for a rookie Super Rugby coach in their first two seasons, especially one who inherited a squad that had endured plenty of hardship.

However, Simon Cron is no longer a rookie at this level, especially after inking a two-year extension that will see him through 2026.

The Kiwi-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Force coach holds a 32% record (nine wins, 19 losses) and missed his own benchmark of “bare minimum” finals last year after sliding from a 5-9 record in his debut season to 4-10 in 2024.

Further regression with the players now at his disposal would put Cron’s role under serious pressure – Force fans should be expecting at least two wins from their opening month and there’s no reason this side shouldn’t at least break even with a 7-7 record in 2025.