Captain and halfback Tate McDermott will celebrate his 100th game for the Queensland Reds in Saturday night’s big derby against the ACT Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium.
McDermott’s eight-season run to join the 100-Cap Club in Queensland rugby, where Peter Slattery and Will Genia are the only other halfbacks honoured, also means he is one of the youngest to reach the revered milestone at just 26.
The halfback has earned a cult following at Suncorp Stadium where his sharp darts and try-sense have set up some of the Reds’ best results at the venue he calls home.
McDermott’s 31 tries also put him in the top bracket of career try-scorers for the Reds as he enters Round Nine of SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific.
“When you talk about what it means to be a Queensland Red and what it means to represent this squad, you look no further than Tate McDermott,” Reds head coach Les Kiss said.
“Beyond his leadership, it’s his commitment to the maroon jersey.
“In addition, Saturday night will be a wonderful milestone for Matt Faessler and Zane Nonggorr, who both bring up their 50th game for the Reds.
“They are two young men making their names in the front-row in a manner that bodes well for their futures and that of the club.”
The Reds will be missing Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson and centre-winger Filipo Daugunu.
No.8 Wilson sustained a fracture to his arm in contact against the Chiefs in Hamilton last Friday night which will sideline him for around six weeks while Daugunu is managing a lower limb injury.
“We saw how Joe Brial stepped up in the backrow against the Chiefs with his best performance for the Reds and he will get to show his wares at No.8 against the Brumbies,” Kiss said.
Tim Ryan returns on the wing with Hunter Paisami and Dre Pakeho reprising their pairing in the centres.
“Dre did a very mature job for us in Hamilton. Hunter and Dre are creating an excellent partnership in the centres,” Kiss said.
“We have a bench that impacts games and we feel the management of our front-row is giving us an extremely strong scrum week after week.
“It was great to see (fullback) Jock Campbell rejoin the match day squad with time against the Chiefs and his experience will be valuable off the bench.”
The Reds vs Brumbies match-up has developed into one of the most engaging spectacles in Super Rugby in recent years with the fan following to back it up.
Since the start of 2020, the teams have met 12 times. The ledger favours the Brumbies 7-5 over that period with nine of the games decided by a converted try or less.
McDermott gave insight into what Saturday night means for the Reds and a special personal achievement:
“It’s a bit of a pinch me moment to be a couple of days out from playing 100 games for Queensland.
“As a young kid from the Sunshine Coast, I never thought I’d be in this position. It’s a really proud moment for me and my family.
“Things have worked out perfectly to be playing the Brumbies. I love these games. They’ve been the benchmark of Australian Rugby and the side we’ve been chasing for a number of years.
“Obviously, big games are decided by big moments and we’ve got to make sure we’re playing Reds rugby in those moments.”
Milestone figures McDermott (Sunshine Coast), Nonggorr (Gold Coast) and Faessler (Toowoomba) represent the best of Saturday night’s celebration as Regional Round by the Queensland Rugby Union.
Saturday, April 12
Suncorp Stadium
7:35pm AEST
Watch live on Stan Sport and 9GEM
1 Sef Fa’agase - Sunnybank – Shailer Park State High – Beaudesert Warriors
2 Matt Faessler – Brothers – Toowoomba Grammar School – USQ Saints
3 Zane Nonggorr - Bond University – The Southport School – Gold Coast Eagles
4 Josh Canham – Bond University - Brighton Grammar, Melb - Harlequins RC, Melb
5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – Souths – John Edmondson HS, Sydney – Southern Districts, Sydney
6 Seru Uru - Wests - Ratu Kadavulevu School, Fiji – Namoli RC, Fiji
7 Fraser McReight (vc) – Brothers – Brisbane Grammar – Albany Creek Brumbies
8 Joe Brial – University of Queensland – Scots College – Easts, Sydney
9 Tate McDermott (c) - University of Queensland - Sunshine Coast Grammar - Flinders RC
10 Tom Lynagh – University of Queensland – Epsom College – Richmond RC, UK
11 Tim Ryan – Brothers – St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe
12 Hunter Paisami – Wests – Mangere College, Auckland
13 Dre Pakeho – Brothers – Anglican Church Grammar School
14 Lachie Anderson – University of Queensland - Oakhill College, Sydney – Dural RC, Sydney
15 Heremaia Murray - TBC – Auckland Grammar - Te Rarawa RC, NZ
16 Richie Asiata - Sunnybank – Anglican Church Grammar School
17 Alex Hodgman - Sunnybank – Mount Albert Grammar, Auckland – Suburbs RFC, Auck
18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen - Norths - Wellington College, NZ
19 Angus Blyth – Bond University – The Southport School – Casuarina Beach RC
20 John Bryant - Souths - St Laurence’s College - Souths
21 Kalani Thomas – University of Queensland – Ipswich Grammar School - Souths
22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips – Wests – Brisbane Boys’ College – Gunnedah Red Devils
23 Jock Campbell – University of Queensland – The Southport School – Inverell Highlanders
Unavailable through injury: Filipo Daugunu, Josh Flook, Matt Gibbon, Frankie Goldsbrough, Mason Gordon, Isaac Henry, Will McCulloch, Josh Nasser, Harry Wilson, Liam Wright
