Wilson
Phil Kearns (64)
No Super A or NRC to prep players this year, but still some chance the Reds tour:
Reds 2023
- Thread starter RugbyReg
- Start date
Eyes and Ears
Bob Davidson (42)
I think it was also a trade off for the Aust A competition.
Wallaby Man
Nev Cottrell (35)
Not that Reds would want to lose someone like Stewart but personally think Henry potentially a class above
Look full strength a backline of
9 McDermott
10 O’Connor
11 Vunivalu
12 Paisami
13 Flook
14 Petaia
15 Campbell
With Henry and Daugunu on the bench is strong. But that’s full strength. Injuries happen and can hit hard. It was depth that hurt us this year and so far we’ve lost 100s of Super Rugby caps and replaced them with not much. Effectively Faessler for Mafi & Vest for ASY (Angus Scott-Young). We’re still to see who replaces Salakai-Loto and Stewart. And anyone else who leaves for that matter.
9 McDermott
10 O’Connor
11 Vunivalu
12 Paisami
13 Flook
14 Petaia
15 Campbell
With Henry and Daugunu on the bench is strong. But that’s full strength. Injuries happen and can hit hard. It was depth that hurt us this year and so far we’ve lost 100s of Super Rugby caps and replaced them with not much. Effectively Faessler for Mafi & Vest for ASY (Angus Scott-Young). We’re still to see who replaces Salakai-Loto and Stewart. And anyone else who leaves for that matter.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
It sounds like the rumours of a breakaway group of mates bailing on the Reds is pretty much confirmed. Stewart is close with the group of Mafi and LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)… and Taniela and Paisami.
I have heard from the horses mouth there will be another significant departure announcement before Super Rugby kicks off next year.
I am not fully across the depth at the Rebels but the Stewart signing makes me think they may not be in play for Kerevi anymore.
liquor box
Peter Sullivan (51)
So that's why he changed his headgear to blue!!
I think this loss will be bigger for team than Hamish's skills would make people believe. I have long thought his organisational skills in the backline as well as his toughness against players bigger than him lifts the team to be better than they should be. I would compare him to someone like Anthony Fa'ainga, he may not be the best player at this level, but he succeeds and this lifts those around him.
He will be missed.
SouthernX
John Thornett (49)
Some force fan poster came in here other day and mentioned Paisami is heading to Perth. Wouldn’t be him?
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
That’s not what I’ve heard - I’ve mentioned before on this thread but I know Taniela very much trying to get out of the Reds. Whether it happens in 2024 when he’s off contract, or the Reds try and do an NBA style sign and trade, let him go elsewhere for 2023 and sign a long term deal with that team and claw back something in return.
Nothing is concrete until they lace up the boots for another team obviously, but the departures are all lining up with what I’ve been told.
dru
David Wilson (68)
Wow, that first game up against the Rebels next year is turning into something special. Not at all sure I'd fancy being in our back line facing Stewart in Defence in that fight.
Stewart has been an excellent servant to Qld rugby leaves with full respect. Always something of a square rod in a round hole but it brought incredible D, determination, resilience and rugby nouse. I may have felt he was losing his grip on the starting 15, but there is no doubt he will be missed.
Stewart has been an excellent servant to Qld rugby leaves with full respect. Always something of a square rod in a round hole but it brought incredible D, determination, resilience and rugby nouse. I may have felt he was losing his grip on the starting 15, but there is no doubt he will be missed.
dru
David Wilson (68)
Phil, sounds systemic rather than simply individuals chasing opportunity. Do you know the background? Just well targeted raids or something deeper?
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
My understanding is there were some pretty tightknit 'sub-groups' at the Reds, you can probably deduce them if you follow any of the guys on socials. It seems like their mateship was really holding them together at the club.
For one group, a domino fell early in the season - LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) and the rest started to make movements after that. I made a few posts in the 2022 thread around guys being upset with their treatment of injuries and recovery, those same guys are now moving on.
It's very easy to look too deep into something like this, but surface level there are hints that something has been going on behind the scenes. LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) being left out of the squad to finish the season was odd, considering he was playing club rugby for Souths. Mafi made a fairly long post about loving QLD, calling it home, thanking the Reds etc. but stopped short of thanking Thorn who has been his only coach at the Reds. It will be interesting to see if Stewart does similar.
dru
David Wilson (68)
If the issue is supposedly Thorn, it doesn't necessarily mean that the disgruntled players are right about it - but it sure don't look good. Those players, is their management that donkey who delights in tearing up the Reds? Some thoughts here have been very noisy about Thorn and his position in the Reds establishment but with one year to go on his contract 2023 is looking pretty tough right now.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
No I don't believe they are NewStar clients - if they were, they'd likely have walked out years ago!
For what it's worth - I don't think Thorn necessarily makes the call on whether an injured player should travel/play that weekend. There would be team doctors and other coaches involved with recovery etc. So it sounds like it's more like a team management thing, not just Thorn.
Ignoto
Peter Sullivan (51)
I'd love to know more about what this actually means Phil?
Thorn and Marsh have previously been praised for their eye on conditioning so hearing that they would be pushing on blokes recovery seems at odds with that?
But, I do recall an interview (was it on G&GR or Pick & Drive), where Will specifically said, no player is every at 100% and you've always got some niggle. So I could easily see the coaching and S&C staff saying to LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)/Mafi etc that their body is 'right', but just not 100%. Whether that's acceptable or not, I'm not too sure.
PhilClinton
Mark Loane (55)
I know Taniela took particular issue with being asked to travel with the team and try to warmup pre-game early in the season (maybe the Rebels game?) when he knew he was going to be no good to play, he was officially listed as 'ruled out during warmup' but that wasn't the case.
Similar to Mafi, apparently he had also flagged injury concerns/tightness during the leadup to the game, but he ended up playing and missing the rest of the season.
I'm not speaking on behalf of the players obviously, and I doubt anyone could have known how bad Mafi's neck injury would be. But the problems were bad enough that players have flagged that as an issue.
LeCheese
Greg Davis (50)
Yeah, that’s pretty poor - pretty easy to alienate players if you’re not listening to their concerns. Nela’s injury was the Tahs game.
I imagine having Magnay and Tuttle at the Rebels would’ve been a drawcard for Mafi as well.
LeCheese
Greg Davis (50)
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