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Reds 2019

SOLE334

Jimmy Flynn (14)
TBC:

Brandon Paenga-Amosa - ??
Harry Hoopert - ??
Adam Korczyk - ??
Liam Wright - ??
Tate McDermott - ??
Teti Tela - ??

Jordan Petaia - ??

Thats a fair few cattles munching outside the REDS fence atm??
 

Getwithme

Cyril Towers (30)
Despite Gilly being the prodigal son and a beautifully spoken and respected young man, at times his off-field behavior was very wayward. Thorn is trying to develop a mindset that no matter how good you are (and Gill was the best of them) you can't go out the night before or midweek and do dumb things. I love Gilly but I think for it to work he would have to show Thorn that he has changed in this respect.
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
More puritanism? No-one has made any such claim about LFG in France. We’re just making up stuff in a lame attempt to support unfathomable behaviour by Thorn. Even with the off season optimism it is really hard to engender any enthusiasm for the bloke.
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
It'd be mad for him to pass up on Gill. You can sort of see the reasoning with Cooper, Slipper and Hunt. But Gill? He'd be the best forward in the team, straight off the bat. Plus there is a George Smith shaped hole there to be filled.

He wouldn't have to compromise his playing style to fit him in and his 'indiscretions' are not commensurate with Slipper or Hunt.
 
B

Bobby Sands

Guest
probably 2 of those.

What Reg is saying is that Gilly likes froffies and fishing, and was a central cog in both the Wallaby and Reds lads cultures of the time.

If Liam wants to come home and Thorn doesn't want to sign him, that will be the first time I have a genuine issue with his mantra.
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
What Reg is saying is that Gilly likes froffies and fishing, and was a central cog in both the Wallaby and Reds lads cultures of the time.

If Liam wants to come home and Thorn doesn't want to sign him, that will be the first time I have a genuine issue with his mantra.

Honest? The first time?

We are stuck in this mode due to many, many years of incompetence. And we are meant to feel grateful for an inexperienced HC who is simply swinging his dick around (with no substance behind it) and the Reds HQ are simply without clue. We need a powerful CEO now more than ever.

Thorn has a very long way to go before he gets to the point that he actually deserves being the Reds HC. Give it (another) two years at least. Best case view for Thorn to become competent.

We all should have a genuine issue with his mantra. Way before this specific issue.

He may end up a really important Red coach . With enough time. We can only hope. But personally I wish the fuck he had stayed in NZ. "Queenslander" my arse.
 

Beer Baron

Phil Hardcastle (33)
The players must like him. I can't think of any that have walked that the Reds wanted to keep. The pay can't be great because of KH/QC (Quade Cooper)/Slipper (some were re signed before Slipper was gone), and a decent no. of the players would have been eagerly taken by other franchises (Kerevi/Tui/Rodda).
Given the difficulty there must be in keeping morale in a losing season - he must be doing something right, other wise a few players would have walked. I feel sorry for him being paired with unproven assistants last year.
 

Rugrat

Darby Loudon (17)
Liam Gill is an excellent footballer, a fine man and credit to his family, school, club and country. He was lied to about the coaching structure at the Reds with The QRU re appointing Richard Graham, the Aru favoured top up contracts to Hooper and Pocock over him. Rightly or wrongly ( I’m on the side of wrong) those decisions were made by others and he left and went to France. This man is not an idiot, he doesn’t buy in to platitudes and false promises. He has been playing exceptional rugby in France and in my humble opinion would be the first man I would pick to wear a reds and wallabies jersey, because he is tough has brilliant catch and pass skill set, a brilliant pilferer and tackler. Fantastic on the ball and a brilliant link player.
 

RebelYell

Arch Winning (36)
Liam Gill is an excellent footballer, a fine man and credit to his family, school, club and country. He was lied to about the coaching structure at the Reds with The QRU re appointing Richard Graham, the Aru favoured top up contracts to Hooper and Pocock over him. Rightly or wrongly ( I’m on the side of wrong) those decisions were made by others and he left and went to France. This man is not an idiot, he doesn’t buy in to platitudes and false promises. He has been playing exceptional rugby in France and in my humble opinion would be the first man I would pick to wear a reds and wallabies jersey, because he is tough has brilliant catch and pass skill set, a brilliant pilferer and tackler. Fantastic on the ball and a brilliant link player.


Good point, Mrs Gill! ;)

FWIW, I agree with your assessment of his playing ability and don't have any reason to doubt his character, seems like a bit of a lad (in a good way).
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
Remember that time when he fed the masses with some left over fish and bread?

Look I love the guy. Brilliant player. I’d have him in the team in a flash. Both teams. I think he’s better than Hooper in his prime. More to his game. But let’s not deify him just yet. The credit to his school thing for example. Remember what happened in his last game for his school?

Besidss none of us know the full story here at the moment. Theorise all you like, that’s what this place is for. But there’s no point storming the gates with only a few snippets of info.

Fact is Reds have stuff all money. Fact is they also have 4 exceptional 7 options coming through. These are considerations for a Head Coach when building his program.
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
Reg, I’m not reacting to the snipers of info and can only agree with your assessment. What I AM reacting to is the reaction by some tripping over themselves in eagerness to support Thorn, by casting aspersions on a player who gave great service to Qld.

I’m not deifying Gill. Neither Thorn.
 

Juan Cote

Syd Malcolm (24)
Fact is Reds have stuff all money. Fact is they also have 4 exceptional 7 options coming through. These are considerations for a Head Coach when building his program.

I cannot fathom why an organisation would not choose a proven, high level professional player over a bunch of colts; maybe it's got something to do with his haircut?

If Thorn is building his program (Reg's words) I'd love to know a time-frame as to when it will be complete.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
I cannot fathom why an organisation would not choose a proven, high level professional player over a bunch of colts; maybe it's got something to do with his haircut?

If Thorn is building his program (Reg's words) I'd love to know a time-frame as to when it will be complete.

Cmon mate. You know one good damn reason in your position. Money.
 

Juan Cote

Syd Malcolm (24)
Cmon mate. You know one good damn reason in your position. Money.

If only we had a high profile player who the crowds love to watch and would probably draw more punters to home games and sell jerseys, hats, memberships et al waiting in the wings wanting to play. That would boost revenue wouldn't it?

It's just this silly recurring dream I have
 

dru

Tim Horan (67)
Money is a solid reason. But even if it weren’t an issue we need to stick with Thorn for an adequate duration to have a chance to work. Typically you’d expect a 3 year period for an HC to prove up. Given Thorn’s known inexperience I suggested from the get go he had to be given 5. 1 year down 4 to go.

It doesn’t mean I agreed with the decision and it doesn’t mean I’m happy with some of Thorn’s decisions but I feel the accountable party is the person who engaged him. A CEO, not just acting, is needed to guide this messy process.

I applaud the intent behind the assistant coaches and hope they get close to measuring up to expectations. Thorn is capable of becoming something special. But he isn’t yet and some of the press around him/coming from him - is baffling.
 
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