The Queensland Reds are firmly positioned to take their place as the best Australian side in Super Rugby Pacific as they contend for a title.
From returning Wallabies to breakout stars, head coach Les Kiss has built a roster that the club will hope can take them to the top of the competition.
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With Kiss set to step down at the end of the year, there is plenty of hope that his final year in charge will be his most successful.
Rugby.com.au breaks down five key talking points for the Queensland Reds heading into 2026.
The Queensland Reds will feel this is the right time to break through and compete with the best in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Reds have found themselves stuck at the quarter-final ceiling, unable to reach that maiden Super Rugby Pacific semi-final.
However, with contending teams around them losing big talent, the Queenslanders head into this season with their best chance yet.
This, coupled with the development of some world-class Wallabies will have hopes high the Reds can finish the year as the best Australian side.
All eyes will be on Les Kiss as the Reds coach prepares to transition into Wallabies coach at the end of the year.
The former Irish assistant will take over from good friend Joe Schmidt, and with that comes added responsibility and potential distractions to overcome.
Kiss is a seasoned professional with the mindset and personality to handle the pressure.
But the Reds need to be wary that his impending role makes them a perfect audition platform for wannabe Wallabies throughout the year.
The Reds have an embarrassment of riches at fly-half following the return of Carter Gordon from the NRL.
Gordon showed glimpses of the talent during the Spring Tour that made him a starter under Eddie Jones amid an ongoing quad issue.
But Tom Lynagh has been excellent and Kiss’ go to at ten since his arrival, winning the starting job for the Wallabies for the Lions tour.
On top of this, young gun Harry McLaughlin-Phillips is also a prodigal talent ready to break out, with Fijian Ben Volavola adding an experienced head to the group.
The Reds have never been afraid to back their youth, with their 2026 squad a sign of the talent coming through Ballymore.
Treyvon Pritchard and Nicholas Conway are two of the brightest after their strong U18s campaigns, with Kingsley Uys and Will Ross sitting in the wings on development deals. They also recruited the third Lynagh brother, Nic, from Harlequins.
This comes after Dre Pakeho emerged as a star of the future in the midfield, with Frankie Goldsbrough also tasting Super Rugby Pacific as a teenager.
The Reds’ squad is already stacked, but it’ll be intriguing to see how Kiss manages the future of the club.
One of the key hurdles for the Reds to overcome is the departure of key depth within their forwards.
Liam Wright is the big name, with no one bleeding maroon quite like the former skipper. Locks Angus Blyth and Ryan Smith have also been cornerstones of the tight five for the past decade.
There remains quality amongst their starters, with Josh Canham and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto world-class options along with Seru Uru.
However, if they suffer a similar injury crisis as in 2025, they’ll need players to step up.
