Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
Have you seen Benji Marshall's defence? Lockyer was pretty bad too for large parts of his career. There's piles of noted poor defensive playmakers in league.
Reds 2018
- Thread starter The torpedo
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Have you seen Benji Marshall's defence? Lockyer was pretty bad too for large parts of his career. There's piles of noted poor defensive playmakers in league.
Ash
Michael Lynagh (62)
As a Reds fan for decades, this stinks.
1) Axe a fan favourite literally days after the squad announcement.
2) Have him on a massive contract and be broke and not able to sign any others.
3) Have no depth in his position other than an unproven 20 year old with potential (but not anywhere near the potential of the player you're axing at the same age)
4) Do it with no communication to the fans other than an article in the newspaper
There's literally next to no upside from this, it all looks bad from where I sit.
If Stewart struggles next season, it looks bad for Thorn and the Reds management.
If the Reds struggle early next season, it looks bad for Thorn and the Reds management.
If Quade takes a lower priced contract, you can be certain that the Reds will be picking up the bill for the remainder.
This will cost them more fans, losing a fan favourite that was given a rubbish send off the first time, and now an even worse one the second time.
With the squad the Reds have, both of the first two things look very likely.
If Thorn thinks that he can build even a mid table Super Rugby team from his favourites and young guns from Country, he's delusional. I really really hope that's not what he's doing.
That's before we get to the axing of the other two players, also days after the squad announcement where they are included.
Until or unless there's any information from the QRU and Thorn, this looks bad. I really hope there's more to it, because this is a horrible, horrible look.
For the vast majority of fans, this is not a good start from Thorn. Without early success now he will likely lose the fans just like the previous coaches.
Just a head shaker all around.
One final anecdote, when Thorn first joined the Reds I heard a story that Thorn didn't consider himself head coach material due to his own known limitations. I really hope now that the story isn't true.
1) Axe a fan favourite literally days after the squad announcement.
2) Have him on a massive contract and be broke and not able to sign any others.
3) Have no depth in his position other than an unproven 20 year old with potential (but not anywhere near the potential of the player you're axing at the same age)
4) Do it with no communication to the fans other than an article in the newspaper
There's literally next to no upside from this, it all looks bad from where I sit.
If Stewart struggles next season, it looks bad for Thorn and the Reds management.
If the Reds struggle early next season, it looks bad for Thorn and the Reds management.
If Quade takes a lower priced contract, you can be certain that the Reds will be picking up the bill for the remainder.
This will cost them more fans, losing a fan favourite that was given a rubbish send off the first time, and now an even worse one the second time.
With the squad the Reds have, both of the first two things look very likely.
If Thorn thinks that he can build even a mid table Super Rugby team from his favourites and young guns from Country, he's delusional. I really really hope that's not what he's doing.
That's before we get to the axing of the other two players, also days after the squad announcement where they are included.
Until or unless there's any information from the QRU and Thorn, this looks bad. I really hope there's more to it, because this is a horrible, horrible look.
For the vast majority of fans, this is not a good start from Thorn. Without early success now he will likely lose the fans just like the previous coaches.
Just a head shaker all around.
One final anecdote, when Thorn first joined the Reds I heard a story that Thorn didn't consider himself head coach material due to his own known limitations. I really hope now that the story isn't true.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
That depends entirely on the terms of the contract
TSR
Mark Ella (57)
When did the Reds go back to training? Is there any prospect that the 3 players turned up outside fitness benchmarks and have been sent away until they are up to scratch?
I am completely clutching at straws here, but there are so many things with this thatdont make sense to me.
I am completely clutching at straws here, but there are so many things with this thatdont make sense to me.
Happy to Chat
Nev Cottrell (35)
Pickle was told he is the number 4 halfback and need not come to training and rather go back to club.
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TSR
Mark Ella (57)
which club 10 do you mean?
gel
Ken Catchpole (46)
southsider
Arch Winning (36)
I think he'd actually be one of the better defensive playmakers in the comp going around. Decent size and being a playmaker they're more often than not supposed to tackle high, wrap up the ball and wait for the forwards to get there and take over.
If Quade went to Broncos or Storm he would be a star within a year, but I guess it's much more likely he will end up in Japan
duckbill
Sydney Middleton (9)
Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Reds had a woeful 2017 with quality of side on paper.....New coach comes in and makes big changes.....well if he is going to turn things around will require him to make some big tough calls......some of which won't be popular but he has to back himself to do what he think is best for the Reds and the season ahead (and beyond).
It is a business and cutting players is part of that. Frisby certainly form wise hard to justify keeping....Quade with his defensive issues and salary he commands also hard to probably justify retaining. Yes latter assumes does get gig overseas. Too often in oz rugby we keep trying to flog old options rather than entering the brave new world and blood new players who could cross the chasm.
It is a business and cutting players is part of that. Frisby certainly form wise hard to justify keeping....Quade with his defensive issues and salary he commands also hard to probably justify retaining. Yes latter assumes does get gig overseas. Too often in oz rugby we keep trying to flog old options rather than entering the brave new world and blood new players who could cross the chasm.
But that’s the trick with professional coaching. You have to manage your list and if it’s not what you would have picked you still need to make it work. Cutting guys who are contracted, days after announcing your squad is a bit ridiculous. Quade could have added a huge amount of support to Stewart, if he was kept around.
This might work out in the long run but it the process I have a major issue with. Also if your dropping this news on a Saturday night you should be in front of the media on Sunday to stand behind your decision.
I can see a train wreck on the horizon.
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This might work out in the long run but it the process I have a major issue with. Also if your dropping this news on a Saturday night you should be in front of the media on Sunday to stand behind your decision.
I can see a train wreck on the horizon.
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This. And I cannot believe this has happened either with the approval of the QRU / Reds or as a unilateral decision by Thorn. Any which way you look at it, it just looks like poor governance with little or no oversight.
Gnostic
Mark Ella (57)
This decision is from left field for nearly everyone. It makes no sense to any of us looking here except to make statements like QC (Quade Cooper) has been in poor form or past it since leg injury/2011.
All well and good but know what we do of the Reds and ARU/RA financial position it would make this a huge decision to stand down/aside a major part of your budget player payment wise. My reading of the media is he has not been terminated and is still in the "squad" for what it is worth but has been invited not to train with them so is out of the reckoning for the side except in exceptional circumstances.
So what would be the reasoning behind such a move?
There is more to this than meets the eye and given the nature of Australian Rugby the best we can hope for is a semi confirmed rumour from a friend of a friend in the know.
No matter what it highlights a point I have been saying about Australian Rugby for years, the contracting process is a farce, we have QC (Quade Cooper) getting paid at least 10 times the median wage to play rugby, probably at least 3 x the average Super wage and he hasn't seriously been a first choice wallaby since 2014 or earlier. At the same time we have a number of other players re-signed in questionable circumstances like Moore. All it does is lend itself to the idea that RA is a cash cow for those in the club, players, management and coaches, be a good boy and part of the clique and you'll be paid, step outside and upset people and your gone.
All well and good but know what we do of the Reds and ARU/RA financial position it would make this a huge decision to stand down/aside a major part of your budget player payment wise. My reading of the media is he has not been terminated and is still in the "squad" for what it is worth but has been invited not to train with them so is out of the reckoning for the side except in exceptional circumstances.
So what would be the reasoning behind such a move?
There is more to this than meets the eye and given the nature of Australian Rugby the best we can hope for is a semi confirmed rumour from a friend of a friend in the know.
No matter what it highlights a point I have been saying about Australian Rugby for years, the contracting process is a farce, we have QC (Quade Cooper) getting paid at least 10 times the median wage to play rugby, probably at least 3 x the average Super wage and he hasn't seriously been a first choice wallaby since 2014 or earlier. At the same time we have a number of other players re-signed in questionable circumstances like Moore. All it does is lend itself to the idea that RA is a cash cow for those in the club, players, management and coaches, be a good boy and part of the clique and you'll be paid, step outside and upset people and your gone.
Wilson
David Codey (61)
So what 10/12/15s are available, other than jooste?
To'omua would be fantastic but he just re-signed at Leicester so that seems unlikely. Ideally we'd pick up a promising young 15 to succeed hunt, I can't imagine he'll last too long after 2019.
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To'omua would be fantastic but he just re-signed at Leicester so that seems unlikely. Ideally we'd pick up a promising young 15 to succeed hunt, I can't imagine he'll last too long after 2019.
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glok
Frank Row (1)
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