IF you bag the Reds in print don’t mention legend “Martin” Loane as one scribe did last week.
They still haven’t stopped laughing at Ballymore. THE Ear hates to say I told you so after the Reds won on Saturday but, as I said, all they needed was someone to run the game properly and they would have now won their past three (The Ear April 20). Berrick Barnes did just that as a No.10 on Saturday. But the Reds are still three quality players short of being a handy side (finish just out of the four) and six from making the semis. For starters we should be signing several of the current First XVs crop with the top of the list Terrace’s Liam Gill. IT is amazing the number of rugby fans who mentioned high quality schoolboy games such as last week’s Nudgee v Ashgrove and Terrace v Churchie. But there is a warning sign with the economic downturn plus general QRU finances seeing funds reduced from both the ARU and QRU to schools rugby. Luckily, the Sunnybank Community and Sports Club stepped in with a $30,000 grant to assist the QRFSU. The grant will benefit schoolboy players all over the state. THE letters continue to stream in about the lack of NRL games in the south east corner over Easter. However, Gary Cox raised another point: “I live in Logan City but I support the Sydney Roosters. I know the Roosters and Broncos have a tradition to play on Good Friday. That’s OK with me but for at least the past four years it was played in Sydney, and to make it worse in the past four seasons they played each other only once. It means the last time I was able to watch my team live was in 2005.” BRONCOS under 20s coach Anthony Griffin isn’t having much luck. He had five backs out for the Eels game and on the final play of the final training session on Thursday Dane Gagai got an unbelievable injury. Gagai went for a grubber but stubbed his finger on the ball. He split his skin and his finger bone protruded completely. The bone was quickly pushed back into the skin by Gagai, but while there was no break or fracture, he will be out for weeks. He had the bone surgically cleaned to prevent infection. What are the chances DIARY DATE: The QRUs Women in Rugby luncheon set for Friday has been postponed until September 17. BRONCOS Leagues Club has a panel pre-game in Alfie’s Bar with an injured player and former greats before each away game. Last week it was Ben Te’o, Michael Hancock and Mick De Vere. There is another this Saturday for the away Knights game.
JUST as well cricketer Shane Watson has his focus on the international rather than Indian Premier League series. A photo on a prominent Indian online publication showed Watson and his “wife” Lee. There was a minor problem as Watson and partner Lee Furlong are not married. But a major issue was the woman in the photo looked very much like his former fiancee Kym Johnson. Ouch!