Mike Harris’ departure paves way for Reds to lure James O’Connor to Queensland

THE exit of Mike Harris to the Melbourne Rebels next season increases the chances of the Reds swooping on wildcard James O'Connor.

James O'Connor could be bound for the Reds.

THE exit of Mike Harris to the Melbourne Rebels next season increases the chances of the Reds swooping on wildcard James O'Connor to beef up the ball-handling and goalkicking edge of a squad being remodelled in secret.

The Reds have a multitude of shortcomings and none are fixed by losing cool handling touches and brilliant goalkicking which Harris injected at key times over his four seasons.

Utility back O'Connor offers both even if he is seen only as a roaming winger as Reds coach Richard Graham nominated recently when pressed on what position he saw for the wayward Wallaby “if” he was interested.

News_Image_File: Reds utility Mike Harris will join the Rebels next season.

One of the big issues in the Reds slide to last has been the lack of threats outside Will Genia and Quade Cooper which has made it easier for other sides to smother their brilliance.

Outside of that pair, only Harris, Ben Tapuai and super-sub Ben Lucas offer any handling subtlety at all as frontline backs.

There has been lots of moaning about the penalty reversal-eye massage-red card drama to end the loss to the Rebels.

The Reds might not have been in that fix if centre Anthony Faingaa had shifted the ball towards unmarked winger Dom Shipperley in the final 10 minutes instead of taking a tackle and bungling an off-load.

News_Image_File: James O'Connor has been linked with the Reds.

Signing some new ball-playing talent is a must. What the Reds could do with former Wallabies gun Matt Giteau, slaying them for French club Toulon in a second Heineken Cup triumph at 31.

Lucas is a fine goalkicker and stepped up admirably at flyhalf for 71 minutes when Cooper's Super Rugby season ended when he was dumped on his left shoulder against the Rebels.

The problem is Lucas will never command a spot in the best, fully-fit Reds XV when Cooper and Genia are ahead of him in his best positions.

Lucas will get the job of stepping up bravely again at No. 10 against the hot Highlanders at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

News_Rich_Media: Nick Cummins has had an absolute mare for the Western Force, making a complete mess of a clearance against the Lions.

There have been more than 15 players announced as re-signings or recruits around Australia over the past six weeks yet not boo out of Ballymore.

While the ACT Brumbies have trumpeted the re-signing of Matt Toomua, Nic White, Scott Fardy, Christian Lealiifano and Jesse Mogg, zip has come from the Reds.

Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael insists several re-signings have been agreed to and others are near finalisation but he has no intention of rushing out a name.

He is waiting until more pieces of the squad puzzle for next year are resolved by Graham.

Harris and reserve prop Jono Owen, who is heading to French club Grenoble, will not be the only Reds heading to other clubs next year.