Queensland coach Phil Mooney has resisted the urge to make drastic changes to his off-colour Reds for Saturday’s Super 14 clash with the Blues at North Harbour Stadium.
Mooney has made three changes to his starting team which fell to a fourth straight defeat with a humiliating 31-20 loss to the lowly Lions at Suncorp Stadium.
All three are injury-related with key duo Daniel Braid (Achilles) and Peter Hynes (knee) ruled out and veteran lock Van Humphries (shoulder) returning to fitness.
Teenager Luke Morahan will make his run-on debut against the fifth-placed Blues in place of winger Hynes while Tasi Luafutu replaces former All Blacks flanker Braid, who had been looking forward to playing his old team.
Adam Byrnes drops back to the bench to make way for Humphries, forcing Leroy Houston to be axed from the 22.
Mooney has stuck with erratic playmaker Quade Cooper at five-eighth despite considering a shift of inside centre Berrick Barnes to first-receiver to better control play.
The second-year coach, who initially forecast changes “across the board”, was pleased by his 13th-placed team’s reaction to their woeful display last weekend, showing a collective sense of ownership of their performances.
RED’S SIDE
Mark McLinden, Luke Morahan, Digby Ioane, Berrick Barnes, Brando Va’aulu, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Ezra Taylor, Tasi Luafutu, Hugh McMeniman, James Horwill (capt), Van Humphries, Laurie Weeks, Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes. Reserves: Saia Faingaa, Jack Kennedy, Adam Byrnes, Scott Higginbotham, Ben Lucas, Anthony Faingaa, Charlie Fetoai.
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