Queensland Reds 2025

[Wilson]

So the Reds are 7 and 6 with a game left, which means they can at best end up with an 8 win regular season - same as Kiss' first year and the 4th time in 5 years.

With some big adds to the team this year, is it a bit of an underachievement?

Hopefully they go on to win the whole thing and make this post look ridiculous

Yes and no - it's a disappointing season given the expectations going in, but it's very hard to get past the injury toll. They're not responsible for all of our underperformance, but it's hard to see a world where they didn't have a significant impact given the talent (and wage bill) on the sidelines any given week. It probably also effected our tactics - I think it was probably a contributing factor to why we played so narrow this year for example.

There are still questions to be answered there though - Are we carrying too many players with terrible injury records? (probably). Are there problems with our rehab/load management? (less clear). Did we not balance our squad probably to handle injuries? (I think it was mostly fine, but the influx of rebels did have knock on effects).

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Time together will be huge and the main difference. Reds are still there in the finals but do struggle against the top sides. Time will add layers to the attack which I think the top sides are predicting most plays now as the Reds have a distinct style.

Will there be a review of S&C/Rehab? Some injuries like Wilson’s can’t be changed but it probably is something to at least say is there something we can improve? The Tahs had this issue clearly and made changes from staff to replacing turf. Huge amount of luck involved but a lot of smallthrough departments can be the difference between 5th and 2nd…

What’s been the main factor for the Brums excellence? IMO it’s the consistency throughout the group. Bringing in a guy like Feliuai in is a lot easier when surrounded by guys who have been there for years.

Way more positives than negatives for QLD. Massimo, Dre, Kalani have all taken a leap into being genuine Super Rugby starters and will push senior incumbents to improve or get out of the way.

 

[Mark Panga]

So the Reds are 7 and 6 with a game left, which means they can at best end up with an 8 win regular season - same as Kiss' first year and the 4th time in 5 years.

With some big adds to the team this year, is it a bit of an underachievement?

Hopefully they go on to win the whole thing and make this post look ridiculous

The major problem has been the amount of injuries. Not only did the Reds lose good players - the team could never be settled from week to week. Every week a massive change in the line up. A team is built around the 23 but then literally losing 15 it’s just not the same team. Others - particularly the Brumbies have been settled for a lot of the year. This allowed them o grow and develop. Reds had so many position changes. So many players rotated in and out for injury. The injury toll has been tough for the Reds.

 

[Wilson]

Will there be a review of S&C/Rehab? Some injuries like Wilson’s can’t be changed but it probably is something to at least say is there something we can improve? The Tahs had this issue clearly and made changes from staff to replacing turf. Huge amount of luck involved but a lot of smallthrough departments can be the difference between 5th and 2nd…

Their absolutely should be, I don't think you can cop this many injuries to the squad across the season without one.

That said I don't think it's quite the same as something like the tahs last year where there was a clear run of lower limb injuries, ostensibly down to a dodgy training pitch. Injuries for the Reds were across the board in terms of nature and cause - breaks, long term injuries from last season, soft tissue, concussions, etc. I think any review that's conducted needs to be a bit wider and include things like squad composition and the level of risk acceptable to carry across the squad.

 

[Dctarget]

Flip, Canham and Anderson have been great. Felt Lachie started slow but past few games he’s showing form he rarely showed in Melbourne.

Canham does drop too many but he also touches the ball more than any other forward, he’s pretty crucial to the Reds attack, also some of his lineout takes yesterday were elite.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Canham is performing the role of the tight head lock very well in my view. He’s in the middle of it and doing well in the lineout after a slow start to the season in that department for the whole team.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Canham is performing the role of the tight head lock very well in my view. He’s in the middle of it and doing well in the lineout after a slow start to the season in that department for the whole team.

Other than actually packing down at loose head all year?

 

[Adam84]

Some of these additions have not had the impact we imagined. Gibbon and Mason didn't play a game. Lukhan has two large injury periods. Flipio and Andersen have been the stand outs. While Canham has some good moments he has hands like feet which has cost us and defensively fell off tackles.

Tactically Les has us playing something they reminds me of Link. We just haven't had the cattle being fit enough or big enough backs.

Size of the backs, or lack of was one of the biggest concerns I had about this squad at the start of the season.

Losing big backs like Petaia and Vunivalu and replacing them with guys like Ryan and Pakeho left the backline without some physicality and ability to get over the advantage line.

Not to say Pakeho hasn’t been great, but he isn’t a ball carrying 13.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Other than actually packing down at loose head all year?

Ah well they go where they’re needed

 

[Strewthcobber]

I do think it's interesting/concerning for the Wallabies how much better the Reds lineout has been once LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) got injured

 

[dru]

So the Reds are 7 and 6 with a game left, which means they can at best end up with an 8 win regular season - same as Kiss' first year and the 4th time in 5 years.

With some big adds to the team this year, is it a bit of an underachievement?

Hopefully they go on to win the whole thing and make this post look ridiculous

It is not the first year we have had a heavy injury toll. Rotations have been planned, not just injury driven. It's a Les maxim that I see as a positive. To be fair the squad adds have been across the Aussie conference on the demise of the Rebels, so our step in quality is sort of matched in Aus.

As Adam mentions above, size in the backs was always going to be an issue.

I have been irritated all season by the RA and media interruption involving speculation and then actuality of Les being promoted to the WBs. It can't have been a positive for the Reds.

Positives -
a) We have Les for another season and he sort of has stuff to prove
b) The rotation (and subsequent game exposure) has given results, we'd be in much more of a mess if it hadn't happened, AND we have squad depth that should largely hold irrespective of losses as ex-Rebel costs must settle.
c) Reds management seem robust, I like how they held ground during the WB coach clumsiness.
d) In spite generic stats that might suggest otherwise, we are playing entertaining rugby.
e) The team demonstrates genuine esprit de corps. The full squad, coaching and management team demonstrate genuine esprit de corps.

Must do better:
a) S&C, management of injuries etc
b) ability to close out
c) not "must do" but "would be nice" - some more size in the back line

I'm dialled in for more entertaining rugby for what remains of 2025, and hoping for continuing improvement in 2026.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It is not the first year we have had a heavy injury toll. Rotations have been planned, not just injury driven. It's a Les maxim that I see as a positive. To be fair the squad adds have been across the Aussie conference on the demise of the Rebels, so our step in quality is sort of matched in Aus.

As Adam mentions above, size in the backs was always going to be an issue.

I have been irritated all season by the RA and media interruption involving speculation and then actuality of Les being promoted to the WBs. It can't have been a positive for the Reds.

Positives -
a) We have Les for another season and he sort of has stuff to prove
b) The rotation (and subsequent game exposure) has given results, we'd be in much more of a mess if it hadn't happened, AND we have squad depth that should largely hold irrespective of losses as ex-Rebel costs must settle.
c) Reds management seem robust, I like how they held ground during the WB coach clumsiness.
d) In spite generic stats that might suggest otherwise, we are playing entertaining rugby.
e) The team demonstrates genuine esprit de corps. The full squad, coaching and management team demonstrate genuine esprit de corps.

Must do better:
a) S&C, management of injuries etc
b) ability to close out
c) not "must do" but "would be nice" - some more size in the back line

I'm dialled in for more entertaining rugby for what remains of 2025, and hoping for continuing improvement in 2026.

Dru, no bones to pick with most of what you've said, but just a couple of comments on the points you've made regarding injury toll and Les Kiss being distracted.

Reds injury toll has been fairly horrific but the squad depth was the strongest in the country with virtually two first XVs to choose from. All other teams also had their injury issues with large numbers out in some and topp quality players missing in others. On top of that, the Brumbies for one example had a squad 4 or 5 players smaller than most, including the Reds. That is the equivalent of having 4 or 5 players missing for the whole season on top of those who were out with injury/sickness. Another factor compounding the Brumbies issues was/is that they lost 6 or 7 players from last year's roster and only gained Feliuai and Tualima from the Rebels for a net reduction in the strength of the squad unlike the Reds and Tahs.

On Kiss and the shenanigans around Schmidt's replacement, Larkham was also in the mix up until he withdrew a week or two before the announcement. McKellar too almost as long. Same boat, probably same results. Only in these cases there would have been disappointment also being a factor after the announcement.

All in all, I don't think the Reds have a legitimate gripe on either of those fronts. Even so, put it behind them and concentrate on what's needed now to achieve the best results they can in 2025.

 

[Crashy]

Any idea who the reds get back this weekend?

 

[Ignoto]

Reds injury toll has been fairly horrific but the squad depth was the strongest in the country with virtually two first XVs to choose from.

Good thing then - we had 15 blokes out last week.

That is the equivalent of having 4 or 5 players missing for the whole season on top of those who were out with injury/sickness

Wright, Gibbon, Henry and Mason all come off the top of my head of not playing a single game this year.

Another factor compounding the Brumbies issues was/is that they lost 6 or 7 players from last year's roster and only gained Feliuai and Tualima from the Rebels for a net reduction in the strength of the squad unlike the Reds and Tahs.

Sounds like the Brumbies need to unpack at the why. I would dare say all the Rebels players who joined the Reds had the opportunity to join the Brumbies but for one of many reason; pay, living location or whatever meant they choose to go north.

 

[hammertimethere]

The reds season has been actually pretty fair when you consider the talent on the sidelines. The demonstration of depth has been impressive.

If we have Flook, Campbell, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Uru, Wright (plus Gibbo, Hodgman etc.) all fit for longer then I think we'd be a strong chance of being a win or two further in front of where we are.

Disappointing to hear we've lost Blyth to the Tahs. With Smith leaving, I would have thought that 2026 would be a good year for a 1 year extension in QLD given smith is leaving and Canham/LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) have shown they can't play every game. That and the fact that I suspect Liam Wright's body is not going to cooperate for him unfortunately means lock and backrow we're going to need some reinforcements. Bryant is good, but we're going to need more depth. The current 20's captain (Tom Robinson) is also pretty good but will be pretty raw and underdeveloped still.

 

[TSR]

We all know that the Reds are still in it, right?

Quite possibly for only 2 more weeks - but we aren’t gone yet.

 

[dru]

We all know that the Reds are still in it, right?

Quite possibly for only 2 more weeks - but we aren’t gone yet.

We may even be playing in Canberra for that last one.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The reds season has been actually pretty fair when you consider the talent on the sidelines. The demonstration of depth has been impressive.

If we have Flook, Campbell, LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto), Uru, Wright (plus Gibbo, Hodgman etc.) all fit for longer then I think we'd be a strong chance of being a win or two further in front of where we are.

Disappointing to hear we've lost Blyth to the Tahs. With Smith leaving, I would have thought that 2026 would be a good year for a 1 year extension in QLD given smith is leaving and Canham/LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) have shown they can't play every game. That and the fact that I suspect Liam Wright's body is not going to cooperate for him unfortunately means lock and backrow we're going to need some reinforcements. Bryant is good, but we're going to need more depth. The current 20's captain (Tom Robinson) is also pretty good but will be pretty raw and underdeveloped still.

Bryant is good but Brial is outstanding. Probably wouldn't have got the opportunity if Wright and Wilson had been available all year and most likely would have been shipping out in 2026, but has won a new contract on the back of his recent performances. Silver lining and all that sort of thing.

I can see the second row being an issue next year unless some good recruitment is put in place. Robinson has looked a long term prospect in the U20s but probably too green for next year.

 

[Derpus]

Size of the backs, or lack of was one of the biggest concerns I had about this squad at the start of the season.

Losing big backs like Petaia and Vunivalu and replacing them with guys like Ryan and Pakeho left the backline without some physicality and ability to get over the advantage line.

Not to say Pakeho hasn’t been great, but he isn’t a ball carrying 13.

Pakeho seems to be the in-form version of Paisami.

The lack of size in the backs is not a Reds unique issue though. Its Australia wide. I guess they are being picked up by league?