Samu Kerevi will captain the Queensland Reds in 2019 as the Super Rugby club moves on from the departure of James Slipper, Quade Cooper and Karmichael Hunt.
Queensland coach Brad Thorn has wiped the slate clean after 12 months of distractions, promoting Samu Kerevi to captain the Super Rugby club.
The Wallabies centre has usurped veteran Scott Higginbotham in taking the top job as the Reds move on from the departure of banished trio Quade Cooper, Karmichael Hunt and James Slipper to rival clubs.
Melbourne Rebels-bound Cooper wasn’t used by Thorn when the defensive-minded coach arrived at the club, while James
Slipper (Brumbies) and Karmichael Hunt (Waratahs) were both suspended for separate drug-related indiscretions before finding homes elsewhere for 2019.
Thorn said he was happy to see them land on their feet but that it wouldn’t serve as motivation when they clash.
“Fair to say it was a solid year,” he said, when asked of last season’s distractions.
“I’m please for Slips, … you have Karmichael at the Waratahs, I wish them all well.
“My focus is here though. I just want to compete.
“I’m a bit ruthless like that. I don’t need someone or people in other teams to want to win, I just want to win.”
Humbled by the promotion, Kerevi admitted it would feel weird facing his former teammates as they made up for lost time at new clubs.
“Karmichael’s gone through a lot in the last three, four years,” he said.
“As a Wallaby player you want to see all the best players out on the field, you want players pushing for spots and he’s an amazing player.”
Kerevi, 25, said Thorn’s hard line on culture and standards sat well with him, but hoped he could lighten the coach’s load by setting the tone himself.
“In the past I wouldn’t say it wasn’t policed well, but sometimes we’d let standards drop and wouldn’t pick it up as a playing group,” he said.
“I want us to be player-driven, guys picking up on each other on certain things.”
Thorn thinks leadership suits Kerevi and that his attitude will strengthen the squad.
“He’s a humble and hard-working guy. He has experience at the highest level and inspires those around him through his actions both on and off the field,” he said.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Wow Jacko I didn't realise that I was so important to you. Should I be flattered?
Jacko
Guest
Certainly not to be constantly stalked by you little man...but you wont leave me alone so I will fire back if you persist in your attacks on me
Jacko
Guest
You smell bad
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Jacko why are you here ? Schadenfreude?
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Yeah Jacko this is all my own work. You on the other hand have what an eight year old ghostwriting for you? I certainly haven't come across anything this juvenile since primary school. Whats next you'll tell me I smell bad ? :)
Jacko
Guest
Such genius little man...I guess you thunked it up all by yourself....Such a great thunker
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Prop is a funny position though, props can develop and mature much later than typical for a rugby player. Also the right coaching seems to make a heck of a difference.
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Jacko, That's it - jeebus man you can't even do insults well. Oh and once again fact and reality are not your friends.
Jacko
Guest
Get rid of him then charlie...Who cares...It wont affect my team...Do what they always do and get a new coach every couple of years...stay on the bottom of the conference forever for all I care.....Who needs a coach eh? Let the players coach themselves while Thorn is sunning himself on the beach being paid by Qld rugby...
Jacko
Guest
Thats great Little man.....have fun with your astute posters then LITTLE MAN. Yes Little man you are the problem...go thunk that.....little man
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Jacko, Gee how very continent for you. Here was I thinking that you'd churned out more nonsensical garbage but the problem is at my end, apparently. Who ever would have thunk it :) :) :) But still, as one of the more astute commentators here pointed out, you won't let anything as trivial as “facts” or “reality” get in the way of your opinion ;)
Jacko
Guest
most things do appear to be beyond you RO
jeznez
Roar Guru
Not sure the back up props are worse. I think that Wessels has his FR pecking order around the wrong way last year
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Hey Jacko, Well I followed the link and it's pretty much exactly what I said. Somebody writes an article about a rugby team that suggest that the team's success is not entirely and absolutely due to the Kiwi coach. You chuck a little tanty. Which seems to be continuing. Apart the link the rest of your rant doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. If there's actually a point in there anywhere it's beyond me.
Charlie Turner
Guest
Jacko, If you really believe in your subjective rankings of the Australian conference you mustn't place too much value on Thorns ability to lift the players through his much vaunted cultural change. If you have any connection with Qld rugby you would know very well that Thorn is very much on the nose and it has nothing to do with his treatment of Cooper, Slipper et al.
Jacko
Guest
Re Quade.......Like I said in March last year....He needs to move on to another franchise......Whats he done? Taken my advice...LOL Below is my post re the farrell article............................................................................................Yeah right….Aus are playing terrible because of Cheika but Ireland are geniuses because of the assisitant ….All about farrell eh? Sorry but Farrell will be judged as head coach when he becomes a head coach and to be honest the way ireland are at present how is Farrell going to actually add something? Why are people calling for Cheika to stand down if the assistants are the ones who dictate success? Farrell has played his part under the guidance of Schmidt. His time for judgement is still to come...................................................................................And here is the link...................https://www.theroar.com.au/2019/01/01/ireland-the-house-that-farrell-built/...............Check it out again RO and you will find that you made all this stuff up YET AGAIN...
Jacko
Guest
Rule 1 for RO....Please take your medication Rule 2 for RO.....stop making stuff up Rule 3 for RO......Stop being an embarrassment None of what you say has anything to do with my posts on this or the other article but for some weird reason you track my posts then put some very random bile in reply...very strange indeed RO
Jacko
Guest
bobby i dont think Blackadder was that good......he had a champion side and kept coming second...Razor came in and has won 2 in a row with basically same players
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
Ahh Jacko - groundhog day again. Our conversation on Farrell mainly centered on you acting like a toddler and chucking your toys out of the pram because somebody suggested that a team's success might not be entirely due to the contributions from a Kiwi coach. I don't believe that I made one comment either way about the ability of Farrell or anybody else in the coaching set up. Find the article our comments will be all there in black and white as it were. Not that you've ever let anything as trivial as "facts" or "reality" get in the way of your opinion :) And they weren't rules Jacko they were agreed facts. Agreed facts are a often handy little time saver. Your entire commentary of the Reds (and Qld rugby generally) last year can be summed up as "Brad good, Quade bad". Reds crowds are down - Brad good, Quade bad Reds get thrashed by the Sunwolves - Brad good, Quade bad Reds finish lower on the ladder - Brad good, Quade bad Souths have a much better year - Brad good, Quade bad The only question this year is will Quade get a mention ? Now he's moved onto Melbourne will he still be the villain of the Reds or will we just get "Brad good" on repeat. Time will tell I guess. But what if we were to use some agreed facts, like - Kiwi's wonderful - Brad a genius - Quade evil. Then you won't really need to post a single thing, all the work will have been done for you. Cause lets face it, in a nutshell, that's all you're gonna say :)
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
We definitely need to hope that!