The Queensland Reds are delighted to announce the re-signing of Ryan Smith and Josh Flook, both milestone figures who hit 50 caps for the club this season.
Lock Smith and centre Flook have re-committed for 2025 in a strong sign of their belief in what the Reds are building under Les Kiss and his coaching team.
The Australia A duo are high-performing fixtures in Super Rugby Pacific this season which reaches a new level on Friday with the quarter-final against the Chiefs in Hamilton in New Zealand.
Both are proud products of Brothers Rugby Club where Flook made his top-grade debut at just 17 and Smith first caught the eye as having potential for higher levels.
“Both Josh and Ryan are 50-cappers. It’s fantastic news they have re-committed to Queensland,” Reds head coach Les Kiss said.
“The qualities we see in ’Flooky’ come through on and off the field. He has excellent timing in attack and defence and it’s obvious how much the Reds jersey means to him in every match he plays.
“’Ryano’ has put in such a shift for us this season. He’s been impressive in the tight and he’s a well-liked character in the locker room where he leads the team song in fabulous fashion.
“Both have certainly put themselves in the eyes of the selectors for higher honours.”
Flook is just 22 yet already has 51 Reds appearances to his name. His sixth try of the season against the NSW Waratahs last Friday night was typically a sharp finish in a well-rehearsed attack.
“I’m excited to stay here for another year. It is a no-brainer,” Flook said.
“It’s a really good environment and the fresh faces in this season have made a difference.
“There are very good vibes around this quarter-final. Part of that is everyone buying into what we are doing and our game style over the past few months.
“Les and the coaches talk a lot about being useful and staying that way for the team throughout a game.”
Smith, 27, has proved an ironman at lock this season by playing all 14 games to lift his game tally for the Reds to 57. No other tight forward from the five Australian teams has played more minutes.
Not only is he one of the competition’s top lineout winners, his tackle tally and high completion rate are amongst the best across the 12-team competition.
This excellence all developed from his raw qualities being spotted in the Queensland pathways of club rugby and the National Rugby Championship. Smith never made a major representative school or under-age team and was working full-time as an air-conditioning unit mechanic when first picked in the 2020 Reds squad.
“I’m really excited about what’s ahead,” Smith said.
“My family is in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast so the call to stay with the Reds was pretty easy at the end of the day. “The team has done some pretty cool stuff in a short time and what we are learning under the new coaches is a big part of that.
“I definitely feel like I’ve advanced my game around the physicality, being far more consistent and lowering the number of penalties I give away.”
“I never played schoolboy rep stuff so I’m proud to show you can get picked from the club system because there are a lot of guys out there every weekend doing their best.
“Some of my friends for life are from club footy at Brothers.”
Position: Centre
Height: 1.86m
Weight: 89kg
Born: 22/09/2001, Sydney
Senior Club: Brothers
School: Nudgee College
Reds debut: v Melbourne Rebels, 2020
Reds caps: 51
Position: Lock
Height: 1.99m
Weight: 120kg
Born: 30/09/1996, Toowoomba
Senior Club: Brothers
School: St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe
Reds debut: v NSW Waratahs, 2021
Reds caps: 57
