It is always good to have these guys up,  and I thought yesterday we had the best grouping of Reds that we have had,  maybe because they are so young themselves.  Except for Greg Holmes I have been following the careers of these guys for varying lengths of time.  Berrick Barnes I first saw as a 15 year old and stand by my comments of that time that he is the best footballer I have ever seen a that time,  you wouldn't have believed what you had seen.  Word around the traps at the time was that he was rated number three or four wicket keeper in the state,  for all ages,  not just schools stuff as well as exceptionally good at a number of other sports.

I guess I cam across H for the first time at an Under 19 training I attended,  Qld Under 19 at training,  and the boys were performing a breakdown drill that I use to this day.  During that drill,  and everyone had been warned by the coach,  Herman either had removed or removed a couple of teeth from someone else who did not have a mouthguard in and slipped his head up over the pad to have a look at what was happening.  Since then I have watched him play plenty of club footy on my travels and was really happy to see him get a Qld slot.  For your information,  the big man is down to 118 kilos from about 128 as listed in programmes and on the bench 3 sets 185 kilos,  now this guy is strong.  Heard during the day too that Herman can also throw the left and right combos in exercises being done at training.  What a great guy.

Quade,  well I wrote about him when I saw him play his first trial game at TGS two years ago.  People disagreed with me then, (and as those of you that know me are aware,  people disagreeing with me doesn't trouble me all that much) but I saw a guy with uncanny ability at the tackle line,  just an ability to carry the footy further to that line than most,  maybe all that I have seen,  before passing or stepping.  I thought he was hot then,  and obviously plenty agree to this day.  There are plenty out there say he is arrogant,  but it sure didn't strike me that way last night,  quietly spoken and humble (and if you read about him all over the shop,  that's what his mum tells him to be,  and our mums are more often than not right) would be my description in our very brief encounter.  While he didn't have a great game against the Chiefs,  find me someone that plays well 100% of every match he plays.  He will only be better for the experience,  and he is just 18.  Seems like a good guy to me.  I for one enjoy young guys coming through,  and getting better and better.  I am a firm believer in the adage that if you are good enough you are old enough.

I didn't speak with Greg Holmes but being a rural boy from Allora,  he would be OK too I'm 100% sure.

Now talking to Berrick,  Quade and H,  their over riding message to me was that they were sorry and they would try to restore faith amongst fans.  It's a commendable feeling and message,  but I think the wrong one,  they don't need to apologize to anyone,  particularly fans.  My message if I were coaching these guys would be a simple one.  Fans are fickle,  so firstly go out an enjoy yourselves,  secondly do it for yourselves and the 15 or 20 or 30 guys in the squad.  Plenty of fans with expert opinions and advice,  I'm one of them I guess,  but at the end of the day,  this group of guys needs to play and perform because they want to for themselves,  and for each other.  Lack of depth in rugby is not their fault,  the business side of marketing the game is not their problem,  having fun and playing footy is what they should be encouraged to do,  just go out and express yourselves.  I am and always have been a firm believer in that anyone can do anything, it is about the mental ability to overcome the hurdles that are put in your way.

The pressure on these guys today is immense,  and people and organisations are not doing enough to shield them from this pressure,  and if Eddie is right,  Quade's manager for one is increasing the pressure for the young guy.  For goodness sake,  just let them play.

I remember a long time ago,  another teenage debutante,  one Michael Patrick Lynagh,  would not have had the media hype and rubbish and carry on over his debut and poor games and passes that Quade and Berrick have had.  These guys have had to try and grow up very quickly,  and are probably missing part of their youth.