Reds 2020

[Zero_Cool]

Nah, I think the Reds have been very good this year, they had the toughest start of the Super Rugby season and were just coming into there own. They are on average 3-4 points away from the Brumbies in Canberra from 3 games. Both would have been in contention for Super Rugby Finals. Are either better than the Crusaders -- no but no one in New Zealand is too; but they are both on par with any of the Kiwi teams not from Christchurch.

 

[Cancelled Account]

It’s been an interesting 2020 on and off the field but at least we had some rugby to watch in Australia and the Reds got to trial their young team in a domestic comp rather than throwing them on the big stage. Losing Rodda, Hockings, Lucas and Gordon was disappointing and hopefully a huge wake up call for Reds top knobs. A few critical injuries really put the pressure on and we sometimes saw a starting team that looked like a Colts 1st team. We got one more win than last year but imagine what we could have done without the departures and injuries. The stats are better so that’s what counts, isn’t it? Next year will be the making or the breaking of us over the next 3 year cycle.
My players for 2020:
MVP - Tupou
Best forward - Wright
Best back - Petaia
Best Rookie - Wilson

One more thing, great to have the Force back in the mix.

 

[Purce]

It’s been an interesting 2020 on and off the field but at least we had some rugby to watch in Australia and the Reds got to trial their young team in a domestic comp rather than throwing them on the big stage. Losing Rodda, Hockings, Lucas and Gordon was disappointing and hopefully a huge wake up call for Reds top knobs. A few critical injuries really put the pressure on and we sometimes saw a starting team that looked like a Colts 1st team. We got one more win than last year but imagine what we could have done without the departures and injuries. The stats are better so that’s what counts, isn’t it? Next year will be the making or the breaking of us over the next 3 year cycle.
My players for 2020:
MVP - Tupou
Best forward - Wright
Best back - Petaia
Best Rookie - Wilson

One more thing, great to have the Force back in the mix.

As in Gordon the young 10? What has happened to him? There were big expectations on that fella

 

[The Nomad]

As in Gordon the young 10? What has happened to him? There were big expectations on that fella

Spent a fair chunk of the last 12 months injured.

Has now signed with the Rebels , guess chasing a starting spot , would have maybe felt road blocked behind JOC (James O'Connor) at the Reds.

 

[liquor box]

MVP - Tupou
Best forward - Wright
Best back - Petaia
Best Rookie - Wilson

For me I would have Tupou as MVP
Best Player - Tupou
Best forward - 3 - LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Tupou not counted due to previous award), 2 Wilson, 1 Wright

Best Back - 3 - McDermott, 2 Daugunu, 1 Stewart
MVP - 3 Wright (should captain Wallabies A team)

In trying to select the best players I have realised that I could justify a lot of combinations which demonstrates how good as a team we played.

I think we are building a champion team, as opposed to a team of champions (with a few champions included).

 

[Cancelled Account]

As in Gordon the young 10? What has happened to him? There were big expectations on that fella

Yep.

 

[Cancelled Account]

For me I would have Tupou as MVP
Best Player - Tupou
Best forward - 3 - LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Tupou not counted due to previous award), 2 Wilson, 1 Wright

Best Back - 3 - McDermott, 2 Daugunu, 1 Stewart
MVP - 3 Wright (should captain Wallabies A team)

In trying to select the best players I have realised that I could justify a lot of combinations which demonstrates how good as a team we played.

I think we are building a champion team, as opposed to a team of champions (with a few champions included).

All stellar players.

 

[Gervais_rugbylives]

I'd like to take it back to what I know as a Brisbane person. I know how it has worked in the last few years. Carter, Hunter and Isaac were a brilliant young back line. Carter felt he wasn't valued here, Isaac took up an opportunity to train with the brumbies to better himself even though his mother was suffering breast cancer at the same time and Hunter was lucky to be selected after a long time trying his heart out. I know the shit these boys have gone through. We need to respect the shit these kids under the age of 21 go through. I am bias but I am also not stupid. Hamish Stewart is great in defence but in the NRL people would feel that they actually had a chance. The case of Hunter is amazing, because we never thought that was possible.

 

[RugbyReg]

I'd like to take it back to what I know as a Brisbane person. I know how it has worked in the last few years. Carter, Hunter and Isaac were a brilliant young back line. Carter felt he wasn't valued here, Isaac took up an opportunity to train with the brumbies to better himself even though his mother was suffering breast cancer at the same time and Hunter was lucky to be selected after a long time trying his heart out. I know the shit these boys have gone through. We need to respect the shit these kids under the age of 21 go through. I am bias but I am also not stupid. Hamish Stewart is great in defence but in the NRL people would feel that they actually had a chance. The case of Hunter is amazing, because we never thought that was possible.

can you extrapolate on that? How did he feel he was undervalued???

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

can you extrapolate on that? How did he feel he was undervalued???

Hard to not feel skeptical with a brand new account sprouting players hard luck stories with links to a "controversial" player agent.

 

[Gervais_rugbylives]

can you extrapolate on that? How did he feel he was undervalued???

He was seen as the next 10 for the reds but a chat with the rebels was enough to change his mind. I know this kid loves Queensland and Wests but it isn't stupid to follow where you feel you will be valued. Thorn has done a piss poor job of holding onto young talent. Don't go promising things to kids when you are going to keep Hegarty at number 22 anyway.

 

[RugbyReg]

He was seen as the next 10 for the reds but a chat with the rebels was enough to change his mind. I know this kid loves Queensland and Wests but it isn't stupid to follow where you feel you will be valued. Thorn has done a piss poor job of holding onto young talent. Don't go promising things to kids when you are going to keep Hegarty at number 22 anyway.

ha. Yes. Jimmy-Couch has nailed this in one message.

Hegarty provides more versatility than Gordon so makes much more sense as a bench player. If that's the real reason Gordon left then good riddance.

As for Thorn's struggle to keep young talent thats pretty much the one thing most people agree he's done very well.

 

[The Nomad]

Carter was the golden boy of the Qld pathways right through to being brought into the senior squad in only his first year out of school.

Was given first crack at 10 over another up and coming talent in Pasitoa in both U16 Reds and Qld Schools and was training with the senior squad straight out of school.

To say he was treated poorly or undervalued is a bit rich .

Who in their right mind would promise a 18/19 year old a starting spot?

A chance to earn it maybe and think he has been given that.

Another year or two in the system and he may well have seen it come his way, particularly with Lucas leaving the way he did.

Hopefully the Reds have another crack at Pasitoa, he looks Super Rugby ready.

 

[dru]

ha. Yes. Jimmy-Couch has nailed this in one message.

Hegarty provides more versatility than Gordon so makes much more sense as a bench player. If that's the real reason Gordon left then good riddance.

As for Thorn's struggle to keep young talent thats pretty much the one thing most people agree he's done very well.

We are skeptical on this posters claims re Thorn so we should also be skeptical about his claims re Carter. It again smacks of poor (or self obsessed) player management getting hold of a talent promising the world then bitching by the same manager (or someone close to the manager) when they fall flat. Or it isn’t quick enough. Or it turns out the player has to actually earn his stripes. I presume there is commonality here with Isaac Lucas so you have to ask how many young potential 10s this plonk has promised Reds granduer?

All the best to Carter.

 

[SouthernX]

He was seen as the next 10 for the reds but a chat with the rebels was enough to change his mind. I know this kid loves Queensland and Wests but it isn't stupid to follow where you feel you will be valued. Thorn has done a piss poor job of holding onto young talent. Don't go promising things to kids when you are going to keep Hegarty at number 22 anyway.

Thorn has done a piss poor job holding into young talent? How about Thorn has done a phenomenal job discovering young talent!!

 

[Braveheart81]

How about Thorn has done a phenomenal job discovering young talent!!

I'm not sure that's really true either.

None of these young players having success has come as a surprise. Most have been pretty well known before they became associated with the Reds.

I guess this is a big sign of how much the pathways have improved. The right players are being identified pretty early on and they're being nursed through the system into professional ranks.

 

[PhilClinton]

I'm not sure that's really true either.

None of these young players having success has come as a surprise. Most have been pretty well known before they became associated with the Reds.

I guess this is a big sign of how much the pathways have improved. The right players are being identified pretty early on and they're being nursed through the system into professional ranks.

Lets not forget Thorn was involved in a pathway program (NRC) from 2016 as a player and then coach for two years. Yes I know it isn't the school boy or age group pathways you're referring to but he would have had his eye on all those competitions and selections quite closely as the NRC was a good link between that level of footy and Super Rugby.

Not trying to give Thorn all the credit for any young qld players success but considering he has been in that system for a while now I think he does deserve some.

 

[The Nomad]

^Thorn also worked with Paul Carozza in his early days of coaching in both NRC and Reds .

Paul was in charge of the Reds Academy through this time .

2016-2018 would have been the time a lot of the “new” talent at the Reds would have been coming through the Academy, would imagine Carozza’s role wasn’t pure chance.

 

[SouthernX]

I'm not sure that's really true either.

None of these young players having success has come as a surprise. Most have been pretty well known before they became associated with the Reds.

I guess this is a big sign of how much the pathways have improved. The right players are being identified pretty early on and they're being nursed through the system into professional ranks.

Discovering probably not the best word

But thorn should absolutely be credited for blooding them.

BT doesn’t care how old you are. As long as you got the talent and the true grit to go with it you’ll get your opportunity over a older head.

 

[Braveheart81]

Discovering probably not the best word

But thorn should absolutely be credited for blooding them.

He's absolutely done that. He can certainly be commended for committing to the rebuild, making tough decisions on certain players and bringing through a really talented generation of players.