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The 2017 season was supposed to be a big year of revival for the Queensland Reds. It was headlined by the return of Quade Cooper and the high profile recruitments of Stephen Moore, George Smith and Scott Higginbotham.
Karmichael Hunt was finally hitting some form and NRC-winning Brisbane City coach Nick Stiles took the coaching reins.
The Reds were plagued with on-field defensive and discipline issues that cost them most of their games and ultimately cost Stiles his job, with Brad Thorn replacing him for 2018. Thorn then went on to steal an unexpected win the 2017 NRC final with his previously cellar-dwelling Queensland Country team.
Given the previous disappointments, it is probably unsurprising that many fans seem to be remaining circumspect about the prospects for Thorn’s Reds. Many have disagreed with his decision to pass up Quade Cooper for the team, and Karmichael Hunt’s drug charge, which could end his rugby career, added to the scepticism.
However, I am not one of those pessimistic fans, because the fact is that from front to back the 2018 Reds are a damn good team.
(Dianne Manson/Getty Images)
The forward pack is headlined by experienced test players including James Slipper, Smith and Higginbotham, who are backed up by abrasive young forwards like Andrew Ready, Alex Mafi, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Tui, Isack Rodda and Caleb Timu. Newly minted Wallabies Izack Rodda and Lukhan Tui in particular combine for a formidable engine.
In the back James Tuttle’s strong form in 2017 has him in the box seat as starting halfback, but what has created some anxiety among fans is whether the Reds post-Cooper will have a ten who can unlock the talent outside him. The options include 19-year-old Queensland Country flyhalf Hamish Stewart, experienced Jono Lance, who is newly acquired from the defunct Force, and Duncan Paia’Aua, who normally plays 12.
From what I saw of in the NRC final Stewart is excellent at that level, but he is not at Super Rugby starting level yet. He has an excellent long passing game, a good-kicking game and is an abrasive defender, but during the match he didn’t offer much in terms of a running threat, failing to flatten the attack to create space and missng a couple of big opportunities to set up tries or kick a critical drop goal.
He appears to need more development before being thrown into the deep end as starting Reds ten, an unfortunate experience which recently set back the Australian career of another young NRC winning flyhalf, Jake McIntyre.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
While Lance can definitely do the job at ten, with Hunt likely gone the Reds could also do with a playmaking fullback – and at 27 it is likely that Lance won’t be around for as long as Paia’Aua. Therefore I would rather see Lance’s experience utilised as fullback in support of Paia’Aua. This would continue Paia’Aua’s development at ten, a role which the Wallabies coaching staff backed him for during the Wallabies vs Barbarians match last year.
From what I saw of Paia’Aua during this match he is decisive and fearless in his running, tackling and breakdown work, able to both flatten the attack and defend in his position. As the Barbarians found out by conceding two tries to Paia’Aua, his acceleration and footwork from first receiver are deadly and he is a fast and committed support runner.
Rod Kafer commented that Paia’Aua’s positional play and long passing are a bit off at the beginning of the game, but he dramatically improved as the game progressed, with his long pass setting up the movement leading to Henry Speight’s try, a positive sign that he will continue to develop if he plays ten with the Reds.
(Sportography/QRU)
As important as what Paia’Aua brings to the game at ten is, by moving him from 12 Thorn would be able to move Samu Kerevi in one and then mix and match Etonia Nabuli, Izaia Perese, Chris Feauai-Sautia and Filipo Daugunu between 11, 13, 14 and a bench spot. Those players all have top-shelf running games capable of terrorising any defence in Super Rugby, so I reckon it would be in the Reds’ interest to have as many of them on the park at one time as possible.
The Reds have the grunt up front plus the combination of brains, skill and running game out back to surprise a lot of doubters 2018 so long as the coach can get them defending well and not giving away too many penalties.
We will have to wait and see whether Thorn is that coach, but he hasn’t done much else wrong in his footy career, so I’m backing him to turn the Reds back into the great team the fans deserve to have.
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.