Last weekend The Reds comprehensively beat and outplayed The Western Force, eventually triumphing 32-10; it was a performance level that has rarely been matched this season by the Queenslanders. However, it also bought with it a sense of the unknowable future The Reds face, with 22 points coming from talismanic fly half Quade Cooper, who looks likely to spend next season at French giants Toulon (though they does seem to still be a small chance he could backflip on that decision), while fellow leader and playmaker Will Genia will definitely move to France after the World Cup. If Cooper does go north, that will mean the majority of the players that were key during the side’s run of success from 2011 to 2013 will have departed; what’s more over the past month rumours have surfaced to suggest star flanker Liam Gill – who at just 22 represents a potentially bright future for the franchise – could follow hooker James Hanson in moving to The Rebels next season. Combined with the fact that The Reds have only won nine out of their last 30 contests in Super Rugby and you’d be forgiven for thinking they could face a 6 year stretch similar to the one that preceded the emergence of Genia and Cooper. However, amidst the uncertainly and poor form, there are still positives to be gleaned for the 2011 title winners.
The first comes in part as a result of the poor results of the past couple of seasons, which have seen the coaching turn to young players earlier and more often than they may have if older players were winning. That has seen the likes of Curtis Browning, Campbell Magnay, Jake McIntyre, Adam Korczyk and Lolo Fakaosilea among others receive more minutes at a young age, which – theoretically at least – enhances their development and means they will be more capable of playing bigger roles next season. Queensland has always produced a lot of good rugby talent and the next wave of youngsters seems no exception. If the club can retain the majority of them; which is something they have struggled with at times in the past, then they should be well set up to bounce back next season assuming they can somewhat adequately fill the 9 and 10 jerseys.
Outside of that troublesome combination, The Reds can also find positives in a backline that has looked great when given decent service. In Samu Kerevi, The Reds have an extremely promising young centre who, at 21, can be a central ball carrier for the franchise for years to come. He is yet to add polish his game in any discernible way, but he is an ideal inside centre starter kit at the very least. He’s obviously big and powerful enough to get over the gain line consistently, while his ability to pick good crash ball lines is already excellent, meaning that even if he doesn’t improve at all, a young fly half will still have that ball carrying ability to fall back on. His hands and decision making, as well as the rest of his skill set (both with and without the ball), are not yet on par with the elite centres in world rugby, but are already good enough that they will never be detrimental to his play or the team in general, though it is too early to tell if he will be able to turn them into real strengths. He’s like young Robin trying on Batman’s utility belt; the tools are all there, and they’re incredible. They just don’t fit yet, and it is too early to tell if he will be able to use them properly.
Outside The Reds unrefined battering ram, Chris Feauai-Sautia seems to have finally stabilised his career after permanently moving to wing. Having broken onto the scene at just 18 years-old and scored on his debut, he has endured at uneven few seasons while being shifted between both wings, outside centre and fullback. However, after coach Richard Graham put faith in him to flourish out wide, the former wunderkind – who is still only 21 – has indeed shone, showcasing the easy athleticism and impressive power that saw him break into the side as a teen.
Next to those two quick, imposing youngsters, The Reds have two of the most naturally gifted playmakers of their generation in Australian rugby; both trying to repair their considerably tarnished images. First, the known commodity of James O’Connor, whose ability to create havoc with his tantalising combination of ludicrously quick feet, subtle handling and electric acceleration are well known. Having started at wing and also played centre, he has settled into his current fullback role; from which he can inject himself into the line or act as first receiver at will. Currently residing next to Kerevi at outside centre is Karmichael Hunt (he of the early season cocaine-related suspension), who appears to be finally settling in after a rocky start to the season on and off the field. After being considered one of the most promising youngsters in recent memory when he broke in the NRL in 2004, Hunt has enjoyed somewhat of a mixed career, mostly due to his own decisions to continue to switch codes between union, AFL and rugby league. Yet his touches of quality have become more frequent in recent weeks, including a gorgeous no-look inside ball to set up a try against The Rebels. He too can slot in to first receiver and dictate play, meaning that if Cooper does eventually leave, he and O’Connor will be vitally important in helping whoever takes over control the game.
Elsewhere, The Reds still have international quality players in the forwards, though the loss of Hanson to The Rebels, and the potential the Gill could follow him, is another dent in Queensland ability to overcome losses elsewhere. However, while their long term future; with all their young talent, certainly seems promising, whether that promise can be converted into results next season will depend mightily on what Cooper decides to do. The longer this saga drags on, the more The Reds will feel they have a chance of keeping him, and given their current plan B at fly half (which consists of a laundry list of converted scrum halves and younger players who simply aren’t ready), they should still exhaust every avenue to keep their mercurial figurehead.
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