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Wayne Smith | April 13, 2009
Article from: The Australian
FORMER Wallabies coach John Connolly has urged Reds boss Phil Mooney to use what is left of Queensland's forlorn season to prepare for its 2010 campaign, starting with a switch back to the wing for main strike weapon Digby Ioane.
The Reds' controversial 24-19 loss to the Highlanders on Saturday, coupled with the Cheetahs' stunning 31-6 upset over the Sharks, makes it not inconceivable that Queensland could finish with the Super 14 wooden spoon for the second time in three seasons.
The Cheetahs are only six points behind them on the ladder and are at home for four of their last five matches, while the Reds have only three games remaining at Suncorp Stadium, starting with Saturday's match with the side ranked one rung ahead of them, the Lions.
The Reds would need to go through the remainder of the season undefeated to finish in the black for the first time since 2002, but with all hope gone of qualifying for the play-offs, the moment has arrived to start looking towards 2010, according to Connolly, Queensland's coach from 1989-2000.
"I appreciate it's very easy to be outside the tent and giving advice but with the season basically gone, this is the time for Phil Mooney to take a step backwards and look at what his needs are long-term," Connolly said.
As keen as he is for Ioane to return to the wing to give him more room in which to work, Connolly admits he has an ulterior motive for making the suggestion - to see how Blair Connor would perform as the new outside centre. Connor was dropped for the Highlanders match after a couple of poor positional displays on the wing against the Chiefs and, to a lesser extent, the Force, but Connolly does not see that as a problem.
"Of course, he had positional problems, wing is not his position. He has played just about all of his club football at outside centre. I really like what I've seen of him," Mooney said.
Certainly the Reds are killing the goose that laid the golden egg by overusing Ioane in attack at present. Having Ioane trucking the ball up so regularly in attack is akin to using Makybe Diva to pull the milk cart and even though the Highlanders let him through for one try in Invercargill, they clearly had done their homework and were sweating on the Reds using him on the inside channel.
Connolly also believes it may be time for Mooney to experiment with former Australia under-19 hooker James Hanson. The fact that senior hooker Sean Hardman played the entire game against the Highlanders despite being under an injury cloud for most of the week with a knee problem certainly suggests Mooney has growing reservations about using Brumbies recruit Saia Faingaa.
"If so, if that area appears to be a problem, why not give Hanson a try?" Connolly asked.
While Connolly believes Hugh McMeniman finally has answered the question of where he is better suited - "he's a second-rower, not a blindside flanker" - he is not so sure that rugby league convert Mark McLinden is the answer at fullback.
The first flush of McLinden's early-season success quickly faded as opposing sides awoke to the fact that he has a very limited kicking game and, given a choice, will run the ball out of his own territory at every opportunity.
At present, the Reds are losing when perhaps they don't deserve to do so. Mooney is looking to the day when they start to win those games they could just as easily have lost - like Saturday's with the Highlanders.
"I wouldn't say we were the better team because the better team wins but we had plenty of opportunities," Mooney said.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
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jersey is only 4 years old, the Queensland jersey has a lot of history based on the blood, sweat and tears that people like Connolly, McLean, Loane, Dunworth, Guerassimof, Handy and others spilt on Ballymore in the 60's and 70's to match and finally overcome the poofta blues....
