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Added Sunday 06/01/2008 One of the low lights of season 2007, possibly the lowest was the Queensland Reds last place finish, but even the last placed finish pales into insignificance when you just look at the score in that last game against the Bulls, 93 against, terrible, seemingly total capitulation. We would all hope that season 2008 is better than season 2007, but time will tell. I think I will struggle to watch too many Reds games in season 2008, they have to reprove themselves, and I am sure that I am not the only one. I will be in Perth taking in two games, Friday April 4 and Saturday April 12 against the Bulls and the Waratahs, so that will be a bit different. I see James O’Connor is in the big squad and that will be a massive step up for him, these boys will be much bigger, the hits will be much harder, if he gets on the field. It would be interesting to know what position Mitchell sees him playing long term. Maybe I will get to sneak into a training session or two while in Perth. The Queensland Bulls also look like delivering a forgettable 2007/2008 season, it doesn’t seem to be going that well for them. 2007 delivered some strong results for the younger brigade of rugby teams, winning (only just) the Under 15’s, second in the Under 16’s, winning the Open Schoolboys, and the Under 19’s, Aussie Schools knocking over the Kiwis, and all the others too. Time will tell if this translates up the ladder to the bigger boys, but some of these kids have already moved away from sunny Qld, or rugby, Hamlin and To’omua to the Brumbies, O’Connor to Western Australia, Willie Tupou and Lachlan Hall to Rugby League. Doesn’t seem like too many, but there are some key names there. I am sure there are others in that Under 20 league competition, that could hammer rugby for a while. It would seem that the Brumbies have recruited well from the current crop, I have heard up to 8 of the Aussie schools side now in Canberra, To’omua, Hamlin, Lolotonga, Talaleielei Gray would be the ones I know, certainly some talent there, with Aidan Toua, Jake Schatz, Tapuai, Slipper, Seymour, Swanepoel (injured for the 2008 season and still at school butin the academy), Morahan staying in Qld, there are the ones I have seen and remembered anyway. Club wise, new coach at University, Zane Hilton, has recruited strongly. Probably hasn’t got everyone he wants but names like Jonno Lance, Nick Seymour, Luke Morahan, Aaron Chapman, James Willan, Tapuai, and Downs hardman Michael O’Leary, just a few of the names associated with rumours on who is going where. They won’t be a bad side, but so too will Sunnybank, always strong over there, Easts look to have some good blood there too, and hopefully there will be a bolter or two, GPS, Gold Coast. Could be a good comp. Plenty of people out there talking about how good the Under 19’s or Colts or Under 20’s will be due to who is leaving school or who is joining the comp out of school in 2007. My take on it is that the young kiddies coming out of school will be a year behind some of their playing counterparts, who have had a year on the outside, sad but true, some will make it, some will not in the less unprotected out of school environment. Something interesting to monitor for sure. To finish off, I certainly expect Qld to finish in the bottom half of the comp again, but to certainly to be much more competitive than 2007, but still not able to compete with the top sides. However, you don’t build a winning side and culture in one year, these guys have to learn how to win, how to be tough and close out games, so another tough year for the Reds, but heading in the right direction. Not sure about the other franchises, time will tell but I am not expecting an Aussie side to win the competition in 2008. The Wallabies will be another story again, still doubt we have the personnel to compete with New Zealand, especially in the front 8, although New Zealand's ranks have been plundered by overseas money, but someone always seems to just step up and fill the void.
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