Queensland Reds 2009

[RugbyReg]

I think toua (the 15?) has a rookie contract and Swaenpoel an academy spot

 

[TOCC]

Even though it may be a young team next year, many of the players have either being in the system for years or have being playing for years.
Barnes, Horwill, McMenimen, Hynes and Holmes have being playing S14 for a few years now, they have all played for the Wallabies at one point or another. I think as long as this corp player group stay injury free then the Reds could have a really good season in 09.

 

[RugbyReg]

interesting little article in the paper up here that Digby is keen to head back west when his Reds contract is up... ???

 

[Sully]

Anyone heard anything about Tirinui's contract? I still think he is vital for the reds backline next year.

 

[disco]

interesting little article in the paper up here that Digby is keen to head back west when his Reds contract is up...

I read that also but it comes as no surprise, he'll just take the best contract on offer or at least his manager will.
That's professional sport for ya.

 

[formeropenside]

Aiden Toua has a 2 year contract apparently.

 

[Lee Grant]

From the Schoolboy Championships: sign up winger Nicky Price pronto before the Force do, even if is just a professional Academy contract.

 

[naza]

Anyone heard anything about Tirinui's contract? I still think he is vital for the reds backline next year.

Morgan Turinui and the Quest for the Spoon continues ?

His experience is some help but he does get murdered in defence a little too often.

 

[spectator]

Anyone heard anything about Tirinui's contract? I still think he is vital for the reds backline next year.

Morgan Turinui and the Quest for the Spoon continues ?

His experience is some help but he does get murdered in defence a little too often.

Probably not wrong there Naza, but I'm with Sully, Qld needs an older head in that backline. I guess Hynes now qualifies as the only other backline veteran, and he will probably start at the back.

 

[formeropenside]

Morgs does have a good rugby brain on attack, but seems to have a lobotomy every time he is in defence: either that or he knows what to do but just cant physically do it.

If Qld can keep him for next year, well and good, but hopefully someone else will cement the 13 slot by the end of 09. He might well help a young backline settle in though.

 

[Sully]

I will agree with you that the old Turnstile was back for the first half of the season. But Qld fitness was crap across the park and Barnes basically held Qld together for 5 or 6 rounds. But he picked his game up through the season in attack and in defence. Although I did see one blinding error in the PNC (Pacific Nations Cup) final. But don't worry I can remember calling him every type of F*#@%er I could think of in about round 3 when we were scored against off a lineout as he stood next to the half back puffing his guts out.

 

[spectator]

Morgs does have a good rugby brain on attack, but seems to have a lobotomy every time he is in defence: either that or he knows what to do but just cant physically do it.

If Qld can keep him for next year, well and good, but hopefully someone else will cement the 13 slot by the end of 09. He might well help a young backline settle in though.

Is Charlie Fetoai being groomed as a possible 13 option? Can't see anyone else slotting in at 13 at the moment. Blair Connor kills at club level but is his size more suited to wing at the top level? Harvey from Brothers is another possibility, as is Tapuai from the Academy. But they are untested.

I think this highlights why Morgs staying is important.

 

[Scotty]

Apart from the fact that he and Hynes would be the only ones over 25 in the backline.

 

[formeropenside]

In Rd 17 news...

GPS sole Qld rep, Gavin Warren, is on the bench. Centre James Kite may be one to watch, or may merely be a flat track bully at Premier grade. He's a big lad apparently. Noddy, do you know any more or do I have this all wrong?

Jade Ingham is back (and as captain) of Easts. Andrew Walker is at 15.

James Slipper and Ben Daley are 1 and 3 for Gold Coast respectively. Thats a switch from last weekend's positions for Qld v Baa Baa's.

Van Humpries is in the engine room for Souths. No Ben Coutts or AJ Gilbert.

Interestingly perhaps, Mitchell Chapman is turning out for University of Queensland at 6 this weekend. James Hanson is at 2. Luke Monahan also returns from 3 tries for Qld last weekend.

No Higginbotham, Luafutu or Abram for Wests.

No Blair Connor for Norths, although Houston is at 8 and Tonga squad member Blowers at 7.

Liam and Andrew Shaw are both playing for Brothers (at nos 5 and 6 respectively) with Croft at 7.

Sunnybank have Greg Holmes, Ole Avei, and Albert Anae in the front row. No Dayna Edwards however. Throw in Rob Simmons, Ben Gollings, Ben Lucas (as 12), Charlie Fetoia and Digby Ioane, and thats a fair team.

Turinui is at 13 for the Sunshine Coast.

 

[Aussie D]

In Rd 17 news...

GPS sole Qld rep, Gavin Warren, is on the bench. Centre James Kite may be one to watch, or may merely be a flat track bully at Premier grade. He's a big lad apparently. Noddy, do you know any more or do I have this all wrong?

Jade Ingham is back (and as captain) of Easts. Andrew Walker is at 15.

James Slipper and Ben Daley are 1 and 3 for Gold Coast respectively. Thats a switch from last weekend's positions for Qld v Baa Baa's.

Van Humpries is in the engine room for Souths. No Ben Coutts or AJ Gilbert.

Interestingly perhaps, Mitchell Chapman is turning out for University of Queensland at 6 this weekend. James Hanson is at 2. Luke Monahan also returns from 3 tries for Qld last weekend.

No Higginbotham, Luafutu or Abram for Wests.

No Blair Connor for Norths, although Houston is at 8 and Tonga squad member Blowers at 7.

Liam and Andrew Shaw are both playing for Brothers (at nos 5 and 6 respectively) with Croft at 7.

Sunnybank have Greg Holmes, Ole Avei, and Albert Anae in the front row. No Dayna Edwards however. Throw in Rob Simmons, Ben Gollings, Ben Lucas (as 12), Charlie Fetoia and Digby Ioane, and thats a fair team.

Turinui is at 13 for the Sunshine Coast.

Who's playing halback for Sunnybank FOS? I would've thought that it would be in the best interest of Ben Lucas, Queensland and Oz rugby for him to be playing at 9 as often as possible.

 

[formeropenside]

Aussie D -

Sunnybank will field its strongest line-up of the season against an in-form Sunshine Coast at Oldmac Oval in Round 17 of Trinity Premier Rugby (kickoff 4:30pm) as they build momentum for the finals.

QR Reds Ben Lucas, Brando Va?aulu and Digby Ioane make their returns, while prop Greg Holmes will look to build on an impressive display in last weekend's Queensland XV match.

Holmes joins an already dominant forward pack, while Lucas, Va?aulu and Ioane provide more attacking options for dynamic halves pairing Sean Armstrong and Ben Gollings.

The versatile Lucas has been developing effectively as a scrumhalf during the Super 14 season, but will start at inside centre against the Stingrays, with coach Roy Saunders rewarding Armstrong for another impressive season.

?Sean?s been our best player all season and nothing short of outstanding,? Saunders said.

?I guess in the Robbie Deans scheme of things being able to play in another position seems to enhance selection possibilities. Ben has done really well at both 9 and 10 so it won?t hurt his education by giving him some time at 12 and it keeps our halves pairing together.?
...
Sunnybank enters the match with extra motivation with hooker Ole Avei suiting up for the final time this season after receiving a contract with Waikato in New Zealand's National Provincial Competition.

Lucas seems a little small as a 12 for me at the top level.

 

[Scotty]

Agree, although his defensive technique is pretty good, so he should go well there at club level.

 

[spectator]

Benny lucas shouldn't have any worries at 2nd 5/8 for club.

How good does Sunnybank look on paper? Bit of a worry for everyone else.

 

[formeropenside]

UPDATE:

Ok, running through the Reds contract list (with help from Noddy of the dislocated shoulder)

2008 roster (confirmed departures bolded)

Abram (hooker/backrow) - cut, now playing wing and centre for Wests. Spot taken by Hanson.
Afu (lock/backrow) - rookie contract, now playing for Tonga
Avei (hooker/backrow) - cut, rumors about Japan. Digby's nephew. Spot probably replaced by S. Fainga'a. Signed by Waikato to play NPC; may well be looking for a NZ S14 contract.
Barnes (10 or 12) - on contract for next year.
Blake (THP) - gone to France. Spot filled by Dayna Edwards.
Caleb Brown (wing, injured) - gone to Farce. Spot taken by Blair Connor.Cooper (10 or 12) - resigned contract, 2 or 3 years.
Cordingley (halfback) - gone back to Grenoble. Spot filled by Ben Lucas.
Coutts - (prop) - GONE... to Mont-de-Marsan in France .
Croft (openside) - retired. Luafutu as cover?
Daley (prop) - rookie contract for 2008. Has a contract for 09 also.
Fetoia (centre) - Playing for Sunnybank. re-signed until 2010.
Genia (halfback) - unknown.
AJ Gilbert (backrow) - released. Leapfrogged by Luafutu and Higginbotham in any event.
Hardman (hooker) - still has a year to run on contract
Holmes (LHP)- still has a year to run on contract
Horwill (lock) - has a year on contract
Houston (no8) - has a year on contract; may have an option to leave
Van Humphries (lock) - has a year on contract but may have an option to leave
Hunt (prop) - off contract; unknown
Hynes (utility back) - two years on contract
Digby Ioane (wing) - one year on contract
LoJo (centre) - gone to Italy. Cover is A. Fainga'a?
Latham (fullback, legend) - off to UK (thanks ARU)
MMM (lock/blindside) - on contract, 1 year left?
Moore (hooker) - off to Brumbies (we had too many hookers anyway)Ed O'D (lock) - gone to Ulster (Simmons upgrade from rookie contract as cover, or Byrnes?)
Roe (blindside/no8) - has a year on contract; strong rumors of retirement. RETIRED - Higginbotham as cover?
Schif (fullback) - off to Ulster
Siale (centre) - off contract, still playing for Uni in Brisbane Premier Grade. Off to France after this week.
Simmons (lock) - rookie contract for 08, signed until 2010
Turunui (centre) - option on contract, will depend on ARU top-up apparently. Currently playing 13 for Sunshine Coast.
Va'aulu (wing) - re-signed until 2010
Veratau (outisde back) - contract expired, unlikely to be renewed. Rod Davies to fill spot?
Walker (utility back) - contract expired, still carving up for Easts in Brisbane club rugby. Unlikely to turn up in 09 though. Golden Oldies teams may be seeking his phone number - now confirmed retiring from rep Rugby but will still (apparently) play for Brisbane Easts.

Signings:

Lucas, Fainga'a twins, Blair Connor, Simmons, Hanson, Higginbotham, Edwards, Luafutu, Rod Davies. Aiden Toua. Laurie Weeks, THP from Sydney Uni. Probably more I missed. Adam Byrnes? All signings are to two- year contracts - ie 2009 and 2010.

With Coutts "loss" confirmed we really need another prop or two, despite the acquisition of Weeks.

 

[the gambler]

I see Karmichael Hunt is being touted as the next league convert. I dare say its just a ploy to get more money out of the league clubs but who knows these days. If he was to change codes I would have thought he would do a Brad Thorn and head home to New Zealand. What was he like at school as a rugby player?