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Part I was focussed on the where the Reds have been going wrong when it comes to coaching. This part will focus on the playing roster and how it can be strengthened before the 2015 Super Rugby season.
Player recruitment and retention is a huge problem at the Reds.
When Richard Graham joined as head-coach-in-waiting, the Reds handed him the reins on defence as well as putting him in charge of the playing roster. Giving Graham the responsibility of who to sign and who to let go from the squad appeared to be a sensible move considering the Reds’ succession plan involved him taking total control of the rugby program from Ewen McKenzie after 12 months.
However in the two seasons that Graham has been in charge of recruitment and retention, the Reds have lost 14 players, at least half of whom were on the 2011 championship roster.
Some of those have certainly been outside his control (Adam Wallace-Harrison’s retirement and Digby Ioane’s relationship breakdown with Reds CEO Jim Carmichael are the two that come to mind) but that level of player turnover is a worrying sign that often points to an unhappy dressing room.
The issue is exacerbated by the fact that the Reds are losing seasoned Super Rugby players and replacing them with raw and inexperienced players from the Reds Academy. While it is admirable in building Queensland rugby’s depth, it is not conducive to posting winning seasons.
Running an eye over the roster highlights three key areas of need.
Eightman
The number one screaming urgent priority for the Reds is a powerful ball-carrying defensive-enforcer presence at number eight.
Ed Quirk, Jake Schatz, Curtis Browning, and David McDuling are all essentially the same player – hard working head in a ruck blindside flankers. Schatz plays at number eight but he doesn’t really have the size to make an impact from there.
Browning might turn into a decent eightman somewhere down the track, but at 21 he isn’t ready yet. Roarer Gary Russell-Sharam has previously opined that McDuling should learn to play number eight and while that may be an option, the fact that he has already had two knee reconstructions at the age of 25 makes it a risky proposition.
One of those four players should be cut from the squad to make way for a genuine eight.
The Reds pack is crying out for a forward who can add some starch in defence and some go-forward on offence to the good work the rest of the pack does in tight. Basically, they need a Wycliff Palu or a Jerome Kaino type of player. I doubt stealing Tala Gray from the Waratahs is a possibility, but it should at least be tried.
Tighthead Prop
Second on the list of requirements is a scrum anchor.
James Slipper is a genuine loosehead who can pinch hit on the opposite side, Jono Owen is leaving for France and Ben Daley wouldn’t get a gig at any other Super Rugby franchise. Greg Holmes has been playing tighthead for the Reds almost exclusively in recent years and has developed into a competent scrum anchor.
He appears to be someone who benefits from the new scrum laws), but that doesn’t change the fact that the Reds desperately need a quality tighthead.
Simply put the Reds have to poach someone. Young Rebel Paul Alo-Emile looks like a good prospect to me, but I am unaware of his contract situation for next season.
Back Three
The final area of concern is the one area from which the Reds have been bleeding talent in recent years, the outside backs.
Luke Morahan, Digby Ioane, Dom Shipperley, Rod Davies, Aidan Toua, Jonah Placid, and I’m even going to include Mike Harris and Jono Lance, have all left over the past two seasons.
That leaves the Reds with Lachie Turner, Chris Feauai-Sautia, JJ Taulagi, and Chris Kuridrani. The first two of those guys are injury-prone and the latter three are aged 20, 21 and 22 respectively.
The Reds need to add both depth and experience to their complement of outside backs. If they can pull off signing James O’Connor it will take care of both requirements at once.
Karmichael Hunt’s name continues to float around in rumours but I judge it unlikely that he will be seen in a Reds jersey in 2015.
Despite those three gaping holes in the team’s roster there is good news for Reds fans.
For starters all the fan engagement and back-room progress the franchise has made still exists. Most of the off-field moves made by the Queensland Rugby Union and the Reds organisation have borne fruit (the succession plan being the obvious exception). Goodwill among the fans might be waning but it hasn’t yet been extinguished – it can be salvaged with a solid 2015 season.
Moreover, four of the Reds’ tight five are good-quality players (Slipper, Hanson, Simmons and Horwill). The first-choice inside backline will be dangerous when they are all fit (Genia, Cooper, Tapuai and Kerevi).
Add in a solid tighthead prop, a big number eight to provide a powerful physical presence in the pack, and a more mature James O’Connor injecting himself into backline plays from fullback and the Reds would have a team capable of being serious contenders again.
Of course finding quality players is easier said than done. Fortunately 2014 sees the kick off of the NRC, a competition which is designed to develop talent and expose non-contracted players to the eyes of the Super Rugby coaches.
Unfortunately filling the number eight and number three jerseys has been problematic for Australian teams for over a decade so the Reds may have to look overseas to find the calibre of player they need in those spots.
The management of the Reds organisation has some important decisions to make before next season.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.