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New Mooney goes back to the future
Greg Growden | February 15, 2008
THE Queensland coaching job has not been the most appealing position in recent years. Coaches have come and coaches have gone as the Reds have slumped to become regular also-rans, suffering the indignity last year of finishing last.
After the long reign of John Connolly, the position has gone from Mark McBain to Andrew Slack to Jeff Miller to Eddie Jones, with the standards of a once-potent province steadily slipping.
This year the Reds have opted for a lesser-known character in Phil Mooney in the hope that the "softly, softly" approach will at last revive a sense of pride and power in Brisbane.
Mooney is not as well known as the steady line of Wallabies who preceded him as head coach, but he is still deeply entrenched in the Reds, his family having been linked to Queensland rugby for almost 90 years.
His grandfather, Tom Mooney, played for Queensland in 1919, while his late father Paul, a 20-season stalwart in Brisbane club rugby, played in the volatile 1954 home Tests series against Fiji as the Wallabies hooker. Paul Mooney was also instrumental in the establishment of Queensland junior rugby, and coached Queensland under-19s teams for more than a decade.
So Phil Mooney as a youngster soon knew his way around Ballymore, watching the likes of Tony Shaw, Mark Loane and Paul McLean from the stands, and then progressing to Queensland Schoolboys and state under-21s.
Not surprisingly since taking over the head coaching spot, Mooney has been stressing the importance of past ideals.
At the Super 14 launch in Sydney last week, Mooney said the Reds were returning to the traditional jersey they wore when successful in the 1990s. In another novel move, for the first time in many years Mooney has opened up the Queensland dressing rooms to the media in the hope it will revive healthy relationships. The vibrations sound encouraging, but in the end it will all revolve around what happens on the field. If the Reds continue to fail, Mooney is destined to go the same way as his predecessors - seeking other employment.
At least Mooney has something to work with because the Reds boast a squad that should make considerable progress up the Super 14 ladder.
There is nothing wrong with the pack, especially as it boasts several of the most lively forwards in Australia - in particular back-rower Hugh McMeniman and second-rower James Horwill. The back row is solid, and has enough hard-heads in John Roe and David Croft to provide consistency.
The back line is somewhat more flaky, but if Sam Cordingley can enjoy an injury-free season and play regularly with Wallabies five-eighth Berrick Barnes, the Reds will play with greater vibrancy than last year, when so often it seemed they had absolutely no idea what they were doing.
The signing of utility back Morgan Turinui from NSW will also work in the Reds' favour. As long as the injuries stay away, because depth is flimsy, don't be surprised if the Reds are the big improvers, and another Mooney finds himself being described as a Queensland saviour.
HERALD EXPERTS' TIPS
Greg Growden 8th. Rupert Guinness 13th. Phil Wilkins 11th. Spiro Zavos 11th. Last year: 14th
THE SQUAD: Geoff Abram, Josh Afu, Ole Avei, Berrick Barnes, Rodney Blake, Caleb Brown, Quade Cooper, Sam Cordingley, Ben Coutts, David Croft, Ben Daley, Charlie Fetoai, AJ Gilbert, Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes, James Horwill, Leroy Houston, Van Humphries, Peter Hynes, Will Genia, Digby Ioane, Lloyd Johansson, Ben Lucas, Hugh McMeniman, Stephen Moore, Ed O'Donoghue, John Roe, Clinton Schifcofske, Chris Siale, Rob Simmons, Morgan Turinui, Brando Va'aulu, Henari Veratau, Andrew Walker.
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