Reds 2015

[Scoey]

The most alarming thing for me is that there is even a discussion about a short term signing after one injury and before the season has even started.
It's that all too familiar feeling of unease that the guys pulling the strings aren't 100% across it all that is lingering on the edge of my conscious thoughts.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for Duncan to have a go and see what he's got but the higher up thinking that has resulted in us being in this position concerns me already.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Scoey -not that surprising the amount of discussion re Quades injury - start of season, blokes bored shitless, no games ATM, major playmaker for team, replacement player untested at this level blah blah...

Some threads have really been really been over the top- KB (Kurtley Beale)'s Message/s

Bring on the games !

 

[USARugger]

Scoey, I was a bit concerned by our obvious lack of depth at 10 going into the season - but can you really blame the recruitment staff?

I'm struggling to think of any quality backup 10s that are, or were on the market that wouldn't have cost quite a bit for a guy who was going to get very few minutes under the presumption QC (Quade Cooper) didn't break his collarbone in the preseason.

McIntyre was a smart pickup for the future, but he's crocked now too. Not much you can do about that from a selection perspective.

With the limits on foreign and marquee players, what other options did we have? I'm genuinely curious - is there some Aussie 10 that was running around overseas coming off contract that we missed, or maybe someone in clubland who has been sitting on the fence between Club/NRC and Soup for a few seasons?

I'm not sure how Greene went in 2014 but that's really the only name that even remotely springs to mind for me.

 

[Scoey]

It was late and I was tired when I wrote that. I'm not really blaming anyone, just hoping that having no decent back up at 10 was more a result of the situation that you describe as opposed to a calculated risk that has now backfired.

I reckon (read: hope) that you are closer to the mark USARugger, but that nagging feeling I think stems from the fact that we let 2 decent back up 10's (Harris & Lucas) go last year with apparently no replacement/s. Maybe those guys wanted to much and it comes back to what we could afford? I don't know, but it's the situation as a whole that has me wondering if some of the decisions being made are part of a not-so-well thought out plan.

Yes I know I have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, which is why I'm trying not to be to critical. I may not have articulated well but I would say that I am pondering more than leveling accusations if that makes sense? The proof will 100% be in the pudding and I would be stoked to be wrong!

 

[Wilson]

Greene didn't feature too much in the NRC and I think he's still running around club if we need him. The only guy I can think of that might have been worth grabbing earlier (assuming we had the squad space) is Sam Windsor, the nsw country eagles fly half. Doesn't matter now, I think he's in the UK now with a lower tier English team and I'm pretty sure he's injured anyway.

 

[Brumby Runner]

With the limits on foreign and marquee players, what other options did we have? I'm genuinely curious - is there some Aussie 10 that was running around overseas coming off contract that we missed, or maybe someone in clubland who has been sitting on the fence between Club/NRC and Soup for a few seasons?

I'm not sure how Greene went in 2014 but that's really the only name that even remotely springs to mind for me.

Sam Windsor had a particularly strong NRC. Has he been picked up by one of the other Provinces?

EDIT : Just saw Wilson's post and that answers my question. Pity because he looked to have some talent.

 

[TOCC]

St.George Queensland Reds squad v Rebels, Cairns
Forwards
Curtis Browning, Sef Faagase, Saia Fainga’a, Lolo Fakaosilea, Liam Gill, Michael Gunn, James Hanson, James Horwill, Adam Korczyk, Marco Kotze, Pettowa Paraka, Beau Robinson, Jake Schatz, James Slipper (C), Sam Talakai.

Backs
Tom Banks, Anthony Fainga’a, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Nick Frisby, Scott Gale, Will Genia, Karmichael Hunt (VC), Sam Johnson, Samu Kerevi, Chris Kuridrani, Campbell Magnay, Duncan Paia’aua, Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.

 

[TOCC]

“Fortunately of the 10 players sidelined from either surgery in 2014 or recent injury we expect Greg Holmes (shoulder), Ben Daley (shoulder), Ed O'Donoghue (ankle) and James O'Connor back next week.

“This will also be bolstered by the likelihood Adam Thomson will also be available for selection, as his commitments with his Japanese club will be over.”

The other injured players unavailable for selection are: Cooper - suffered a fractured collar bone at training and will be out for 10-12 weeks; Lock Dave McDuling – strained glute during a rucking drill last week; Flanker Eddie Quirk - still recovering from a knee reconstruction; Lock Rob Simmons - returned from Wallabies Spring Tour with a shoulder complaint that will be managed week to week; Centre Ben Tapuai - hamstring injury at training two weeks ago and has not recovered; wing Lachie Turner - injured his shoulder during a contact drill last week and could be back Round 1.

 

[TOCC]

So it only looks like Quirk and Cooper are out for a significant amount of time, with Turner, Tapuai and McDuling back for round 1 -2..

 

[Scoey]

Thanks TOCC. Anyone know who Tom Banks is?

 

[Brendan Hume]

Lock Rob Simmons - returned from Wallabies Spring Tour with a shoulder complaint that will be managed week to week

That's really disappointing for Simmons. Hopefully he doesn't have a season like so many players who manage shoulder injuries throughout the year.

 

[TOCC]

Thanks TOCC. Anyone know who Tom Banks is?

A winger from UQ, he was involved in the QLD and AUS U20's last year

 

[Wilson]

Don't remember him playing any nrc, interesting that he seems to have leap frogged a few players there.

 

[Red Heavy]

Don't remember him playing any nrc, interesting that he seems to have leap frogged a few players there.

Banks was injuried so didn't get to play the back end of club footy or the NRC. All reports are that he has been training extremely well with the Reds this season.

Have also heard along the grapevine that they are looking at pickle to be the back up 10 to Duncan in the trials.

 

[Red Heavy]

Sorry pickle = Frisby

 

[TheBigDog]

Surprised about the selection of Banks. I thought maybe someone like Pincus would have been worthy of the call up. Regardless though with Turner and Taps still to come back there are a lot of backs to choose from - will be surprised if someone outside the main squad gets a run in the season.

 

[RugbyReg]

Banks was injuried so didn't get to play the back end of club footy or the NRC. All reports are that he has been training extremely well with the Reds this season.

Have also heard along the grapevine that they are looking at pickle to be the back up 10 to Duncan in the trials.

just came here to suggest that looking at the squad. 3 scrummies in it (Genia, Frisby and Gale) and no other 10s (assuming they want to give Hunt solid time at 15) so one of the 9s would back up as a 10. Pickle the man most likely.

 

[hammertimethere]

So that leaves us with a best guess of starting with
1 - Slipper
2 - FTS or Hanson
3 - Fa'agase
4 - Ed O Don
5 - Kev
6 - Browning
7 - Gilly
8 - Schatzy
9 - Genia
10 - Duncan
11 - CFS
12 - FTA
13 - Kerevi
14 - Panther, JJ or Magnay?
15 - KHunt

It's their first hit out and there are A LOT of front line boys in the stands already so they'll probably just trial lads in a bunch of different positions and see who looks good.

I'm expecting the rebels record a solid win

 

[Brumby Jack]

Ed O’Donoghue is injured

 

[Scoey]

Guys can we try and restrict the use of nicknames a bit? Especially on the lesser known players.
Who is Panther?