Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

Video Spacer

The Breakdown | Episode 24

Video Spacer

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

“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.

ADVERTISEMENT

“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.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

R
RedWarrior 44 minutes ago
Records show All Blacks' greatest rugby adversary is now Ireland

Foster was literally whinging about the TMO in the Ireland series in the presser AFTER the RWC final. NZs whinging about the final itself was apparently picked up by Voyager 2 which was near the asteroid belt. What about the whingefest and crybabies after O'Mahony's legendary sledge (during the match) on Sam Cane?


I often hear talk about NZ players being poisoned or similar nonsense during the 1995 final. NZ boast that they are 'superstars' and 'humble heroes' on their own website. You gave England the same treatment in 2002-2003, calling them arrogant just because they beat you. They told the rest of us then what you were like, we should have listened. I would give as much credence to a NZ supporter disliking us, as I would to Krusty the clown saying the same thing. Let's just say your judgement may not be the best.


Regarding 2016, as the referee had basically let NZ away with cheating their way to victory via filthy dangerous play and fouling he was hardly going to pull Sexton up when clearly trying to stop a grounding. NZ always leave the boot or arm in to hurt a try scorer but that seems to be invisible to you entitles lot.


BTW NZ have literally being whinging and crying about Ireland since Soldier field. You are just very bad losers. We will be delighted to be shot of you on Friday. I hope we do so with a win, so that you rethink your philosophy of mocking opponents and spectators you've just beaten.


After the match last Saturday the internet was full of Kiwi supporters basically abusing English folk. Where is your national honour? Where is your national integrity?

8 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ The joy, spirit and obstacles of the rugby pilgrim The joy, spirit and obstacles of the rugby pilgrim
Search