Missing Will Genia and Quade Cooper, Reds are hoping Turner can be a Lachie charm

LACHIE Turner must inject fresh spark for a Reds team without both Will Genia and Quade Cooper for the first time in six years.

Lachie Turner at Reds Rugby training at Ballymore. Pic Annette Dew

A FIT-AGAIN Lachie Turner must inject fresh spark for a Reds team without both Will Genia and Quade Cooper for the first time in six years.

Playing the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday night without their dynamic halves is a true step into the unknown because the Queenslanders have been so reliant on their direction.

When flyhalf Cooper was a late starter to 2012 because of major knee surgery, Genia was still buzzing around calling the shots.

When halfback Genia was sidelined early last season for the same reason, Cooper was a constant.

Not since Sam Cordingley and Berrick Barnes started in the halves in the first game of the 2008 season have both Genia and Cooper been missing from the run-on side.

While young Nick Frisby, 21, and Ben Lucas will partner in the halves against the Rebels, it is Turner’s return which can give the backline some much-needed extra spark.

The sharp runs he can offer from the backfield have been missing since both Turner and injury-cursed Aidan Toua were grounded as fullback options in March.

Lachie Turner will be expected to give the Reds some attacking thrust in the absence of the halves.

Forty minutes of club rugby in Easts’ 50-17 win over Norths last weekend was enough for Reds coach Richard Graham to declare Turner a starter against the Rebels.

With any chance of making the finals long gone, Graham said left-field selection choices aimed at next season were unlikely.

“It’s about finishing 2014 well so it’s just important to pick a team we feel can get the job done,” Graham said.

Injuries have compromised being too crazy with selections.

Turner’s return will enable Mike Harris to return to the centres against the Melbourne club he has signed to play for in 2015-16.

Frisby’s chance to start at halfback for the final three games is timely reward to cover Genia, who had ankle surgery last week.

With seven players leaving the Reds after this season, Graham stonewalled on the hot speculation that James O’Connor and Karmichael Hunt would be the big recruits.

“We’ve always said there was going to be change and there needs to be change so we are comfortable,” Graham said.

“In terms of who is coming in, that will be revealed by (Queensland Rugby Union chief executive) Jim Carmichael when the time is right.”

Graham did say any possible switch from AFL to rugby for Hunt would be made easier by his previous experiences in the game.

“The thing with a guy like Hunt is that he’s got background in the game. He played at Churchie for a number of school seasons and he played in a Heineken Cup final for Biarritz,” Graham said.

“I think everyone’s aware of the footballing abilities he possesses.”

Reds prop James Slipper, who had a superb Test series against France, said chumming around with Rebels skipper Scott Higginbotham as a Wallabies room-mate last week had been forgotten.

“We’ve been mates for years but you put that aside on game night and have a crack at each other,” Slipper said.

Frisby’s creative play for his club GPS is always eye-catching with sniping runs and kick-and-regather gems.

Prop Ben Daley has recovered from a broken thumb and his intensity will be valuable.

Originally published as Missing Will Genia and Quade Cooper, Reds are hoping Turner can be a Lachie charm