Can the Reds better their showing of 2010?

Well, in the end, the finals were a bridge too far, but the Queensland Reds can hold their heads high after a strong performance in 2010.

Ewen McKenzie brought out the best in a young side he had no hand in shaping, with only a handful of selection and coaching errors costing the Reds dear against the Tahs (misuse of bench) and Brumbies (Holmes should have started at 3 ahead of Kennedy).

The emergency contracting of Samo proved a masterstroke when Byrnes and Simmons went down injured, and for the most part the Academy talent exposed to S14 performed extremely well, with James Slipper going on to a Wallaby tour.

2010 was the first year since 2004 that the Reds did not lose significant home grown talent (although the loss of southerners Weeks and to a lesser extent Byrnes is unwelcome).

One could put together quite a talented starting 15 out of players who have left Queensland in the last five years, but that is a issue for another day (Latham, Mitchell, Pelesasa, Sailor, JOC, Barnes, Berry, Chapman, Pocock, Doherty, MMM, Sharpe, Court, Moore, Blake).

Peter Hynes was a revelation at fullback: in a pre-season trial I thought his kicking needed work, but over the course of the season, it was apparent that his running kick returns were superb, and his kicking more than adequate under the new laws that rewarded possession.

Throw in Davies electric speed, and Digby’s power, and the Reds have a seriously fast and dangerous back three for 2011, with Luke Morahan as ample backup. Chambers proved a powerful outside centre and would likely be a Wallaby save for injury, with Digby Ioane also providing a similar option at 13.

Turinui was unlucky to find himself on the outer with Link for the second time in his career. In his time at 13 for the Reds, he did nothing wrong and a lot right. He would have made a good signing for the Rebels, but has gone to France instead.

Anthony Faingaa made the 12 jersey his own in 2010, with a direct style of play that nonetheless was far from being a simple crashballer.

After a mediocre 2009 he needed to perform, and certainly did so.

His midfield defence was jolting and effective. He rightly earned a Wallaby call up. One option for 2011 might be Ioane at 12, in the manner of Nonu – something hard to imagine when Ioane returned home a few years ago. Now it is a possibility, for Faingaa was an excellent foil for Cooper in 2010. Harris is also a 12 possibility, as is Tapuai.

It was in the halves of Genia and Cooper that the Reds really shone in 2010.

This looks to be a potent future combination – Genia with a superb pass and strong running options, and Cooper with pinpoint long passing, a fine kicking game, and a running game that always had to be watched. Cooper’s maturity this year, especially against the Chiefs, a bogey side for him in the past, was the making of him in 2010 as a near-complete footballer.

His defensive issue will have to be watched in 2011, and whether the Reds can manage this as well as they did in 2010 remains to be seen.

From the largely uncapped pack of 2010, Daley, Faingaa, Slipper, Simmons, Humphries and Higginbotham have now earned Wallaby caps to add to existing Wallabies: Holmes, Shepherdson, Samo and Horwill. The Reds lineout was good in 2010, and under lineout general Humphries should stay that way.

A backup lineout leader is needed, however, and this will have to be developed.

The Reds scrum was solid in 2010, but rarely dominant (and rarely smashed). One sad downside to the acquisition of Shepherdson is the loss of up and coming youngster THP Paul Alo-Emile to the Western Force. Hopefully he will come home in a season or two without having gone too far backwards.

The departure of Laurie Weeks to Melbourne is regrettable, but while Weeks was always dependable in the scrums, he was never destructive.

A similar comment can be made about Daley at scrumtime.

It may be that Greg Holmes, as a better scrummager, starts as a LHP with Slipper as THP (or vice versa, as both can play both sides). Daley may be a benchwarmer, despite his all-around game. Luckily, with that level of depth, including Shepherdson, the front row can handle an injury or two. The question of where to play Slipper – arguably Australia’s first choice LHP and THP by the end of 2010 – is an interesting one.

Of the hookers, S. Faingaa has to replicate his 2010 Super 14 form rather than that of prior years. He rightly earned a Wallaby callup in 2010, but in the mode of an extra backrower rather than a solid ballrunner. James Hanson, the likely backup hooker, is in a broadly similar mould, albeit with a better running game.

Only young Anae – who can play both hooker and prop – is a “bulky” hooker in the mode of Moore or TPN.

If Horwill can stay fit in 2011, then the Reds second row stocks look strong, with current Wallaby Simmons, former Wallabies Samo and AWH, and veteran Wallaby tourist Van Humphries all being able to fill a spot at Super level, and having a varying skill set, as well as Samo and AWH having the ability to play 6.

The back row for the Reds will miss the huge presence of Daniel Braid: Higginbotham and Houston are probably the starting 6 and 8 respectively, assuming that Houston can repeat his 2010 form rather than that of prior years, which seemed to involve about 20 minutes of action per match.

At 7, Liam Gill of Sevens fame is a chance to spend some time at openside, although Schatz did that job in 2010 on occasion.

Lei Tomiki may also get a shot. Gill is not yet 19 and may not be physically ready for a whole season of Super rugby.

Beau Robinson and Ben Coridas are in the Reds Academy and might get some game-time, but this would be a shame so long as there is a real Queenslander able to fill the slot, and sends a sad message to the young trio of Gill, Schatz and Quirk. Keeping Robinson and Coridas ready to return to the Tahs when Waugh retires is hardly the best use of Queensland rugby’s resources.

Schatz and Quirk are in the frame to play 6 or 8 for the Reds – as is Horwill, Samo and AWH, at a pinch. With a long season they will probably get a starting run sooner rather than later.

The best 22 is probably:

1 Daley/Slipper,
2 S. Faingaa,
3 Holmes/Slipper,
4 Horwill,
5 Humphries/Simmons,
6 Higginbotham,
7 Gill/Schatz,
8 Houston/Schatz,

9 Genia,
10 Cooper,
11 Ioane,
12 A. Faingaa,
13 Chambers,
14 Davies,
15 Hynes,

16 Hanson,
17 Holmes/Slipper,
18 Humphries/Simmons,
19 Houston/Schatz/Gill,
20 Lucas,
21 Tapuai (or possibly Harris),
22 Morahan.

Roll on 2011!