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When the full-time whistle blew during Saturday’s Reds versus Waratahs match, did you sense that celestial providence had finally revealed itself and something special had been born?
Of course not, otherwise you would be writing this article, and I would be the one with the waxy eyes and flummoxed expression.
Those few of us who live in the higher realm of emotional intelligence – intuitively navigating life’s pitfalls with a benevolent calm one might think reserved for the biological offspring of Caitlyn Jenner and Yoda – picked up on it.
And like the fat kid from The Goonies offering a Baby Ruth bar to Sloth, I extend this offering to you.
This Queensland Reds team, cellar dwellers of 2014-15, are finally on the cusp of mediocrity.
Gone are the days of guileless, non-existent attacking structures and baffling selections. In their stead is a Red Dawn of weak and ineffective attacking structures and highly debatable selections.
While it’s only been one round, and excitement can often lead to hyperbolic claims, I truly believe we stand on a track which leads to the foothills near the precipice of adequacy.
With a solid set piece, perhaps the work of Richard Graham taking scrum and lineout novices Nick Stiles and Brad Thorn under his mentorship, the Reds have a real opportunity to build structures and skills that could, by the middle-to-late rounds, be lauded as pedestrian.
I know this seems unlikely to the hardened cynics on both sides of the Big Pineapple, but allow me to elaborate.
We have big, fast wingers who can now claw back scoreboard respectability after pouncing on loose balls dropped by an overzealous opposition looking to chalk up 50 points.
We have a flyhalf who has slightly below room temperature liquid running through his veins, shuffling passes into areas often catchable by others.
We have a large, ball running No.8, who would be in the first dozen or so players picked in many non-metropolitan high school First XVs.
But most of all, we have a coach who has the full support of the board – so no teary Round 7 press conference harakiri for this guy. He’s not partially supported, not even mostly supported, but fully supported. You can’t get better than that when it comes to board support.
So I implore my fellow Reds diehards to throw off our ignominious reputation as fair-weather supporters, as the bandwagon is finally cresting the hill! Get behind this team – record their games on Foxtel, perhaps to watch back afterwards if you find out we’ve won, or even watch the game on 12-times speed, live-ish.
At least until we’re down by 20.
For the real diehards, watch the first 20 minutes bona fide live, before flicking over in disgust to that Pierce Brosnan Bond film on Channel Seven that you hate.
Because we can do it this year! We can get up off the floor and into a seated position where the cellar steps are clearly observable! We just have to believe.
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.