Queensland Reds 2025

[Wilson]

So the Reds are 7 and 6 with a game left, which means they can at best end up with an 8 win regular season - same as Kiss' first year and the 4th time in 5 years.

With some big adds to the team this year, is it a bit of an underachievement?

Hopefully they go on to win the whole thing and make this post look ridiculous

Yes and no - it's a disappointing season given the expectations going in, but it's very hard to get past the injury toll. They're not responsible for all of our underperformance, but it's hard to see a world where they didn't have a significant impact given the talent (and wage bill) on the sidelines any given week. It probably also effected our tactics - I think it was probably a contributing factor to why we played so narrow this year for example.

There are still questions to be answered there though - Are we carrying too many players with terrible injury records? (probably). Are there problems with our rehab/load management? (less clear). Did we not balance our squad probably to handle injuries? (I think it was mostly fine, but the influx of rebels did have knock on effects).

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Time together will be huge and the main difference. Reds are still there in the finals but do struggle against the top sides. Time will add layers to the attack which I think the top sides are predicting most plays now as the Reds have a distinct style.

Will there be a review of S&C/Rehab? Some injuries like Wilson’s can’t be changed but it probably is something to at least say is there something we can improve? The Tahs had this issue clearly and made changes from staff to replacing turf. Huge amount of luck involved but a lot of smallthrough departments can be the difference between 5th and 2nd…

What’s been the main factor for the Brums excellence? IMO it’s the consistency throughout the group. Bringing in a guy like Feliuai in is a lot easier when surrounded by guys who have been there for years.

Way more positives than negatives for QLD. Massimo, Dre, Kalani have all taken a leap into being genuine Super Rugby starters and will push senior incumbents to improve or get out of the way.

 

[Mark Panga]

So the Reds are 7 and 6 with a game left, which means they can at best end up with an 8 win regular season - same as Kiss' first year and the 4th time in 5 years.

With some big adds to the team this year, is it a bit of an underachievement?

Hopefully they go on to win the whole thing and make this post look ridiculous

The major problem has been the amount of injuries. Not only did the Reds lose good players - the team could never be settled from week to week. Every week a massive change in the line up. A team is built around the 23 but then literally losing 15 it’s just not the same team. Others - particularly the Brumbies have been settled for a lot of the year. This allowed them o grow and develop. Reds had so many position changes. So many players rotated in and out for injury. The injury toll has been tough for the Reds.

 

[Wilson]

Will there be a review of S&C/Rehab? Some injuries like Wilson’s can’t be changed but it probably is something to at least say is there something we can improve? The Tahs had this issue clearly and made changes from staff to replacing turf. Huge amount of luck involved but a lot of smallthrough departments can be the difference between 5th and 2nd…

Their absolutely should be, I don't think you can cop this many injuries to the squad across the season without one.

That said I don't think it's quite the same as something like the tahs last year where there was a clear run of lower limb injuries, ostensibly down to a dodgy training pitch. Injuries for the Reds were across the board in terms of nature and cause - breaks, long term injuries from last season, soft tissue, concussions, etc. I think any review that's conducted needs to be a bit wider and include things like squad composition and the level of risk acceptable to carry across the squad.

 

[Dctarget]

Flip, Canham and Anderson have been great. Felt Lachie started slow but past few games he’s showing form he rarely showed in Melbourne.

Canham does drop too many but he also touches the ball more than any other forward, he’s pretty crucial to the Reds attack, also some of his lineout takes yesterday were elite.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Canham is performing the role of the tight head lock very well in my view. He’s in the middle of it and doing well in the lineout after a slow start to the season in that department for the whole team.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Canham is performing the role of the tight head lock very well in my view. He’s in the middle of it and doing well in the lineout after a slow start to the season in that department for the whole team.

Other than actually packing down at loose head all year?

 

[Adam84]

Some of these additions have not had the impact we imagined. Gibbon and Mason didn't play a game. Lukhan has two large injury periods. Flipio and Andersen have been the stand outs. While Canham has some good moments he has hands like feet which has cost us and defensively fell off tackles.

Tactically Les has us playing something they reminds me of Link. We just haven't had the cattle being fit enough or big enough backs.

Size of the backs, or lack of was one of the biggest concerns I had about this squad at the start of the season.

Losing big backs like Petaia and Vunivalu and replacing them with guys like Ryan and Pakeho left the backline without some physicality and ability to get over the advantage line.

Not to say Pakeho hasn’t been great, but he isn’t a ball carrying 13.

 

[Sword of Justice]

Other than actually packing down at loose head all year?

Ah well they go where they’re needed

 

[Strewthcobber]

I do think it's interesting/concerning for the Wallabies how much better the Reds lineout has been once LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) got injured