The Western Force wishes to acknowledge former captain Ian Prior whose playing career with the Club has come to an end following the conclusion of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
The Club has made the difficult decision to not renew the 33-year-old’s contract, with Prior saluted in front of fans following the Force’s final home game of the 2024 season against the ACT Brumbies on Saturday night.
Prior will go down in Club history as one of only three players to reach 100 Force caps. The scrum-half was also the Club captain for the Force’s 2019 National Rugby Championship title as well as the Force’s emotional return to Super Rugby in 2020 after being cut in 2017.
Force general manager of rugby Chris Goodman said: “As a Club we want to acknowledge Ian’s considerable contribution to the Force and rugby in WA for more than a decade.
“Ian’s impact to the Force has been significant, both on and off the field. On the field, he’s achieved the rare feat of 100 caps for the Club, having been part of some of the Force’s most memorable wins over the years.
“Off the field, he’s a former captain who has set high standards and always maintained himself as a positive and professional influence. He has served the Club with class and distinction.
“All good things come to an end unfortunately but we’re deeply connected with Ian and his young family. His wife Lizzie previously worked as the Club’s dietitian and they’ve made Perth home. We hope to continue to have them involved with the Club in some capacity moving forward.
“In the meantime, while he weighs up his immediate future, we wish Ian and his young family all the very best.”
Bundaberg-born Prior moved to Perth in 2014 after spells with the Queensland Reds (2011), where he played six times in their Super Rugby title-winning season, and the ACT Brumbies (2012-2013) where they defeated the British & Irish Lions and reached the Super Rugby grand final in 2013. Prior played 110 games for the Force across two stints from 2014 to 2017 and 2018 to 2024.
“It’s been a third of my life,” Prior said. “It’s felt like home away from home, coming to HQ each day. It’s been a massive part of my life.
“Lizzie and I got engaged here in WA and both our kids were born here. We’re quite settled in Perth and have made it home over here during my time with the Club. It means a lot being able to contribute to the Club and rugby in WA in some way.
“It means a lot being one of three players to play over 100 times for the club and I’ve played over 150 for the state of WA if you include NRC, Rapid Rugby and Super Rugby. It’s a pretty special thing to be able to do and a massive part of my life.”
Prior clarified he hasn’t retired and said he and his young family - wife Lizzie, five-year-old daughter Riley and two-year-old son Jock - hadn’t decided on any immediate plans. They are considering both their options abroad and post rugby in Perth.
“I wanted to get to the end of the season, take some time away, reflect and decide as a family what is best for us as a unit,” Prior said.
“Whatever happens hopefully down the track I can still be involved with the club and rugby in WA. We love it here. I’ve been lucky enough to be quite invested in the game over here.
“I came to Perth as a 23-year-old wide-eyed boy. The Force and WA have molded me into the man I am today. I’ve been lucky enough to play with some pretty amazing humans and special players along the journey.”
Reflecting on his playing career with the Force, Prior pointed out numerous highlights.
“There’s been plenty of highlights across 11 years,” he said. “The first few that come to mind are 2020 leading the boys back out into Super Rugby as skipper. That was pretty special, even though it was in front of no one at the SCG due to COVID, after what we’d been through in 2017 being cut.
“Another one would be my 100th Force cap, shared with the retirement of three Force legends in Jeremy Thrush, Richard Kahui and Greg Holmes and beating the Hurricanes at home was pretty special.
“Another memorable one was the win over the Jaguares in 2017 when they’d never been beaten in Argentina. It was the year we’d found out the news we might not be existing past that.
“I was a product of the club rugby pathways and playing Super Rugby was something I dreamed about as a boy so to be able to achieve that and have played over 120-odd games is a pretty special thing to reflect on. A lot of hard work, a bit of luck and a fair bit of gratitude to be able to achieve that.
"I'd like to recognise and thank both Nicola and Dr. Andrew Forrest for their continued support of both the Force and rugby in WA. Without it, we wouldn't be standing where we are today.
"Finally, to the players and staff I've been lucky enough to share the jersey with, thank you. It's been a privilege standing by your side through it all. To our loyal fans, the mighty Sea of Blue, thank you for sticking with us.
“It's been an honour to represent you and I hope we've made you proud to be a supporter and that your able to wear your Force kit with pride.”
