Andrew Fraser is to be the first Queensland Reds women’s head coach given scope to guide improvements in the program across a full 12-month calendar.
His appointment today is a progressive step for women’s rugby in Queensland to improve the high-performance structure and steer a revival in 2025.
Fraser, 49, will step into the role while also continuing to serve as Head of Rugby at the University of Queensland Rugby Club where he has oversight of 12 teams.
He had already undergone a job “audition” of sorts before the formal application process by acting as interim coach in July when leading the Reds women on their maiden overseas tour to beat Tonga in Nuku’alofa.
His roles as defence coach with Bond University in 2022-23 in the StoreLocal Hospital Cup and Hunter Wildfires in the Shute Shield in 2021 were significant milestones in a coaching journey through club and community rugby.
As a player, the bulk of his rugby career was spent in the backrow for the Tuggeranong Vikings in the ACT competition from the mid-1990s when he racked up over 100 games through the grades.
“I’m truly excited to take on this role. It feels like I’ve been working in community rugby for nearly 20 years just for this chance,” Fraser said.
“A key development is being able to take custody and control for a 12-month period so we work on the improvements that can be made over a full off-season and pre-season.
“I know from talking to (Reds head coach) Les Kiss that the care, connection and challenge mantra around Ballymore means something and I have a real synergy with those values.”
The Reds women's team is rebuilding. The five-time grand finalists are searching for a return to those levels after missing the semi-finals in the 2024 Buildcorp Super Rugby Women’s season.
“There's a strong foundation at the Reds which I'm excited to build upon through a year-round High-Performance program,” Fraser said.
“There was great energy around the tour of Tonga and I see it as a springboard to take the program and planning forward into a positive 2025.
“We have still seen players emerge. Nat Wright has established herself as a halfback for the Wallaroos. Tiarna Molloy is also in the national set-up as a hooker and emerging players like backrower Zoe Hanna took their first steps for the Reds in Tonga.
“Talent identification from the Queensland Premier Women’s competition and Queensland Country is ongoing. We saw the capacity of new faces we brought in for the Tonga tour.”
Reds head coach Les Kiss said seeing Fraser in action when the men’s and women’s teams made the joint tour to Tonga was a positive.
“You can see that Andrew will bring experience and understanding to an important role that can aid the growth of the Reds women’s program,” Kiss said.
Appointing Nico Andrade as the Queensland Rugby Union’s Women's High Performance Manager in March has been another strong step to upgrading the women’s program.
“Throughout the process of interviewing for the Reds women’s coach, Andrew demonstrated a genuine care and passion for the program as well as the desire to challenge our players to achieve great success,” Andrade said.
“His desire to influence and create a club culture resonated strongly to back up his plan to address the personal, tactical, technical and performance requirements of the Reds women’s program.”
