The Queensland Reds in 2014

In the old days a Queensland Reds pre-season was full of players leaving or coaches being sacked or board member in fighting. These days the Reds are a well oiled machine. They have a fairly stable playing group. The only players leaving are those looking for more game time. They tend to recruit with an eye on the future so there is rarely a star signing. Off the field things appear to run just as smoothly. The only Possible cloud on the horizon is a fairly radical change in the coaching ranks. But even here it seems the Reds have chosen evolution over revolution.

Reds Coaching Staff 2013/2014

	2013	2014
Director of Coaching	Ewen Mckenzie
Head Coach	Richard Graham	Richard Graham
Attack Coach	Jim McKay	Steve Meehan
Forwards Coach	Ewen McKenzie	Nick Stiles
Scrum Coach	Tony D'Arcy	Nick Stiles
Defence Coach	Richard Graham	Richard Graham
WTS Coach	Peter Wilkins	Peter Wilkins
Performance Analyst	Peter Wilkins	Michael Todd
Assistant Analyst	Michael Todd
Performance Coach	Damian Marsh	Oliver Richardson
Performance & Rehab Coach	Oliver Richardson	Tom Van Kalken

Ewen McKenzie grabbed Jim McKay When he left for the Wallabies head Coach position. This left the Forwards coach and Attack Coaches jobs vacant. Richard Graham Officially took over as head coach after learning the reds ‘way’ for 12 months. Richard Graham resisted taking over attack himself and instead stuck with defence. He has done a great job there and his moving to attack would have lead to more disruption.

Forwards

Nick Stiles is the new Forwards/Scrum coach. Stiles was a prop who played 96 times for Qld and 12 for Australia. James Slipper and Stiles put a lot of my concerns to bed in this video. what do you think?

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Attack

Steve Meehan comes with an impressive list of coaching accomplishments. Another Qlder he was assistant coach at Stade Francais and Bath before taking on the head coaching role at bath. He won two French Championships and lost a final while at Stade and won a Challenge Cup while at Bath. the Reds struggled in attack last season and Meehan seems to be making a difference. Have a look at the trial highlights and tell me if you can see the difference.

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Performance

The rest of the changes is mostly a shuffling of the deck chairs. Peter Wilkins is full time coach of the Wider training squad. Michael Todd moves up to Performance Analyst in his place. Damian Marsh has left and Oliver Richardson is promoted to Performance Coach in his place. Tom Van Kalken is the new Performance and Rehab Coach. Etc, etc, etc.

Players

Digby Iaone has left. And to state the obvious we will miss his go forward. Adam Wallace-Harrison has retired. We miss his experience but not his double barrelled last name. I am excited about Samuela Kerevi and Chris Kuridrani coming into the extended playing squad. What do you think?

Reds Transfers 2013-2014

Position	2013 squad	Out	In	2014 squad
PR	Ben Daley			Ben Daley
	Greg Holmes			Greg Holmes
	Jono Owen			Jono Owen
	James Slipper			James Slipper
HK	Albert Anae			Albert Anae
	Saia Fainga'a			Saia Fainga'a
	James Hanson			James Hanson
LK	James Horwill	Adam Wallace-Harrison (retired)		James Horwill
	David McDuling (did not play)			David McDuling
	Ed O'Donoghue (academy)			Ed O'Donoghue
	Rob Simmons			Rob Simmons
	Adam Wallace-Harrison
FL	Nigel Ah Wong (extended playing squad)	Nigel Ah Wong (Japan Coca Cola West Red Sparks)		Curtis Browning
	Curtis Browning (academy)			Liam Gill
	Liam Gill			Eddie Quirk
	Eddie Quirk			Beau Robinson
	Beau Robinson
N8	Jarrad Butler (extended playing squad)	Jarrad Butler (Brumbies)		Jake Schatz
	Radike Samo	Radike Samo (Japan Kintetsu Liners)
	Jake Schatz
SH	Nick Frisby			Nick Frisby
	Will Genia			Will Genia
FH	Quade Cooper			Quade Cooper
	Ben Lucas			Ben Lucas
CE	Anthony Fainga'a	Jono Lance (Waratahs)		Anthony Fainga'a
	Mike Harris			Mike Harris
	Jono Lance			Ben Tapuai
	Ben Tapuai			Aidan Toua
	Aidan Toua
WG	Chris Feauai-Sautia	Digby Ioane (Stade Français)	Lachlan Turner (Waratahs)	Chris Feauai-Sautia
	Digby Ioane			Dom Shipperley
	Dom Shipperley			Lachlan Turner
FB	Rod Davies	Luke Morahan (Force)	Jamie-Jerry Taulagi (Uni of Qld)	Rod Davies
	Luke Morahan			Jamie-Jerry Taulagi
WTS	Nigel Ah Wong (LF)			Blake Enever (lock)
	Kevin Davis (PR)			Samuela Kerevi (OC)
	Jarrad Butler (N8)			Chris Kuridrani (Wing)
	Blake Enever (lock)
	UJ Seuteni (FH)