Reds 2023

[RugbyReg]

From a purely Super Rugby perspective, coaching success with QLD:

1 McKenzie - 44 wins from 65 games @ 68%
2 Connolly - 33/57 @ 58%
3 McBain - 13/23 @ 57%
4 Thorn - 40/86 @ 47%
5 Slack - 5/11 @ 45%
6 Miller - 12/35 @ 34%
7 Stiles - 4/15 @ 27%
8 Graham - 9/34 @ 26%
9 Mooney - 6/26 @ 23% & Stiles/O'Connor - 3/13 @ 23%
11 Jones - 2/13 @ 15%

6 games (at least) to go? If we win all 6, Brad will finish with a plus 50% win rate.

 

[SouthernX]

looking at that list of players Thorn blooded. One wallaby a season (minimum) nothing from 2022/2023 pool but Faessler and Lynagh might have a cap coming down the pipeline.

weren’t some of Brads critics here saying he doesn’t produce wallabies?

 

[LMU]

Cordingly still in a job.

it would of been nice had this guy fallen on the sword as well.

They could offer Cordingly the coaching job as that seems to be the only role where performance is deemed important enough to be sacked over.

 

[Ras]

Wallabies who have left under thorn include: Quade, Slipper, Rodda, Karmichael, BPA, Lukan, Kerevi and Tupou

Not all his fault however it's paints quite the "what could have been" with better player management and retention.

 

[Sword of Justice]

you do know that Ewen McKenzie was a 'car park' search? Chairman Rod McCall just called up his old team mate and asked him if he wanted to coach

Is that the same thing though? Having an existing personal relationship is probably very common at this level of administration and coaching.

Ironically on balance I would argue that until the beginning of this year the car park search that found Thorn worked very well and on the whole I think he did a great job in player development and setting professional standards.

It is however frustrating to perceive that a greater pool of talent isn't being considered given the last several appointments.

 

[Ras]

weren’t some of Brads critics here saying he doesn’t produce wallabies?

He can produce wallabies, just can't develop them into consistent squad members from there eg. Tate, Wilson, JOC (James O'Connor).

 

[RugbyReg]

Is that the same thing though? Having an existing personal relationship is probably very common at this level of administration and coaching.

Ironically on balance I would argue that until the beginning of this year the car park search that found Thorn worked very well and on the whole I think he did a great job in player development and setting professional standards.

It is however frustrating to perceive that a greater pool of talent isn't being considered given the last several appointments.

But they've done that though haven't though? I think people overestimate the amount of money the QRU have had at their disposal to give to a HC. Perhaps RA should be offering funding to the provinces to help get the best possible coaching talent.

The QRU's financial position in 2017 was fairly dire - "The QRU’s bottom line profit for the 2017 financial year was $22,263, an improvement on the 2016 financial year loss of $789,380". Being able to bring in a Steve Lancaster or Jake White was never really a reality.

 

[SouthernX]

He can produce wallabies, just can't develop them into consistent squad members from there eg. Tate, Wilson, JOC (James O'Connor) (James O'Connor).

there’s been some awful internal politics previously in the wallabies setup. For example the brumbies coaching staff influence on selections in a Dave Rennie team.

of course Tate would miss out to Nic White & Valentini (better wallaby prospect) is always going to keep a talented guy like Harry Wilson out of the 8 jersey.

 

[The Red Baron]

Is the "worldwide search for a new coach" going to extend beyond the perimeter of the carpark this time???

I work down the road from Ballymore. Might start loitering around the carpark during my breaks now in the hopes of getting noticed!

 

[Mug Punter]

looking at that list of players Thorn blooded. One wallaby a season (minimum) nothing from 2022/2023 pool but Faessler and Lynagh might have a cap coming down the pipeline.

weren’t some of Brads critics here saying he doesn’t produce wallabies?

They shunned Faessler at every opportunity when he should've been there way before he was and not sure how much of Lynagh's development you'd put down to Thorn

 

[Slim 293]

there’s been some awful internal politics previously in the wallabies setup. For example the brumbies coaching staff influence on selections in a Dave Rennie team.

Haaaaaaaaaaaa...

 

[LeCheese]

Wallabies who have left under thorn include: Quade, Slipper, Rodda, Karmichael, BPA, Lukan, Kerevi and Tupou

Not all his fault however it's paints quite the "what could have been" with better player management and retention.

And if they'd all stayed we might not have seen the same opportunities given to others also in the Wallabies picture like Paisami, Flook, Smith, Faessler, etc.

 

[SouthernX]

They shunned Faessler at every opportunity when he should've been there way before he was and not sure how much of Lynagh's development you'd put down to Thorn

disagree on Faessler.

there’s always been better options before him. BPA, Mafi etc…

& Thorn absolutely deserves some credit on Lynagh. Mick Heenan never had the balls to give Lynagh a QPR start. Crazy that Brad thorn had the guts picking a player straight out of qpr colts

 

[Sam Old]

A bit of a non- announcement. It was clear at the start of the season both the coach and players had moved on. The success or lack thereof in the remainder of the season are likely more important to Heenans future than Thorn now.

 

[The Red Baron]

It will be interesting to see how the players respond on the field to the announcement.

 

[Sword of Justice]

But they've done that though haven't though? I think people overestimate the amount of money the QRU have had at their disposal to give to a HC. Perhaps Rugby Australia should be offering funding to the provinces to help get the best possible coaching talent.

The QRU's financial position in 2017 was fairly dire - "The QRU’s bottom line profit for the 2017 financial year was $22,263, an improvement on the 2016 financial year loss of $789,380". Being able to bring in a Steve Lancaster or Jake White was never really a reality.

I guess it's a chicken and egg question. Personally I would have advocated for taking on more debt and operating at a loss if it meant picking up a top level coach in place of Graham or Stiles, but I was quite happy with the appointment of Thorn at the time given his results in NRC and u20s.

It's moot as I don't know what options were available but there is real danger in cost cutting the organisation's way to success whereby every year we can only offer lower salaries to coaches as our results fall further and further behind. Wages for a coach are an expense on the balance sheet but in every other way they are an investment, IMO.

 

[7137]

how does it compare to other sides? Is that excessive given the current rugby climate in Australia?

Dunno. Was your list put up as impressive in its length or pretty standard?
The comment was he tried way more people than anyone else and I question whether that’s a good thing.

 

[Ras]

disagree on Faessler.

there’s always been better options before him. BPA, Mafi etc…

They did bring Steven Moore out of retirement on a couple of trips to avoid having Faessler there after he was one of the form hookers of QPR for a number of years.

 

[RugbyReg]

Dunno. Was your list put up as impressive in its length or pretty standard?
The comment was he tried way more people than anyone else and I question whether that’s a good thing.

yeah - I don't have that detail for other teams but off the top of my head the Tahs have had Seu, Jorgensen, Lambert, Goddard, Nadolo, Dowling, Sateki Latu, Botha and Tuipulotu at least this year? Force have a heap too I'd suggest. Brumbies probably less but still Schoupp, Toole, Tua, Van Nek, Wright, Cale, O'Donnell, Rolando?, Meredith, Kautai?, Thompson - ok, so perhaps not much less.

 

[qwerty51]

Crusaders haven't announced a replacement for Razor yet have they?