Mike Harris says he’d love to lead Reds past Rebels before joining Melbourne club in 2015

REDS fullback Mike Harris may be heading to the Melbourne Rebels next season yet they are the enemy he’d happily slay with a last-minute kick.

Qld Reds vs The Highlanders, at Suncorp Stadium. Mike Harris.

REDS fullback Mike Harris may be heading to the Melbourne Rebels next season yet tonight they are the enemy he’d happily slay with a last-minute kick.

Harris said he had no “soft spot” for his future team tonight because clawing back some respect on the competition table was too important for the 12th-placed Reds.

“I’m 100 per cent for the Reds until the season finishes,” Harris said.

“If that means a kick to beat the Rebels on fulltime, it would be great.

“There are no finals to play for us but we are judging ourselves on how we perform and the style in which we finish over the last three games.”

Friday night’s Queensland back three of Harris, Dom Shipperley (Rebels) and Rod Davies (Biarritz) are all leaving for other clubs at the end of the season.

“That’s the business side of rugby. Deals get done and it can be a weight off the shoulders which I feel myself,” Harris said.

“I’ve had four enjoyable years at the Reds. No one wants to leave on a losing note so, yes, the style in which we finish is very important to me.”

Australia’s sharpest goalkicker may be a gamebreaker in Melbourne where winds of 40km/h will be swirling over the stadium.

Skipper James Horwill saw no undermining disruption in seven players signing to play elsewhere next year, including four to clubs in France (Davies, Aidan Toua and Jono Owen) and Italy (Albert Anae).

“Whether you say it’s the right or wrong thing (with contracting) happening in-season it’s the reality of professional sport,” Horwill said.

“You look across all codes, that’s the way it is.

“Any guys who are leaving you want them to finish on a good note personally.

“As a club, you want them to have fond memories of their time with Queensland. They can walk away with our blessing and start a new chapter.”

Horwill copped a $2500 fine for raging that the Reds “were robbed by a stupid refereeing decision” after the dramatic 30-27 loss to the Rebels in May.

“There’s always extra feeling against another Australian side but we’ll just get on with going for the win because that seems a long time ago,” Horwill said.

Dreadful defence around the ruck gifted Rebels halfback Luke Burgess a try when the teams last met so the attitude to tackle desperately has to be high from the Reds.

Flyhalf Ben Lucas was relaxed about his partnership with youngster Nick Frisby having to fill the void left by injured aces Will Genia and Quade Cooper.

“A lot of people wouldn’t realise ‘Pickle’ (Frisby) and I train together all the time. The team is running with all the same calls and patterns,” Lucas said.

Added Horwill: “Pickle might not be your traditional No.9 but he has that freakish knack for making space with a litte of the unorthodox.”

Selecting boom Australian Under-20s flanker Sean McMahon to start is a top decision from Rebels coach Tony McGahan after his brilliant tournament in New Zealand.

Powering through five defenders with leg drive and strength to stir the comeback win over France in Auckland was a gem.

Originally published as Mike Harris says he’d love to lead Reds past Rebels before joining Melbourne club in 2015