Queensland Reds 2009

[Sully]

Lee I have got to agree with you unfortunately. The only thing we have going for us now is what seems like a good coach in Mooney. But he too seems to be learning as he goes because IMHO there was no way we were fit enough last season. Here's hoping he improves too.

 

[RugbyReg]

We can't afford the 2nd year syndrome to kick in for Lucas, Tasi and Edwards.

Cooper's, Horwill's and Hynes's time under Deans is important.

I think Rodney Davies will prove to be a star, but I think we will hide him a bit pre-season.

Sully is bang on about fitness and that has to be a key focus now. That and finding an agressive on-baller from SAF.

But I also hope we see full seasons from MMM, Ione and Holmes. 3 very important players for us.

We played some great footy last year without Latho, Cords and even Crofty. I hope we can do it again - just for longer periods, both from a game perspective and from a season perspective.

 

[Lee Grant]

Noddy,

Yeah those experienced players you mentioned plus Moore will be missed. You blokes are forced to tell the same story year after year, which was the sense of my post.

Even though we south of the Tweed have been strutting around at our new found ability to beat the northerners, deep down we know that these annual Queensland horror stories do no good at all for Oz Rugby.

The rise of Queensland rugby in the 70s saw the rise in Oz rugby. We need something similar now - even if it starts with just having a bit of a break (poor choice of words, but I'll leave it in) with injuries for a year or two.

I remember Davies from his school days before he went to league and he is a fine young fullback, as is Toua from Oz Schools last year. Let's hope that these fellows find their feet early when they get their chance.

I am confident that they have the right coach to take them forward.

 

[fatprop]

So we have signed Ezra Taylor for 2 years. From the Highlanders. Born in Briso so not a poach. An 8 or 6 apparently. Anyone know anymore about him?

I hope shatz is signed up to the Academy as it would be a shame to lose him caused we signed a kiwi.

The guys on rugby roundtable said Taylor is pretty good, he played NZ colts with Filippo.

 

[Ash]

I would expect that Brendan McKibbin will be a good shot of a bench position ahead of Genia next season, and he will likely be in one of the Reds' squads (someone posted something on here before about it?).

For me: Ezra Taylor should also make the matchday 22 ahead of Higgenbotham. A. Fainga'a should be the reserve inside back with no Gollings.

Real problems for the Reds are no depth in the props, no openside, and no experience at fullback. Lack of a proven game breaker. They will struggle next year as Lee says.

They have some depth in 8/6, 10 and wing, though.

 

[RugbyReg]

Don't think McKibbon will be in the squad. He'll be in the academy.

As for no openside, that's "at the moment". It is a priority for the Reds.

 

[disco]

We will need a lot of luck on the injury front. If Horwill, Holmes, MMM, Barnes, Lucas, Hynes & Ioane can all stay fit & at least play 10 games minimum we will go alright.

I don't agree with Cooper going on the spring tour but I think as a reds fan it's a good thing.

What's the go with Hanson, surely he's ready for super 14?

 

[RugbyReg]

Surely he is ready why? He's barely out of school. Still U20 right?

The better out of Fainga'a or Hanson is fine by me.

 

[disco]

Yeah 20 is probably to young for a hooker at super 14 level & Faainga can hold his own.

Geez I wish Moore had stayed on but shit happens. Should probably add Hardman to the list of players we can't afford to get injured.

 

[spectator]

I agree with others that Qld is still in a re-building phase and have the right coach in Mooney, doing that job. I've said for a while now that 2010 will be the watershed year.

As with all Reds fans, I'm hoping for a finish in the top half of the ladder next year (top four would be like winning the lotto) but it is more about a young side staying and playing together and gaining invaluable experience and a coach building depth, retaining talent and embedding a positive culture.

A few specific things I will be watching for are; the emergence of Horwill and Hynes as team leaders, the maturing of Quade Cooper as a consistent playmaker and backline controller, the development of Ben Lucas as a top line scrummie, and the pack establishing themselves as a real force.

Oh.. and a much fitter Reds team than the one we saw regularly fading in games in 2008.

 

[RugbyReg]

Yeah 2010 is more likely. This year (sorry 2009) we play the Cru, the Bulls, Tahs, 4s and Blues away. We are better off playing them at home which should happen in 2010. Unless it becomes a S15 or S16.

If there is another Aussie team then at least we have most of our squad tied up for that year. But players like Barnes, MMM, Horwill and Ione are all off contract then. Digby can go but I want the others to stay, and I expect they would.

 

[formeropenside]

After a little thought it might be that Ezra Taylor will get a run at 5 rather than 6: with MMM in the side there are two genuine tall timber jumpers and Taylor is about as tall as Brad Thorn, who did OK for the AB's in the set piece.

Agreed that if there is talk of a 5th side (which would be stupid IMHO) we need to get all our top players contracted: and the academy stars too.

Wont get forced again...with apologies to The Who.

 

[TOCC]

In the print C-M today there is a couple of paragraphs about Brendan McKibbin signing a 3-month deal with Eddie Jones' Saracens.

Mooney said that McKibbin would be back for the S14 and was off with the Reds blessing, and that McKibbin was broadly in the Reds plans for 09.

wow, eddie jones is actually doing the Reds a massive favour with this, hopefully he will get at least a few games and he will be over his union-jitters.

15. Davies
14. Hynes
13. Turiniu
12. Barnes
11. Digby
10. Cooper
9. Lucas
8. Houston
7. Luafutu
6. MMM
5. Taylor
4. Horwill
3. Edwards
2. Hardman
1. Holmes

Holmes, Horwill, MMM, Barnes, Turinui, Hynes, Ioane and Cooper all have a few seasons under there belts and they should form the nucleus of the team.

Weak spots that i see are obviously openside flanker, outside centre and fullback, whilst im glad that Turinui re-signed i still think he should only be in the team up to the point when players like Barnes and Cooper are confident are running the backline.

 

[Scotty]

Us Reds fans have to cross our fingers and hope that in 2009 injuries a kept to a minimum, then and only then can we think about a top 7 finish (top 4 would be pretty unrealistic IMO).

With a good pre-season I expect that Edwards, Houston and Luafutu will build on their reasonable first year showings, and all three have the ability to make strong impact at S14 level, if not higher. If they do, and the likes of Holmes and MMM remain fit, then we will have a very strong pack, especially in the set pieces (although the loss of Moore is disappointing in this regard).

As far as the backline is concerned we are desparately reliant on a more consistent Cooper, an uninjured Barnes, and a Turinui of the last half of the 2008 season, not the first half. One thing we will have out wide is pace, and if Cooper and Barnes are on song, they have the ability to harness it.

Key weaknesses are obviously the loose work of our forwards and their speed around the park in securing our ball and producing turnovers; a clear lack of depth in almost every position; and a weakness in backline defense. I believe (and hope) that the promise of the playmaking group of Lucas/Cooper/Barnes will come to fuition during the season.

 

[Lee Grant]

Yeah, that's a big favour for Queensland from Eddie Jones. It would be great for all young Oz players to have a stint in Europe somewhere just before S14.

Ben Alexander had a similar experience 2 years ago arranged for by the Brumbies and now he's with the Wallabies.

McKibbin may not get on the park a lot for the Sarries matchday 22, but you never know - they'll be looking for good subs when the autumn tests are on and some regulars won't be available. More likely he will get regular games with the Sarries A-League team, and he'll get invaluable experience playing with those guys.

He is a lucky young man.

I know that McKibbin is a goal kicking scrummie, and the winner of the best club player award, but is there any other info worth knowing?


TOCC

I don't know that the new fellow, Taylor, will be playing lock if his height is 194cms. He is touted as an alternative to Houston at 8 and could probably fit in at 6.

Is Humphries still with the Reds for 2009? I have forgotten.

 

[Sully]

I don't suppose it matters where he packs down in the scrum if MMM is on the side.

 

[RugbyReg]

Lee, he's in the Morgan T and Will Genia category. Players we think are back, have read snippets suggesting such but no confirmation by the QRU

 

[Lee Grant]

Ah - but going on tour with the Reds is persuasive. The Europe tour would make it not a fact that the experienced tourists are back with the Reds, but a factoid.

In NSW we have a factoid that Will Caldwell has been signed up again.

 

[naza]

15. Davies
14. Hynes
13. Turiniu
12. Barnes
11. Digby
10. Cooper
9. Lucas
8. Houston
7. Luafutu
6. MMM
5. Taylor
4. Horwill
3. Edwards
2. Hardman
1. Holmes

The pack and backline don't look compatible do they ? Cooper is no tactical kicker, ball players in the centres, oriented to a game of width. The pack, large rumbling and what you'd want for mauling and set piece..not built for a quick rucking game. Hope they can find some balance there because it looks to me like they're not suited to play the same style of rugby.

 

[RugbyReg]

Naz, the mainm thing missing is a specialist 7. We will have one which I think may see us with MMM at 8 (Mooney has said this will happen at times) at, I think, Tasi at 6. I haven't seen Taylor play though.

It will be a good battle with Weekes and Edwards for 3