Queensland Reds coach Richard Graham’s biggest excuse all year has been his lack of a genuine flyhalf.
Therefore, it will be interesting to see if his selection of Brisbane City five-eighth Jake McIntyre will swing his side’s fortunes when they take on the Rebels at Suncorp on Friday evening.
McIntyre is not without form, having represented Australian Schools, Reds Under-20s and Australia Under-20s since 2012. But it is his partnership with Brisbane City teammate Samu Kerevi which should give the Reds hope of upsetting a feisty Melbourne Rebels side.
McIntyre has an excellent set of hands, an accurate pass and good speed off the mark, so it’s a bit surprising that he hasn’t been used before now, particularly since halfback Nick Frisby, who has filled the spot, is makeshift at best. But Reds coach Graham has faffed about with the 10 spot all season, excusing all his options along the way.
Quade Cooper was injured. James O’Connor wasn’t back long enough from Ireland where he’d been playing wing. Frisby wasn’t really a 10 but was trying his best. Duncan Paia’Aua was too inexperienced.
Not until the old stager Connolly arrived did sense prevail and a genuine five-eighth with pathway form, McIntyre, get a run.
Excuses are Graham’s stock in trade – perhaps the only mitigating factor is that he appears to be genuinely, and staggeringly, unaware that he is making them. It is frustrating waiting for him to really step up and take responsibility for the Reds’ dire showing.
Regardless of everything that has happened along the way – injury, weather, travel, the draw, bad refereeing decisions – everything that has happened is Graham’s responsibility, even if he hasn’t realised that yet.
He shows over and over again that he is unwilling to take on the responsibility that goes with coaching. It’s clear in his post-game comments.
“You have nearly 600 Super Rugby caps (James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Quade Cooper, Greg Holmes, Beau Robinson, Ed Quirk, JJ Taulagi, Samu Kerevi and Karmichael Hunt) sitting out and it certainly changes the dynamic.”
“We forced 23 turnovers from the Waratahs yet we didn’t make anything of them.”
“We didn’t hold on to the ball long enough (with 19 turnovers) to even get to our plans.”
“I understand the impatience out there but only when you are looking from the inside can you look deeper beneath the surface”
“At the end of the day, they (the Crusaders) came out and played very well in the second half.”
“I guess attitude’s one thing you can really only judge on work ethic and while the result was pretty poor, I wouldn’t question guys’ work ethic.”
In all of Graham’s comments, he is despairing of his players’ efforts, evasive about the real issue or giving away credit to the opposition. Almost all of his comments are designed to deflect pressure.
Unfortunately for Graham, there can be no excuses with the team that he and his new mentor John Connolly, put out for the Reds this week. They’re playing at home and with backs to the wall. They have two Wallaby captains on the field in Will Genia and James Horwill and eight Wallabies in the starting fifteen.
They have one of the best sevens in the country in Liam Gill, and a genuine if untried flyhalf in McIntyre. Add to this an All Black in Adam Thompson and a Kangaroo in Karmichael Hunt, and there is really no excuse at all for not having a competitive showing.
Some have said that the senior players should take it upon themselves to run the show, but that is asking more of the wrong people. There is no excuse for forcing players to shoulder the load of a coach who isn’t delivering (a debate I had on Twitter following the Crusaders bloodbath).
Several rugby supporters argued that while Graham might be a poor coach, the players were complicit for not having a go, as were the board for making the coaching appointment in the first place.
I disagree entirely with that line of thinking, as they are separate issues. The coach’s performance is one thing, and the decision making which appointed him is another. Once a coach is installed, regardless of the manner or transparency of his installation, it’s up to him to make things happen.
This may not be fair, but in coaching, whatever the excuse, there is no excuse. It’s up to you.
As James Kinsey, CEO of America Online and a West Point graduate, put it: “The first lesson I learned as a plebe (at West Point) came from an upperclassman yelling in my face. He told me that there were four acceptable answers: ‘Yes, sir’; ‘No, sir’; ‘No excuse, sir’; and ‘Sir, I do not understand.’
He’d ask, ‘Why aren’t your shoes shined?’ and I’d say, ‘Well, it was muddy, and I didn’t have time.’ He’d be all over me.
“He was trying to teach me something: If you have to take men up a hill and write letters to their moms that night, there’s literally no excuse. If you have to lay off thousands of people from your company, there’s no excuse. You should have seen it coming and done something about it.”
And this really is the lesson for Richard Graham, although it is questionable whether he will take it on board.
A good coach knows that when their teams concede 40 points in a half, when championship-winning captains crash to career-worst form on their watch, when their teams score less tries and win less games the longer they stay around, then there are no excuses.
Terry Kidd
Guest
Could there ever be a worse endorsement for Richard Graham's coaching ability? Change one man, select players in their best positions and all of a sudden players want to play ..... a real good win to the Reds but it should raise far more questions about RG's coaching than another loss would have done.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Not this transfer fee argument again. A transfer fee is paid for an in contract player. The movement occurs when players have no contract and are generally overlooked. Considering that most of the talent is actually produced by GPS rugby - which is not at all funded by the state unions, why should the state unions receive anything at all?
ajh
Guest
I am a devoted Reds fan and have been devastated with their form and performances. I really do not think there was not much wrong with their playing roster apart from not selecting more Brisbane City players as part of showing faith in the pathway development. In terms of Richard Graham - he has never cut it and has to go. I have got to the point that I can no longer get that upset with the Reds losses this season as it seems inevitable with RGs coaching and there may be something in what is being said as Meehan being the attack coach of no effect. In some cases, the losses have become comical. I only hope the losses server as a QRU MUST ACT ultimatum to get rid of the ineffective coaching team quickly. Sorry but a hurting Qld side does more damage to Australian Rugby that other franchises would appreciate. Just on other franchises, as NSW and QLD develop almost all Rugby Talent - all franchises should pay Transfer Fees respectively to acknowledge the development done elsewhere. Hopefully, this would foster more equitable Rugby Development throughout all the franchises. This is critical given the Rebels are looking at being the first Privately Run franchise with Money to burn.
Roberts
Guest
If Graham is coach next year I will not renew my membership for the first time in 5 years...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Frisby's main issue is that he does the same thing that the players inside and outside of him do. Doesn't commit defenders, just drifts and passes.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That's not been due to their flyhalf though? How closely do you watch the games? I attend every single home game. There is absolutely no plan in attack to the point where not a single player from 9 out straightens, commits a defender, draws and passes. It's just a procession of lateral running and passing, allowing defenders to drift and mark up well. Could put whoever you want at 10, but it's not going to stop the poor play inside and outside of them, likely due to poor coaching.
Freighter
Guest
the Reds have had a poor injury toll for some of the year, but I think it's fair to say the recruitment over the off season lacked good strategy.
Anto
Guest
Well, then, McIntyre must be terrible. Seriously, though, IMO Frisby's main issue is that he sets too deep. That's common for someone playing out of position at fly half. It's also something that the coach should have mentioned to him after the first game. Evidently, that didn't happen. Frisby is not looking like even a Premier grade No.10, and hasn't in any game that I've seen.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Graham like Foley is an ARU lackie and will bob up somewhere in Australian Rugby when he gets punted. He has landed two HC gigs at Super Level by being a good bloke but little else.
Timothy Schuster
Guest
A mate close to the top up there told me the QLD board want to lock him in till the end of 2018.
RobC
Roar Guru
Im with you Bart. Ive seen McIntyre and Frisby at ten. I think Frisby is better
RobC
Roar Guru
Jake McIntyre did alright in the finals. But it was a forwards game. His best and most admirable contribution was nailing place kicks and clearance. Im not sure he's ready to start for SR. I watched him almost single-handedly lose the game to NSW Eagles in the last 10' of the semi-final. It was v poor. In any case, I hope he has lifted his game since. Because running a backline in SR is a big step up from NRC and club Rugby.
pjm
Roar Rookie
JOC has PTSD from playing 10. He has stated he wants nothing to do with the position.
pjm
Roar Rookie
Meehan has been getting away with murder and letting RG take all the heat.
pjm
Roar Rookie
McKenzie did. He provides jobs for the boys and girls.
RobC
Roar Guru
Bond is doing alright this year. I wonder if Norths can do the same in 2016?
RobC
Roar Guru
Thanks for the article Andrew. I think 'the no more excuse' line has already been used a few weeks back. I think, it's more like: 'Lets see what happens next!' As Ive mentioned before, watching the Reds is like watching a movie, cos you have no idea whats going to happen next. A lot like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates, except Forrest had better results!
Bart
Guest
Good point here. But I wouldn't use it to defend Richard Graham. Nick Frisby and James O'Connor are both very serviceable flyhalves at Super rugby level. Their poor form at 10 reflects the lack of coaching in the side. Quade Cooper was poor when Phil Mooney ran the Reds because the whole side was poorly coached. Aaron Cruden played like rubbish under Colin Cooper for the same reason. A flyhalf cannot thrive when the team around him has not been given adequate direction before the game. Even Dan Carter's level dropped off when Todd Blackadder took over the Crusaders and ruined them. If Frisby and O'Connor were playing 10 at the Waratahs they'd look like world beaters.
Handles
Roar Guru
I bow to your superior rugby memory, but remain somewhat dubious of your apparent ability to compare the performance of Dallan Murphy in two games in 2012, with Frisby this year. But note that up until CFS on the weekend, the Reds have not scored a backs try that I recall, other than through the sheer individual strengths of Kerevi since about round 7.
Johnny J-Dog
Guest
So, Train, don't even give Greene a go although it is plain for all to see that the Frisby experiment is a dismal failure? You wouldn't even want to see what he can offer? For half a game?