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Reds 2023

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
From a purely Super Rugby perspective, coaching success with QLD:

1 McKenzie - 44 wins from 65 games @ 68%
2 Connolly - 33/57 @ 58%
3 McBain - 13/23 @ 57%
4 Thorn - 40/86 @ 47%
5 Slack - 5/11 @ 45%
6 Miller - 12/35 @ 34%
7 Stiles - 4/15 @ 27%
8 Graham - 9/34 @ 26%
9 Mooney - 6/26 @ 23% & Stiles/O'Connor - 3/13 @ 23%
11 Jones - 2/13 @ 15%

6 games (at least) to go? If we win all 6, Brad will finish with a plus 50% win rate.
 

Ras

Allen Oxlade (6)
Wallabies who have left under thorn include: Quade, Slipper, Rodda, Karmichael, BPA, Lukan, Kerevi and Tupou

Not all his fault however it's paints quite the "what could have been" with better player management and retention.
 

Sword of Justice

Nev Cottrell (35)
you do know that Ewen McKenzie was a 'car park' search? Chairman Rod McCall just called up his old team mate and asked him if he wanted to coach
Is that the same thing though? Having an existing personal relationship is probably very common at this level of administration and coaching.

Ironically on balance I would argue that until the beginning of this year the car park search that found Thorn worked very well and on the whole I think he did a great job in player development and setting professional standards.

It is however frustrating to perceive that a greater pool of talent isn't being considered given the last several appointments.
 
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RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Is that the same thing though? Having an existing personal relationship is probably very common at this level of administration and coaching.

Ironically on balance I would argue that until the beginning of this year the car park search that found Thorn worked very well and on the whole I think he did a great job in player development and setting professional standards.

It is however frustrating to perceive that a greater pool of talent isn't being considered given the last several appointments.

But they've done that though haven't though? I think people overestimate the amount of money the QRU have had at their disposal to give to a HC. Perhaps RA should be offering funding to the provinces to help get the best possible coaching talent.

The QRU's financial position in 2017 was fairly dire - "The QRU’s bottom line profit for the 2017 financial year was $22,263, an improvement on the 2016 financial year loss of $789,380". Being able to bring in a Steve Lancaster or Jake White was never really a reality.
 

SouthernX

John Thornett (49)
He can produce wallabies, just can't develop them into consistent squad members from there eg. Tate, Wilson, JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor).

there’s been some awful internal politics previously in the wallabies setup. For example the brumbies coaching staff influence on selections in a Dave Rennie team.

of course Tate would miss out to Nic White & Valetini (better wallaby prospect) is always going to keep a talented guy like Harry Wilson out of the 8 jersey.
 

Mug Punter

Ted Fahey (11)
looking at that list of players Thorn blooded. One wallaby a season (minimum) nothing from 2022/2023 pool but Faessler and Lynagh might have a cap coming down the pipeline.

weren’t some of Brads critics here saying he doesn’t produce wallabies?
They shunned Faessler at every opportunity when he should've been there way before he was and not sure how much of Lynagh's development you'd put down to Thorn
 

LeCheese

Greg Davis (50)
Wallabies who have left under thorn include: Quade, Slipper, Rodda, Karmichael, BPA, Lukan, Kerevi and Tupou

Not all his fault however it's paints quite the "what could have been" with better player management and retention.
And if they'd all stayed we might not have seen the same opportunities given to others also in the Wallabies picture like Paisami, Flook, Smith, Faessler, etc.
 

SouthernX

John Thornett (49)
They shunned Faessler at every opportunity when he should've been there way before he was and not sure how much of Lynagh's development you'd put down to Thorn

disagree on Faessler.

there’s always been better options before him. BPA, Mafi etc…

& Thorn absolutely deserves some credit on Lynagh. Mick Heenan never had the balls to give Lynagh a QPR start. Crazy that Brad thorn had the guts picking a player straight out of qpr colts
 

Sam Old

Herbert Moran (7)
A bit of a non- announcement. It was clear at the start of the season both the coach and players had moved on. The success or lack thereof in the remainder of the season are likely more important to Heenans future than Thorn now.
 

Sword of Justice

Nev Cottrell (35)
But they've done that though haven't though? I think people overestimate the amount of money the QRU have had at their disposal to give to a HC. Perhaps Rugby Australia should be offering funding to the provinces to help get the best possible coaching talent.

The QRU's financial position in 2017 was fairly dire - "The QRU’s bottom line profit for the 2017 financial year was $22,263, an improvement on the 2016 financial year loss of $789,380". Being able to bring in a Steve Lancaster or Jake White was never really a reality.
I guess it's a chicken and egg question. Personally I would have advocated for taking on more debt and operating at a loss if it meant picking up a top level coach in place of Graham or Stiles, but I was quite happy with the appointment of Thorn at the time given his results in NRC and u20s.

It's moot as I don't know what options were available but there is real danger in cost cutting the organisation's way to success whereby every year we can only offer lower salaries to coaches as our results fall further and further behind. Wages for a coach are an expense on the balance sheet but in every other way they are an investment, IMO.
 

7137

Alex Ross (28)
how does it compare to other sides? Is that excessive given the current rugby climate in Australia?
Dunno. Was your list put up as impressive in its length or pretty standard?
The comment was he tried way more people than anyone else and I question whether that’s a good thing.
 

Ras

Allen Oxlade (6)
disagree on Faessler.

there’s always been better options before him. BPA, Mafi etc…
They did bring Steven Moore out of retirement on a couple of trips to avoid having Faessler there after he was one of the form hookers of QPR for a number of years.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Dunno. Was your list put up as impressive in its length or pretty standard?
The comment was he tried way more people than anyone else and I question whether that’s a good thing.

yeah - I don't have that detail for other teams but off the top of my head the Tahs have had Seu, Jorgensen, Lambert, Goddard, Nadolo, Dowling, Sateki Latu, Botha and Tuipulotu at least this year? Force have a heap too I'd suggest. Brumbies probably less but still Schoupp, Toole, Tua, Van Nek, Wright, Cale, O'Donnell, Rolando?, Meredith, Kautai?, Thompson - ok, so perhaps not much less.
 
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