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Queensland Reds 2009

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Pfitzy

George Gregan (70)
fatprop said:
With Palu at the Tahs, it makes good sense for him to stay where he is.

And we don't want the fat fuck. He should only get paid 60% of his agreed contract at the Reds because that's all he seems to contribute. Blake was the same - I thought all the sunshine and beaches in QLD were meant to make blokes fit?

Still, we've got Dunning so checkmate there...
 
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formeropenside

Guest
Western Force No.8 Richard Brown weighs up his future
By Wayne Smith
April 14, 2009 It will not be the number on his back but whether the Western Force can create a happier workplace that will determine whether Wallabies' No.8 Richard Brown re-signs.

Confirmation yesterday that All Blacks flanker Daniel Braid intends not to exercise the second year of his two-season deal with Queensland Reds has made the recapture of Townsville-born the No.1 recruiting priority.

Brown might have played at No.8 in all but the Paris Test on the Wallabies' spring tour after making his debut off the bench in the Bledisloe Cup clash in Brisbane last September, but the Reds are just as interested in him as Braid's replacement at openside flanker.

With another player, that could be a deal-killer. After all, Brown is the incumbent Test No.8, with the only real threat to his position coming from the man he will confront in Saturday's derby in Sydney, New South Wales Waratahs battering ram Wycliff Palu.

But if he was to be used at No.7, Brown would find himself competing for a gold jersey next season against the likes of George Smith, current Force teammate David Pocock and, depending on what decision he makes in the coming weeks, possibly Phil Waugh.

But that is not how Brown is weighing up his decision.

"When I'm happy I play my best football and when I look back, I was happiest during the Australian Rugby Championship (in 2007) when I played seven and eight for the Perth Spirit," Brown said yesterday.

"It's pretty well known all the problems the Force have had and sometimes the strain and the tension surrounding the club doesn't make this the happiest workplace environment. So I'm not basing my decision on whether I go back to Queensland to play seven. I'm seeing how things are sorted out here at the Force. Do the problems here get solved or do they remain? Wherever I am, I want to be happy."

Brown conceded he missed his family and friends in Queensland but insisted ultimately his decision would rest on what was best for his rugby.

Force chief executive Greg Harris quipped he was caught between the chicken and the egg and the domino theory as he attempted to retain Brown and the two other key Wallabies coming off contract, James O'Connor and Drew Mitchell.

"It's a bit of a waiting game at the moment," Harris said. "They're all asking what the other two blokes are doing."

Yet Brown insisted that his decision would not be swayed by whether Mitchell and O'Connor stayed or went.

O'Connor, meanwhile, will have one eye on the 2011 World Cup when he makes up his mind at the end of the Force's Super 14 campaign.

"For me, I'm not too much concerned about what the others (Mitchell and Brown) do," O'Connor said. "I want to be involved with good footballers, which I think I've got here.

"It will be a rugby decision about my future, especially leading into the World Cup. I want a good solid few seasons to prepare for that."

If O'Connor follows Matt Giteau to the Brumbies, he would be able to continue his rugby education at a steady pace, learning not just from Giteau but from the likes of Stirling Mortlock, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Tyrone Smith.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
has our big signing for next year, Will Chambers, done anything this year other than get cited for a Genia like tackle?
 
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formeropenside

Guest
Noddy - not that I am aware, but I don't watch league, so have no idea.

I wonder if Brown at 7 is really the answer for Qld. Its a pretty big pack if so, but might be a little short on mobility.
 

Ash

Michael Lynagh (62)
Geez I would love to have Pocock at the Reds. The Reds this year have struggled for turnovers, although they were A LOT better against the Highlanders. They really need players who are real breakdown technicians as opposed to linkmen like Braid (who did well as a fetcher against the Clan, I must say).

In that regard they've missed Horwill as well, for such a big guy he does well on the ground at rucks. Great to see Horwill back, and he was pretty good on the weekend. Hope he continues to find form for the rest of the season.

Brown would be a great acquisition for the Reds - but I'd actually prefer to shaft say, Houston and Taylor, and play Brown at 8 and find another fetcher for 7. Brown can attack the ball on defence at 8, and play his naturl mobile game on attack. But who knows, Brown may work at 7 - but I think that Brown is more like a Braid-like 7 than a fetcher. If only we had a McCaw, who could do it all...
 
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formeropenside

Guest
Proper refereeing at the ruck and maul would greatly reduce the efficacy of both McCaw and Pocock. I could not believe the stuff he got away with against the Reds.

If Pocock had stayed with Qld, I'd be happy to have him, but he had a chance to come back for this year and did not. Croft sent him a gilt-edged invitation and he stayed with the Farce. Apparently he's a close friend of the egomaniac Luke Watson, so he probably has a few screws loose as well.
 

disco

Chilla Wilson (44)
Well speaking of Luke Watson there is a chance he'll be cut loose from the Stormers next year so maybe he could be the Reds foreigner.

What we need is 2 more players with at least 2 years of super 14 & maybe even some test experience to come into the back 3 & Backrow next year so I'd be very happy to get Drew Mitchell & Richard Brown.

We also have to hang onto Diggers as he'll get big offers from other clubs especially the Force, I expect our other big names like MMM, Barnes & Horwill all to sign on without any real fuss.

So if we can pick up 2 more seasoned players like Mitchell & Brown we hopefully won't get a repeat of the Force & Chiefs games.

Morgan T is to comeback also so that's a real bonus.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
agree with most of the above.

Brown at 8 is preferred I reckon, and with him there you could probably ? get away with Tasi Luafutu at 7? Andrew Shaw coming through the system with Ed Quirk and Liam Gill a little way further behind.

I don't mind the Beau Robinson option. But much will depend on what happens with Waugh.

Agree that we only need 2 or so key players. Don't think Mitchell is it though. I think we need experience in the pack. Brown for Houston would be key. I'd be going all out for Rocky too. Put those two in the backrow and play me at openside and you'd do alright.

Any worth in trying to get SNK for fullback until Toua is ready? Didn't he (SNK) go to school on the GC?
 

disco

Chilla Wilson (44)
Any worth in trying to get SNK for fullback until Toua is ready?

SNK signed for Taff team already.

JOC (James O'Connor) should be a main target also as he'd be a great fullback for our style of play.
 
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formeropenside

Guest
If there is one thing this season is making ever clearer, it is the importance of depth - and in part, this is the problem with having 4, let alone 5, Super teams.

Hynes and Digby were the Reds first choice wingers pre-season, and perhaps they have played one game together in that position. Hynes has filled in at 15 and Digby at 13 (and made a superb fist of it, too). Va'aulu is solid but not spectacular, and Connor and Davies have both been shown to require a little more Super seasoning. Injuries to Turinui, Hynes, and Va'aulu have been a problem: its not beyond the realms of possibility that the Chiefs game would have been a lot closer with a non-rookie wing pairing.

When A. Fainga'a is the standard reserve inside back, despite looking innocuous 99% of the time, thats also an issue (although the Reds have been lucky with the halves and inside centre combination to date, with McKibbin stepping up against the Clan - and note that he is 24 and has been around for a few years).

Whats the purpose of the Super 14 sides - is it to compete in their own right, or simply to act as a talent show for the all-important Wallabies?
 

disco

Chilla Wilson (44)
its not beyond the realms of possibility that the Chiefs game would have been a lot closer with a non-rookie wing pairing.

Definitely would have been closer if Hynes & Digby were able to start on the wings.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
disco said:
Morgan T is to comeback...
...in 2010, play a game (or two) before getting injured. Again. What is it about this bloke looking after his body as a professional sportsman?
 
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TOCC

Guest
im a little nervous to be honest, right now the reds are sitting on the fence in terms of retention and recruiting, i just hope we dont see a domino effect in the wrong direction.

I dont know where Digby stands, he has said some odd things over the years including playing for the Storm and returning to the Force. Also the rumour is he has received some massive offers from overseas, lets hope the ARU offer up the cash.

Ive always thoght Barnes is a true blooded qlder, he seems really genuine and focussed, whilst im confident he will re-sign if we did lose him, he could definetly be the trigger for a exodus.
 
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TOCC

Guest
Noddy said:
has our big signing for next year, Will Chambers, done anything this year other than get cited for a Genia like tackle?

he has been workmanlike without been spectacular, seems to have the attributes to play 13 in union though.
He is big and strong, quite fast, decent pass and good vision. Whilst he isnt scoring many of the tries himself, he is racking up through quite a few try-assists with last pass options.
 

disco

Chilla Wilson (44)
I think Chambers has been good for the Storm this season. He'll be a better Rugby player than he is league.
 
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TOCC

Guest
how could the reds squeeze in all these players they are apparently targetting.

Brown and Elsom as possible recruitments, on top of Houston, McMenimen, Horwill and Higgingbotham already.

4. Horwill
5. McMenimen
6. Elsom
7. Brown
8. Houston

Higgingbotham misses out?
Would be a shame considering he was the form 6 for the first 4 rouds of the S14
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
its called depth. Tahs have Dunning, BAxter, Kepu, Robinson and Palmer.

Injuries happen.

I would love a Reds team of:

15 tba
14 Hynes
13 Turinui
12 Barnes
11 Ione
10 Cooper
9 Genia
8 Brown
7 Shaw
6 Elsom
5 MMM
4 Horwill
3 Weekes
2 Hardman
1 Holmes

16 Hanson
17 Edwards
18 Byrne
19 Higgers
20 Lucas
21 Chambers
22 Connor

Or something, actually I want more depth too.
 
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TOCC

Guest
Noddy said:
its called depth. Tahs have Dunning, BAxter, Kepu, Robinson and Palmer.

Injuries happen.

I would love a Reds team of:

15 tba
14 Hynes
13 Turinui
12 Barnes
11 Ione
10 Cooper
9 Genia
8 Brown
7 Shaw
6 Elsom
5 MMM
4 Horwill
3 Weekes
2 Hardman
1 Holmes

16 Hanson
17 Edwards
18 Byrne
19 Higgers
20 Lucas
21 Chambers
22 Connor

Or something, actually I want more depth too.

understandably, i also hold depth in quite high regard, but depth is hard to retain, especially in the super14. If QLD sign Elsom and Brown, can we really expect Higgers to re-sign next year, S14 players only have 13* matches a year to prove themselves, which is quite difficult if they are doing it from the bench sitting behind wallaby players.

On a brighter note, Digby has given indication he wants to remain in QLD, he was on ONE saying QLD is his home and he would like to remain, he expects big things from the boys next year.
 

RugbyReg

Rocky Elsom (76)
Staff member
New ELV proposal. First try wins:

More haste, less speed the key to Queensland Reds' game plan

By Wayne Smith
April 16, 2009

No side in the history of Super rugby gets out of the blocks as quickly as Queensland Reds, but it's to be hoped they lose this habit against the Lions at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

In the 14 years of the competition, 15 tries have been scored in the opening minute of play, with Queensland owning a third of them.

Indeed, when Quade Cooper scored after only 25 seconds against the Highlanders in Invercargill last weekend, it was the second time this season he has accomplished the feat - following his 48-second chargedown try against the Stormers in Cape Town in February.

But where other coaches implore their teams to switch on right from the opening whistle, Queensland coach Phil Mooney should be telling the Reds - and Cooper in particular - to hasten slowly.

The Reds lost both matches in which he pounced early and, in fact, only once have they gone on to win after scoring in the opening minute - in 2004 when they built on Steve Kefu's early touchdown to beat the Chiefs 39-25 at Ballymore.

"Hasten slowly" seems to be the battle order of the day overall against the Lions, with blindside flanker Scott Higginbotham paying the price for some reckless play against the Highlanders by being dropped to the bench.

Meanwhile, any hopes number eight Leroy Houston had of returning to the starting XV evaporated when he undid his good work in busting through the defence only to lose possession in sight of the tryline.

But while those two players were held most accountable, the Reds were guilty across the board of pushing 50-50 passes.

"Our problem over the last couple of weeks has been turnovers in the opposition 22," Mooney said.

"The best example on Saturday night was we built pressure for eight phases and had the Highlanders on the rack and then we turned the ball over."

With Higginbotham being sent off to "concentrate on a few areas of his game", Mooney had no choice but to move Hugh McMeniman back to blindside flanker, even though all the evidence of the Highlanders' game is that he is better suited to the second-row.

"I think Hughie plays well when he plays a tighter game, so that's probably at lock," Mooney said.

Still, that reopens the door for Adam Byrnes to return to the run-on side for the first time since the Reds' last win, against the Sharks four matches ago.

At 201cm and 116kg, the Sydney-born former Leinster lock brings a real physical presence to the contest - which perhaps explains why Mooney keeps using him against the massive South African packs.

This will be his fourth start of the season and all have been against South African sides.

"This weekend will be extremely physical," Byrnes said. "From the game I saw on the weekend that the Lions played (against the Blues), they were very aggressive at the breakdown."

Byrnes introduced some much-needed aggression when brought off the bench in Invercargill, and it was refreshing to see at least one of the Reds take issue with the Highlanders for deliberately infringing offside to impede the defence.

Perhaps the most significant change comes at halfback where Will Genia returns after having served a three-week suspension. His dangerous spear tackle on Sharks flanker Keegan Daniel cost the Reds dearly but Genia too, because at the time he was arguably the form halfback in the country.

Even now Mooney believes he can still bring pressure to bear on Luke Burgess.

"Halfback is a position in the Wallabies that is by no means nailed down," Mooney said. "Will's great qualities are his pass and his kicking, so I certainly think he's up there."

So 5.

Cooper's two this year.

The Steve Kefu one mentioned above.

Latho scored one in the wet v the BRumbies at Ballymore.

One more. I seem to recall an early Flats one (perhaps also at Ballymore) a few years ago.

Is that it?
 
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