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Four milestones add extra spice to Reds-Brumbies derby

Referee Nic Berry speaks with Tate McDermott of the Queensland Reds shows the yellow card during the round eight Super Rugby Pacific match between Chiefs and Queensland Reds at FMG Stadium, on April 04, 2025, in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

The Queensland Reds are intent on not letting the ACT Brumbies crash their party in a Super Rugby Pacific derby laced with added motivation.

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The Reds are dedicating Saturday night’s home game in Brisbane to 100-game milestone man Tate McDermott while also wanting to win for 50-cap forwards Zane Nonggorr and hooker Matt Faessler.

But the hosts are also acutely aware they must lift to claim a record-equalling seventh straight victory over Australian opposition after losing their past three encounters with the benchmark Brumbies.

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    “We’re expecting a tight match,” Reds vice-captain Fraser McReight said on Friday.

    “They’re a quality side with great players and we’re building and they’re building so we’re expecting a great game.

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    “If you look at history, the AU sort of stuff, we’ve always been thereabouts with the top-two sort of teams and we battle it out – we get one, they get one.

    “But they’ve had the wood over us for a few years at Suncorp so it’s about getting back to what we do really well.”

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    McDermott this week ranked racking up a century of games for Queensland above captaining the Wallabies, with his teammates vowing to honour their halfback and captain’s feat in style.

    “Everyone knows how good he is with ball in hand and how he is on the field, but he’s a leader. He’s tough, he’s a dog on the field. He really rips in,” McReight said.

    “Eight seasons, 100 games in Queensland. It’s tough in itself to get to 50.

    “So it shows the kind of calibre of a player he is and how tough he is. So really excited for him and his family to be able to get that milestone at Suncorp, which is awesome.”

    Nonggorr and Faessler are both celebrating 50 matches for the Reds as well.

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    Muirhead will play his 100th game for the Canberra franchise after moving south to the national capital in 2017, thinking he might spend two seasons at the Brumbies.

    “I’m a stubborn fella,” the 31-year-old said of his longevity.

    “And I’d say I’ve gone through a fair few things off field and just being resilient and backing myself.”

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    S
    SK 1 hour ago
    Why the Brumbies are still the best team in Australia

    It is honestly a disgraceful statistic that the reds have not taken a single 3 pointer this season when you consider statistics its hard to believe that. Lets do the maths quickly, you have a penalty from 40 out thats an 80% chance (conservative) for your kicker to get 3 because its in front. Easy come, easy go, you get those 3 points 80% of the time for 2.4 points on average per kick. Even if you dont nail it you start with territory as now its a 22 drop out so you can bring the ball back again. Now instead of taking an obvious 3 you kick to the corner from 40 out. You get the mall 5m out maybe 10% of the time, you get it 10-15m out maybe 50% of the time and 35% of the time your kicker knocks it between 22-15m out. Now stats show when you get a lineout 5m out you score maybe 50-60%% of the time but if you have an incredible mall and you are top of the pile this stat rises to something like 70-80% of the time take Glasgow and Leinster in URC or the Springboks for example. If you are 10m out your likelihood of scoring drops dramatically. Like 60% becomes 20% for example and this is just to get 5 points mind you, there is a 30-40%% chance you will not even add the 2 to make it a 7 pointer. So which is easier and better for you? Sure the game situation matters. If you are trailing by 15 the 3 may not be wise but the Reds have won 5 of their 8 matches this year and are a good team. They have plenty of chances to take the 3 in situations where its easier and logical to do so than going for the try. They have been involved in 3 games that finished with just 1 score between the sides. There have been plenty of opportunities to take 3 they just don’t care for it. No side in Rugby has ever won anything substantial this way. The Reds would do well to remember that and also remember that they will never usurp the Brumbies while they refuse to add a douse of pragmatism to their flair.

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