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Reds have 'the heart to keep showing up and fighting' for coach Brad Thorn
By AAP
Optimistic Queensland Reds captain Liam Wright has not given up on their season, or his coach, despite Brad Thorn's fears he's run out of answers.
The Reds fell to 2-5 ahead of a trip to Samoa to face Moana Pasifika next week, unravelling in a 52-24 loss to the ACT Brumbies on Friday.
It was their first defeat in Brisbane to the Australian powerhouse since 2015 and broke a run of 14-straight wins against domestic rivals at Suncorp Stadium.
But the cracks have been there for some time for the 2021 Super Rugby AU champions, with ill-discipline and poor execution a recurring theme for Thorn's side.
Former All Black and Australia rugby league representative Thorn overhauled the program when he took over in 2018, blooding a host of young talent that forms the core of the current side.
Off contract beyond this year, Thorn looked and sounded like a man without answers on Friday night, admitting he had "possibly" taken the side as far as he could.
"You take your hat off when a team is better and the Brumbies were great," he said.
"But we've been striving to see our potential reached and this is the frustrating point.
"I'm a fighter by nature, I like challenges, but it's a disappointing one.
"You care about your staff and players, hope to get the best out.
"When it's not going so well, it's tough."
It was left to skipper Wright to find some positives, the flanker repeating his call after last week's loss to the Crusaders that the players needed to take "the brunt" of the blame.
"We're hurting and we're all feeling it," Wright said.
"It thrusts a lot of pressure on our coaching team, which we're not happy with."
Eight of 12 sides will play finals, with the Reds finishing seventh last season with a 8-6 record and the Highlanders eighth (4-10).
"The beauty of this format is we have to find a way into that top eight and then anything can happen," Wright said.
"We're not writing off our season just yet or anything like that.
"We know there's places to improve, we've sat here every week and said that.
"But it's on us to try and find a way.
"We've got to fix the things that are going backwards for us and we've got the heart to keep showing up and fighting."
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Go to comments“Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”
Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.
“The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”
Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”
So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…
“I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”
I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…
Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?
“I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”
So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?
“lol u really need to chill out”
Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?
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