Reds 2015

[tigerland12]

Got word that Ed Quirk has been basically told he isn't wanted, simply because Graham is so high up on Curtis Browning,

I thought Quirkie showed more than Curtis this year.

Also heard that certain players, including one very talented forward, are 100% leaving by the end of next season if Graham is still coach.

I'm disappointed that everyone seems to have taken their foot off Graham's throat and just accepted it. This bloke has fucked our team, and yes we probably weren't capable of finals this year, but no way are we a team that should be sitting as low as we are.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Take the Easts goggles off Tigerland. Quirk was very disappointing this year. Browning has actually showed a little promise finally getting a run. That being said, getting rid of him would be a silly move after a great 2013. Clearly has potential, Graham is the one who is struggling to get it out of him though.

One of Graham's biggest faults was his reluctance to take a risk and give Browning a go earlier. So I wouldn't say he is all high on him.

 

[en_force_er]

Bad season or not, Quirk is young and promising. To let him go is absurd.

 

[No4918]

Apparently Graham is looking to sign 6 outside backs for next year:

http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby-2014/rugby/story/232947.html

Makes a mockery of the claims coming out of HQ that they are on top of recruitment and just waiting for some designated time to full us all in.

 

[Jets]

Got word that Ed Quirk has been basically told he isn't wanted, simply because Graham is so high up on Curtis Browning,

I thought Quirkie showed more than Curtis this year.

Also heard that certain players, including one very talented forward, are 100% leaving by the end of next season if Graham is still coach.

I'm disappointed that everyone seems to have taken their foot off Graham's throat and just accepted it. This bloke has fucked our team, and yes we probably weren't capable of finals this year, but no way are we a team that should be sitting as low as we are.

I think it's more a case of acceptance that nothing is going to change.

The loss of Quirk will be disappointing as I've enjoyed watching him develop through from a junior. I guess it's a case of him a Schatz providing the same type of impact in games and wanting something different.

I hope he stays in Australia as i think he could flourish in a new environment but you couldn't begrudge him if he wen to France for 2-3 years and made a mint before returning for a crack at 2019 RWC.

 

[Train Without a Station]

Quirk is a tough one. As noted the similarities between him and Schatz as players make one redundant. Quirk offers more abrasiveness and has shown better running ability. Though Schatz is the only player in the squad capable at the back of the scrum and is a slightly more rounded and versatile player.

 

[tigerland12]

Take the Easts goggles off Tigerland. Quirk was very disappointing this year. Browning has actually showed a little promise finally getting a run. That being said, getting rid of him would be a silly move after a great 2013. Clearly has potential, Graham is the one who is struggling to get it out of him though.

One of Graham's biggest faults was his reluctance to take a risk and give Browning a go earlier. So I wouldn't say he is all high on him.

Don't know what you've been watching.

I never said Quirk was a world beater, but I'd argue he was as good as Browning, who I've been largely disappointed with, and better than Shatz.

 

[TOCC]

Sure, but it's been identified by everyone that they need a bit of a change in the back-row with a big powerful player needed to breakup the lightweight workmanlike pack, if not Quirk, then who gets released?

Robinson, Shatz, Gill, McDuling?

 

[TOCC]

Don't know what you've been watching.

I never said Quirk was a world beater, but I'd argue he was as good as Browning, who I've been largely disappointed with, and better than Shatz.

If your arguing that Quirk is as good as Browning but you've been disappointed in Browning, doesn't that mean you've also been disappointed in Quirk?
Browning is only his 2nd year of professional rugby since school, Quirk has been there since 2010/2011.

 

[Jets]

Makes a mockery of the claims coming out of HQ that they are on top of recruitment and just waiting for some designated time to full us all in.

Did anyone fall for that? In what world would getting rid of Placid make sense? I understand Toua and Davies had been given plenty of time but some of these guys have plenty more to give.
I would have been much more at ease if he came out and said "Some of these guys don't fit into our future plans and some have decided to take other opportunities. We are disapointed in that but it is part of professional sport. We will find plenty of talented players to take their spots such as Kerevi, Kuridrani and Johnson."

 

[Train Without a Station]

I don't know what games you've been watching in 2014 Tigerland. Quirk has been ineffective with the ball in hand, lacking any impact in contact and simply been workman-like. Browning has at times bent and broke the line, which is good to see from a guy that would be 21 or younger.

That said, I'm certainly not dismissing him as a player based on 2014, as we all saw what he was capable of in 2013.

I don't know how you could be disappointed in Browning. He needs to be more consistent, but as noted he is a 20 year old in his second season, but him and Robinson are the only players that have had any real impact at any time from our back rowers. That includes Gill, who I think has been good but down on 2013 when he has played - I just don't consider him to be a huge impact player, but more of a reliable, consistent high work rate player - what you generally want from your 7.

 

[Ash]

As mentioned, people have taken their foot off Graham's throat because they realise that cronyism got him into this job, and cronyism will keep him there, at least for another year.

It's fucked, we know it is. We are facing another shit year, and not only that, but Graham is destroying the team. I hope whoever they get after Graham is a strong coach, because he will need to be if we have another year like this one.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I'm more worried what if Graham improves next year. He isn't going to be a coach that will take us to a title, but what if we finished 7th or 8th? Will this keep him around for even longer? I don't see the point of a mediocre finish if it's not part of a rise to something better.

 

[TheBigDog]

Totally baseless rumour (heard from a mate who lives in Melbourne, a bit to do with the rugby scene) that Higginbotham may be in the process of negotiating a release from the Rebels (hes signed until 2015) to return to the Reds. Apparently he believes the team has been taking backwards steps recently (sounds like the Reds!) which is affecting his personal ability and will hurt his chances of making the RWC side which he desperately wants to be a part of.

I find it unlikely but also not impossible, he did just co-open a new restaurant here in Brisbane last month and has other business dealings in QLD so its not like he's fully established a base in Victoria.

 

[Jets]

What happens if Graham turns things around and the team make the 6? It could be the making of him as a coach. The next 6 months will be very interesting in his development as a coach and a leader of men.

He needs to develop a style of play for his Reds. I think he was caught between what Link had done and what the Brumbies were doing this year. He needs to come out and implement a style that is his and that he has faith in.

He has the cattle at his disposal to make it a success. His backline should have some points in them and his forward pack will work all day. A line bender/breaker would be a good addition to the squad but most of the parts are in place.

Cooper and Genia will be back in 2015 and I think the time off will be good for both of them. They will be fresher and keen to make a change. Also some of the young guys coming through are showing some promise.

I'm not happy with what Graham has done this year but I think he has the opportunity to change things around.

 

[mst]

I cant wait for the season launch of REDSality TV- JOC (James O'Connor) - my show my way!

http://t.co/Wm5CAGC3nz


http://www.foxsports.com.au/video?v=JOC (James O'Connor)-wants-you-to-party_1226981596266


Translation: "Welcome Red's fans to Brand O'Çonnor. I'm on may way to the party at Reds HQ, warm up the hot tub, and bring on the boys in the smugglers. It's gunna be one big party and you wont regret it!"

 

[Ignoto]

I'm not happy with what Graham has done this year but I think he has the opportunity to change things around.

Sure he has the opportunity to turn things around, but we haven't seen anything in Graham's coaching career to suggest he can. We haven't seen anything improve on last year, just constant regression in skills, so I'm not of the opinion he should be given such an opportunity. The only thing that has gone forward is the scrum which co-incidentally, Graham would have no involvement in!

We've been burnt by dud coaches so much in the last decade that I'm very reluctant to blindly give someone an opportunity, especially when they're not being accountable or demonstrating any kind of positive improvement.

 

[Train Without a Station]

I agree Ignoto.

If Graham was a good coach, the team would not have regressed so badly under him. It's that simple. If he needs to build the roster around him to play the style he needs them to, then he isn't a good coach. It's that simple.

A good coach should be able to like Link did, come in to a team that finished 13th, identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop a successful style of play to suit what he has to work with and take that same team to 5th without anything more than previously rejected recruits.

If Woody was a good coach, he would have taken our strengths and worked a game plan to suit them, and potentially maybe struggled to really match it with the top teams and still finish in the top 8 despite being a top 6 team the last 4 years. He has not managed that.

 

[Tangawizi]

I still think Graham is gone. We heard all through 2009 how Mooney would still be there in 2010 and look how that ended up.

And if Dave Taylor is thinking about a switch to union, how about someone has a chat to him tomorrow night? You know, while he's in town. It's not like League players haven't walked out on NRL contracts to switch codes before.

A 123kg No 8 that can bend the line is pretty much exactly what we're looking for.

 

[diomac]

Slightly off topic any one else get a Reds monument jersey and think the quality is rubbish?