Queensland Reds 2009

[naza]

Re: SWOT analysis - Queensland Reds 2009

Thanks for that naza. Is it a fitness issue perhaps, or is he just lacking motivation?

Since I did that, according to the Reds page as updated he has grown 4cm from 197 to 201cm, and stayed at 116kg. So he is bigger than Simmons, now.

I think that naza is right about Byrnes and also think the same question mark applies to young Simmons - though I say that having seen him play only a little senior rugby - in the ARC.

We are all guilty of looking at this forward and that one, and crowing that somebody is 2cms taller or 5 kgs heavier and a few games later say "WTF?" It is the size of the ticker that is important, but it's not listed on the profiles of the players in the websites.

Very true Lee, which is why Al Kanaar's career ending injury was such a shame.

I think Simmons' flaw is brains. In the U19s his problem was he didn't know how to throw his weight around. He was willing but just didn't know how to go about imposing himself on opponents. Hopefully that comes with time and experience.

Byrne just gets in cruise mode like Al Campbell and fails to kick it up a gear.

 

[naza]

i dont see how tasi luafutu could have ever played at openside, his 111kg...
smith, waugh and pocock are all around 101-103kg

Richie McCaw is supposedly 106 kgs. The Incredible Schalk 111kgs.

Openside is a bitch. Every team has a 102 kg meathead centre who you are supposed to be able to belt. But you are still expected to cover the ground like a greyhound and be everywhere. Other than Neil Back, its a young man's game. How long does George Smith have left ?

 

[TOCC]

i dont see how tasi luafutu could have ever played at openside, his 111kg...
smith, waugh and pocock are all around 101-103kg

Richie McCaw is supposedly 106 kgs. The Incredible Schalk 111kgs.

Openside is a bitch. Every team has a 102 kg meathead centre who you are supposed to be able to belt. But you are still expected to cover the ground like a greyhound and be everywhere. Other than Neil Back, its a young man's game. How long does George Smith have left ?

yeah true, i didnt think Richie was that heavy, he is taller the the australian opensides though
Shalk is a massive man, if he were in Australia he would be playing blindside though

openside is a bitch, my brother is playing rugby again next year after a 3 year hiatus due to work, when he was in colts and schoolboys he was a rep player at openside, made QLD II. I dont know where he is going to play though next year, his too light for openside(think his only 80kg these days), too short for lock and not big enough for blindside flanker. I suppose he could move into the backs but he has only ever played flanker.

 

[TOCC]

the 2009 Reds Academy Squad is up, i did have a write out of where each player was playing but i accidentally pressed back and lost it all..

Lots of flankers and centres in the squad, shows some smark sucession planning there with Turinui's and Braids days numbered.

2 players born in Johannesburg and 1 born in Indonesia, no kiwi born players in the squad for the first time in a while.

 

[formeropenside]

i dont see how tasi luafutu could have ever played at openside, his 111kg...
smith, waugh and pocock are all around 101-103kg

Richie McCaw is supposedly 106 kgs. The Incredible Schalk 111kgs.

Openside is a bitch. Every team has a 102 kg meathead centre who you are supposed to be able to belt. But you are still expected to cover the ground like a greyhound and be everywhere. Other than Neil Back, its a young man's game. How long does George Smith have left ?

yeah true, i didnt think Richie was that heavy, he is taller the the australian opensides though
Shalk is a massive man, if he were in Australia he would be playing blindside though

openside is a bitch, my brother is playing rugby again next year after a 3 year hiatus due to work, when he was in colts and schoolboys he was a rep player at openside, made QLD II. I dont know where he is going to play though next year, his too light for openside(think his only 80kg these days), too short for lock and not big enough for blindside flanker. I suppose he could move into the backs but he has only ever played flanker.

playing in the backs can't be hard, I mean, after all, backs do it

probably 13 is his best bet

On a serious note, Brett Gillespie in the QAS squad, for anyone wondering where he was.

So is Ed Quirk, and Andrew Shaw (perhaps the next long term Qld 7) is at 19 100kg and 190cm. Jake Schatz also a bit of height and weight about him.

James Slipper, a promising THP is 113kg.

 

[naza]

openside is a bitch, my brother is playing rugby again next year after a 3 year hiatus due to work, when he was in colts and schoolboys he was a rep player at openside, made QLD II. I dont know where he is going to play though next year, his too light for openside(think his only 80kg these days), too short for lock and not big enough for blindside flanker. I suppose he could move into the backs but he has only ever played flanker.

In NSW there is a Under-85Kg Cup competition in subbies rugby. And pretty sure NSW ('The Trim Tahs') & Australia have played in U80kg competitions. There might be an equivalent in Queensland. Apparently its a shitload of fun, plenty of action. With a 3 year layoff I reckon it would make life a bit easier instead of fronting up to 110 kg Islanders. Then again, there's always the danger in the he'll get roped into playing prop ! But hey, anything's worth avoiding getting turned into a back.

 

[TOCC]

openside is a bitch, my brother is playing rugby again next year after a 3 year hiatus due to work, when he was in colts and schoolboys he was a rep player at openside, made QLD II. I dont know where he is going to play though next year, his too light for openside(think his only 80kg these days), too short for lock and not big enough for blindside flanker. I suppose he could move into the backs but he has only ever played flanker.

In NSW there is a Under-85Kg Cup competition in subbies rugby. And pretty sure NSW ('The Trim Tahs') & Australia have played in U80kg competitions. There might be an equivalent in Queensland. Apparently its a shitload of fun, plenty of action. With a 3 year layoff I reckon it would make life a bit easier instead of fronting up to 110 kg Islanders. Then again, there's always the danger in the he'll get roped into playing prop ! But hey, anything's worth avoiding getting turned into a back.

that sounds like a interesting comp, im only 15kg to heavy for it...
I think my brother is going back to play and hang out with his mates again though, he will probably slip into openside flanker again when he starts going back to the gym, i dont think he is aiming for rep honours anymore.

 

[RugbyReg]

Ok, so that Reds Academy squad is:

Elih Baillie (18 in Jan 09) Outside Backs - Centre/Fullback (played at Nudgee, at Brothers now), 90kgs, 183cm.

Aaron Chapman (just turned 18) Flanker (played at TSS, at University now) 99kgs, 189cm.

James Charalambous (21 in March 09) Hooker (went to Churchie, playing at Easts) 97kgs, 177cm

Brett Gillespie (21 in Feb 09) Centre (went to Ippy Grammar, playing at University) 93kgs, 180cm

Jonno Lance (19 in June 09) Flyhalf (went to TSS, playing at University) 87kgs, 183cm

Luke Morahan (19 in April 09) Wing (playing at University) 93kgs, 187cm

Ed Quirk (18 in Aug 09) Blindside Flanker (went to State High, playing at Easts) 95kgs, 190cm

Jake Schatz (19 in July 09) No 8 (went to Churchie, playing at Sunnybank) 103kgs, 190cm

Andrew Shaw (20 in Feb 09) Flanker (went to Nudgee, playing at Brothers) 100kgs, 190cm

James Slipper (20 in Jun 09) Prop (went to TSS, playing at Gold Coast) 113kgs, 185cm

Mark Swanepoel (19 in Oct 09) Scrumhalf (went to TSS, playing at University) 91kgs, 181cm

Ben Tapuai (20 in Jan 09) Centre (went to TSS, playing at Gold Coast) 93kgs, 176cm

Really happy to see Gillespie there. First time I ever saw Beale play was an Aussie Schoolboys test at Ballymore v Samoa and Pocock was my MOM but Gillespie was close behind. He was doing all of Kurtley's tackling and was strong on attack. Still only young and still giving his all.

Gees that Uni team could be very good considering their other signings.

 

[TOCC]

^^ who says rugby union is a private school game

Jeez, TSS really pumped out some players in this squad

 

[spectator]

All of whom who were in that magnificent undefeated 2007 team. From memory, these boys were six of nine TSS boys who made one or other of the OZ schools team that year.

Interesting to see that Elih Baillie has made it. OZ U16 merit side in 2007 but couldn't crack Qld 1 or either of the schoolboy teams this year.

Charamboulous is a very good hooker who made a comeback for Easts last year after a serious leg injury. Was ahead of Hansen before the injury.

Gillespie making a comeback this year after injury so it will be interesting to see how he goes. Lots of form at schools and U 19 level.

Lots of potential in the squad with Shaw, Schaatz, Lance, Slipper and Morahan all touring with Qld earlier in the year.

 

[RugbyReg]

An article in the courier mail suggesting Barnes should be back by the last trial which is good news.

It also suggested Mooney doesn't know who will skipper the side sans Horwill. But he listed Holmes, Hardman and Berrick. My moneys on Holmes as he is a Horwill type selection. An uncompromising forward who could do with the added responsibility to give his game the lift it needs.

 

[Lee Grant]

Agree with that assessment of Holmes and you may well be right. Turinui would be a good stopgap captain though Queenslanders would always prefer one of their own to be skipper - and also someone who puts his body on the line for his team.

That's good news about Berrick - let's all hope that he has an injury free season.

As for the Academy players: it's very sad that young Nicky Price's name isn't there. The Nudgee lad was a standout in the Oz Championships this year and he was the best player picked in the Oz Schools 1st XV IMO - but he decided to go to Aussie Rules.

The others are all promising players and we know that some of them will come through and be long term pros but we can't be sure who they are at this point.

spectator mentions Baillie who played for Qld IIs Schools this year whereas a lad who has another year to go at school played in the Ones. Baillie, another Nudgee kid, was a bit untidy at fullback and threw some bad passes during the week as well, but that is neither here nor there in the career of a young fellow up to now and he showed enough good play to understand why he got the nod.

But if I were picking an outside back for the Qld Academy based on performances the national schools tournament, and had to exclude Price, I would have gone for winger Dom Shipperly, yep from Nudgee again. He knows how to break a tackle and knows where the goal line is. He's missed out, but if he's good enough in senior rugby we know his name will pop up again.

I thought this time last year that Tapuai may have got a rookie contract for 2009 - his 2nd year after leaving school - and assumed he would play well in 1st Grade in 2008 to justify my opinion. Anybody know how he played for the Breakers this year? Was he in 1st Grade?

Thanks for the news about Gillespie. I wondered why people weren't mentioning him lately. He certainly was a tough player at the Schools level and had an old head on his shoulders. Don't know if he is going to make it as a pro player, but I have been wrong about so many schools players, maybe he's in the legion of LG mistakes.

 

[RugbyReg]

But if I were picking an outside back for the Qld Academy based on performances the national schools tournament, and had to exclude Price, I would have gone for winger Dom Shipperly, yep from Nudgee again. He knows how to break a tackle and knows where the goal line is. He's missed out, but if he's good enough in senior rugby we know his name will pop up again.

hmmm, good point. I was sure I read, around the time of the Oz Schoolboys games, that he had got an academy contract with the Reds???? :nta: :nta:

 

[formeropenside]

An article in the courier mail suggesting Barnes should be back by the last trial which is good news.

It also suggested Mooney doesn't know who will skipper the side sans Horwill. But he listed Holmes, Hardman and Berrick. My moneys on Holmes as he is a Horwill type selection. An uncompromising forward who could do with the added responsibility to give his game the lift it needs.

Interesting to see Hardman considered as captaincy material. Perhaps this is his season to be the Reds undisputed no.1 hooker ahead of Fainga'a and Hanson (and Charalambous and Anae). Remember, he was keeping Moore to 40 mins or so a game, and started some games ahead of Moore for the Reds in 2008 - and he has done the same to every other hooker in the squad since he started with the Reds 10 years ago. Hardman may yet have a year to run on his contract, too.

He's a limited player, but he knows his limits which is an overlooked skill (I am looking at you, George Smith).

I expect Holmes would be the best choice as captain. He led the Reds in the Nice game on the NH tour.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Ben Tapuai had a solid year with the Breakers. I didn't get to see many games myself but from all reports he more than held his own.
I have doubts as I think he has done with growing and isn't ever going to be a 'big' player in the sense of tallness. he has all the skills but again, lets see in a year or two time - see how he develops and what he learns from 'big man's rugby'.

 

[TOCC]

well Holmes and Turinui both captained the Reds in the tour to Europe, but i would much rather prefer Holmes over Turinui.

If you compare the two, Holmes is one of the first players picked because of his strength in that position, Turinui on the other hand is picked because of the Reds weakness in that position. Dont get me wrong, he is a good player when he is playing well, but he has to many flaws and just doesnt lead by example as a good captain should.

If it was me, i would pick Holmes(C) and Barnes(VC)..
It wouldnt suprise me though if Turinui or Braid were included in the team leadership body.

 

[TOCC]

Reds are training on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, they are having a skills session for juniors earlier in the day and then a open session for all to watch of the Reds training later in the day.

 

[spectator]

Ben Tapuai had a solid year with the Breakers. I didn't get to see many games myself but from all reports he more than held his own.
I have doubts as I think he has done with growing and isn't ever going to be a 'big' player in the sense of tallness. he has all the skills but again, lets see in a year or two time - see how he develops and what he learns from 'big man's rugby'.

I only saw him twice for the Breakers and he impressed each time. He also played for the Qld A team against the Brumbies and Tah's A teams and looked good. Interestingly he was more often at 13. Injury meant his club season was limited, his U 20 appearances were cut short and also robbed him of the chance to go on the end of year tour with Qld. Plenty of talent, good defender and could be a chance for S14 selection later in the year, particularly if there are one or two injuries.

 

[TOCC]

centres from the Breakers who join the Reds have a habit of fading, prior to Caleb Brown joining the Force and re-injuring his hamstring he was playing centre for the Breakers as well

 

[TOCC]

news article in the Courier Mail today, saying Quade Cooper has come back to training early to get a jump on the 2009 S14 season..

IMO, thats the sort of attitude that shows the stark difference between Beale and Cooper, Beale comes back from the off season overweight and unfit, albeit he was injured and couldnt train but he admitted to eating a lot of fast food, and Quade comes back to Reds training a few weeks earlier then he is required to.