It looks like F'Sautia turned into Albert Anae.
Albert didn't go overseas, Chris ate him.
Based on nothing but my own speculations/observations and with an abhorrent lack of empirical evidence to back up most of these choices, I would like to see this side given a go:
1. James Slipper
2. Saia Fainga'a
3. Greg Holmes
4. Rob Simmons
5. James Horwill
6. Adam Thomson
7. Liam Gill
8. Curtis Browning
9. Nick Frisby
10. Quade Cooper
11. Chris Feauai-Sautia
12. Karmichael Hunt
13. Samu Kerevi
14. Chris Kuridrani
15. James O'Connor
16. James Hanson
17. Ben Daley
18. Pettowa Paraka
19. Dave McDuling
20. Hendrick Tui
21. Will Genia
22. Ben Tapuai
23. Lachlan Turner
Talking Points:
Browing at 8, No Schatz: With a 6/7 pairing of Thomson and Gill I think that Browning provides the best balance at #8, where there are more options and far less surety behind who will be playing there.
I initially considered recommending Tui at 8 but I'd like to see him get some time off the bench as he's currently a bit of an unknown quantity. Based on what I've seen from him he also likes to play a bit wider and with Thomson at 6, an 8 that players tighter would provide more balance to the back row unit. Tui also seems to have the pace and mobility to make him an exceptional bench forward once the game begins to open up in the closing 20.
Schatz is by no means a bad player but his line out jumping is what helped keep him in the squad last year, with Thomson starting at 6 this strength becomes a bit of a redundancy and I'd like to see what this proposed back row unit can do. I don't see Schatz as a "finisher" off the bench or a genuine option at lock, hence his exclusion from the pine.
Frisby > Genia: Unless Genia absolutely plays the house down in the preseason I just can't find any justification to start him over Frisby given recent form from the two players. Genia seems to be getting by in a big way on his "brand" right now. He's still not playing anywhere near his own standard, while Frisby was an absolute live-wire for Brisbane City during the NRC.
Obviously Super Rugby isn't going to be as loose as the NRC often was, but I don't think this matters much in this case. Frisby lit a fire under that Brisbane City team and provided strong service and that running option that Genia has failed to produce since the Lions Tour.
We need this kind of player at the head of what looks like one of the most dangerous back lines the Reds may ever produce. He seemed to significantly cut into the rate of brain explosions he used to have as well, not like Genia hasn't had plenty of his own too.
Karmichael at 12: Karmichael fits the mold of what I like to see at 12 and by extension is exactly the type of 12 that Quade has historically gelled with the best. He defends like a demon, runs straight and hard, but also has an astute kicking and distribution game which allows him to take the wheel occasionally while QC (Quade Cooper) looks for chinks in the defensive armor, or whatever it is he's doing when he runs all over the field shouting like a maniac while he's not at first receiver.
Tapuai's form last season (even being played out of position - he was inconsistent when he was regularly playing 12 too) just doesn't warrant a start if Karmichael is outplaying him at training. The reports that Karmichael has been doing a lot of the defensive organization/calling at training reinforces my thoughts that he should be at 12 and not in the backfield.
Kuridrani at 14: With Karmichael at 12 and JOC (James O'Connor) at 15 another winger needed to be brought in. With CFS filling the traditional left wing role, I think it's appropriate to bring in a traditional right wing as well. With JOC (James O'Connor) at the back that is one very balanced and dangerous back three.
Yes, I know that leaves two "non-kicking" players in the back three. I think this is somewhat tempered by how often and astutely (his ability to read 3-5 phases ahead and drop back in time actually still blows me away this many years later) QC (Quade Cooper) drops back to cover kicks.
It was a bit of a toss up between JJT and Kuridrani for me as they both have express pace (JJT may have a slight edge on raw top-end speed). Kuridrani had his own defensive issues during the NRC and I acknowledge that, but I just can't get over the flashbacks I keep having of JJT doing his best Kurtley Beale impression on defense several times last year.
Either player could fill this role depending on form. We need that lightning quick finisher to even things out and make the most of the speed of play this team should be shooting for.
JOC (James O'Connor) at 15: No, I haven't changed my opinion that James' best position is 14 - but he's been quite handy playing 15 in Europe as well.
He'll still have lots of time, space and opportunities to get on the outside of the defense and involve himself freely in the attack. His front-on and cover tackling are great. His tactical kicking is at least as good as what Karmichael will produce, if not better. He also provides a second option for drop goals outside of QC (Quade Cooper).
