Listening to some of the prematch bollocks you might have been forgiven for thinking that the Queensland Reds were going to push the Chiefs quite hard for all their young and inexperienced team. They didn’t achieve that in the scrum, the lineout, the tries scored, the metres gained, the margin at half time, the margin at full time or coherent, cohesive play. If you think I am being a little harsh, feel free to watch the game again. It doesn’t get any better.
The Match
If you have come here for a match review of the Queensland Reds v Chiefs, sorry, you won’t find one here. I may lose my writing privileges, but reliving that would be torture and I just can’t.
Suffice it to say, the Chiefs absolutely outclassed the Queensland Reds at every turn, and they didn’t even have the foot on the gas. Certainly a bench with Liam Messam on it isn’t doing too badly, but with co-captain Sam Cane starting at 8 one had the sense that they didn’t view us as a threat. And boy, were they right. Less than two minutes in and the Chiefs had crossed for a converted try. The impressive McKenzie crossed twice.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Reds.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Chiefs.
Try – Chiefs.
And yes, at one point the Reds were down to 13 men, but I don’t see that as a defence, I see that as part of the problem. The Chiefs totally deserved the resounding win. But the way we played, the Kings would have beaten us.
The Review
And so I sit here after the penultimate game of the season (and didn’t that word over promise and under deliver) wondering how we ended up as bad as we started – and we booted a coach two matches into the season.
Yes, we have injuries.
Yes, we have a young team.
But guess what? We always have injuries (and seemingly more than other teams bar perhaps the Rebels) and we have a young team because we constantly divest ourselves of anyone with any experience.
What we wouldn’t do for even one of Harris, Lucas, Morahan, Lance or Shipperley in our backline right now.
Let me be clear – to some extent I don’t blame the young players – they are totally out of their depth against experienced teams. But c’mon, even young you should still be able to KICK FOR FREAKING TOUCH SUCCESSFULLY.
How do we find ourselves at the bottom after winning the Championship in 2011 (admittedly the year of the Christchurch earthquakes that saw the Crusaders with no real home), and less than a decade after hitting rock bottom last time with Eddie Jones. I know, I know he saved England in 2016, but I haven’t forgotten 92-3.
The rather weak decision by Herbert, McCall and Carmichael to appoint co-interim head coaches has seen us at the end of the season look absolutely directionless.
Even the title co-interim head coach is an oxymoron.
With no one vision or coach to play for, the young players are playing for nothing – have something to stand for, or you’ll fall for anything. Were they worried they would make a choice that would upset the other one and theey would bugger off? Hard decisions are the ones that generate the best results. Make one person accountable or no one is accountable. One back to pat and one arse to kick.
Next year we appear to be buying up big for experience in the forwards (Moore, Smith, Douglas, Houston (hmmmmmmmm). Still no word on depth among the backs. They have no one to learn their craft from. It’s like the kindy kids trying to teach each other to make hollandaise sauce. They have no idea what it is, but it ends up messy and leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.
Sam Cordingley is in charge of Queensland Reds player recruitment, but what plan is he sourcing talent to, or letting it go?
There is no coach’s vision here to drive the recruitment strategy so the incoming coach will need to work with what Cordingley, Daniel Herbert and perhaps Richard Barker and Damien Frawley have planned. How is that setting us up for success? If the coach the Queensland Reds appoint has a vision and plan but no players to execute it, it could be another 2 years before we are back on level ground to start to make the ascent. Or they may have to limp along with half a plan and vision trying to make it work because we don’t have the players.
The Reds need to find a coach bloody soon, announce some good backline signings and then have a solid, humble and no bollocks membership campaign if they want anything over 10,000 members for 2017.
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The Game Changer
The decision on the 7 March 2016 to sack Richard Graham and appoint co-interim head coaches.
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[one_third last=”no”]
The G&GR MOTM
Damien McKenzie. Whoosh! He has some speed and is definitely living up to the hype. He needs to work a little on his place kicking (he missed 3), but scoring two tries yourself I suppose takes the pressure off.
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[one_third last=”yes”]
Wallaby watch
Oh dear God. That’s right. We still have another 12 tests to play this year. Least rubbish? Douglas perhaps? Short of Pocock, Hooper and McMahon all being injured Cheika has consistently demonstrated he doesn’t see Gill as part of his game plan. Kerevi is good, but he isn’t an inside centre.
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The Details
Crowd: Mostly happy Chiefs supporters and cranky Reds fans.
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”] Reds: 5
Tries: Kuridrani
Conversions:
Penalties:[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]Chiefs: 50
Tries: Tamanivalu 2 McKenzie 2, Moli, Penalty, Cane, Harris
Conversions: McKenzie 5
Penalties: [/one_half]
Cards & citings
Yellow: Frisby and Tuttle
