With the Reds falling to the sword of the Crusaders on the weekend, we now look back at all that was in 2013 with the official G&GR Season Review.
Final ladder position – 5th (Wildcard Finalists)
Overall season vibe
It’s hard to settle on one feeling in respect of the Reds’ season this year. Frustration would have to go the closest to summing it up.
Moments of great skill, tenacity and enterprise certainly reared their heads. Though not a Super Rugby game, their Wallaby-lacking performance against a strong Lions side was thrilling to watch, and garnered much respect, and with good reason. The Reds’ trademark gameplan versatility clearly remained, even where execution sometimes lacked. The Gills, Quirks, O’Donoghues, Schatzes, Frisbys and Feauai-Sautias really stepped up and realised their known potential.
Despite all that, the men in Red faltered just as often. Shaky wins against the Highlanders, Hurricanes and Blues were unconvincing, the South African tour was dour and we won’t mention some of the nastier losses. Well, not here anyway.
The Reds showed plenty of promise this year, belying their talent on the field and in the support staff, but they just didn’t go close to dotting every i, or crossing every t. It’s not a case of overly ambitious, dyed-in-the-wool fans falsely believing in unrealised potential. We all know it’s there, but this year it didn’t come together consistently.
Frustratingly.
If the Reds’ 2013 season was a movie it would be:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Despite obvious efforts to reproduce the magic of years past, ostensibly with the same guy in charge (but not really, but kind of), the critics weren’t wholly taken by the end result. There were good bits, sure, and the flame of past glories flickered, but it just fell short as some of the cast appeared to simply be going through the motions.
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Key moment
The Reds went into season 2013 full of drive and ambition, only to promptly be thrown under the bus by the physical, abrasive and dominating Brumbies in Round One. A recipe to undo the Reds was thus advertised for all to see.
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Best Match
It’s already been said, but this unmistakably goes to the round 9, away-from-home, bonus point romp over the then-dominant Chiefs. A comprehensive and clinical display.
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Worst Match
Take your pick of the Force games. The loss at home was dreadful, and the match out west not much better. Yes, the men in blue can knock the Crusaders off in Perth, but just as the Cru have no excuses, nor do the Reds.
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Player of the Season
I could go with Will Genia and not many eyebrows would be raised, but I won’t. Despite a barnstorming start off the back of major rehab, he was hot and cold and not his or the Reds’ best. James Slipper also gets an honourable mention, and Jake Schatz fronted up consistently, and consistently well.
Player of the season though must be Liam Gill. Only a mere shade of red needs cloud your vision to see him as the best 7 in Australia this season; an impartial argument for that claim could fairly be made. He made a million tackles (well, almost), and was a consistent pest. Just no more kicks, Liam. Ever.
Star on the rise
Chris Feauai-Sautia made a blockbuster entrance to Super Rugby in 2012, scoring with his second touch before his dodgy hammies quickly called curtains on his season. This year, an even more complete player has emerged, with subtler touches and better positional play. The Reds will be looking for big things from him next year.
Trading Places
Out: Digby Ioane (France), Jono Lance (Tahs), Luke Morahan (Force), Radike Samo (Japan)
…
Ewen McKenzie (Wallabies)
Stat of the Year
The tries. Or the lack thereof. In their Championship year in 2011, the Reds scored an impressive 51 tries. In 2012, 40 tries – despite injuries to a litany of inside backs. In 2013, only 31. All the while, total competition tries have remained steady (559, 609 and 587 so far, respectively) – so it’s not reflective of any trend, but I think we all knew that.
The vintage 2013 Reds weren’t the 2011 Grange. Opposition teams seemed to have their measure at ruck time, Genia’s play was disrupted and space regularly shut down out wide.
Some relief is offered by the fact that they got over the line, only to be denied a seemingly disproportionate number of times, so Reds fans need not totally despair. Nonetheless, some serious work needs to be done.
Your View
What’s your take on the Reds’ 2013 mixed bag? Was it good (finalists!), fair (some good wins, some bad losses), or rubbish (the Force… twice? Seriously!?)? Let us know.
