If I had been able to catch up with Brad Thorn over the weekend, say, in a restaurant in Brisbane, I would have said something like, “Brad, I’ve been a Brumbies fan since day one, but I have never seen them play as badly as they did on Friday night”.
“You have a magnificent forward pack and that’s what it was down to,” I would have probably added, and then, “On Friday night I saw a group of blokes who obviously respect their coach to the point that they would follow their structures and their game plan to the letter”.
As a former coach, that would have left a lump in my throat because that is what we live for: the validation that your plan can work and that the blokes will follow you. You feel sorry for Brad that he can’t play a game or two for the Reds because you know that they would follow him into the trenches and take no prisoners.
I watched him on TV at full-time in the National Rugby Championship final last year and he appeared really hesitant to get in the middle and take credit, and his face showed that kind of pride only a coach who has won a grand final can understand.
It is the time for the players to go nuts and celebrate and for the coach to stand back and bask in it, letting it all happen and knowing that there is time later on, in the sanctuary of the shed to let it all out.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
I was at the game on Friday night as a guest of my boss, who is always a little wary of me giving it to him when the Brumbies dominate the Reds. Even though the Reds essentially butchered three tries in the first 20 over on the left flank and a fourth on the right, they never gave in. They stuck to the plan. I mean, who scores two tries to nil and still loses?
The other telling factor was that Dan McKellar started emptying his bench not long after half-time. What’s that all about? My beloved Brumbies just could not get into the game, and the penalty count is testament to it, even if I do have a personal view that Angus is a touch whistle-happy.
I have been a Brumbies fan since they started in 1996 when coincidentally I first moved to Canberra, and although I now live in Brisbane I cannot bring myself to change – you can take the boy out of Canberra and all that.
But If I were a passionate Queenslander, I would not abandon the Reds, and they are my second team. Despite living in Sydney most of my life, being passionate about the best tugby club in the world, Norths, I am not and never will be a Waratahs fan. It’s just the way it is. I’m a big fan of Jeeps in Brisbane, though, and my boy plays there.
(AAP Image/Hamish Blair)
It was a real shame that there were only about 11,500 people at Suncorp on Friday night, and you can understand it given what the Queensland Rugby Union has put its fans through in recent times. I go past there everyday on my way home from the office and there have been many Reds games in past years where I didn’t bother stopping in.
It was a beautiful night for rugby, with the weather not too hot and the ground in great shape. I do like going to games at Suncorp, and it’s only a short taxi ride home to Red Hill, which is close to our favourite Italian Restaurant, La Pinsa. If you live in Brisbane, you owe to yourself to try David’s fine Roman cuisine.
I went to a dinner at Tattersalls in Brisbane a couple of years ago when the guest speakers were then current Queensland coach Richard Graham and new boy Brad Thorn. There was no doubt in my mind that night that Richard was a dead man walking and Brad was being groomed, and why not?
So, Queenslanders, if you didn’t see a major ray of hope in that result last Friday night, you are not paying attention. I get why a lot of you gave up your memberships, but I would really encourage you to get back behind your team.
I’m a bit worried about the Brums, though.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Swings and roundabouts, old son.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Mate, Brad has lived in Australia since he was a kid - are you seriously suggesting that this is some sort of conspiracy by the All Blacks. Give us all a break and go away and do some homework.
JP
Guest
Jacko is a New Zealander.It`s obvious, The story goes that Quade took Jackos fluffy toys off him at a Tokoroa kindergarden way back in 1992. I can still feel Wackos angst from that minor incident reverberating across the Tasman.
JP
Guest
11043 to be exact fans turn up to a 53 000 stadium?.Horrendous.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And c) the complete lack of alternatives. Lance dropped in his lap later. Wasn't planned at all.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Jacko, If Eddie Jones took over next season as coach of the Chiefs and immediately dropped one of the Cheif's better players. One of your favourites to watch. Would you either a) Say fair enough he's the new coach it's his call. or b) Hold a bit of a grudge against the Aussie interloper. You don't rate QC as a player, who on earth cares, he probably doesn't rate you as a rugby commentator either. BUT there are plenty of people who do rate QC as a player and there's plenty of actual real world figures to show that the Reds are a better team with him than without him. So it doesn't really take half a brain to see what some Reds fans would be a bit dubious of Thorn dropping Cooper especially considering a) the timing of how it was done; and b) the reasons given. I'll take your word that you don't care if the Reds win or not. Although for a bloke who doesn't care you are going on about their win a heck of a lot.
Jacko
Guest
RO I couldnt give a toss if the Reds win or lose...I do however see a few on here rubbishing Thorn before he has had a chance to do anything...fail or succeed...Also having been a follower of Thorns career I believe i have seen enough to warrant having belief in his ability to achieve what he desires to achieve and as for the 1 result well you know it was all about 1 send off in the 9th minute....also The Reds gave away 5 penalties last week compared to the brumbies 13 yet no one seems to be mentioning dicipline...If you read what I said above you will see my expectations of them this season bat again...as long as they dont beat my Cheifs I dont care about their results this year...I just wonder why a few are so anti him and not one of those few has provided any answers apart from QC being dropped...And I dont rate QC as a player anymore.....Once yes...now ...NO
Jacko
Guest
Yes lets do that eh because Thorn is still playing eh? Why didnt you praise the coach after the Reds beat the brumbies last year? Instead you praise the player QC and no mention of the coach....yet now you want to blame the coach...but only if they go bad
RubberLegs
Guest
We have watched Reds coaches select duds, fail to use the bench, cut loose excellent players and buy overpriced "stars" every year since 2011. Why should we back Kiwi Thorn before he proves himself. The Brumbies management are clearly idiots or they would have never dumped J P Smith.
Drongo
Guest
Let’s see what Thorn’s record is at season end then. If all the losses last year are put down to Quade, let’s do the same this year with Thorn, OK?
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
The fancy bar with the ham rolls that they now have at the stadium is highly recommended. Nice to get a decent beer even in a plastic cup.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
For the past few years QC has been a positive influence on the team. And Jacko you seem happy to dwell on the one win the Reds have manage to grind out. What about the week before when they got belted ? Hopefully this will be a great season for the Reds. (Personally without QC I think the season will be short of what could have been though.) But at 1 win 1 loss it's still way to early to call.
Jacko
Guest
Do you remember the 8 games he played that they lost or only the 4 they won? Mr 33% aint good enough
Jacko
Guest
So they won by 1 or 2 points then? See the improvement already eh Why do you hate Thorn so much TWAS and DRONGO? You both claim to be Reds supporters and therefore MUST be disapointed with the past 5 or 6 years so why is sticking with the same players a must for you? Why is having QC in the team far more important to you than having some positive influences bought into the team? And TWAS you are quite happy to dwell on 1 result from last year but you dont remember all the other results from last year...or the year before...The ones where QC didnt win all the games for you or his coach...the ones where the results made qualifying for the finals impossable again....and again....You constantly bring up the fact that the team scored more trys with QC in it last year than with him out....But you fail to accept that with QC in they won 33% of the games he played. You fail to see that QC is not the future....he is the past...and as for NOT dwelling on something that is a fact and cant be changed well QC is gone...Thats a fact and you cant change it...only Thorn can...so dwell on that
RangiM
Guest
Thorn's coaching looks like his playing days, a blunt instrument, but this time he isn't surrounded by the finesse of much more skilful players. Using Australian franchises are training grounds for rookie kiwi coaches is a rubbish idea. The two countries have vastly different philosophies on how to play the sport as slowly understood by the Robbie Deans failure. The most successful coaches in Australia create new smarter ways of playing and create a high degree of structure and moves. yet to see anything coming out of the Reds that's innovative or moving in a different direction. Blunt = dumb
deadwood
Roar Rookie
One swallow does not a summer make. I'll take a win as being much preferable to the alternative, but the Reds attack looked devoid of creativity and the in game kicking looked as aimless as ever. As usual, I'll give thanks that there is still beer and pies at the games and go along with zero expectation hoping to be surprised again.
Drongo
Guest
Quade kicked a penalty in the 80th minute after steering the team round superbly, including running the play that got the penalty, to beat the Brumbies in the second last round in 2017 in a massive upset, yet that should now be forgotten and all praise should go to Thorn? Oki doki then.
The Truth
Guest
How bad must the Brumbies be!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
If Friday was indeed a ray of hope, great. My concern is that it's just as likely papering over the cracks with a scrappy win against an opponent who doesn't appear to be travelling too well. The QRU are an organisation that is historically guilty of confirmation bias.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
It's not dwelling. It's saying something can't be a change, if it's a repeat of the previous season's encounter...