Words: Michael Flynn
Image: Western Pride FC

Western Pride’s 2015 PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland squad continues to take shape with confirmation of four new additions recruited from community clubs.

The signings include three players from within Pride’s catchment area - midfielder Nielen Brown from Ipswich Knights, forward Joe Duckworth from University of Queensland FC and Nicholas Haworth from Brisbane Force.

Pride coach Karl Dodd has also cast his recruiting net wider afield with the signing of 17-year-old former Peninsula Power striker Harry Sawyer.

Dodd said he expected his latest recruits to shine in a higher tier of football in 2015 and explained he was particularly excited about the prospects of Brown, who scored four goals in 21 appearances for Knights in this year’s Brisbane Premier League.

“I like him as a player. He gets in good positions, he’s always checking his shoulder and he knows what he is doing,” Dodd explained.

“He’s good on the ball and we just need to add a bit of attacking prowess to his game to round him off.”

Dodd also explained that he expected Duckworth and Sawyer to complement star striker Peter Drager despite both struggling for senior game time at their clubs in 2014.

Duckworth scored twice in eleven appearances for UQFC last season, while Sawyer played seven senior games for the same return.

Dodd explained of his new attacking options, “There’s a lot of potential in Joe. He’s got a great mindset and I just think that now he needs to be in an NPL setting and continue his progression in an NPL setting."

“Meanwhile Harry Sawyer is a giant. He’s a big boy but also very mobile, which is surprising. He can really move."

The announcements extend Pride’s confirmed squad for next season to 15 and Dodd said he is still confident of adding further quality to the squad in coming weeks.