Having lived around this part of the world for a while now and having spoken to a number of people close to the Reds, I think the best way to describe them is a mix of the Lions and Cheetahs. Just like the Lions they are forever in a rebuilding phase without much success. They also seem to be held back by similar internal politics which tends to haunts the Cheetahs.

In that vein it is no surprise to find they have yet another ‘new’ coach this year and even less of a surprise to hear them talk up their own prospects a few weeks before the kick-off. I do think the signing of Link as coach was a huge step in the right direction, with a bunch of youngsters the future is suppose to look bright but only time will tell if Link will be given the freedom to do his job and build the team or if the petty politics will again rip the building blocks from under the team.

One of the youngsters and success stories of last year, Will Genia said the team is no longer happy with the mediocrity that marked their Super Rugby campaigns for the last few years i.e. fighting it out for the wooden spoon. His own goal is to do as well as he can for the Reds before thinking about Wallaby representation later in the year.

It is all in the mind.

The new coach has obviously had a long and hard chat to the boys and Genia said there is now a different mindset . “It will be attitude,” Genia said: “For a long time we have been happy with mediocre results, being happy with finishing within five points and being competitive.”

 “That’s a thing that needs to change.”

“Having just been with the team [he only joined the team this week], you can definitely see that has changed and it is very exciting for 2010.”

He also touched on the youthfulness of the team. “You always need a good balance of youth and experience,” Genia said, adding: “The thing that youth brings is exuberance and excitement, but you need cool heads to calm it down and do the simple things well.”

“I think we have a good blend.”

“We’ve got guys like Greg Holmes and Morgan Turinui, along with guys like Richard Kingi and Luke Morahan.” Holmes and Turinui both in excess of 50 Super games and a few Wallaby caps whilst the latter two boys are still just that, boys.

“With that blend we can do well in 2010.”

The general practise of most teams in Australia of, ‘if you good enough, you are old enough’, also shows at the Reds with a number of the younger squad members having racked up plenty of Super Rugby experience.

“Quade Cooper and myself started when we were only 18.” Cooper, who is, just like Genia, only 21 years old, has played 35 Super games and Genia 27. We can add another 21 year old, Brando Va’aulu with 27 Super caps.

“As I said, that blend of youthful exuberance and experience will stand us in good stead for 2010.”

Well Link and his team will have an opportunity to show us their steel when they meet his old team, the Waratahs, in the first game at Suncorp in a few short weeks. Lets see then how much the mind has really changed.