I reckon the Queensland Reds have done us proud this season and they haven’t finished yet. Not by a long shot.

On Saturday night Brad Thorn’s men will take on the Melbourne Rebels at Suncorp Stadium for the right to play the ACT Brumbies in the Super Rugby AU grand final on September 19.

Considering where they were at the start of the season, with uncertainty over the Coronavirus and three key players walking out to play in Japan, just to be competing in the finals is nothing short of miraculous. But given the way the team has performed over the past ten weeks – and especially in the 26-7 drubbing they handed the Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium last Saturday – another Super Rugby title is not out of the question.

There is plenty to like about this team. Thorn has coached and nurtured many of the players since he joined the Reds as Under 20s coach in 2016 and they have blossomed under his no-nonsense, old-school approach. There are plenty of star performers such as rampaging front rower Taniela Tupou, boom centre Jordan Petaia and born-again five-eighth James O’Connor, plus exciting up-and-comers in halfback Tate McDermott and backrower Fraser McReight.

In Liam Wright they have a captain who leads by example, but the best thing about this Reds team is just that – they are a team; a committed squad who respect their team-mates and the jersey they wear, just like their coach did in his remarkable playing career.

I reckon this is a side that has truly earned Queensland’s support.

What do YOU reckon?