Queensland Reds 2026

[PhilClinton]

I actually think another Brisbane Benny would be closer to getting a Reds gig than Mowen.

Ben McCormack must be having his name fluttered around Ballymore as a potential assistant coach from 2026 onwards. His resume is pretty strong particularly if he can lead Brothers to a three-peat this year.

The Randwick team who won the premiership in 2023 was also largely built on players he brought into the club over his time there.

 

[PhilClinton]

I think could do that because he had Quade Cooper, I think he was a key piece in being able to plan for different teams.

Our 10's may get there one day, but I don't think they change each week at this stage of thier careers

Yeh and I think it's worth mentioning that although they had 'different gameplans' the entire game of rugby is still only winnable via two scenarios:

1. Score more points than the opposition
2. Defend your line and stop the opposition from scoring

Defence was never Quade's strong suit, although we did have some decent defensive players around him during his prime, the objective of Link's Reds teams was always figuring out how to score more points than the opposition and leaning into Quade's attacking prowess.

Not every team is going to end up relying on their flyhalf the dictate what type of game they play. In the Reds case currently, you definitely feel like there is more emphasis on forwards link play and defensive starch.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Potentially under rated part of the gameplan....QC (Quade Cooper) was the top scorer in 2011 with 228 points - the Reds had 46 penalties and 4 drop goals

 

[Nuggetyflyhalf]

Leon McDonald worth a phone call post 26.

 

[liquor box]

Brian Smith the old Paramarra Eels and St George coach changed his game plans each week. It is poor coaching.

I cannot understand how you come to this conclusion.

It is great coaching to be able to succeed with different plans. Why would you use the same every week, opponents soon work out your weaknesses.

I fondly remember in the glory days with Link as coach they beat the Blue Bulls, a formidable lineout team by using quick lineouts pretty much all of the game to destroy the Bulls plans, this was designed to stop Matfield's dominance.

If you get bored and want to see how effective QC (Quade Cooper) and Link were at planning for opponents, try to watch Reds v B&I Lions from 2013. QC (Quade Cooper) was captain and the first half is some of the best rugby I have ever seen, unfortunately the Lions were far too experienced for the Reds but the tactics by the Reds were awesome.


On a side note, the first half of this game should be used to convert non rugby people to being rugby people, it is that good!

 

[liquor box]

Yeh and I think it's worth mentioning that although they had 'different gameplans' the entire game of rugby is still only winnable via two scenarios:

1. Score more points than the opposition
2. Defend your line and stop the opposition from scoring

Defence was never Quade's strong suit, although we did have some decent defensive players around him during his prime, the objective of Link's Reds teams was always figuring out how to score more points than the opposition and leaning into Quade's attacking prowess.

Not every team is going to end up relying on their flyhalf the dictate what type of game they play. In the Reds case currently, you definitely feel like there is more emphasis on forwards link play and defensive starch.

I doubt if I will see another Australian (eligible) player with his skills and natural ability. I probably have about another 30 years in me so who knows???

 

[SouthernX]

I actually think another Brisbane Benny would be closer to getting a Reds gig than Mowen.

Ben McCormack must be having his name fluttered around Ballymore as a potential assistant coach from 2026 onwards. His resume is pretty strong particularly if he can lead Brothers to a three-peat this year.

The Randwick team who won the premiership in 2023 was also largely built on players he brought into the club over his time there.

idk how keen Australian rugby is to promote club rugby coaches.

does Ben have any other credentials? (Coach schoolboy rugby, aus rep teams)

I think the reds will go with an experienced name in same way they chose Les Kiss over Mick Heenan.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I cannot understand how you come to this conclusion.

It is great coaching to be able to succeed with different plans. Why would you use the same every week, opponents soon work out your weaknesses.

I fondly remember in the glory days with Link as coach they beat the Blue Bulls, a formidable lineout team by using quick lineouts pretty much all of the game to destroy the Bulls plans, this was designed to stop Matfield's dominance.

If you get bored and want to see how effective QC (Quade Cooper) (Quade Cooper) and Link were at planning for opponents, try to watch Reds v B&I Lions from 2013. QC (Quade Cooper) (Quade Cooper) was captain and the first half is some of the best rugby I have ever seen, unfortunately the Lions were far too experienced for the Reds but the tactics by the Reds were awesome.


On a side note, the first half of this game should be used to convert non rugby people to being rugby people, it is that good!

Player dependant. Reds had a lot of smart/experienced Rugby players in the pack to be able to make a shift like that.

I wouldn't follow the RL Brian Smith model for much. He was a high stung psycho that drove a lot of players nuts. Bit Eddie Jones like.

 

[PhilClinton]

Pup was part of the Junior Gold pathways program for a number of years.

He has been quite savvy with his career moves. I agree the QRU/RA might struggle to promote someone who's been stuck at Brothers for 10 years, but specifically his move to Randwick I think was setting him up for a higher accolades down the path.

The Randwick mafia have a stranglehold on Australian Wallabies coaches. Dwyer, Jones, Link and Cheika have all come through the Randwick coaching pathway.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That Club was stumbling mess until Stephen Hoiles pulled them all into line and they brought in Andrew Deegan at 10 and a couple UK forwards as well as Tom Silk from Gordon. Turinui was the other guy that pulled it together.

Surely any Club coach needs an assisant stint these days. It is a different environment, players, egos, logistics and expectations. I know he's said he's content in NZ but a guy like Halangahu would be another name on a whiteboard.

 

[Wilson]

I'd be very surprised if McCormack was in consideration for the head coaching position, but he's a very good candidate to promote as an assistant in the next setup, with an eye to further developing.

 

[Wilson]

I know he's said he's content in NZ but a guy like Halangahu would be another name on a whiteboard.

I don't think there's much point in the Reds chasing Halangahu too hard, he looks pretty happy in NZ and there's no real draw that QLD would have for him personally, unlike NSW.

That's not to say I'd be unhappy with him as a candidate, but as far as international options otherwise unconnected to QLD rugby we'd be better off aiming higher.

As near as I can tell it's going to come down to Hilton promoted internally up against an experienced foreign option like McDonald or Lancaster. I can't see the other QLD options with out top flight head coaching experience (Latham, Mowen, Kefu) edging out Hilton when coming from outside the organisation. I expect Mowen will stay the course in Canberra but the other two might come into the conversation around assistants, if that's not too many cooks. Maybe Rod Seib or Peter Hewat could come into calculations, I'd probably prefer them to Kefu or Latham in either assistant or head coach roles.

Not sure there are too many other Australian coaches knocking the door down though, Brock James is the only other I can think of, but he needs more time (and probably experience as a super assistant).

 

[Nuggetyflyhalf]

I think a local would be good (Kefu or Latham) but Leon MacDonald worth a call.

re: the Zoom, it has been decided that we will postpone this until box kick and Overlander have served their bans. Thank you to the people who reached out via DM, I thought it might be easier to address the issue here.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Problem with Latham is that his HC experience is the MLR which is marginally more resourced than a Prem Club. Not a problem with him personally but the experience.

He does have over a decade of coaching under his belt now though.

 

[Wilson]

There's no real high performance argument to push Latham or Kefu ahead of other candidates. They'd be well positioned to transition from Reds assistant to head coach (as Hilton potentially might), but they don't have proper professional head coaching experience to their names or the institutional background to help them transition into the roll. They're the exact sort of appointments we would've made 10 years ago, very much to our detriment.

Lemon Leon MacDonald was a good candidate but has just signed with Yokohama and is likely now off the table.

 

[dru]

There's no real high performance argument to push Latham or Kefu ahead of other candidates. They'd be well positioned to transition from Reds assistant to head coach (as Hilton potentially might), but they don't have proper professional head coaching experience to their names or the institutional background to help them transition into the roll. They're the exact sort of appointments we would've made 10 years ago, very much to our detriment.

Lemon MacDonald was a good candidate but has just signed with Yokohama and is likely now off the table.

Am I reading this right? This means that the HC "pathway" is a requirement to leave not just the Reds, but Australia? No, more than that. You'll have to find the right overseas pathway. Not US for one. And then fingers crossed they return to the Reds. At the right price.

Look, Wilson, you may well be right, but I'm not seeing the layout as comforting.

 

[Nuggetyflyhalf]

There's no real high performance argument to push Latham or Kefu ahead of other candidates. They'd be well positioned to transition from Reds assistant to head coach (as Hilton potentially might), but they don't have proper professional head coaching experience to their names or the institutional background to help them transition into the roll. They're the exact sort of appointments we would've made 10 years ago, very much to our detriment.

Lemon MacDonald was a good candidate but has just signed with Yokohama and is likely now off the table.

Lemon? You mean Leon?

 

[Wilson]

Am I reading this right? This means that the HC "pathway" is a requirement to leave not just the Reds, but Australia? No, more than that. You'll have to find the right overseas pathway. Not US for one. And then fingers crossed they return to the Reds. At the right price.

Look, Wilson, you may well be right, but I'm not seeing the layout as comforting.

No, but if you want to step into the head coach role at the Reds without having done it at another top flight competition (top 14, english prem, urc or super rugby) then you need extensive experience in top flight pro environments and/or to be coming through the system. It's worth noting that while.i probably wouldn't put the Japanese top league in that top flight grouping it's right on the border of it, and guys like Hilton or Hewat benefit significantly from their head coaching experience within it. MLR on the other hand is way to new, transitory and ad hoc to put that much stock in - betting on that success is how you get someone well out of their depth like Coleman was.

Don't get me wrong, I don't love that we don't have the pathways for it, but it's hard to ignore the reality of the separation between super and club (or the other levels below it) at this point. It might be different if there was an experienced head coach serving as director of rugby to help bring someone through, but that's also not necessarily a silver bullet.

 

[Wilson]

Lemon? You mean Leon?

Yes, autocorrect error

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Am I reading this right? This means that the HC "pathway" is a requirement to leave not just the Reds, but Australia? No, more than that. You'll have to find the right overseas pathway. Not US for one. And then fingers crossed they return to the Reds. At the right price.

Look, Wilson, you may well be right, but I'm not seeing the layout as comforting.

Not leave Aus but you need to learn the ropes of a fully professional organisation. Setting yourself up for failure more often than not if you chose to skip it. Some teams may be eager to grab the “next big thing” but if it goes bad it’ll set you back 2-3 years.

We have some guys developing here. Mowen is doing it. Dan Palmer is in the UK right now but getting a lot of experience.

A lot like players, they need to be tested and some won’t cut the extra load. Some guys will be career club coaches like players.