Reds 2023

[Misunderstood fan]

Whats everyone opinion of Petaia at fullback?

I think he’s looked great at the position on weekend but knowing the accolades the 2022 incumbent got. J.Campbell earned a wallaby jersey because of a strong 2022 campaign.

Id personally like to see Petaia stay at 15 but what position would that leave for Campbell?

one thing I rate Campbell over Petaia is the ability to put in the full 80 minutes… seems like reds still like to bring JP off around the 60-65 minute mark.

Petaia played his best game in years on the weekend. Keep him at 15 and move Campbell to 10 (has he ever played 10?). Campbell is a playmaker and Saturday’s game didn’t have a playmaker on the field. Lynagh kicked well but the team can’t afford to be playing with 14 players for every other minute.

 

[Misunderstood fan]

Yeah I thought Paisami was average also, outplayed by Henry IMO.
Could be merit in bringing Flook into 13 if Jock Campbell is back this week, shift Petaia to the wing.

Flook is controlled on the wing. I would keep him there if Filipo stays on the other wing. Flook is smart enough to venture if he can see an opportunity. Flook is impressive.

 

[TSR]

Yes agreed.

there was a lot of Warratah fans in the match thread commentating on our downfall but I’m looking forward to seeing how the preseason paper champions (warratahs) go against a Kiwi side and how the Reds stack up against a Australian team.

I actually see the Tahs in a similiar position to us.

Highly likely to improve a fair bit if they stick to their guns with regards to style - but with a big risk around their depth and their set piece. The loss of Bell to them is as significant as the loss of Tupou to us. If they have a couple more tight 5 injuries I think they’ll really struggle.

The difference (IMO) is that where we have tried to match/beat the Kiwis in their pace and athleticism, the Tahs are trying to match/beat them in the physicality stakes. It’ll be an interesting match up.

 

[Running_rugby_1954]

Petaia played his best game in years on the weekend. Keep him at 15 and move Campbell to 10 (has he ever played 10?). Campbell is a playmaker and Saturday’s game didn’t have a playmaker on the field. Lynagh kicked well but the team can’t afford to be playing with 14 players for every other minute.

He looked the most comfortable I have ever seen him play.

He had a proper off season too - the year before he was dealing with all those family issues, so he is in a better head space now too.

I’m excited for him.

 

[whitefalcon]

There's been a lot of talk about this being Thorn's last year. Is that by his own admission or is it just expected he won't be renewed?

 

[Qldtragic]

There's been a lot of talk about this being Thorn's last year. Is that by his own admission or is it just expected he won't be renewed?

Think it is the pundits want results so when they don't arrive they start sharpening the knives.

Seems to be the pathway of professional sport these days. Coaches seem to be the first to get it in the neck and the faceless ones behind the scenes don't get held to the same scrutiny.

Part of me reading between the lines on Thorn is he is looking for the next challenge a bit. Has stated a few times that this is year 6 and one of the longer serving Reds coaches behind Tempo and Knuckles etc.

 

[Adam84]

Part of me reading between the lines on Thorn is he is looking for the next challenge a bit. Has stated a few times that this is year 6 and one of the longer serving Reds coaches behind Tempo and Knuckles etc.

I've gathered that also, but what would disappoint me is if we lost him to overseas or elsewhere.
I'd like to see him retained in some capacity, he has a lot of coaching IP, we cant just keep losing these coaches who miss out on HC roles or are moved on from one. They still have a lot to offer.

 

[Qldtragic]

I've gathered that also, but what would disappoint me is if we lost him to overseas or elsewhere.
I'd like to see him retained in some capacity, he has a lot of coaching IP, we cant just keep losing these coaches who miss out on HC roles or are moved on from one. They still have a lot to offer.

TBH I think he has his best impact with the younger guys so i would offer him the role to run the Under 20 and Under 18 academy teams. Try to build some stability in those areas and feed in a heap of well skilled players to QPR so if and when needed at Reds Senior level they are primed and ready to slot straight in.

 

[SouthernX]

i think a bigger pressing issue in terms of firing is not Brad but Sam.

Cordingly time is done at the reds without the results to warrant him staying… we all know the ugly contract issues between the reds and the premiere Australian player agent.

Sam needs a nu start (pun intended)

 

[Qldtragic]

i think a bigger pressing issue in terms of firing is not Brad but Sam.

Cordingly time is done at the reds without the results to warrant him staying… we all know the ugly contract issues between the reds and the premiere Australian player agent.

Sam needs a nu start (pun intended)

good luck with those thoughts -- purple circle

 

[Wilson]

TBH I think he has his best impact with the younger guys so i would offer him the role to run the Under 20 and Under 18 academy teams. Try to build some stability in those areas and feed in a heap of well skilled players to QPR so if and when needed at Reds Senior level they are primed and ready to slot straight in.

I say this for just about every coach set to move on but I think he'd be a great fit for the Australian under 20's program. He had his absolute best results in charge of QLD's under 20s and bringing on the younger talent has generally been a strength of his. Much of the criticsm of his time as head coach comes down to whether those players have then been able to kick on under him, something not really relevant to the under 20's program. It also by passes any issue of whether he wears on players after a few years given it's incredibly rare for a player to feature in the under 20's for more than 2 years.

 

[Sir Charles]

Sam has done his job very well financially speaking - there are a lot of players training for love and the players that are being paid less than their counterparts in other Franchises, obviously with the exception of their Super Stars. Every business loves a money saver haha.

They would need to be unsuccessful over a longer period of time to blame it on Uncle Sam - the lack of quality front rowers worries me for the Reds set piece, Uncle Sam should have opened the check book for Nella. I see they are looking at slipping George Blake back into LH as per his old TSS days.

 

[PhilClinton]

Easy to say now that he's definitely gone - but the Taniela situation was never in the Reds favour.

He was ready to pull the pin on them since mid-2022, just needed the right set of circumstances financially and lifestyle wise to make it happen. I'm sure the Rebels deal would have been announced earlier had he not been injured.

Lets not forget, the Reds lost Samu Kerevi who arguably was/is the most impactful Australian player and from that point they actually improved (well the metrics are hard to measure during the COVID seasons) but they definitely didn't go backwards.

I felt more angst at the time about losing Kerevi than I do about losing Taniela.

 

[Qldtragic]

Sam has done his job very well financially speaking - there are a lot of players training for love and the players that are being paid less than their counterparts in other Franchises, obviously with the exception of their Super Stars. Every business loves a money saver haha.

They would need to be unsuccessful over a longer period of time to blame it on Uncle Sam - the lack of quality front rowers worries me for the Reds set piece, Uncle Sam should have opened the check book for Nella. I see they are looking at slipping George Blake back into LH as per his old TSS days.

agree we seem to have dropped the ball on keeping and developing some serious front rowers.

Not sure Blake is the answer but there are a few good youngsters in colts the past couple of years that would be worth investing in.

 

[RugbyReg]

agree we seem to have dropped the ball on keeping and developing some serious front rowers.

Not sure Blake is the answer but there are a few good youngsters in colts the past couple of years that would be worth investing in.

do you have names?

 

[Qldtragic]

do you have names?

Saipele Tamilo at souths is finally growing into his body and learning the craft from George Francis will only improve him.

Ward, Booker and Wiggins from UQ all have the right sort of body shape that can be developed. All played in Junior Reds program and Wiggins now in Junior wallaby squad.
Ward is a powerlifter in his spare time and just smashed a heap of Qld records for U23 level (as a 19 year old) so I reckon he has some physical strength that could be harnessed.

The one that I would also open up on is Angus Wagner currently as a back up at Western Force. Was the cornerstone of ACGS 2015 premiership team with ASY (Angus Scott-Young), Wright etc etc. He is a born and bred tough country lad from Biloela way.

I am sure there are few more around the traps worth watching as well.

 

[Qldtragic]

do you have names?

The bigger question I have is why do we seem to lose so many between 17/18 and 22/23 years of age?

Each year Brisbane schools turn out about 80 front rowers (props) from 1st XV programs (GPS and AIC).
Plus the others from 3rds, 4ths 5ths etc and other school programs I reckon there could be potentially 150 young blokes who have all passed the front row specific training set up by the ARU after Conor Tweedy and spate of neck issues a few years ago.

Where do they all go? Why cant we keep them?

 

[Qldtragic]

do you have names?

John Downes at GPS was held highly for a while in Junior programs.

 

[Wilson]

The bigger question I have is why do we seem to lose so many between 17/18 and 22/23 years of age?

Each year Brisbane schools turn out about 80 front rowers (props) from 1st XV programs (GPS and AIC).
Plus the others from 3rds, 4ths 5ths etc and other school programs I reckon there could be potentially 150 young blokes who have all passed the front row specific training set up by the ARU after Conor Tweedy and spate of neck issues a few years ago.

Where do they all go? Why cant we keep them?

Big difference between playing front row at schools level and afterwards or at least post colts. I don't have stats for you but I'd guess the rate of attrition is much higher for players shifting out of the front row (and prop in particular) than any other position, with the possible exception of lock.

That said I do think the flow from schools to club could be much stronger, particularly outside of the 1st XV where players may still mature into top flight options if they stick with the game.

 

[new recruit_ brisbane]

Sam has done his job very well financially speaking - there are a lot of players training for love and the players that are being paid less than their counterparts in other Franchises, obviously with the exception of their Super Stars. Every business loves a money saver haha.

Spend less on players = nice bonus for Uncle Sam. He needs to go.