They did everything right – enough to win, right up until the start of the 80th minute. Yet the Reds walked off Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night knowing they let a massive opportunity slip.
Even when Crusaders replacement scrumhalf Bryn Hall scored the first of his two late tries, the Queenslanders still led 20-12 in the last quarter of the match.
They were the better team on the park, even if they hadn’t added to their halftime tally.
Yet somehow, when push came to shove and the Reds found themselves with the numerical advantage, it was them, and not the Crusaders, who pulled the turtle head back into the shell.
Somehow, the Reds lost all their run.
And this is typical of a rebuilding team. They’ll get themselves into a winning position, but inexperience will conspire against them in some weird way, and they’ll lose a game they probably shouldn’t in a manner they can’t explain.
It’s hard to remember a more aggressive – and more successful – off-season recruitment and repatriation program than what the Queensland Rugby Union undertook during 2016. They found out the hard way last season that youth alone wasn’t going to rebuild success, and that some proper ‘old heads’ were needed to guide these punks along the way.
So while the QRU had, and still have, some unbelievably exciting talent on their roster, it wasn’t until the return of Stephen Moore, Scott Higginbotham and Quade Cooper, and the addition of George Smith, that teams on notice.
And with good reason. Add upwards of 500 Super Rugby games of experience to any side, and you’ll quickly adjust expectations.
But after three games, it’s interesting – and really encouraging, if we’re honest – that the Reds’ best players have been the young guys: Duncan Paia’aua, Izack Rodda, Adam Korczyk, and even James Tuttle.
The presence of Paia’aua at inside centre is not new; he played there toward the back end of last season, and spent a lot of time there during the 2016 NRC. But he’s taking pressure and focus off Cooper, and to a lesser degree, Karmichael Hunt. In doing so, he’s allowing these guys to become a more dangerous prospect in attack when they do take the ball to the line.
And it’s bringing out new elements in the Cooper and Hunt games. Cooper is learning to play without having to be the primary playmaker. Hunt is ghosting into attack and through defences like he used to off Darren Lockyer back at the Brisbane Broncos.
Paia’aua already has a strong combination with Samu Kerevi, and it’s clear that Paia’aua and fellow young gun Izaia Perese enjoy playing off each other. This is all a huge improvement on the at-times cluelessness the Reds’ attack showed last season.
Perhaps more importantly, Paia’aua has added some serious starch to the midfield, as Crusaders and All Blacks centre Ryan Crotty found out several times on Saturday night.
Coach Nick Stiles said in his Fox Sports interview at the start of the second half (which is way more insightful than anything a player has tried to breathlessly utter walking off at halftime) that his side was “finally playing the way we want to play”, and there’s no doubt the Reds enjoyed the best 40 minutes of the season.
Though he didn’t say it, Stiles would’ve been rapt with who was leading the way.
Rodda’s promotion to the starting side for the Crusaders game put the appropriate shot across the bow of Rob Simmons and Kane Douglas, and it was notable that both had much-improved games, with Douglas coming on after halftime in place of Rodda. The message to a couple of Wallabies locks is clear: there’s a 20-year-old kid here equally as capable of doing the job; lift your game.
Korczyk started the first two games of the year effectively, and has shown himself to be equally home on either side of the scrum, making him an excellent bench sub for Smith or Hendrick Tui. And as many Roarers have noted – or demanded, in some cases – you do wonder how far from a well-earned start Tuttle is.
That they couldn’t finish the job on Saturday night will annoy the young Reds all the way to South Africa and most of this week as they prepare to take on the Lions at Ellis Park. That’s a good thing.
The hunger of that loss, coupled with the experience they’ve now gained and the follow-up discussions that will inevitably be had on tour with the ‘old blokes’ is where the game is really learnt. And it’s at this prospect that Reds fans (and Australian rugby fans prepared to put pointless parochialism to the side) should be getting excited.
Judging by Roar regular Rhys Bosley’s piece yesterday, that excitement is already there in Brisbane; they’re just waiting to let it all out properly.
It’s clear that this squad is a long way off being the finished product. It’s also entirely possible they’ll come home from South Africa and Argentina in two weeks’ time with nothing but passport stamps.
But if they can put more performances together like the first 79 minutes against the Crusaders, with the young guys leading the way and the older guys supporting them so well, this Reds side will win more games this year than they don’t.
Sprigs
Guest
Somebody over there came up with the idea of passing the ball in a way that it is rarely dropped.
Sprigs
Guest
Agree about the botch kick, Mambo. It gave away hard-won possession quite a few times. It might be fun turning on a swivel and booting the thing to parts unseen but it is a gamble, and gamblers usually lose.
Paul
Guest
Yes..He is available for Wallaby selection..
Steve J
Guest
Stats are useful at the surface level however they don’t provide real time “in play “substance. An attacking player could find himself assisting a try when that player has vision of 3 on 2 or 3 on 1, now basic entry level football would tell me its try time, nothing more than catch, draw and pass. Simple. Job completed. Player earns the stat. Now back to my claim re:Keveri ball skills and decision making which includes addressing your point on Stats. The moment Keveri caught the ball from Moore and found open space, is the decision making period where IMO he can be better for that matter needs to improve. Keveri clearly has various options, in real time presentation he’s got a flying Duncan cutting back on an inside angle Keveri simultaneously can tweak his running line and pass by dropping in or playing out. This very play is bread and butter for a lot of quality Kiwi backs however Keveri trudges up field draws contact and offloads to Nabuli. Stat registered. The difference is playing smarter which is a combination of the right ball playing and decisions making skills. Australia is in need of an outside back that has that full range of capabilities, including good shoulders. As you noted regarding Keveri try assist stats, he could easily inflate those figures by introducing IMO what I mention above. The Rob Simmons missed try was result of a poor Keveri pass to the right, Fatigue? Maybe. Numerous times he struggles to link with a right hand target whether it’s a short shift, in traffic or long, this is evident on numerous times we see a flying Hunt, Tui or Duncan tracking only to be disappointed.
Samuel Honywill
Roar Pro
Wasn't he included in the Wallabies' training squad last year?
Rhys Bosley
Guest
You know Samu has set up two tries on top of the three he has scored this season right? He has excellent all round attacking skills, run, pass and kick, people just typecast him as the big Fijian bruiser with inadequate skills without actually watching him play. It is actually his defense that requires ongoing work, he has in the past acknowleged that.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Paul, didn't know where the ref was from & don't care. The call wasn't marginal. Kerevi breached the laws of the game & got pinged.
AJ
Guest
I thought he had his best Ive seen, I thought he was just a big log last year. He's even started trucking it up in the to the forwards.
Steve J
Guest
Repeat viewing only fuels the current emotional state of mind in your case anger and ill reasoning. You watch it twice however you came up with the same flawed conclusion, you slyly never mentioned Hunt was defending in the front line for almost 80% of the game the remaining 20% positioned deep on the short side which answers your question regarding your perception on the ineffectiveness of his tactical long kicking game when: 1 - He’s in the defensive line. 2 – The opposition is kicking away from him. 3 – He’s formulating the attacking shape for open side/short side raids on the 70 & 30 lines, to which how many times did he get clean ball to do anything with it? I believe the last three games he’s only been requested to exit once all other times while under pressure he’s caught the ball on the full or has ran and pass. Agree with the short kicks maybe he might be scarred from Bennett’s numerous team coaching sprays– find F*#kin touch and no mistakes” or is that Stiles? That said I think Hunt will play like s#@t this weekend but Frisby will come right.
Akari
Guest
Nice one, Brett. I was afraid that Duncan Paia’aua might get demoralised and leave the game given his poor intro 2 years ago and subsequent injury. I'm glad that the Reds persisted with retaining him and he has blossomed with experienced players, like Cooper and Kerevi, around him to show the way. He is very good that boy and he can only get better. I agree that the old hands are an inspiration for the young guns to emulate and go one better. I think that the Reds can only get better and should be good enough to account for the Lions on the weekend. Here's hoping anyway.
Akari
Guest
and you still don't get it, Bluesfan.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
And, CB 2, you put your finger on the crux of the issue. It was the" get out of jail card "for the Reds, and all they needed to do was "bread and butter stuff".....Crusaders should have had so chance of even seeing the ball.
mzilikazi
Roar Pro
JC, I hope you are not really serious in writing this comment. Cantabs don't have a weak side...under strength, yes, but look at their lineout, their ability to provide so much quick and quality ball to their backs, their ability to counter attack. At half time they made decisions to keep them afloat, and be able to snatch the game at the death. They certainly did not "fail to turn up" Nor can one say the Reds are terrible. Their opening to the game was very impressive, and they built a very good lead. Yes, they should never have lost that game...but that is sport....how often has a team won a game and "on paper" been an inferior team.....could fill a book with the list.
Paul
Guest
Well the NSW referee was keen to blow that whistle, he could have blown it 50 times during the match to either side.. But he decided to blow it on a marginal call with a minute to go within kicking range ??? ..Turn it up !! It was a clear case of keeping his WARATAHS in with a chance to top the conferance..
Crash Ball2
Guest
Agreed. I don't think the decision to hold onto the ball in the last 2 minutes was necessarily the wrong one. Given the dangerous way that the Saders were counter attacking in the second half (and the disjointed nature of the Reds kick chase / defensive line), giving the back the ball anywhere on the park was far too scary. I'm just surprised that the Reds weren't going into those last hit ups without groups of forwards huddled around the central ball carrier or at least flanked closely by multiple cleaners waiting to secure the pill low and demolish anything with a funny accent venturing near the Gilbert. Kerevi shouldn't have been attempting to remove a jackal on his own. Poor on-field planning and execution in that last stanza.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Good positive piece Brett... thanks for the read.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Afternoon Brett, nice write up & it is good to see some young blood coming through & the Reds playing with more spirit then last season. One point though. The Reds had plenty of experience out there to lead them in the last 10 minutes. Cooper, Kerevi, Higginbotham, Simmons, Douglas & Hunt were still on the field. Prior to the last scrum there was a pretty decent break in play for the senior guys to take control, calm the younger players down & sort out the options if the Crusaders starting disrupting the one off stuff.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Hi ZG, Kerevi was on his feet but his hands were on the ground past the ball. He was not holding his body weight under the law & was sealing off. Teams have to be really careful when trying to run the clock down like the Reds were attempting to do as refs are hot on sealing off when that happens. Watching the last segment of play the Reds should have been penalised earlier in the phase as 3 off them went straight over the ball off their feet a couple of rucks prior.
BigtreeSmallaxe
Guest
It was after the grubber kick by Cooper i think that almost resulted in a try. In Horan's defence he did say "Harmichael K@$t can't pick up the ball". It might have been a stutter on can't. Friends of mine who are leaguies used to refer to him as this. Thought it was quite funny to hear someone else like Horan say this.
Dave_S
Roar Rookie
You might be right - I half heard it and thought 'did he just say that?'