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'We're going there to get the job done': Brad Thorn issues warning to travel-weary Reds ahead of Rebels clash

(Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Brad Thorn hasn’t experienced anything like it since his rookie NRL days at Brisbane.

But the Queensland Reds’ coach has laid down the law, saying there’ll be no excuses if his travel-weary troops come up short in Friday night’s Super Rugby AU showdown with the Melbourne Rebels in Sydney.

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Such are the crazy times during coronavirus that the Rebels are hosting their “home” game at Brookvale Oval after being locked out of Melbourne.

While the homeless Rebels arrived in Sydney on Wednesday after basing themselves in Canberra for the past fortnight, the Reds will fly in and out on Friday.

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The Breakdown | Episode 24

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      The Breakdown | Episode 24

      “It’s taken me all the way back to Broncos reserve grade. We used to play around 12 o’clock. So you’d be up at the airport at 6am, tired as, and you’d fly down and you’d play and then they’d send me back home,” Thorn said.

      “So unless you sat on the bench, you didn’t even watch the first grade play. You’d be back in Brissy by three.

      “It’s a similar sort of scenario.”

      Thorn, though, said the taxing travel mustn’t be a factor for the Reds.

      “We’re going there to get the job done. It’s a mindset thing,” he said.

      “You can have a perfect build-up and still not have a great game sometimes. That’s what you learn as a player.

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      “You can have games where the kids have kept you up all night and you have a man-of-the-match performance. The mindset is massive.

      “The good thing is they know it’s coming. It’s not a surprise.”

      The Reds will leave Brisbane on Friday morning for the 90-minute charter flight before bussing it to Manly and then hitting the road, then the air, again around midnight.

      “You’re probably not going to feel fizzing after all that travel but no one really cares,” Thorn said.

      “The team needs you to do your job so you turn up individually to play and then turn up as a team to play. That’s the challenge for the guys.

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      “Everyone in the competition will be doing it for the first three or four weeks or so, so get on with it, there’ll be no excuses and hopefully we get back on that plane with a positive result.”

      Buzzing after their first win over the NSW Waratahs in seven years last Saturday night, the Reds are ready for another tough battle with the Rebels, who lost a round-one thriller against the Brumbies.

      “We’ve got a lot of respect for the Rebels,” Thorn said.

      “They’re a really good defensive side, (with) good line speed, a smart man at 10 there with (Matt) Toomua and they’ve got a good set piece.

      “They’ve really stepped up with their scrummaging and they’ve always had a good lineout.

      “They’re a good side.”

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      P
      PL 27 minutes ago
      Lions Tour Aussie takes: Bigger is better, the stars who failed to fire

      I find it interesting that journalists who have done nothing in rugby comment on selections & coaching like they are experts

      Concussive injury’s will remove insurance cover from the game unless their is strict application of the laws designed to remove MND Parkinson’s and CTE from the game


      Head on head I saw red to Adam Coleman as tackler for Irish while unconscious on a stretcher - concussions occur without twitching on the ground or the wobbly boot - I know I had maybe 20 from rugby


      The officiating of last feet is non existent

      The lack of effective wrap by Lions front rower & that decision had a close relationship with ordure in a toilet

      A head on head tackle red for Coleman not even penalty lead to a try in a phase or 2


      Powys v Evans lead to a £> 2 mill verdict against the ref personally special leveraged to Hiuse of Lords

      Refs will stop reffing with no insurance then no game


      About 5 years ago 4 or 5 French colts died from head hits in elite club games - that led to below sternum law - hamlets honoured in breach not observance

      Last feet non existent - enforcement favour flowing rugby nor lions meat grinder forwards get momentum and puck & drive NZ Vowel noise


      The UK Class Action could be very well be lost WRC will try every dirty trick in case they already used dial a neuros to argue the unarguable is law gossip


      I reffed ref coached & assessed for ruffly 17 seasons


      The application of laws is like a zig zag on speed

      Line out laws not enforced scrums tight pulling loose down one side mirror on other side elbow pointing to ground stretch marks on jersey

      Der moment the refs need to go Soec Savers

      My bet unless they stop lack of intestinal fortitude game management


      Yellow every time head contact or above sternum


      Needs sterner GMGs material impact removed set piece caterpillar remove

      Last feet to last feet + 1 m


      When I reffed I kept them well apart - hated me till they got over yellow and they actually had fun & complemented me post game backs had room and pick and drive had momentum


      As for intentional foul play like tackle in air auto red no replacement 100,000 fine player 250,000 club


      Treble it for international 26 week suspension & it’s disappear over night

      25 were scrum for dissent


      Penalty all this rubbish shots at opponents after error


      All the s.ite would disappear


      The pathetic unsportsmanlike behaviour would lead to standards


      Remember Les Boyd’s penalty re Brohman -if that is the way we treat foul play but while foul play with potential serious injury with a feather duster like we are the game is destined to no insurance following that no refs cause would you risk bankruptcy like Powys v Evans

      1 Go to comments
      S
      Soliloquin 1 hour ago
      Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

      For Fischer, many people in France are still doubting him - it’s the first time he has a full season (31 games). Before, he was always injured at some point. He’s 27, so not the youngest, and you have a younger Boudehent or Jégou behind.

      His physicality is incredible, but he didn’t prove he’s got hands. He just proved he was able to defend like a beast.

      But you know, even Cros has improved his handling skills lately, so it’s never too late!

      And he will play the Champions Cup with a solid Bayonne side, so let’s see!


      I don’t agree with ‘only Fischer’: Brennan proved he’s a great 4/7 utility player, and Galthié likes those very much (Woki or Flament). He’s 23, playing for Toulouse with high concurrence, so the prospect is good. I rate him higher than Auradou, who had a few games in the 6 Nations.

      For Depoortère, he had a more silent season than the previous one - injured at the worst moment during the Autumn Tests series - but came back strong with a Champions Cup and a solid partnership with Moefana. What could save him would be to start playing as a 12 when Moefana isn’t there, bulking up and become the new Jauzion.

      But he’s 22 and an incredible talent at 13. His height makes me think he had more potential than your fan favorite Costes or the utility player that is Gailleton.


      As for Montagne or Mallez, with the lack of quality in props, they could find a spot!

      Especially Mallez who’s got a good spot to get behind Baille at Toulouse. Neti isn’t the youngest and hasn’t an international level.


      And again, as Ugo Mola said, you never play with your best team.

      So 30-32 player is more of a 38-40, so you need back-ups.

      France knows very well how useful they can be during RWCs.

      236 Go to comments
      S
      Soliloquin 1 hour ago
      Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

      Hastoy was a good prospect before the 2023 RWC, he was the fly-half who led La Rochelle to the victory in the Champions Cup final in Dublin against Leinster.

      But he made it to the squad only because Ntamack got his ACL.

      He played against Uruguay, which a terribly poor game by the French side, and since then he declined a bit, alongside his club.

      Under the pressure of Reus and West at 10, he regained some credit at the end of the season (among all a drop at the 81st minute of a game).

      He’s quite good everywhere, but not outstanding.

      He doesn’t have the nerves, the defense and the tactical brain of Ntamack, the leadership and the creativity of Ramos or the exceptional attacking skills of Jalibert.


      I really hope that:

      -Ntamack will get his knee back. The surgery went well. He wasn’t the most elusive player in the world, but he was capable of amazing rushes like the one against NZ in 2021 or the Brennus-winning try in 2023.

      -Jalibert will continue to improve his defense. He started working hard since March (after his defensive disaster against England) with a XIII specialist, and I’ve seen great moments, especially against Ntamack in the SF of the Champions Cup. It’s never too late. And it would be a great signal for Galthié.

      -Hastoy will build up his partnership with Le Garrec, that La Rochelle will start a new phase with them and Niniashvili, Alldritt, Atonio, Boudehent, Jegou, Bosmorin, Bourgarit, Nowell, Wardi, Daunivucu, Kaddouri, Pacôme…

      236 Go to comments
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