Queensland Reds 2009

[Lee Grant]

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

Hopefully so. Edwards looked OK last season in the S14 and the Uni scrum with Weeks at 3 has looked OK in 2008, give or take the odd game.

Weeks, another ex-Joeys lad to make it to the S14, is no wallflower. When the Uni scrum was penalised in the GF he yelled at the ref: "Me?!?!" as though it were a slur. He takes ownership.



I wish the Tahs had a similar battle for second row positions.

 

[naza]

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

Pretty key position. Not sure there's anyone in Sydney Club footy who could immediately slot in there and come close to Crofty in playing high quality S14 for 80 minutes over 14 weeks. May have to do what they do with the props - a tag team/rotation approach.

With no Moore, no Blake, the pack is short on ball runners. I'd suggest that Leroy Houston rather than the lanky McMenimen will be needed at 8 to get them on the front foot. Let's hope he's lifted his game.

Weekes has improved a lot but still has a long way to go. I wouldn't be expecting big minutes in his first season.

 

[spectator]

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

Given his experience, I wonder whether Hynes might get first crack at fullback, with Vaalu taking his wing spot. I also recall Latham giving Vaalu the thumbs up as a possible fullback?

 

[formeropenside]

I think a lot depends on Greg Holmes staying fit for the bulk of the season, after some various injuries over the last few years.

Holmes is a great scrummaging prop who is also a great ball runner: he should be the Wallabies choice LHP when fully fit, IMHO. Holmes, Horwill and Houston are all good hard running forwards: perhaps Edwards will improve with a proper professional off season under his belt.

Luafutu is also a good ball carrier I think, assuming he gets a run somewhere. MMM is also good all around the park.

Hardman is not a strong runner per se; his strengths are in the set piece and in tight. Hanson or Fainga'a seem more open players who may come on in the last 20 for fresh legs.

With Lucas and Barnes there is enough tactical kicking to cover any weakness in Cooper's play there, but if he has also played fullback in the past, I'd be surprised if his kicking was not better than he shows, and he just loves to run (or skip) the ball.

Please please please give Turinui lots of one on one with the tackling coach.

Speed to burn out wide with Hynes, Ioane and Davies.

 

[Sully]

I don't think Tackling is really Morgans Problem I have watched him and he is Allways stuffed when his Tackling goes if we can get him Fit, and I mean really fit, I think his defense will come good.

 

[formeropenside]

Looks like Ben Lucas could have competition for the Reds no9/10 jersey in a few years, if the U-16 comp is anything to go by:

The Brumbies lifted their game after halftime but the Queensland side had the last say, when a deft kick by livewire half Matt Lucas - brother of the QR Reds' Ben Lucas - led to a nicely taken try by wing speedster Chris Sautia.

Lucas, who fed the scrum in the first half and then moved out to flyhalf in the second, showed judgment and poise with his kicking and passing game, while tall inside centre Kirisome Auva'a posed problems for the Brumbies' defence with his hard, straight running.

 

[PhucNgo]

I don't think Tackling is really Morgans Problem I have watched him and he is Allways stuffed when his Tackling goes if we can get him Fit, and I mean really fit, I think his defense will come good.

Sully, never under estimate Turinui's capacity to disappoint. Its not about fitness, its about attitude and Morgs just cannot handle contact. Whether its about smelly bodies or pain or whatever, he just can't do it. Its a mental thing which really started to stand out a few years back when he was playing 12 for the Wallas against the Boks. I think he probably still has nightmares involving De Wet Barry.

 

[TOCC]

Turinui is a asset to the QLD side due to there lack of experience and there youth, his basically the brains of the backline and its going to be that way for at least another season.

I actually hope that eventually we see someone like Digby or Hynes move into outside centre, but at the moment neither are pratical options either.

 

[RugbyReg]

FOS, re Matt Lucas unfortunately he doesn't have the size of his comedic namesake. He is tiny. Played 9 in the first XV this year.

 

[RugbyReg]

Ok. Stuck at an airport so am about to post some random dribble.

2009 Team lineups:

15 Rodney Davies
14 Peter Hynes
13 Morgan Turinui
12 Berrick Barnes
11 Digby Ione
10 Quade Cooper
9 Ben Lucas
8 Hugh McMeniman
7 Poached Openside
6 Poutasi Luafutu
5 James Horwill (c)
4 Van Humphries
3 Danya Edwards
2 Sean Hardman
1 Greg Holmes

16 Saia Fiangaa
17 Laurie Weekes
18 Scott Higginbottham
19 Leroy Houston
20 Will Genia
21 Anthony Fainga'a
22 Mark McLinden

- can Laurie Weekes play both sides of the scrum?
- tough situation for. McLinden. He will learn best by playing the game but I wouldn't start him. Is there value in him just getting time off the bench? Maybe he plays QLD A for a while with Aiden Toua (or Fetoai or Vaaulu) on the bench.

 

[Lee Grant]

Noddy,

Weeks is a THP only and is not mobile enough to be a LHP.

Other things being equal I like my LHPs to be able to get around the park a bit. If the scrum is on the right hand side of the field and the ball goes to the open side, even in a no 8 or flyhalf take up, I like the LHP to be able to slip out and get into the contact area ASAP.


Mooney will have a pretty fair idea of other players already but McLinden's fate may well depend on the trials.


Poached openside? As I mentioned before: Mooney could have a look at Ross Duncan from my Rats team. He was terrific in the ARC last year for the Rays and was picked by the ABC commentators in their ARC team of the tournament. He may be a bit small for the S14 but I'd warrant he'd be on the ball all day.

Another likely prospect is Tim McGann from naza's East Beast's team.

 

[RugbyReg]

We have a couple of Saffas in mind for 7 Lee. Plus some kiwis apparently.

 

[formeropenside]

We have a couple of Saffas in mind for 7 Lee. Plus some kiwis apparently.

A Saffa 7? Isn't that an oxymoron? Might as well try to cross-train Houston.

 

[RugbyReg]

Saffas produce awesome backrowers. So no, not an Oxymoron. That would be a "Red's game plan" or "Brumby forwards" or a "Force product" or "Waratah success"

 

[formeropenside]

Saffas produce awesome backrowers. So no, not an Oxymoron. That would be a "Red's game plan" or "Brumby forwards" or a "Force product" or "Waratah success"

6's and 8's, yes, 7's.....not so much.

 

[Lee Grant]

Saffas produce awesome backrowers. So no, not an Oxymoron. That would be a "Red's game plan" or "Brumby forwards" or a "Force product" or "Waratah success"

;D ;D ;D Funny and even true - but cruel Nod - cruel.

 

[Scotty]

A Saffa 7? Isn't that an oxymoron? Might as well try to cross-train Houston.

6's and 8's, yes, 7's.....not so much.

At first I thought you were making a joke and saying we should be looking at a Saffa 6 to fill our openside hole - but surely you don't really believe they don't produce good opensides.

So if Burger wanted to come and play in the 7 jersey for us, we'd say no? :

 

[formeropenside]

A Saffa 7? Isn't that an oxymoron? Might as well try to cross-train Houston.

6's and 8's, yes, 7's.....not so much.

At first I thought you were making a joke and saying we should be looking at a Saffa 6 to fill our openside hole - but surely you don't really believe they don't produce good opensides.

So if Burger wanted to come and play in the 7 jersey for us, we'd say no? :

How did SA go at rucktime with Burger as a fetcher again? I'd have him as a 6, but I remain unconvinced about him being a 7 in the post-ELV environment (on anything other than a very heavy wet track).

 

[Lindommer]

Poached openside?

Another likely prospect is Tim McGann from naza's East Beast's team.

Another number 7 Oz player who headed off overseas after being ignored here is Lei Tomiki. Noddy, get someone from the Reds hierarchy to give him a bell to tell him there's a spot for him in Brisbane.

 

[RugbyReg]

Mate he was talked about as someone they were after. Dunno what happened, perhaps he's contracted?