Attending the Reds win over the Brumbies on Saturday night was bloody brilliant!
Over 41,000 passionate fans came to Suncorp Stadium to cheer on their team. The crowd in the platinum seats was younger and livelier than at a Test match – maybe that is something to do with the much more affordable ticket prices – and it made for a fantastic atmosphere. There was no need for the call ‘We are Red!’ to go up over the loudspeaker, because the crowd initiated it themselves for the first time that I have ever heard since watching the 2011 final on TV.
The best bit of the night was seeing the men who have worked so hard to win the silverware for Queensland being ecstatic at their rise into the pantheon of Queensland sporting heroes.
The Reds’ journey over the last four years to get there was tough, especially for head coach Brad Thorn. There have been plenty who have knocked his values-based approach to coaching, but Queensland Rugby Union supported Thorn, and he returned the faith invested in him by building a team with principles, passion, work ethic and grit.
Brad Thorn (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Thorn’s high standards have created an environment where the team and coaching staff can flourish. Other teams may be slightly better at one aspect of rugby or another, but the Reds currently play the most well-rounded game in Australia. With brilliant attack coach Jim McKay the Reds are well ahead of the rest in attack, which has been an investment several years in the making.
The Reds’ ability to take their chances, attack from anywhere on the park and play an unstructured game has provided them with an edge in all three games against the Brumbies.
This was demonstrated particularly in Game 1 when Hunter Paisami took the risk to give up possession and put a grubber kick through to set up a miracle Jordan Petaia try and the win.
In Game 2 Josh Flook scored off a brilliant ensemble play that started 60 metres from the try line with a cross-field kick from James O’Connor to Jock Campbell. Petaia scored again with a spectacular jumping try off an O’Connor high ball.
Game 3 was a forward-dominated arm wrestle with four of the Reds’ biggest attacking threats, Paisami, Petaia, Harry Wilson and Suliasi Vunivalu, being off the park at the end of the match when their side usually close out the game. However, Flook’s excellent run from past halfway in the 73rd minute gained critical field position against the Brumbies in yet another example of how the Reds attack played a critical role in the win.
That the Reds scored fewer tries than the Brumbies this season is irrelevant to the impact of their attack. It has given them the confidence that they have the tools to play the 80 minutes. Their opponents have come at them like a bull at a gate and have got ahead of them only to be run down later. It has also made them unpredictable, which has to complicate defensive preparations for opponents.
In contrast, the Brumbies approach in attack largely remains to get into the opposing team’s half and either score off the rolling maul or spin the ball wide to break down the defence, creating opportunities for their outside backs to score. It is effective but has become predictable compared to the Reds approach.
Immediately prior to the game I observed the Reds’ preparation and it consisted of almost entirely set-piece work, rolling maul defence and work under the high ball. It was very clear that their objective was to keep the Brumbies in their own half for as much of the game as possible, thus denying them scoring opportunities.
What is now needed is for other Australian franchises to embrace training in a less structured attack like the Reds have so that our best players can use it when they play for the Wallabies. If the Reds can make it this far in three seasons, at least the Brumbies should be able to do so before the 2023 Rugby World Cup, because they already have a foundation of excellence.
Of course the Reds need to keep working to improve those areas of play where others have excelled – that our teams hold each other to account has been the big strength of Super Rugby AU.
The next chapter for the Reds is to test themselves against the Kiwis in the toughest provincial rugby competition in the world. The Reds will undoubtedly acquit themselves well and continue the fight to be the best, while tens of thousands of us who have loved the journey over the last four years will continue to cheer for Brad Thorn’s Reds.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
I like your amusing comments Mick, I think it was you who once said "You know it is forbidden here to say terrible things about Bono" about four or five years back, about a certain woke Wallaby? If it was you should know that I still laugh about it when I think of it.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Thanks Adsa, I'll be there even after tonight's result. I'll be the fat 47 year old wearing a maroon cap and an unbecomingly tight Red jersey. Perhaps the fat, middle aged part of the description is too generic for a Reds game :laughing:
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
NFL coach James “Buddy” Ryan (never heard of him) reportedly famously observed last century “If you listen to the fans, you’ll end up sitting up there with them”. He was right. Brad Thorn is in the job and making decisions as he is entitled to do. I now read here that it was his assistants and not him who coached Queensland to the title. :stoked: Because he is horrid, dishonest and unworthy and is not to be congratulated. :stoked: Thorn leaving Our Quadie out is just one of those legitimate decisions. I do enjoy your novel suggestion that the fans feeeel dissed because they don’t get to cast their vote each week as members of the 4,500 strong Respected Selection Committee. Do please remind me soapit – which local coach eventually won the hotly contested competition to sign the li’l fella for their Super Rugby team? Which New Zealand coach? He was 26 years old and nobody wanted him. In January 2016 the Toulon owner announced very publicly he was a waste of money!
Adsa
Roar Rookie
Always like your articles Bos, Happy days for us Reds supporters. I am down next week for the Saders so if you see a fat, drunk, grey haired 50 year old in a group of similar saying Adsa your shout that's me.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Sounds like a great topic!
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
I've got one about respect for the ref and the part replays have played in reducing that respect. Maybe one day when I'm brave enough. Thanks for the encouragement.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I had noted on this site before how Simone's size was never evident with his playing style but I observed more willingness to run hard lines in the last two games of the year. Except for White, it's a young backline. I expect they're all capable of improving
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
I agree, in my opinion they would get a good start by: 1. Attacking more often from their own half. 2. Getting Simone to use his 105kg to run some hard lines off 9 or 10 after Valentini has, instead of always passing. It would create lots of space abd would create breaks. 3. Telling White and Ikitau to run through the gaps created, with Lolesio winding back his running just a bit to vary the point of attack. 4. Emphasising support play to capitalise on the breaks.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Thanks BF, you always make insightful comments and your profile says you have tried everything rugby, it would be great to read a few articles from you if you feel so inclined.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Thanks for your commitment to and encouragement of the Roar. I'm only a recent reader but have enjoyed your work. Look forward to seeing more when circumstances allow.
Wheelbarrow
Roar Rookie
Agree- more generational talent coming through than coaching. Values are great but the talent that has developed fro that u20 World Cup final loss is real talent. Getting rid of qc and hunt hurt Qld rugby for 2-3 years. We has always been amazing when my children saw him randomly after a club training or coffee club. Thorn is not covered in gold. Great assist coaches are though
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
They have quality from 10-15. They will find ways to evolve their game
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
You've got to see the physical talents and rugby skills, Bobby. We haven't found his best position and he struggles to mix imposing himself with making good decisions with the ball but he is a world class talent that the game here needs to fulfil his potential. One thing he isn't, is poor.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Well, dusagree totally except he has or had potential. The lad is placed on a pedestal by some for some reason. HE is just not quality. Potential means little if you don't perform well and on a consistent basis. He has been around for a few years now and all many hear about is potential. I respect your view anyway.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Bobby, yours was an extreme negative about a prodigious, although still raw, talent. Unnecessarily extreme and inaccurately negative, in my view.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
Thanks for the comments folks, both for this article and previous ones. I am really thrilled to be able to write an article about a Reds competition win, after writing about the Reds rebuild under Brad Thorn for the last four seasons. Due to other commitments I am unlikely to be writing articles on here for the foreseeable future, though I may make the odd comment. Thanks to the Roar for providing an accessible platform for those who like to write about sport, if fancy trying your hand at sports writing, this is the place to do it. My advice to those who give it a crack is to remember that sport is meant to be enjoyable and that the people who play, coach and administer it for us work incredibly hard to make it so. So try to be positive and if you honestly can’t be positive, then be constructive and fair, but most of all have fun!
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
I never said the Brumbies were boring, just predictable. It is up to them whether they want to improve their aspects of their game, but if they don't I think they may flounder in the future.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Ken ha very obvious. Or is this a forum on Master chef, the world's best sport or Public Speaking ? Confused the check outa me.
soapit
Roar Guru
player is one thing but if i were a reds fan i would feel disrespected as reds fan with some of the explanations. i feel that way a bit as an occasional reds fan. players are pros but the fans are what generates all the income to let him coach rugby for a living.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G'day Rhys. Nice article. I said in an earlier reply that a coach can't afford to be sentimental about the playing personnel they choose, keep, let go. Once the choice is made, developing the culture to go with the vision is a different kettle of fish. Thorn, and the rest of the Asst Coaches, showed that they can make the hard calls for the betterment of the team. I also believe the extended squad are in tune with that. The hard calls throughout the SRAu season included changes, almost weekly, to the bench. And when it came to the final, Uru and Wright to the bench and the Captaincy to JOC could have taken some sleep away. How do I know the players were on song with those decisions? Their input off the bench of all the players showed just as much effort and enthusiasm as would have been shown were they starters, not just on Saturday, but over the course of the season. How wonderful to have a coach with a clear vision, instilled in his players and supported by management and fan base. Will this era reach the longevity and heights of Templeton, Connolly and, to a lesser degree, McKenzie? I don't know. We are about to enter another phase in the TT, but I look forward to following the journey as it continues.