Wallaby superstar, Berrick Barnes. AAP Images
There was something exhilarating about watching Berrick Barnes wearing the Queensland jersey. In the sky blue of the Waratahs he will no doubt be magnificent too, as he is and will continue to be an exciting and talented footballer regardless of where he earns his living.
But in the ever reddening maroon of his native state’s shirt, all of the brilliance of his football and all of the composure that belied his youth was magnified by the hope that he brought to Queensland rugby.
With his departure, the relentless drag of fading hope, an all too familiar feeling, is upon Queenslanders again.
For what it is worth, all I can do as but a speck in the far flung diehard Reds diaspora is to congratulate the Waratahs on a great signing. It is a futile gesture but what other than futility are we Reds fans armed with?
We have crashed our way through so many ‘rock bottoms’ over the past eight years that the only truth we still believe is that “things can always get worse.”
Towards Barnes himself there can be no recrimination.
We knew, from his adventures in league and his back-packing around France after the last world cup that he had a desire to see the world. The ability to ship off to nearly anywhere and get a game is one of rugby’s draw cards; so much the better for him for taking advantage of it.
As something of a traveller myself, I can think of none of my but few life experiences that have better prepared me for my move to the United Kingdom than having been a Reds fans.
Our faded empire, like theirs, is no longer relevant in a world where rugby and glamour, once two of the most disparate entities, have now merged in the professional age.
We have our heroes and our past glories, and as Barnes himself has shown, we still have the ability to produce men of the finest quality.
But we stood too long in the twilight of our success, rode the shoulders of our giants into the ground.
Turning the Reds around may well prove as difficult as turning the UK into a society that embraces the changes demanded by modernity, however until we fundamentally change we will continue to look backwards to our best days.
The call for change is the easiest call to make and completely useless, not to mention a little disrespectful, to those who have shouldered the responsibility for seeing Queensland rugby right. Reds coach Paul Mooney is a good man with ability, experience and dedication.
Far worse coaches than he have ran international sides and the difference between the Super rugby rookie and his immediate predecessor, Eddie Jones, was stark and unflattering to the wayward disciple of Rod MacQueen.
I wish both Mooney and Barnes well.
Barnes plays the game the way I love to see it played and reminds me of Michael Lynagh in his coolness and steady hand. My guilty hope now is that his stay in New South Wales is but a short one and his roaming heart leads him over here, to the Guinness Premiership.
It would mean an end to his days in the Green and Gold of Australia but right now, from where my simple hopes are sinking in the swamps of sadness, that prospect would be a hell of a lot easier to swallow than watching him running around in the sky blue of New South Wales.
Give me a day or two and I’ll see reason. Maybe.
reds fan
Guest
no.
reds fan
Guest
yeah a clean out of the lazy sods is desperately needed. some really poor performances last year. its no surprise that when the forwards played well we won. and considering we only won three games it shows how little work some of those forwards did. That Houston is allowed on the field with that gut says alot about the standards being set by the coaches.
reds fan
Guest
Fair point except for Ben Daley. Born down south but grew up on the GC and went to school there. And of those you've listed only Daley and Weekes are starters. The rest are on my "cut from squad" list. And yes plenty of kiwi's. You obviously haven't heard about the rather large migration of kiwi's to Australia over the last say... 30 years? Or the fact that SE QLD is the fastest growing region in Oz for say the last.... 20 years. Most of which has been interstate migration. The Reds team is merely a reflection of modern Brisbane/QLD. Get over it.
BennO
Guest
You're not from up this way are you pal? (gently strokes chin, looking for pitchfork and banjo)
BennO
Guest
Lote and Rocky never played for the reds mate, so yes, perhaps you did miss my point. Brendan Cannon had trouble getting a game at the time if memory serves me correctly and Jason Little was at the end of his career and had done a hell of a lot for QLD. So again, the others didn't carry on about being loyal to QLD and wanting to see if the organisation did all it could to satisfy him. He had them wrapped around his little finger and then walked at the last minute. Of course people will be angry at him. Doesn't make it right, but it's a fact, a lot of people had a lot of hope (probably unfairly) place on his shoulders. But they'll get over it, and when he scores a try against the boks or keeps the ABs pinned in their own 22, everyone north of the Tweed will cheer for the Wallabies and the man.
onside
Guest
Sin -ick,Jimmy Jam I am not at all concerned about a Queenslander playing for NSW. In fact crosspollination is often necessary for player deveopment. My main beef as a Reds supporter is one born of utter frustration. Self inflicted ineptitude by the men in carpetland.There are no sour grapes from me about BB heading south.He made the right decision. It's just the loss of Barnes ,a well centred decent young man was the final straw.So yes, there's a bit of bleating. Barnes earned his rite of passage,ie, to look after himself ,when despite promises from Reds management ,they amounted to nothing more that another seasons slogfest. Weight will stop a train. Part of BB's decision would have revolved around many team mates that did not put in last season. Too many went missing when the chips were down.A bloke can only put up with so much of that attitude. So us Reds ,having had a couple of dud years, look like lining up for more of the same.As I said,it aint an anti NSW thing. If NSW and QLD swapped coaches last year ,NSW would have won the Super title. But Qld would still have been in the dumps.
AndyS
Guest
Yeah, I noted the same thing. I was wondering whether it was more a Wallaby thing, reflecting where he would prefer to be playing at that level.
AndyS
Guest
Hard to disagree with any of that! I sometimes wonder if much of that feeling is behind the pervasive discontent of both fans and media with modern rugby - we want it to be faster and better, won't be satified (or even watch/attend) if it is anything less than the top level, but are then discontented with what it takes to achieve that level. Perhaps it is time that we consciously divorce the management of the professional and amateur games. All the nostalgic can then just ignore the professionals (or at least view the games with the merely intellectual interest that the average golfer has when watching Tiger play) and reserve emotional and active involvement for the amateur sport that culminates in State selection and competition. It could be kind of analogous to the US and college sport, and if you can manage it it can be huge...
Sin-ick
Guest
What is the big deal about a Queenslander playing for NSW? Have you (QLD'ers) all forgotten that one of your favourite sons, Chris Latham, was born in NSW? Just going through the Reds website, here are the players listed as being born in NSW....... Adam Byrnes Ben Daley Anthony Faingaa Saia Faingaa Leroy Houston (formlery a Waratah) Van Humphries Morgan Turinui Laurie Weeks Then you have a look at all the players that are born in NZ. Loyalty?? Start picking more player from QLD.
Sin-ick
Guest
BennO - RE: Oh and Wendell aside, the other players didn’t go to the tahs. Brendan Cannon, Lote, Rocky........ all went to the Tahs (Did you want to throuw Jason Little in there too) Or am I missing your point.
Sin-ick
Guest
Hey BennO, As previously written further up, apparently Barnes wanted a 1 year deal, and QRU said no to it. Not exactly giving everything he asked for..... Tah's were more than happy to agree so south he comes.
El Capitan
Guest
Thats fine for figures to date, but take thewm back when the Force started (and all the sh*t went down hill for the Reds). The fact is Barnes said he was commited to helping the Reds and left. Similar to the way Willie Mason said to Sonny Bill. I'm sure there are Reds players who feel betrayed that Barnes didn't sign while believing that he was staying so they signed up. Being in a team of stars doesn't mean that your chances of being picked for Wallabies increases, ala Peter Hewitt. This really is the final nail in the coffin in regards to loyalty. I'm sure from now in, the relevant unions (NSWRU, QRU, ACTU, WAU) will try to put some type of clause to be reimbursed by loosing star players (similar to a transfer fee) Just like how the Tahs will be p*ssed that they lost Rocky to ACT, and all that time that they developed Rocky into a Wallaby has been lost to them.
JimmyJam
Guest
Qlders, how about a few less tears and a little more reality! Qld have never had a problem picking up talent elsewhere when the opportunity arose, so it's a tad precious, not to mention hypocritical to arc up over BB moving south!! Not too much moaning when Latham, Cordingley, Foley etc (to name but a few), all went north from NSW to become Qld legends!! I wont even start on the RL Inglis-Felou situation, no Qld complaints there either!! The guy has been busting a gut with a bunch of non-tryers (with a few exceptions) and has had enough. Who could possibly blame him? Who in his situation would do any different? The famous Qld spirit is, at least for the moment, just a page in history. Having a look at all the S14 (Aust) rosters shows the following approximates figures. Waratahs 29 listed - local 25, Qld 3, other 1 Reds 30 listed - 18 local, NSW 6, ACT 4, other 2 Force 31 listed 2 Local, NSW 15, Qld, 11, ACT 2, other 2 Brumbies 29 listed, 4 local, 17 NSW, 4 Qld, 3 other Out of 120 listed, 63 NSW, 37 Qld, 10 ACT 2 WA and 8 other (NZ-Melb) Which franchise is really getting pillaged???? The figures are approximates, so please don't waste time over an error here or there
The Link
Guest
Qld'ers always had a choice in RL, but they chose to play in Sydney as opposed to Brisbane and therefore were picked in the NSWRL sides.
FRED
Guest
the last thing we need is more of the same we need leadership
BoundaryRider
Guest
there seems to be no question that the reds need to retain their talent.. however the players also need confidence that the management is in control...strength and stability behind the scenes would appear to be a critical issue for the reds, for too long it appears to have been substandard compared to other successful sporting teams across the codes, perhaps still living in the amateur glory days of the 1990's...
Even looser
Guest
Dead right Skip. The last thing the Reds need now is to sack the coach or for him to walk. Instead it needs to be about steadying the ship, getting things back on track & moving forward. Qld have very good youngsters coming through. The recruiters need to make sure they stay in Qld. Then develop them through programs & soon enough 2009 will seem a distant memory.
Ben C
Guest
In all the talk about Barnes' move, there has been little mention of Barnes saying he wanted to play 10. Does this mean he was unhappy with playing second fiddle to Cooper?
onside
Guest
Duke Queensland need a Robbie Deans or a Wayne Bennett.(type) The Reds needs to rebuild with a longterm philosophy that players can buy into and believe in. Last season supporters could be excused for thinking many players were there just for the pay cheque.It is very easy to critisise, but so often many players lacked heart. Key executives have departed carpetland,grumbling about the circumstances behind Berrick Barnes leaving .If the management is so fragile ,Barnes leaving triggered their demise, he made the correct decision. What is management for if not to manage and handle crisis. Berrick Barnes is 23.He lives at home.The executives are, ........its all been said.
Skip
Guest
People calling for Mooney's scalp are way off the mark. He has done an extraordinary Job rebuilding the reds post Jones. He has started to develop a good team which I beleive would have delivered success next year. (finishing in top 6). We saw glimpses of the potential of this side last year. This has been acheived with relative no names and 2nd hand players like Mcclinden. If they can keep Ionne and pick up a decent inside back then I still beleive they will finish in the top half. If people want some one to blame then I would look at some of the previous administrators in particular Alex Pope and Ben Whittaker. I beleive Pope was responsible for Jones, he blew opportunities to sign high profile players and whittaker some how lost elsom who wanted to play for the Reds. These people have gone thankfully, the nucleus of the team remains, Genia, Mcclinden, cooper and Hynes will all be better players. The coaching staff is very good. Barnes is a huge loss but not irraplacable.