Queensland Reds Target Zac Lomax in Upcoming Match
Queensland Reds captain Fraser McReight has revealed the team’s strategy to take advantage of Zac Lomax’s limited experience in rugby union ahead of their upcoming match against the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium.
Lomax, a former NRL star who recently switched codes to join the Force, is set to make his Super Rugby Pacific debut off the bench. Despite acknowledging Lomax’s exceptional talent, McReight emphasized that the Reds are looking to exploit any gaps in the former Parramatta Eels winger’s understanding of the game.
“He’s super good with the high ball, powerful, strong, athletic … he’s going to be a dangerous man,” McReight said.
“We hope that we can exploit his (lack of) knowledge of the game, especially if he’s coming on in the back three, hopefully being able to pin him in a corner, or using our kicking game to help us out.”
McReight expressed excitement about the challenge of facing Lomax and is eager to see how the former NSW State of Origin representative performs in his new environment.
The Reds are aiming for redemption after a heavy 52-14 loss to the Hurricanes last Saturday, which prevented them from securing their fifth consecutive win. McReight acknowledged the need for a stronger performance this time around.
“(The Force) are tough, they’re gritty. They go the whole 80 minutes, so for us we’re really excited to play our style of football again, especially after the performance we had against the Hurricanes, which wasn’t up to our standards,” McReight said.
The return of Wallabies flyhalf Carter Gordon is expected to boost the Reds’ chances. Gordon has missed the past two games but has been a key performer this season.
“Carter’s form sort of speaks for itself,” McReight said, reflecting on Gordon’s early-season contributions.
Gordon’s return has seen Harry McLaughlin-Phillips move to the bench. However, McReight praised McLaughlin-Phillips for his outstanding performance in recent games.
“(McLaughlin-Phillips) has done a fantastic job … and he’ll get a chance again this week to finish the game,” McReight said.
“He’s got a really specific and important role for us. Those last 20 minutes against the Force in those two games last year were kind of where the money was won (by the Reds).”
“We’re going to need the bench to step up this weekend. For us to get the result, the bench has got to be on.”
The Western Force, on the other hand, are in desperate need of a win after losing five of their six games this season. Their coach, Simon Kron, is focused on improving their performance in critical moments.
“We’ve just got to nail down those key moments in the game and the boys have been working on that,” Kron said.
“It’s been impressive to watch. We’ve just got to go out and do it on the field.”
