Rugby

5 reasons for Reds fans to get to Suncorp on Saturday

5 reasons for Reds fans to get to Suncorp on Saturday

I dare say when the 2014 Super Rugby draw was released late last year, the QRU head honchos at Ballymore would have been quietly chuffed about at least one aspect of it – the chance to close out the season with a home game against traditional rivals, the Waratahs.

Of course back then the thinking would have been that the gap between the two teams on the ladder would not be as astronomical as it is this weekend. The prospect of a full-house at Suncorp as our beloved Reds chased their fourth finals appearance in a row was enough to shape a campaign around.

But it is not to be. The Reds are sitting in the bottom third of the ladder as the Waratah juggernaut roles on. It has been a season of massive disappointments for the Reds and they enter this game with the very real (likely?) chance of finishing the season having lost every home local derby encounter for 2014.

It’s hard to pinpoint the real low point of our season. The reality bites thrashing by the Tahs following that tough first up win against the Brumbies; discovering new ways to lose against the Force at home; discovering ways to win, against the Brumbies in Brisbane, but still losing; the back to back spankings at the hands of the Blues and Crusaders; the first ever loss to the Rebels?

For me, though, it was last week against the Force. We’d won two in a row and entered this match as self-appointed ‘finals spoilers’ only to put in a performance so lacking in impact (outside of Samu Kerevi) and effort it was like the team had jumped in a DeLorean rather than the team bus and transported back to the Eddie-era of 2007.

It all makes it very hard as a Reds fan to get ‘up’ for this weekend’s game. Well, I’m here you tell you to turn that apathy around and get excited. So, looking at the team lists below, here are 5 reasons for Queensland fans to get along to Suncorp Stadium this Saturday night to watch our Reds take on the Waratahs.

James Slipper1Benn Robinson
James Hanson2Tatafu Polota Nau
Greg Holmes3Sekope Kepu
Rob Simmons4Will Skelton
James Horwill (C)5Kane Douglas
Curtis Browning6Stephen Hoiles
Beau Robinson7Michael Hooper (C)
Jake Schatz8Wycliff Palu
Scott Gale9Nick Phipps
Ben Lucas10Bernard Foley
Lachie Turner11Rob Horne
Ben Tapuai12Kurtley Beale
Samu Kerevi13Adam Ashley-Cooper
Rod Davies14Alofa Alofa
Mike Harris15Cam Crawford
Reserves
Saia Fainga’a16Tolu Latu
Ben Daley17Jeremy Tilse
Albert Anae18Michael Ala’alatoa
Dave McDuling19Jacques Potgieter
Liam Gill20Mitchell Chapman / Pat McCutcheon
Sam Johnson21Brendan McKibbin
Jamie-Jerry Taulagi22Jono Lance
Chris Kuridrani23Taqele Naiyaravoro
Location:Suncorp StadiumBrisbane
Kickoff:Sat 12 Jul 19:40
Referee:Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 1:Matt O'Brien
Assistant Ref 2:Damien Mitchelmore
TMO :George Ayoub

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The original prop in a prop's body, but thankfully I have the rugby mind of a prop as well.

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