Reds 2019

[BDA]

Gents, I'm just kind of venturing back from the wilderness, like a bear awaking from hibernation. It's that time of year when i make my return to the site, daydreaming about the possibility of us having a decent season. I tried to speed read through the thread to bring myself up to speed but half ass'd it. What's the general sentiment. An chance of us doing much this year? While i see a lot of quality talent, the squad still seems pretty young and largely unproven. Would it be fair to say our season turns on whether Thorne is in fact the transcendent coach he's trying to be? what's the general consensus?

TBH, from a fan perspective I'd settle for a decent home record with a win against a kiwi side.

 

[dru]

What's the general sentiment. An chance of us doing much this year?

No, not by the realists. Thorn needs another two seasons to pull something together, expect this to build to next year.

While i see a lot of quality talent, the squad still seems pretty young and largely unproven. Would it be fair to say our season turns on whether Thorne is in fact the transcendent coach he's trying to be? what's the general consensus?

Thorn is not yet a transcendent coach, far from it, though he has interesting support this season. It’s a kack schedule early, but let’s see his home record. And a couple of o/s wins against the favourites.

We build. But this time we actually might be doing it.

 

[TSR]

I’m not sure we should be looking at a massive turnaround this year, but I feel cautiously optimistic for some reasonable improvement.

I feel the core of the squad is improved and the coaching is definitely improved.

Depth is still very skinny and injuries will hurt and our halves need to really come on.

 

[Beer Baron]

No, not by the realists. Thorn needs another two seasons to pull something together, expect this to build to next year.



Thorn is not yet a transcendent coach, far from it, though he has interesting support this season. It’s a kack schedule early, but let’s see his home record. And a couple of o/s wins against the favourites.

We build. But this time we actually might be doing it.

There is no excuse not to build/improve this year. All core players re-signed. off-field drama dealt with (as far as we know). Strongest support coaching group (on paper). Team spent a few years together. Yes they are young but they were younger last year.

 

[Kevinsons]

Clinton Schifcofske?

or Mark McLinden? I enjoyed watching both!

 

[Strewthcobber]

There is no excuse not to build/improve this year. All core players re-signed. off-field drama dealt with (as far as we know). Strongest support coaching group (on paper). Team spent a few years together. Yes they are young but they were younger last year.

We have an experienced Super rugby head coach this year too!

 

[spikhaza]

Some good progress seems to being made on the roster, I'm glad all the dead wood that had countless chances to perform but didn't is gone. I think the players have some potential but we might need one or two more key links and we could get journeyman's syndrome where we lose a lot of games by a small number of points. Anything has to be better than the dross that's been served up in the past few years however

 

[RugbyReg]

Comparing the new squad to the one that was announced around this time last year (perhaps a little earlier):

Returning players:

Taniela Tupou, Harry Hoopert, JP Smith, Alex Mafi, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Izack Rodda, Lukhan Salakai-Loto, Angus Blythe, Harry Hockings, Scott Higginbotham, Adam Korczyk, Caleb Timu, Angus Scott-Young, Liam Wright, Moses Sorovi, James Tuttle, Tate McDermott, Hamish Stewart, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Samu Kerevi, Duncan Paia’aua, Filipo Daugunu

At prop the departing players have been:

Sef Fa'agase, James Slipper and Markus Vanzati

replaced by Feao Fotuaika, Gavin Luka and Ruan Smith (who was a late signing last year).

Hooker:

Andrew Ready 'replaced by' Efi Ma'afu

Lock:

No one has replaced Kane Douglas

Backrow:

Gone are Michael Gunn, Reece Hewat and George Smith

replaced by Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson (so one less backrower)

Scrumhalves:

Frisby is gone and we haven't replaced him (but had 4 in the squad last year)

Flyhalves:

Quade is gone and Hegarty is there plus Matt McGahan kind of taking up one of the scrumhalf spots

Centres:

Same

Outside backs:

Hunt, Maranta, Nabuli and Perese all gone

In are Jack Hardy, Jock Campbell, Will Eadie, Sefa Naivalu, Jordan Petaia, Teti Tela and Aidan Toua (both Toua and Petaia obviously got contracts of sort last year).

 

[dillyboy]

And we have captain Kerevi - congratulations Samu!

http://www.redsrugby.com.au/News/Ne...-George-Queensland-Reds-captain-for-2019.aspx

 

[liquor box]

And we have captain Kerevi - congratulations Samu!

http://www.redsrugby.com.au/News/Ne...-George-Queensland-Reds-captain-for-2019.aspx

I am quite disappointed by that, a new captain should not be picked if they have not committed to the team long term. He signed a one year deal in September 2018.

I want someone who has an interest in developing the team for more than a season and can become a man the rest of the team knows will support them into the future.

If he was a long term signing then this would change my mind.

Unless you are a captain contemplating retirement I want a captain to have at least two full seasons left on their contract to be considered.

 

[TSR]

Maybe it’s not set in stone he is going.

Personally if they think he is the best captain in the current squad then I am happy for him to be captain.

 

[Sully]

No one said he was going. And I'm not bothered at all if he is only captain for a year if he's the best person for the job. Maybe it might help him stay.

 

[The torpedo]

To me this kinda smells like an executive decision forced on thorn

 

[The Honey Badger]

To me this kinda smells like an executive decision forced on thorn

That would be a first.

 

[dillyboy]

No one said he was going. And I'm not bothered at all if he is only captain for a year if he's the best person for the job. Maybe it might help him stay.

Yep - Thorn alluded to keeping Kerevi long term in the presser.


I'd say the one year deal was also a stop gap due to the salary cap. After a year of captain (as long as he does well) and with Quade, slipper & Hunt off the books his value should skyrocket.....

 

[Sully]

To me this kinda smells like an executive decision forced on thorn

Why would you think that?

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

To me this kinda smells like an executive decision forced on thorn

Why? Who do you think Thorn would want?

I think Higgers has been a good (and will continue to be a good leader in this team) but there are some other things at play. He only just got home from Japan. He is only contracted for this season also. How much longer will he play for the Reds?

 

[spikhaza]

Kerevi, 25, said Thorn’s hard line on culture and standards sat well with him, but hoped he could lighten the coach’s load by setting the tone himself.
“In the past I wouldn’t say it wasn’t policed well, but sometimes we’d let standards drop and wouldn’t pick it up as a playing group,” he said.
“I want us to be player-driven, guys picking up on each other on certain things.”

Good noise from Kerevi here, but will have to wait and see if it is backed up with action. Maintaining standards is hard and requires mental discipline, we can all relate to it in our own personal lives I guess. ​

I feel a bit for some of these guys, who would easily be pulled into a bubble of semi fame, popularity with women etc on nights out. It would be easy to have it get to your head and turn into a bit of a lazy, partying young bloke. We've all been there.​

I think it's interesting that a lot of Reds unwanted seem to do so well in Canberra etc. I think it's actually partly the geography and culture of Canberra - it would be easier to be a pro athlete and concentrate hard on the team because there's just less to do. Compare that to Brisbane where half the Reds end up at Fridays and The Vic after a game etc, you can see why it would be easy to slide into bad habits. Hopefully the whole playing group can go hard at being professionals this year​

 

[RugbyReg]

Terrific appointment. He is highly regarded by most people who have interactions with him.

The above post by spikhaza reads well. I tell you who will be critical there, the Smiths. These two are special, special people. Again, I have heard spoken to some very highly regarded rugby folk who cannot speak more highly of these two. The example and standards they set on the training paddock are first class.

One of the people I spoke to about them was Mick Heenan, who coached them for Brisbane City. He said he actually told them not to bother coming to Tuesday trainings (he thought the travel to and from the Sunshine Coast for two big props after each had played mostly full games with plenty of dominant scrums, would be detrimental to them). They flat out refused and basically said if everyone else was training, they would be there.

I know they missed a Super Rugby game last year for a discipline issue, but the story behind it is quite funny and could be written off pretty easily.

 

[Slim 293]

I know they missed a Super Rugby game last year for a discipline issue, but the story behind it is quite funny and could be written off pretty easily.

Do tell.........