Reds coach Brad Thorn has called for some clarity on the fate of the Super Rugby season amid the ongoing limbo about the rugby calendar.
The Super Rugby competition has officially suspended on March 17 and players have since been told to train in relative isolation as they await news of when rugby might be able to resume.
A slated domestic competition for Australian teams has also been officially postponed until at least May 1, though that date is expected to be pushed back with high level restrictions still in place.
Organising bodies have by and large opted against cancelling matches officially, with the hope that they can resume some form of the competitions in the back end of the year.
Australia’s other major winter football competitions, the NRL and AFL, are both working towards the resumption of their league as soon as possible, in contrast with much of the rest of the country.
The NRL has pencilled in a return date of May 28, but the NSW and QLD governments have expressed their doubts about that being allowed to happen.
Thorn, speaking on the Reds Radio podcast, said he appreciated the complexities of the current situation but would like to see a formal call made either way on the season.
“I guess we’ll see where it all gets to, at some stage it’d be good to have some closure if it’s not going to go on because a heck of a lot’s been put in and now you don’t know where it’s going,” he said.
“There needs to be…at some stage, either we know we’re playing on and ripping in or some sort of (call that) this is done for a bit and we refresh, just get away from the footy for a bit and then you can be ready...for the next challenge.”
Thorn said he hoped that some rugby could be played again this year.
“Where does this thing go? I’m not sure – it’d be great to think we can play again – you look around the world thought and it’s pretty serious,: he said.
“I don’t really know but I’m sure Rugby Australia and SANZAAR and all sort of stuff they’ll all have their models of whether things can go on or not.”
Thorn is in his third season as Reds coach and said he hoped the progress they had made this season would become a long-term culture of success.
Queensland has fielded many of the most exciting youngsters in recent years and players like Izack Rodda, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Liam Wright and Taniela Tupou are beginning to show the rewards of the experience they've gained in Super Rugby.
"The rugby's important for these guys because it's more [games] under their belt," Thorn said.
"You've got your guys like (captain) Liam Wright and (Angus) Scott-Young, in the mid-30s for games; guys like Lukhan [Salakaia-Loto] must be about 40; Izack Rodda and Taniela [Tupou] 50... they're starting to get a body of games under their belt and these games that were to come are important for our growth as well as trying to compete as well as trying to play finals footy."
Thorn said he hoped the Reds could emulate the "factory" production seen in other successful outfits he's been part of.
"For me, in 10 to 20 years, whatever, it would be cool to see long-term strength in Queensland rugby and it doesn't matter who comes in as a coach or players that just come through the factory.
"I just want a factory; like at the Broncos; just like at the Crusaders. Queensland, we produce players; they love their state, they're tight and the factory just produces them."
