Reds 2021

I really missed the NRC this year and seeing that next tier of players, The club to SR step up is still a little bigger than I think some acknowledge.

Gotta say I'm excited to see this Reds team next year, a lot of young lads returning with some good international experience coupled with the injection of some promising new talent.

I missed the nrc as well - as I always supported it going to quite a few matches every season but was embarrassed by lack of support for Sydney teams - particularly for quality of footy which was quite good. Nswru got behind the nrc too late and missed an opportunity. Actually under Hore they missed a lot of opportunities including private equity investment in western Sydney rapid rugby team. If the same approach been taken to nrc that qldru took I reckon nrc might still be around.

Where is Teti Tela? he was loking good as a 10/12 option after DP left, was brilliant at 10 for Fiji agaisnt the Barbarians and then just disappeared..

Hasn’t disappeared, has been playing barbarians and QPR

Picked up an injury playing QPR , was out for the back end of the season .

Reds still to announce the major sponsor to replace St George, it’s been a few months and given they’ll be wanting to release their 2021 training and playing kit hope they get one soon. Given the amount of FTA exposure the Reds are getting in 2021 I would have thought it would be an easy sell.

Also retirement of Jim Tucker and Ch 9 taking over the broadcast rights is starting to show, not much talk of the Reds in the Courier Mail compared to previous seasons. It’s not as bad in Sydney given the split between Nine and News Corp owned newspapers is fairly equal, and I expect the SMH will maintain decent coverage, whereas in QLD it’s only News Corp

From instagram it looks like they are wearing last years training kit still (with St George on the front).

While Reds might have signed the younger Lynagh, his brother Louis is going pretty well this season and hasn’t ruled out Australia either. Outside back but predominantly fullback.

“ I have three options – Italy, Australia and England. If I get chosen for international rugby for any team that would be the pinnacle of my career. International rugby is the best you can get, other than the Lions.
Right now I’m in England, my family and friends are here, but we’ll see where my career leads. If I get the chance for England, Australia or Italy, I’ll take it. It’s what I’m aiming for, but first it’s about getting in the Harlequins first team and playing regularly. I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”.

https://apple.news/AdRgSkQBjR3mFcji2SaYwYw

Richie Asiata and Jake Upfield both training with the Reds from the social media, both were signed to play overseas for 2021 but maybe COVID has canned that.

For those of us for whom these guys are pretty unknown, what is your take on the them? Jake Upfield looks like he’s been good enough to play some UK pro rugby, but not at the top level. So how comparable is that to Super Rugby?

I’ve never really watched Jake Upfield to be honest, given Ryan Smith is already in the squad it would surprise me if he is picked up, I’m guessing he is just training at the moment.

Richie Asiata would be a good signing given the Reds depth at prop, although he played a bit of hooker this year for Easts he also plays loose head prop. From what I watched of him in the NRC, he is a solid performer and is probably a better candidate for prop then the likes of Josh Nasser.

Anyone know if Asiata can throw a lineout? Or how reliable his lineout throwing is?

He played #2 for Easts all of last year with Rhys Van Nek throwing from THP until Zac Crothers came on for the final 20 mins or so.

Can’t remember seeing him throw in QPR.

It’s certainly an odd one since Rhys Van Nek first came to Easts as a hooker but then shifted to THP. Whereas Asiata has predominantly played prop throughout the years.

You can’t offer them all contracts, but seeing the way Thorn has rewarded performances in QPR over the last two seasons, the odd one for me is Rhys Van Nek not being at the Reds for 2021.

He’s by no means an unknown having been in the Reds’ Academy since his Schoolboys’ days , including the Aussie U20’s RWC squad of 2019. Had a dominant QPR season as a THP who can also play #2 and competently throw a lineout . Both positions the Reds have shown to be a little short in. We had Thor as THP playing 80mins and Nasser moved from THP to #2 in 2020.

Obviously a reason why he is now at the Rebels, hopefully not another one who we “missed”.

Van Nek likely thought he wouldn’t see much time at the Reds. When he signed with the Rebels there was Tupou and Ruan Smith clearly ahead of him at THP - with Thor playing bulk minutes as you say. At hooker there is BPA and Mafi and at the start of 2020 both were seen as potential Wallabies so they’re a decent roadblock.

Some of the guys that teams miss out on isnt so much the fact they didn’t want them around, the players themselves will make a decision based on where they see themselves making an impact. Van Nek clearly has talent and probably rightfully knows he will be able to showcase that sooner at the Rebels.

Whilst he can throw in the line-out i don’t think he is suited to playing hooker at SR level, he has the mobility of a prop. If you then look at it that way, then who would you replace in the current Reds squad out of the THPs when you have Tupou, Nonngor or Fotuaika?

If the Reds would update their website please, we could make a better and more informed assessment of their 2021 squad. For example, Carter Gordon is now a Rebel.

https://reds.rugby/teams/reds-mens

I think we are waiting on a major sponsor with an update of jersey and new photos. There’s a handful of players we could remove in the meantime.

Maybe a byproduct of staff cuts during COVID and JobKeeper winding back

For what it’s worth , I think Tupou would be the only one ahead of him regarding set piece IMO.

Nonggorr is still only 19 , is a very promising talent , but really only got his chance last year due to the COVID bubble, would say his former TSS front row partner George Blake is a stronger scrummager at the same age having handled himself quite well in QPR last year. Zane played THP all the way through the pathways with size being his X factor . He has lost a lot of weight which has improved his game in general play considerably . He is still young enough to maybe even swap over to LHP if Thorn/ Crappa see him as a possible starter.

We’ve barely seen Fotuaika in the past two seasons and as already stated Nasser now seen as a #2.

Think it’s probably more along the lines of what Phil mentioned , in that Rhys saw a quicker pathway at the Rebels .