This week, I had an awesome time watching the Reds train at Ballymore. As I've done many times before, I sat across from the posts during kicking practice. A few people were around to block the balls. One ended up hitting my armrest which added to the fun! A few people were worried about me, but I find being amongst the action exhilarating.
After training, I got to chat with 2 young, very talented Reds players. Louis Werchon and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips have been around the Reds for a relatively short time, but have made their mark at Ballymore already. Queenslands future looks bright with players like these around!
I’m really pleased you guys are both in Reds squad. Tell me about your experience at Ballymore so far?
[Harry:] Uh, yeah, I've loved it. Obviously, it's a new facility, so it's been pretty awesome to be able to be in there - and with the new coaching group as well. It's been pretty fresh and pretty exciting and everyone's really keen for the year. So it's been good!
[Louis:] Yeah. Just obviously coming in from last year being back in with the new facilities, I think everything's more well ran, we’ve got three fields operational. It's a lot easier and flows a bit better.
I love hearing about peoples rugby journeys. How would you describe your journey to this point in time - starting with your first ever touch of a rugby ball?
[Harry:] Yeah, so when I started, I was living in country New South Wales in Gunnedah. I started playing when I was four and then my family moved up to the Sunshine Coast two years later and I played for the Caloundra lighthouses for five or six years. And then I went to Sunny Coast Grammar, I was there for a year, then moved to boarding school here in Brisbane at BBC [Brisbane Boys College] and I was there for the last five years of school. Since then, I moved out and play at Souths here in Brissy. And yeah... I just enjoyed the journey. I just love playing footy, yeah wherever I am I just enjoy it.
[Louis:] I was at Sunny Coast Grammar, a grade above Harry actually, but he was only there for a year. I think he beat me in a touch tournament at school once.
[Harry:] I remember that!
[Louis:] But then, yeah, I did my prep to grade 12 and then I did my plumbing apprenticeship - I did a school based apprenticeship. So I was juggling footy and that after school as well. So then I was driving back and forth from the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane. And then the last two years I've moved down to Brisbane and obviously joined the Reds.
I was plumbing up on the Coast for my brother's company. Then I'd drive down at 2pm in the afternoon for training and then drive back to the coast after.
I'm guessing Tate would have been an inspiration for you guys on the Sunshine Coast?!
[Louis:] Yeah, obviously being a halfback as well. Like, I was at school with Tatey… I think I was in grade, maybe 8 or 9 when he graduated. So yeah, I hate saying it, but yeah, I did look up to him at school. But yeah, he was always helped us out on Wednesday mornings. We had a session and he was always there. So he was a huge help for us in the Central Coast.
[Harry:] He was an inspiration to me. But now I have to spend more time with him, he’s just a pest and he just annoys me all the time. So not any more [Laughs].
Did you always play in the same position growing up?
[Harry:] I've pretty much always played 10. I played a little bit of 12 during school and then a little bit of fullback last year. But mainly ten.
[Louis:] Um, no I never played nine growing up, I was always a ten, outside centre or fullback. I think my final year of first XV, I played 12. But I always knew I was going to be end up in halfback. It's just on the Sunshine Coast, there's not much depth, so I was just always just filling in wherever. Yeah. And then for like all of rep footy I played halfback and but I only played nine in my last two years of schooling.
What do you love about playing halfback now?
[Louis:] I don't have to tackle as much.
[Harry:] [Laughs] You're soft.
You guys have both been a part of the Australian Under-20s squad. What was a highlight of that experience?
[Louis:] Um, one highlight for me was that my under 20s squad [2022] was on the Sunshine Coast, so that was cool. It was pretty lucky! So I was the only one really with a car, so I was just driving around with all the boys. But definitely, representing Australia for sure. It's always a highlight and yeah, it's awesome.
[Harry:] I think for me, um, we got to play over in South Africa, so that was pretty cool. Got to travel as a squad and play over there. And and to get a win against the Kiwis over there, it was pretty special. It's good to beat them.
This ones for Louis… I heard you played AFL for two seasons. How old were you, and what were your big takeaways from that?
Um, I was 14, so it was weird. So on the Sunshine Coast, I play for the Caloundra Panthers. If you're 14, you played in under 16s.It was a huge help for me with my kicking game. After my second season, I was going into first XV, so I kind of had to make the choice of rugby or AFL. And I chose rugby... because I started when I was four - playing rugby.
Later on, during Covid season, I went back to the Panthers and was there just as a fill-in, just for fun and they ended up just saying, do you want to finish the season? So I enjoy my AFL. My Dad's from South Australia, so I was brought up with it.
This one’s for Harry - what sport would you play if you had to play another one?
If I HAD to play another one... probably volleyball. I played a bit through school and I really enjoyed it.
What advice would you have for players, boys and girls who want to play professionally?
[Harry:] I think the biggest advice is that you've got to enjoy it. Like you've got to love it. If you don't actually love it and you don't enjoy turning up to train every day, to work on your craft, I think it's just not going to work. And for some people, that's just the case that they just don't love it. So I think you've got to find something that you love and then you've just got to go for it!
Favourite post-game meal?
[Louis:] I don't really have a specific one, I just have whatever's put in the change room. Whatever they give us. I don't mind, like a pizza or like something greasy.
[Harry:] I don't mind a burger with chips… Like just a full, solid meal.
Thanks for taking time out to chat! Enjoy the bye weekend. I can’t wait until the next Reds game against Moana, the weekend after!
The Reds have a well deserved bye weekend coming up - and are set to play Moana Pacifica Friday April 12th at 5:05pm! The game is in New Zealand and I’ll be watching on Stan Sport!
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