• Welcome to the forums of Green & Gold Rugby.
    We have recently made some changes to the amount of discussions boards on the forum.
    Over the coming months we will continue to make more changes to make the forum more user friendly for all to use.
    Thanks, Admin.

Queensland Reds 2025

Wilson

Tim Horan (67)
I actually like the look of Will McCulloch in this match, the fullback for Norths, one try in particular where he broke the tackle of Henry 1v1.

I only watched the extended highlights so might have missed other parts but he looked decent in the 15 role. And I’d say physically he looks a bit more solid/mature then Tim Ryan, both been about similar height.
Yeah, he's a really solid prospect there, though he has missed some development time being out injured this year. It's part of why I think Vaihu fits in well as a 3rd fullback option - he's capable of playing in the centres or on the wing instead, so if McCulloch is ready to go and nails it from the start we can still get plenty of use out of Vaihu. He also has a decent chunk of rugby played with guys like Mclaughlin-Phillips, Henry, Anderson and Daugunu now, which always helps.
 

Major Tom

Colin Windon (37)
Yeah, he's a really solid prospect there, though he has missed some development time being out injured this year. It's part of why I think Vaihu fits in well as a 3rd fullback option - he's capable of playing in the centres or on the wing instead, so if McCulloch is ready to go and nails it from the start we can still get plenty of use out of Vaihu. He also has a decent chunk of rugby played with guys like Mclaughlin-Phillips, Henry, Anderson and Daugunu now, which always helps.
Someone mentioned he's off to Japan.
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Surely would have known that Dre played significantly more games then Lington then? He played twice as many games and almost 6x as many minutes as Ieli.

Anyway I’m not wedded to any player getting rookie of the year, doesn’t really mean much in the broader scheme. It’d be hard to look past Dre though based purely on the number of games he started thiggg.

This is a ridiculous conversation.

Rookie of the year is obviously Joseph Sua'ali'i.

;)
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Is he eligible though? The NRL have ruled Nawaqanitawase ineligible for their rookie of the year award off the back of his time in pro rugby.

The Rugby Australia Award? I think the eligibility criteria is non-existent.

Tim Ryan (Reds) won it in 2024.
Carys Dallinger (Wallaroos) won in 2023.
Nick Frost (Wallabies) won in 2022.

There's no specific Super Rugby rookie of the year award either competition wide or from Rugby Australia based on my understanding.

Competition wide though, Leroy Carter from the Chiefs would be a good shout.
 

Red Runner

Bob McCowan (2)
Reds have signed a couple more teenagers - Nick Conway and Finn Mackay.

They have gone really hard on the next gen - they've announced signings of Kingsley Uys, Will Ross, Bennet Armistead, Levi Slater, Taione Taka and Trevor Pritchard - all of who I think are still at school. And now these two who I think are first year out? I know they set up a QRU Foundation not too long ago and that was about raising funds for infrastructure (Ballymore I assume), girls and then academy. Now I assume these kids are all signed to the academy, most likely funded by the foundation. Taking this a step further, the Reds tour to the UK this year took a bunch of their foundation donors I think? Might be a bit of guess work, but while the tour was copped some flack for the on-field relevance, if it enabled a few more $$$ in the bank for us to secure these young stars, then all good?
 

Major Tom

Colin Windon (37)
Reds have signed a couple more teenagers - Nick Conway and Finn Mackay.

They have gone really hard on the next gen - they've announced signings of Kingsley Uys, Will Ross, Bennet Armistead, Levi Slater, Taione Taka and Trevor Pritchard - all of who I think are still at school. And now these two who I think are first year out? I know they set up a QRU Foundation not too long ago and that was about raising funds for infrastructure (Ballymore I assume), girls and then academy. Now I assume these kids are all signed to the academy, most likely funded by the foundation. Taking this a step further, the Reds tour to the UK this year took a bunch of their foundation donors I think? Might be a bit of guess work, but while the tour was copped some flack for the on-field relevance, if it enabled a few more $$$ in the bank for us to secure these young stars, then all good?
Conway is a gun! Good to see him in rugby rather than league.
Mackay has played a bit of HC for souths this year. Big boot and tallish frame (compared to Lynagh and HMP which isn't difficult I guess). I'd say he flip between flyhalf and fullback. Smart signings.
Also should mean all these boys will continue to play together.
Seems like some pretty shrewd club decisions overall. The Italian connection made recently will also be beneficial in the long run.
 

Red Runner

Bob McCowan (2)
I do remember seeing Conway play. Don't know too much of the others except that big prop Uys. Any big backs do you know? Conway and McKay both look scrawny...
 

Red Runner

Bob McCowan (2)
very valid. Was just thinking one of these physical beasts (Sua'ali'i) might appear up this way soon.

Conway's dad was a Bronco - I remember him at school. Pretty big lad. Could kick them from over half way.
 
Top