Ewen McKenzie turned the Reds around

WHEN Ewen McKenzie arrived at the Reds there were Queensland players who were uncertain if a team song even existed.

WHEN Ewen McKenzie arrived at the Reds there were players who were uncertain if a team song even existed so infrequent were the occasions to belt it out after a win.

He inherited a collection of the most unwanted tags for a footy team of any code.

Serial losers, lacking fight, a pack that couldn't tear the top off a custard, road kill, bumblers in a tight finish; you invent a sledge and it had been used over the six dire seasons between 2004-09.

The poor 38-9 loss that ended the McKenzie era with the Reds on such an unfitting note in Christchurch on Saturday night cannot erode what he has achieved in four seasons.

The Reds won just 20 times in those six bad seasons when diehard fans even switched off. McKenzie's side more than doubled that (44 wins) in four campaigns of hoodoo-busting and entertainment.

See? He changed the whole language around the Reds.

The flops became fighters and finals fixtures. He turned Suncorp Stadium from ``Open House'' for any visiting team wanting a win to ``Our House'' where it is defending like the Helm's Deep fortress in Lord of the Rings.

That is the rich inheritance he hands on to new coach Richard Graham.

The fog that engulfed chilly Christchurch Sunday morning and forced the cancellation of the Reds flight home can't be symbolic of the future.

You can't lose game-changers like Scott Higginbotham, Digby Ioane and Radike Samo in two seasons and blithely keep repeating that the Reds can grow replacement thrust from within for 2014.

Only young Chris Feauai-Sautia screams out with the incisive running desperately needed in the centres next year and his hamstrings are as reliable as Shane Watson's leg muscles.

Forwards like Rob Simmons and Ed Quirk need to step up in a line-smashing role because the Crusaders' All Black forwards killed the Reds with that intent.

There is a similar worry for McKenzie now he steps up as Wallabies coach. Higginbotham and another powerhouse Wycliff Palu, after knee surgery last week, will miss the August 17 Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney.
Abrasive Brumby Peter Kimlin may now be a good backrow fit.

Cooper ran just a handful of times in Christchurch with little front foot ball. Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua is playing the best rugby of his career and deserves to be in the next Wallabies squad too.

McKenzie will indeed get the chance to coach the Wallabies but how he selects them will be even more fascinating.