Reds 2022

[dru]

I hope something is happening in the background because this is a pretty sad indictment for the Reds. Letting another long term player go with no acknowledgement of their service.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1530407497563242497

That is sad. Vale LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto).

 

[RugbyReg]

That is sad. Vale LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto).

He’s not dead.

And the seasons not over. Why acknowledge his departure when the seasons not over and he hasn’t departed?

 

[gel]

Are the players with weak skills being asked to improve though? You would expect that the coaching team have identified areas for improvement and given those players the specific requirements - what needs to be improved, how it can be improved, when it will be improved by; and set up the skills coaching to do that. Then it comes down to the player putting in the work to improve. Some players will take it upon themselves to seek improvement and to find out where they are lacking, but if the coaches are quite okay with where the players are at then they are not being pushed to improve. You can understand when someone is playing out of position, but when they are in their best position as a professional athlete they should be able to demonstrate the skills required at that level - whether it is throwing into the lineout, scrummaging, passing on both sides etc.

Those "some players will take it upon themselves" that you mention above...

They are the professionals who have a professional attitude.

The rest, just aren't

 

[mst]

I hope something is happening in the background because this is a pretty sad indictment for the Reds. Letting another long term player go with no acknowledgement of their service.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1530407497563242497

Its a sad way to do things IMHO. Sounds like he wont be doing anything else with the Reds or QRU and it would be a real injustice if the best he gets is a goodbye after he has already left.

 

[RugbyReg]

Its a sad way to do things IMHO. Sounds like he wont be doing anything else with the Reds or QRU and it would be a real injustice if the best he gets is a goodbye after he has already left.

Wow you get all that from a tweet! Amazing.

We have one game left in the season. What else did you want him to do with the Reds?

 

[The Nomad]

I hope something is happening in the background because this is a pretty sad indictment for the Reds. Letting another long term player go with no acknowledgement of their service.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1530407497563242497

That doesn’t seem right to have him stay behind unless they wanted to give him some game time . Hopefully that is the case and he joins the squad this week. Otherwise seems very narrow minded .

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I don't think this year has really been below realistic expectations, it is below what we as Reds fans want but why would we suddenly be able to beat NZ teams who are a class above with essentially the same team and coaching set up? If we were able to improve then why wouldn't the NZ teams also be able to have the same growth in skills?

The unfortunate situation is that we simply do not play the style of game to beat NZ teams, but Thorn has us as arguably the best Australian side proven by results against the other Australian teams over the past three seasons.

Are we satisfied as being the best Australian side, or do we risk not being the best in the country to have a slight chance of being able to beat a NZ team maybe twice in the season, or three times in a great year?

Best Australian side this season…you seriously having a lend…brumbies are way ahead of you this season…and tahs with their rate of improvement as season gone on probably better now too. But brumbies way set the benchmark.

 

[Ignoto]

He’s not dead.

And the seasons not over. Why acknowledge his departure when the seasons not over and he hasn’t departed?

Speaking of end of year Reg. The Long Lunch was on Friday. From memory, wasn't that normally held after the last game where they generally do big announcements?

I thought it was oddly timed considering the Reds were in Christchurch (although the injury ward meant there was a pretty strong representation at the lunch.

 

[RugbyReg]

Speaking of end of year Reg. The Long Lunch was on Friday. From memory, wasn't that normally held after the last game where they generally do big announcements?

I thought it was oddly timed considering the Reds were in Christchurch (although the injury ward meant there was a pretty strong representation at the lunch.

Historically two different events. The gala at the end of the year is when they have done farewells etc. This one is as more the celebrate former players.

 

[Adam84]

The long term commitment I'm talking about is the way they've talked about the coaching strategy and the desire to move away from the reactionary model they've talked about since first signing Thorn:


I mention it because if they're keeping to it I really doubt they'd sack him after one season of results below expectations (but largely equal with the year before).

This might be semantics but wanting stability in the coaching role isn’t a long term commitment for Thorn going forward, as it stands he is only committed for another 12 months.

 

[liquor box]

Best Australian side this season…you seriously having a lend…brumbies are way ahead of you this season…and tahs with their rate of improvement as season gone on probably better now too. But brumbies way set the benchmark.

Purely talking about results against other Australian teams for the last few seasons. The Super AU part of the season.

 

[Wilson]

This might be semantics but wanting stability in the coaching role isn’t a long term commitment for Thorn going forward, as it stands he is only committed for another 12 months.

It's language they've repeatedly used over multiple contracts/extensions with the Reds. There are plenty of other factors determining how long each of those individual contracts run for coming as much from Thorn as the QRU.

The key point I was making though was that I think it's unlikely they will be so reactive as to sack him before next year. Do you think they're likely to pull the pin on him before next season and cut that 12 months?

 

[dru]

It's language they've repeatedly used over multiple contracts/extensions with the Reds. There are plenty of other factors determining how long each of those individual contracts run for coming as much from Thorn as the QRU.

The key point I was making though was that I think it's unlikely they will be so reactive as to sack him before next year. Do you think they're likely to pull the pin on him before next season and cut that 12 months?

They won't and they shouldn't. It would be nice all the same to know something about where they are headed after 2023.

 

[Wilson]

Update on player availability for Friday:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1530783432636506114

 

[sunnyboys]

Reds are the only Oz team this year to not beat a kiwi opponent. The pecking order of Oz teams has certainly undergone some rearranging in the past 6 weeks.
There’s something not right at the Reds. Can’t quite put my finger on it though.

 

[wamberal]

Reds are the only Oz team this year to not beat a kiwi opponent. The pecking order of Oz teams has certainly undergone some rearranging in the past 6 weeks.
There’s something not right at the Reds. Can’t quite put my finger on it though.

They do not seem to have a playing style that suits their strengths.

 

[PhilClinton]

They do not seem to have a playing style that suits their strengths.

Once they lost their set piece dominance with Taniela out, their game plan has taken a hit. No easy piggy backs up field or shots at goal.

 

[Adam84]

Once they lost their set piece dominance with Taniela out, their game plan has taken a hit. No easy piggy backs up field or shots at goal.

Take away the set piece dominance of Tupou and experience of JOC (James O'Connor) running the backline, and i think it’s easy to see where they crumbled, and it’s not entirely wrong to base your game plan on players like them.

What’s disappointing was the inability to play a different style once those players were removed from the equation.

 

[Wallaby Man]

Reds need some dominant ball carriers. Too many high work rate players and very few that opposition defenses would look at and think they are going to be a handful to contain today.

Wilson is elite with his work rate but needs to become more dynamic and start winning the contact zone on a consistent basis. Its one of the reasons I think Rennie saw him fall down the pecking order last year. He’s so young so could easily be smashing people in 2/3yrs.

Surprised they have left LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) in QLD, he’s someone that can help with that front foot ball.

 

[PhilClinton]

Any mail on what happened with LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto)? Seems odd to leave a Wallaby out of the squad entirely for the knockout final.

Gotta say, at the start of the year we all laughed off ideas about unrest at the Reds. But these last few weeks, with the results, players announcing their departures, guys being left out of teams... things aren't so happy at Ballymore.