Qld vs NSW

[GTRSRULE!!!]

HI all this is 4 nething QLD Vs NSW related.

1st off:

Big picture suits Flatley fine

By Bret Harris

February 2, 2005

QUEENSLAND inside centre Elton Flatley has just about committed heresy by suggesting it does not matter whether the Reds beat arch-rivals NSW Waratahs in their Super 12 trial at Ballymore on Saturday night.

In nine years of Super 12 competition, the Reds have never lost to the Waratahs.

While this is a tradition of which the Queenslanders are extremely proud, Flatley does not believe the Reds' hatred towards NSW should necessarily extend to a pre-season game.

It is only the second time Queensland and NSW have met in a pre-season trial with the Reds winning 22-7 in a bruising encounter on the Gold Coast in 1998.

"We are in trial mode," said Flatley, who will make his first appearance of the year off the Reds' bench.

"While you want to win every game, we would rather win the Super 12 game than a trial.

"It is of no consequence. No one will remember who won the trial game in 2005, but everyone will remember who won the Super 12 game."

Flatley and Wallabies winger Wendell Sailor are being eased back into the Queensland squad after missing the Reds' 43-5 win against an under-strength ACT Brumbies at Ballymore last Saturday night.

It will be Flatley's first outing since he strained a knee in the Wallabies' win against world champions England at Twickenham last November.

At one stage, there was a chance Flatley would not play in the trials at all but he made a quicker than expected recovery.

"I feel pretty good," Flatley said. "I had my first full training session yesterday morning. There were no dramas at all.

"I might get 20 minutes or 30 minutes, I'm not sure. I just want to get out and play some footy."

It is understandable Flatley would be eager to play after missing most of last season, including all of the domestic Test schedule, with a thumb injury and a broken arm.

"It was a very disjointed year," he said. "I'd had a couple of good years with injuries, but last year wasn't so good. Hopefully, this year will be better and brighter."

One of Flatley's main goals this year is to lead Queensland into the Super 12 semi-finals. While the Reds have not underachieved to the same extent as the Waratahs, they have only reached the top four on three occasions.

"Everything is moving in a positive direction, but we are not getting too excited," Flatley said.

"We've been in this situation before where we have started well in the trials, but we haven't performed as well in the Super 12. We are quietly confident we'll carry our form through to the real matches in the Super 12."

Queensland have made several changes to the team that beat the Brumbies, with Nick Stiles and Sean Hardman packing down in the front row in their first appearances.

Wallabies forwards Nathan Sharpe and Daniel Heenan will start after coming off the bench against the Brumbies. Junior Pelesasa has displaced Ben Tune from the starting outside centre position with Peter Hynes coming onto the left wing.

The Australian