Reds 2013

[Jets]

Because they can.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Bit harsh their TD. He really has not had a chance to prove himself at Super Rugby level. But I do get the jist of what you're trying to say, but if he stays fit I suspect he will improve, he has the mongrel to be a beast in defence.

Apologies T12 it sounded harsher than i meant. At Premier level i can see that power and dominance in contact, i realise he is young and with time he may convert it to super level but i feel with the exposure he has we should be seeing more evidence of this power cause at the moment he risks flat lining as he seems to me at the same level this year as last but only time will tell

 

[en_force_er]

Because they can.

Haha, probably. Could also be because they were more isolated rugby wise for different reasons (France less so than the others, maybe it was to be different from the British?).

As a side note, Browning is too good to be fucked about with position wise. When it comes to back row to front row conversions it's always better to try it with a bloke who might become good rather than a bloke who almost certainly will.

 

[tigerland12]

Don't worry I'm on the same page as you on this one, I have my worries. I think this year will define how he progresses as a player. He will get alot more game time and hopefully stays injury free. I'm hoping the same progression as Shatz, who only found his feet as a Super Rugby player at the later end of this season.

Shit losing Higgers is making things difficult haha.

 

[tranquility]

Bit late on all this, few thoughts.

Hugh Mcmenimen would be the ideal backrower for out situation. In his youth he has the potential to be ANYTHING, a real Imanol Harinordoquy type player who was abrasive and excellent in the set piece. Where the hell do we get more of those type of players?

I havent heard too much about him since he has been in Japan, but if he is healthy and in a good mental frame of mind he would be an absolute blessing. I also know that his long term girlfriend who was in Japan with him is back in Brisbane, although I am not sure if they are still together. I sound like a twit saying that.

Anywho, regarding the rest of the backrow. Quirk, Shatz, Gill, Butler are four tremendous backrow potentials, however they are not ready to shoulder the work of an entire season just yet. We need one maybe two veterans to add to this group, of course we still have Beau who can play 6 & 7 and is a Saint.

Apologies T12 it sounded harsher than i meant. At Premier level i can see that power and dominance in contact, i realise he is young and with time he may convert it to super level but i feel with the exposure he has we should be seeing more evidence of this power cause at the moment he risks flat lining as he seems to me at the same level this year as last but only time will tell

Who is this in reference too?

 

[Linebacker_41]

Anywho, regarding the rest of the backrow. Quirk, Shatz, Gill, Butler are four tremendous backrow potentials, however they are not ready to shoulder the work of an entire season just yet. We need one maybe two veterans to add to this group, of course we still have Beau who can play 6 & 7 and is a Saint.

I think the biggest loss for the Reds will be the lineout. Higgers was tall and had a good leap on him, Schatz being a rep basketballer has a good jump and controls the lineout well. This gives the 4 options that creates options when you dont have a 7ft monolith to throw to.

In reality around the pitch, Higgers was quite poor in the tight stuff throughout the year. Yes you could always find him to be lingering for the off-load but the hard dominant yards were rarely his bread and butter.

Mind you when he had the mindset Higgers was very good in the tight hard yards, I just wished he was there more often.

Quirk is good and is a passionate team man. All current tigers will tell you that. He does lack a dynamic "x-factor"element to his game but if he stays injury free he will be solid at Super level. Not oustanding but solid and reliable.

Butler is a little short for a super rugby No8 but like Quirk he will be solid.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

Mind you when he had the mindset Higgers was very good in the tight hard yards, I just wished he was there more often.

Mindset or instructions from Link? It all seemed deliberate to match the game plan from the Reds to have him in that role.

 

[Ruggo]

Does McDurling have the toe for the back row? He sounds like one hell of a talent and do people think he could make the conversion to a backrower?

Please discuss.

 

[Jiggles]

When talking to some of the UQ boys, they say he fits that power lock/blind side flanker mould of player. Maybe since he is an old Sydney Uni player Bruce Ross may have some info on him as he has been injured for most of his time in Brisbane.

 

[Ruggo]

Yeah, Bruce and Lee Grant seem to know a lot about him. Would love to hear your views fellas.

 

[Scotty]

Going to the Tahs?
- that's a Road this Lane shouldn't go down.

Yeah, but surely he is Streets ahead of other contenders with all the Circuit work he has been doing in his own Court.

 

[TOCC]

Im not sure why people keep harping on about needing a replacement for Higgers... We already have one in Shatz, this bloke will be the starting number 8 in 2013 and will hold down the position quite credibly.

Shatz doesn't have the athleticism that Higgers had, but he has the work rate and tactical nous that Higgers never did, QLD don't necessarily need to replicate Higgers style of play which had its own positives but also a few negatives.

Il be happy to watch Shatz hold that position..

 

[TOCC]

I must be the only Reds fan who does not want to see Hugh McMeniman come back, what happened to loyalty? If you turn your back on your team then I dont want you back for any reason.

Loyalty needs to be rewarded and we need to ensure that our young stars of the future realise if they want to play for the Reds when they are older and better then they need to be loyal to the cause.

I honestly dont understand this mindset...
The poor bloke was continually injured and took the opportunity to chase a big pay packet in Japan to financially set himself up for life after rugby... Its hardly like he signed with a team for less money or to chase a premiership..

 

[sunnyboys]

TOCC. i think the need to replace Higgers is because Higgers and Schatz were both starting for the second half of the season. whereas last season it was higgers and samo. samo is fading. so we need another starter. next year it will probably gill, schatz .... and.... quirk was always considered the third one of that trio, but he hasn't had the same kind of exposure as Gill and Schatz.

 

[Linebacker_41]

Does McDurling have the toe for the back row? He sounds like one hell of a talent and do people think he could make the conversion to a backrower?

McDuling is a very strong ball carrier who, from the handful of games of his that I have seen, rarely goes backwards. This included last years Qld A games against the Pacific Island teams who dominated the Qld team when it came to the collision zone.

He could easily be a Brad Thorn type 2nd Row or a strong running 6. (I prefer the 2nd Row option for McDuling as he is similar in height and width to Thorn and needs some serious gym time to provide further power to even come close to matching Thorn).

Defensively he is solid and can hold down the blindside, and in attack he carries the ball well and hits rucks hard. For me I would prefer this style of player for the Reds right now. This year at times (usually the critical times) the Reds have lost the collision zone and started to creep sideways in attack. Yes Quade wasnt there but the platform wasnt being set by the forwards. Daley who was awesome in 2011 was missing as was Simmons for much of the year.

Other options for 6 is Wallace-Harrison but his longevity will be cut short by the extra running required from the 6 position.

 

[Ignoto]

So with Foley quitting the Tahs, is there any way we can give the Tahs Graham and have Foley instead

 

[Slim 293]

So with Foley quitting the Tahs, is there any way we can give the Tahs Graham and have Foley instead

Well, it looks like Foley is going to the Force so maybe you guys can hand back Graham to them?

I'm sure that would go down a treat in the west.......

 

[TOCC]

Not sure what your point is Slim?

Give the events over West, I'm not sure antagonising is necessary right now..

 

[twenty seven]

McDuling is a very strong ball carrier who, from the handful of games of his that I have seen, rarely goes backwards. This included last years Qld A games against the Pacific Island teams who dominated the Qld team when it came to the collision zone.

He could easily be a Brad Thorn type 2nd Row or a strong running 6. (I prefer the 2nd Row option for McDuling as he is similar in height and width to Thorn and needs some serious gym time to provide further power to even come close to matching Thorn).

Defensively he is solid and can hold down the blindside, and in attack he carries the ball well and hits rucks hard. For me I would prefer this style of player for the Reds right now. This year at times (usually the critical times) the Reds have lost the collision zone and started to creep sideways in attack. Yes Quade wasnt there but the platform wasnt being set by the forwards. Daley who was awesome in 2011 was missing as was Simmons for much of the year.

Other options for 6 is Wallace-Harrison but his longevity will be cut short by the extra running required from the 6 position.

From the games I have seen he is too short for the second row in Super Rugby.

 

[Slim 293]

Not sure what your point is Slim?

Give the events over West, I'm not sure antagonising is necessary right now..

Er.......

Maybe you should follow the thread, because I was clearly responding to ignoto's post directly above.......