Former Reds hooker Andrew Ready ditches Easts in bid to revive career

EASTS have been rocked by the sudden exit of Andrew Ready, who has been forced to ditch the Premier Rugby final to reignite his professional ambitions at hooker with Southland in New Zealand.

Andrew Ready will head to New Zealand in the hopes of reviving his rep career. Picture: Adam Head

EASTS have been rocked by the sudden exit of Andrew Ready, who has been forced to ditch the finale to the Premier Rugby season to reignite his professional ambitions at hooker with Southland in New Zealand.

Ready, 25, had been cut by the Queensland Reds but was determined to keep racking up strong performances with the Tigers and for Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship.

A midweek offer to link with the Stags flipped everything with the Kiwi club wanting Ready at training on Monday for the Mitre 10 Cup opener on Sunday week against Hawke’s Bay.

Ready informed Easts coach Anthony Connellan on Thursday and his teammates the same day at training that he would have to miss Sunday’s sudden-death preliminary final against GPS at Ballymore.

Andrew Ready will head to New Zealand in the hopes of reviving his rep career. Picture: Adam Head

“It’s a real kick in the guts to lose such an influential player for a game like this but Andrew goes with the club’s full blessing for all he has put into Easts over the past two seasons,” Connellan said.

“He needs to keep looking forward in his career and we know deep down he’d love to be playing for the Tigers to help get us to the grand final.”

The Tigers have drafted Sam Richards as their new hooker but it will be up to experienced Reds squad flankers Liam Wright and Michael Gunn to cover the valuable turnovers that Ready forces as a key part of his game.

Ready said his split from the Reds was difficult after 30 games but just three cameos off the bench this season because coach Brad Thorn preferred Alex Mafi as back-up to new Wallabies hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.

Andrew Ready will miss the Premier Rugby grand final. Picture: Darren England.

“I never thought I’d play one game for the Reds, much less 30, so I’ll always regard it as a huge honour and, who knows, the opportunity to come back may arise in the future,” Ready said.

Jeeps’ rally from 24-7 down to fall 24-21 to Uni in the major semi-final last Sunday has given them nominal favouritism for Sunday’s 3pm clash because it highlighted what’s possible with a scrummaging advantage and an abrasive pack.

Reds props JP and Ruan Smith will again be trumps while the inclusion of flanker Matt Gicquel, now returned from a European break, adds to the pack.

“No one is ever pleased with losing but the way the guys never gave in and pressured to full-time was really pleasing and exactly what is needed to need a very good Easts side,” GPS coach Anthony Mathison said.

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