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Queensland Reds 2025

TSR

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
Agree they need to maximise it Dru. I think it’s inevitable there will be a fair bit of turnover of the squad at the end of next season. Depth can be a double edged sword.

You’d assume Toomaga-Allen will definitely go at the end of the year and I fear the problem with our depth is that guys are looking for opportunity. The only way I can see us keeping guys like Brial, Bryant,
Canham and Anderson is if the force their way into the starting team or if some of the older guys move on.

I will say that whilst Toomaga-Allen has been great I’m really happy with the young guys at THP. Nonggorr should be primed to take over, De Lutiis seems to be making excellent progress and as a CQ boy I’m loving watching Trevor King’s career progressing.
 
dru

dru

David Wilson (68)
TSR said:
Agree they need to maximise it Dru. I think it’s inevitable there will be a fair bit of turnover of the squad at the end of next season. Depth can be a double edged sword.

You’d assume Toomaga-Allen will definitely go at the end of the year and I fear the problem with our depth is that guys are looking for opportunity. The only way I can see us keeping guys like Brial, Bryant,
Canham and Anderson is if the force their way into the starting team or if some of the older guys move on.

I will say that whilst Toomaga-Allen has been great I’m really happy with the young guys at THP. Nonggorr should be primed to take over, De Lutiis seems to be making excellent progress and as a CQ boy I’m loving watching Trevor King’s career progressing.
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Yep. I actually really dislike the demise of the Rebels and the way the follow up has been handled. We are stronger but we necessarily lost some Queenslanders that would have had the chance otherwise. I'm not bitchin, it is just reality. But the flip side of the coin is that I feel I am entitled to expect performance from the Reds in 2025.

Is that harsh? If not, Get on with it Reds.
 
TSR

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
Don’t think it’s harsh at all Dru. I think pro sporting teams often have small windows of
opportunity to be successful. Next year is definitely an opportunity the Reds next to maximise on.

But they won’t have it easy. The Kiwis will set the standard again. NSW suddenly have a stacked roster - aside from lock - and a much better coaching roster. Western Force also looking much stronger. I do think the Brumbies are looking the most vulnerable they have been for some time but they have always excelled at developing players and I expect them to be very competitive.
 
Sully

Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
Without the Rebel's demise, this would have been the year Kiss went from coaching the team he inherited to building his team. Instead, he's kind of, had players forced on him. Would he have gone for another mid 90 kg back who "plays above his weight" if Daugunu hadn't needed a home? The Reds backline is crying out for a big bopper but is filled with light weights. The Red's other backs recruit, Lachie Anderson, is one of the biggest backs and is still under 100 kgs. We all saw the mayhem the chiefs produced in the quarter final this year when they decided the way to beat us was to use their weight and "play heavy".

Picking up LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and Canham as messed up our forwards balance as well. we have locks and notters and backrowers coming out of our arses and sure as I'm a grumpy old fart someone is going to get pissed off at the amount of game time their getting. kiss and his team has experience in balancing game time in a squad but over a longer season, so this will be interesting.

As for where the Reds go from here? I think there have been major improvements in some players on this northern tour. Harry Wilson has found his groove again. Nongoor seems to continued his slow progress. Uru looks great, and McReight is McReight. In the Backs Lynagh has improved, but McDermott seems to be the same.
 
TSR

TSR

Andrew Slack (58)
I think that’s all fair Sully - but I doubt Kiss will have too many complaints with the cards dealt to him.

Locks win titles and having 4 quality ones - even if it ends up being only for a season - is definitely a blessing not a curse.

The biggest two issues (IMO) is the lack of size in the backs and the lack of proven match winning qualify in the halves.

I’m hoping that the second issue resolves itself this year with the progress of Lynagh and/or HMP.

Size in our backs may yet prove to be our Achilles heel but I am hopeful that this shortcoming can be overcome by playing a very up tempo style.
 
Adam84

Adam84

Rod McCall (65)
I have to agree that the size of the backline is a massive concern.... especially against the kiwi teams
 
Ignoto

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
I'll challenge you all on needing size in the backline.

Australia (and the Reds) have never really had huge boppers in the backs. We've had plenty of smaller, muscular guys who punch above their weight along with some taller blokes who I wouldn't consider bulky compared to the Kiwis and Saffers.

The biggest and most effective backs we've had in recent history that come off the top of my head; Latham, Morahan, Ioane, Hunter, Ant Fainga'a and to a certain extent B Tapuia are not huge blokes. Latham and Morahan would be the only two I can think of that are above 6 foot.

It's hard to include Jordan in this list as he's missed so much rugby for us over the years that we're almost better off not counting on him.

We have also seen more and more forwards playing in the backs to do the crash balls and given our mobile back 3, I would suggest we're best placed to continue this.

Finally, I would say, the Reds, Wallabies and even rugby globally has moved away from huge backs. The Reds backs have done excellent over the last several years when they have space, just getting them that space is difficult and comes from the Pigs + 9/10 identifying when to go wide.

Australia's problem has been, whenever the backs get the ball, their execution lets them down badly.
 
Sword of Justice

Sword of Justice

Arch Winning (36)
A well thought out post, Ignoto. Unfortunately we can fall victim to reactionary thought on these fori, even if I actually do think we need more size intuitively.
 

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Strewthcobber

Strewthcobber

Simon Poidevin (60)
Ignoto said:
I'll challenge you all on needing size in the backline.

Australia (and the Reds) have never really had huge boppers in the backs. We've had plenty of smaller, muscular guys who punch above their weight along with some taller blokes who I wouldn't consider bulky compared to the Kiwis and Saffers.

The biggest and most effective backs we've had in recent history that come off the top of my head; Latham, Morahan, Ioane, Hunter, Ant Fainga'a and to a certain extent B Tapuia are not huge blokes. Latham and Morahan would be the only two I can think of that are above 6 foot.

It's hard to include Jordan in this list as he's missed so much rugby for us over the years that we're almost better off not counting on him.

We have also seen more and more forwards playing in the backs to do the crash balls and given our mobile back 3, I would suggest we're best placed to continue this.

Finally, I would say, the Reds, Wallabies and even rugby globally has moved away from huge backs. The Reds backs have done excellent over the last several years when they have space, just getting them that space is difficult and comes from the Pigs + 9/10 identifying when to go wide.

Australia's problem has been, whenever the backs get the ball, their execution lets them down badly.
Click to expand...
Kerevi?
 
Sword of Justice

Sword of Justice

Arch Winning (36)
PhilClinton said:
Kerevi is very interesting. When he was at the Reds I feel like he was both the best player in the team but also the biggest issue with the backline because we had one gameplan.
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I think that hampered his development into a more rounded player as well, at least initially. Ultimately it’s up to the coaches to develop a set of tactics that aren’t so one dimensional though.
 
Ignoto

Ignoto

Peter Sullivan (51)
Sully said:
Wendell Sailor
Daniel Herbert
Anthony Herbert
Chris Latham
every one of them a Wallaby, and everyone of the bigger than every back we have at the moment.
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2005
2003
1993

How far back did you want me to go Sully, 20 years! Most of the current Reds squad probably never saw any of the first three play in Maroon colours.
 
Ras

Ras

Allen Oxlade (6)
Not to delve into the QPR chat but- is there even any larger centres /inside backs running around in Prem grade? If they can't crack the pathways then no wonder we don't have any in the reds squad.

Only one I can think of is Lebron from wests - who didn't pick up a contract post rebels?
 
Wilson

Wilson

Phil Kearns (64)
Ras said:
Not to delve into the QPR chat but- is there even any larger centres /inside backs running around in Prem grade? If they can't crack the pathways then no wonder we don't have any in the reds squad.

Only one I can think of is Lebron from wests - who didn't pick up a contract post rebels?
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There have been a few monster centres recently - TJ Siakasini and Vilikesa Raboiliku the most obvious. They've made a massive impact at club level but funnily enough they might be too big, and I think it's always been a question about whether they'd be able step up to Super with the fitness and pace required.
 
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