Queensland Reds 2026

[Dctarget]

It's been like this for the two decades I've followed the sport. Was it easier to understand in the '90s?

 

[Ignoto]

Philosophically speaking, Rugby is from another era where new viewers didn’t have tik tok and therefore had the time and appetite to learn something new.

We take the piss out of how hard Union is to understand, but NRL teams have a guy with a radio on the field telling players how to attack and defend.

 

[Sword of Justice]

It's been like this for the two decades I've followed the sport. Was it easier to understand in the '90s?

To be honest, yes. The only thing that mattered at lienout was throwing straight because they didn’t lift until professionalism, scrums were just pushing, breakdowns were self policed to a much greater degree. It was always more complex than league though.

The biggest arms race in Rugby is exploiting the laws.

 

[Sword of Justice]

We take the piss out of how hard Union is to understand, but NRL teams have a guy with a radio on the field telling players how to attack and defend.

They also have a special tee for restart kicks. Bizarre.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Philosophically speaking, Rugby is from another era where new viewers didn’t have tik tok and therefore had the time and appetite to learn something new. Asking for 10 minutes to explain something marks you as a cancer in our society needing absolutely expunging. Yes I’m aware of how old this makes me sound.

How to combat this? Cultural relevance is the only way. Take the NFL as an example. I would argue it’s even more complex than Rugby and teams constantly find ways to not play the game to advantage. Let’s be honest, it’s a shit sport (sorry BH and Ghost) but people care. Half the viewers wouldn’t know what the fuck is going on but watch because they want to know what happened in the ‘big game’.

The only path to relevance is winning internationally significant matches. Everything else is a gimmick. We’ve got a bit of money now and a stage in the RWC on home soil. Time to put everything on red.

NFL is far more black and white than our sport. If someone is holding, they throw the flag and call a holding penalty. And their commentators are 1 billion times better at explaining what's going on

We expect refs to "manage" the game, and let the game flow, which in practice means ignoring most penalties. Us fans tend to get most upset when they ignore the incorrect penalties

 

[Strewthcobber]

It's been like this for the two decades I've followed the sport. Was it easier to understand in the '90s?

You couldn't tell if a ref made a mistake on a 20" CRT in SD

 

[Tomikin]

You couldn't tell if a ref made a mistake on a 20" CRT in SD

Look my biggest thing is that we have a TMO so we dont make those mistakes. I'd perfer to go back to it without TMO other then for tries, and let it lie how the ref sees it.

I think some of the best games Ive watched are ones without the tmo butting in.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Look my biggest thing is that we have a TMO so we dont make those mistakes. I'd perfer to go back to it without TMO other then for tries, and let it lie how the ref sees it.

I think some of the best games Ive watched are ones without the tmo butting in.

Like I said

We expect refs to "manage" the game, and let the game flow, which in practice means ignoring most penalties

 

[The Red Baron]

To be honest, yes. The only thing that mattered at lienout was throwing straight because they didn’t lift until professionalism, scrums were just pushing, breakdowns were self policed to a much greater degree. It was always more complex than league though.

The biggest arms race in Rugby is exploiting the laws.

Rucking kept a lot of people honest.

 

[Adam84]

So 34year old Fijian 5/8 Ben Volavola has signed with the Reds for next year

 

[Wilson]

So 34year old Fijian 5/8 Ben Volavola has signed with the Reds for next year

Don't hate it, don't love it. O'Connor probably would've been the better version of the same thing, but I can only imagine Volavola is cheaper.

 

[TSR]

Rugby league commentators complain endlessly about the refereeing. Gus Gould is far worse than Turinui. He appears to bag the refereeing just to hear himself talk.

For me the biggest issue is that when the video ref intervenes he gets it wrong as much as he gets it right. As such I too would like far less involvement from TMO. But we do all then have to accept wrong calls will be made and I’m not sure people will actually accept that. I don’t mind ARs being involved with calls the ref missed.

 

[Wilson]

Interestingly Volavola also becomes available for the Wallabies in August next year (not that I think he will be in the frame).

 

[Red Runner]

A fine signing. A step up on Jude Gibbs and probably the same as Lawson Creighton. and a better ten option that Jock Campbell.

Lynagh and HMP will be in the match day squad. Volavola will be a fine stand in when either are injured while we wait for Finn Mackay to mature

 

[TSR]

Having just watched the Australian u18s beat NZ Schools I’ve got to say we seem to have done a good job of securing some very good emerging talent.

If I look at the senior team with guys like Wilson, McReight, Faessler, Canham, Flook, Nonggorr & Thomas still being only mid 20s, Ryan, Pakeho, Lynagh, McLaughlin-Phillips, De Lutiis & King being younger again. Then behind that Martens, Latu, Robinson, Uys, Pritchard, Conway, Ross. I know there is a big difference between performing at lower ages and stepping up at seniors - but these guys looked really good.

And, if we expand it out to the Wallabies plenty to like to about the performance of the young Tahs in Super Rugby AU. Some real emerging talent there.

Hopefully they will all get time to come through in good time rather than be thrown in prematurely and burnt out as some of our talent has been in the last decade. I’m sure there are some in there ready to go very soon, but I hope the rest get the time they need.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Having just watched the Australian u18s beat NZ Schools I’ve got to say we seem to have done a good job of securing some very good emerging talent.

If I look at the senior team with guys like Wilson, McReight, Faessler, Canham, Flook, Nonggorr & Thomas still being only mid 20s, Ryan, Pakeho, Lynagh, McLaughlin-Phillips, De Lutiis & King being younger again. Then behind that Martens, Latu, Robinson, Uys, Pritchard, Conway, Ross. I know there is a big difference between performing at lower ages and stepping up at seniors - but these guys looked really good.

And, if we expand it out to the Wallabies plenty to like to about the performance of the young Tahs in Super Rugby AU. Some real emerging talent there.

Hopefully they will all get time to come through in good time rather than be thrown in prematurely and burnt out as some of our talent has been in the last decade. I’m sure there are some in there ready to go very soon, but I hope the rest get the time they need.

Some pretty decent prospects in the Schools side as well. Thought Cleary, Rylands, Haslam and Glassie Glassie (who was originally named in the U18s squad) were all very good and worth investment going forward.

 

[Major Tom]

The next step is how do we develop these kids without burning them out? Love that we’re using the 7s program and the SRAU to upskill these boys in environments that aren’t too abrasive. The next step is to get them into better performing super rugby teams.

 

[Major Tom]

Having just watched the Australian u18s beat NZ Schools I’ve got to say we seem to have done a good job of securing some very good emerging talent.

If I look at the senior team with guys like Wilson, McReight, Faessler, Canham, Flook, Nonggorr & Thomas still being only mid 20s, Ryan, Pakeho, Lynagh, McLaughlin-Phillips, De Lutiis & King being younger again. Then behind that Martens, Latu, Robinson, Uys, Pritchard, Conway, Ross. I know there is a big difference between performing at lower ages and stepping up at seniors - but these guys looked really good.

And, if we expand it out to the Wallabies plenty to like to about the performance of the young Tahs in Super Rugby AU. Some real emerging talent there.

Hopefully they will all get time to come through in good time rather than be thrown in prematurely and burnt out as some of our talent has been in the last decade. I’m sure there are some in there ready to go very soon, but I hope the rest get the time they need.

Doyle, Harvey, Le Maitre, McLeod are others. There are honestly so many players that look like the can make the step up. We’re cursed, but surely not that cursed for them all to turn out shite.

 

[TSR]

I am a bit cautious with that. When Harrison, Donaldson, Lolesio, Pasitoa & Lucas were all coming through at the same time, with Gordon just behind them (Lynagh wasn’t signed at that stage) I was pretty confident at least one of them would develop into a top flight, long term 10 for the Wallabies. And, if I’m honest, 10 is the one position I still feel a bit unsure about. I’m hoping Lynagh and/or McLaughlin-Phillips really kick on but jury is out. A lot of the others look steady without looking brilliant.

I do wonder how Harvey would go at 10.

 

[Major Tom]

I am a bit cautious with that. When Harrison, Donaldson, Lolesio, Pasitoa & Lucas were all coming through at the same time, with Gordon just behind them (Lynagh wasn’t signed at that stage) I was pretty confident at least one of them would develop into a top flight, long term 10 for the Wallabies. And, if I’m honest, 10 is the one position I still feel a bit unsure about. I’m hoping Lynagh and/or McLaughlin-Phillips really kick on but jury is out. A lot of the others look steady without looking brilliant.

I do wonder how Harvey would go at 10.

Yeah I get ya. We do find ways to bungle development. Reds should be fine though as I think lynagh and HMP have shown to have the game but maybe not the bodies for test test footy. Mackay looked okay and Pritchard might be better suited at 10 in the long run.
Ghost has been pretty big on trialing Harvey at flyhalf. I might be a Damien Mackenzie like player. Probably more suited to fullback but pretty damn good at flyhalf too.