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There’s no better way to phrase this, but it’s all just coming up Milhouse for Queensland Reds supporters. After five seasons of post-title decline and however else you’d like to describe the Richard Graham years, the confirmation of the Reds’ 2017 Super Rugby squad today gives plenty of cause for optimism.
The promotion of Nick Stiles to the Head Coach role for 2017 was a key piece to the puzzle, as were the acquisitions of experienced players including Wallabies Captain Stephen Moore and the evergreen George Smith. But it might just be the return of some prodigal sons – Moore included, but particularly Quade Cooper, Leroy Houston, and today’s confirmation of the repatriation of Scott Higginbotham – that completes the picture.
There’s no denying that the Reds have done a sterling job in the off-season, and they’ve certainly given themselves every chance of a revival to be celebrated.
I had a chat with Reds Executive General Manager, former Wallabies and Reds centre Dan Herbert this morning before the Reds squad announcement, to get some background on what has been a clearly aggressive and very fruitful off-season recruitment program for the 2017 season. It’s fair to say he was a satisfied man.
Herbert told me that today’s list announcement is a culmination of reviews and performance over the last couple of seasons, and that they have “unashamedly targeted players who can deliver success for our fans.”
You won’t hear the Reds mention the ‘rebuilding’ word, because their first priority for 2017 is to be winning Super Rugby games from the get-go. But it’s also clear with the look and feel of the squad that a lot of the recruitment is geared toward younger players developing and learning along the way next to seasoned and experienced pros.
Certainly, the forwards are suddenly brimming with experience, with Moore, Houston, Smith, and Higginbotham all coming on board for 2017 and joining blokes like James Slipper, Rob Simmons, and Kane Douglas. But the big winners in the long run – the Reds believe – will be the younger guys like Andrew Ready, Michael Gunn, Adam Korczyk, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Tui, and Izack Rodda.
Scott Higginbotham said: “I’m excited about coming back to Queensland and playing for the Reds. NEC have been amazing and I have extremely enjoyed living in Japan and being a part of such a great club and culture. Being from Queensland it is great to be able to come back and play for my home state and work towards 100 games for Queensland.”
Brad Thorn in the background will be invaluable help too, obviously.
The Reds see the return of these guys, plus Quade Cooper, as a huge opportunity for the younger guys to push themselves further, and when I specifically asked about concern over guys like Ready and Jake McIntyre being held back in their development, Hebert likened the challenge in front of both players to what he faced himself behind Tim Horan and Jason Little back in the day. Herbert himself will be all the proof the young guys need.
In some cases, they planted the seed with some players about ‘returning home’, in other cases, the players themselves made the first call. The ARU and Michael Cheika also gave their input in terms of national interest around certain positions, too.
And in some cases, they just got a bit lucky; both Kane Douglas and now George Smith fell into their laps courtesy of the players’ wives wanting to settle back in Queensland.(Click to Tweet)
Clearly there will be a concerted managing of workloads for these more experienced guys, and we will very likely see matches or periods of the season or even mini-tours where Moore, for the sake of an example, plays off the bench, or sits games out completely. That will be a balancing act and a challenge for Nick Stiles to manage in conjunction with his background staff and the medicos. But Herbert said it will certainly be a nice problem for Stiles to manage.
On the coaching front, Stiles’ assistants are yet to be confirmed and those appointments are in progress currently, with Stiles working in conjunction with a panel that includes Herbert and Reds List Manager Sam Cordingley, and Nathan Sharpe, among others.
Already we’ve seen headlines today about the Reds being “genuine title contenders” and that they “should be aiming to finish top eight” in 2017, but Herbert told me the first priority will be to win games and give those suffering Reds fans of the last few years reasons to watch their team again.
And on paper, it’s hard not to get excited about what might be possible.
Already, I can see the Reds in a three-way battle with the Melbourne Rebels and NSW Waratahs for the Australian conference. The Reds mightn’t be stating any goals publicly yet, but I think that’s a realistic opportunity.
How they start their season will be key, and if the Reds come through the opening month of Super Rugby well – the Reds start with the Sharks in Brisbane, play the Force in Perth and the Crusaders back in Brisbane, before a mini-tour away playing the Lions in Johannesburg and the Jaguares in Buenos Aires – then we’ll know just how rapid the Reds revival will be.
There’s no doubt it’s been a rough few years for the Reds faithful. But there’s also clear signs that happy days will soon be here again.