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The Queensland Reds are resigned to losing marquee Super 14 import Daniel Braid and will intensify efforts to lure Richard Brown back from the Western Force.
The Reds have pushed back Braid's contract extension deadline for a second time to allow the openside flanker to focus on Saturday's match against the Highlanders in Invercargill.
But their always slim hopes of keeping the former All Black for a second season at Ballymore have virtually faded away as he's expected to confirm a big-money switch to play in the United Kingdom early next week.
Braid is set to sign with a Magners League club in a serious blow to the struggling Reds who need to defy a terrible away record to resurrect their season against the improving South Islanders.
The 27-year-old has been among the Reds most consistent performers and has also been immense value in mentoring the team's young forwards.
Queensland have no natural open-side breakaways waiting in the wings, placing extra importance on negotiations with Wallabies backrower Brown.
A Queensland product, Brown plays No.8 for the Force and Australia but started his career at No.7, moving to Perth to escape the shadow of since retired David Croft.
But the Reds face a three-way battle to snare the 24-year-old with the Force desperate to keep their most destructive forward and NSW, fearing the possible loss of captain Phil Waugh, also in the race.
Queensland Rugby Union high-performance manager Ben Whitaker admitted he'd delayed Braid's decision deadline to Tuesday but doesn't expect good news.
"We're all thinking that way, and we haven't been left in the dark in what he's doing," Whitaker said.
"At this stage it looks more than likely he'll head over there."
Reds coach Phil Mooney and Whitaker both denied reports they were chasing Waugh's Waratahs understudy Beau Robinson.
Queensland's huge challenge to end a three-year drought on the road - and score their first ever away win over the resurgent Highlanders - has been made even more difficult with cold and wet conditions forecast at Invercargill's Rugby Park.
The Reds will need a major turnaround in terms of composure, accuracy and game management to cause an upset after big losses to the Chiefs and Force.
They must also desperately hope hooker Sean Hardman's wonky knee holds up at scrum-time against the intimidating Highlanders pack.
Mooney expects rugged Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman to return to signature form with a move back into the second-row alongside James Horwill after a disappointing fortnight in the back-row.
New halfback Brendan McKibbin will take the goalkicking duties off Berrick Barnes after replacing injured No.9 Ben Lucas (ribs) but is also on guard for a tough battle with All Black Jimmy Cowan.
"When Jimmy Cowan is on a roll the Highlanders are always performing well," McKibbin said.
"If we can shut Jimmy Cowan down hopefully we can stop the transition from forwards to backs when they get a roll on."
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
hands off Reds. brownie is ours, and ours only.
Be There. Be Heard. Be The Force Behind The Force
Just goes to show that signing a marquee player is a waste of time, they dont hang around but are always looking for the big bucks. Hope that Brownie shows the same loyalty as Matt Hodgson's shown!
they dont need brown!
WE NEED HIM AND GO SIGN ANOTHER NZ PLAYER!!
BOKKE“Let me put it this way, A Springbok team contains Afrikaners, Englishmen, coloureds and blacks. It has parochial foes in Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions. It is a recipe for war! Yet in all the years of John Smit’s captaincy, there has never been one unhappy customer, not one voice of rebellion against his leadership. He is the glue that holds the Springboks together. The man is a legend!”- Jake White
Last year this time they offered bam the kitchen sink and he knocked it back... hope to see the same with MR BROWN.
you have one team who is always developing there squad (the force) and improving, just needing consistency, on the other hand the reds are like a revolving door and havent had a winning season since 2001. um I know where i'd want to continue. Unless he's looking at the big picture (wallabies) he'll stand out like an allstar in there dodgy squad (horwill / barnes / cooper not much to write home about)
I will hear the opposite comments from Tic or Toc soon...
I'd have Horwill in the Force any day. You can't use last week as a measure of his game.
He's been injured and still isn't match fit yet. When he is he's got the goods.
If the Reds want him as a 7, I doubt Brown will go back to Queensland. He's made the Wallabies as an 8 and its a two way tussle between him and Palu for that jersey. If he moves to 7 he has to compete with both Pocock and Smith or Waugh.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Possibly the most inaccurate post of the year. If there is one thing Mooney has done, its stop the revolving door whilst holding and attracting the best youngsters around.
If only he could get the 6 inches between the ears right, it'd be a champion team.
But one thing we will all agree on - Brownie is a pretty useful team member.
Sorry if ive worded it incorrectly TIC & TOC .. What i'm trying to say is "what mooney has done is, he has developed the team of "no hopers" (nicest possible way - really what did Jones or Miller done... nothing, barnes was a no body / Digby Cooper and Horwill where club boys) Mooney has done praises if he can get them winning away and a few big names reds may go somewhere, but you need to start winning before you get the big names signing. QLD is a nice part of OZ but football is there bread.
YOU CAN HAVE MITCHELL & VALENTINE, can we have DIGBY ?
I really don't follow any of that - no hopers?
Who are you referring to? Horwill? McMeniman? Van Humphries? Holmes? Genia? Cooper? Barnes? Ioane? Hynes?
Help me out?
A fair sprinkling of Wallabies there.
The plan with Mooney was to hold and develop young talent rather than purchasing "big names", who's loyalty is really questionable.
And as for Drew, my thoughts on him go back to my posts about two years ago.
I care not for the white Wendell.
TIC,
I'm saying the mooney has developed the previous "no hopers" under eddie jones or miller's coaching to stars under moons, and the names you have mentioned will be in the wallabies squad, if mooney wasn''t there you may of had horwill - and barnes as the only wallabies... get it now ?!?!
I dont know what you put about mitchell 2 years ago, but my point on it is for him to head north and go for the money, he's not getting a wallabies jumper on form. if he does its name deffinately not form.
Fair enough - thanks for clearing that up.
I am a fan of Mooney, but the last 2 weeks will obviously set him back in judging his sucess.
I should wait until the end of the season.
TIC - $50.00 to play with, do you go with the REDS or HIGHLANDERS, at nutual ground (sort of) at invercargal. A betting man myself and undecided which way to go. no Lucas but the return of Hynes and the late withdrawal of Cowan could turn the screws one way or the other...
No brainer - Highlanders.
Couldn't possibly tip the Reds after these past two weeks.
Hope I am wrong.