#8 Wendell Sailor
Dell joined the Reds in a hail of publicity for the 2002 season. Without doubt he was the highest profile conversion, either way, in the professional age. His natural instincts were lacking early on as he struggled to replicate his league form in a more nuanced environment. It would not be until his seventh Super Rugby game before he scored his first try, and would go on the score a brace in a big win over the Bulls at Ballymore.
Improvement came, even if the regularity in tries didn’t, but the value in Wendell was what he created off the field. He brought new fans to the game and an increased media focus for the Reds and was of high value in any level of public appearance.
An established Wallaby when he left, the genesis of the departure was an apparent rift with coach Jeff Miller. It represented another blow for a once powerful Queensland team as it would come on the back of a rash of departures, mostly to the newly formed Western Force.
As it would turn out, his move to the Tahs was not a huge success as a suspension for a nightclub incident, before a positive cocaine test would end his rugby career. Without suggesting none of this would have happened if he stayed in Brisbane, the mere fact that such a proud Queenslander would consider wearing the sky blue of New South Wales speaks volumes for how bad things were at Ballymore.
