Last week, for my final interview of the year, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Reds halfback, Kalani Thomas. At 21 years old, Kalani has more than proven he’s one of Queensland’s rising stars. We got to chat about many things, including his rugby journey, his thoughts on where the Reds are at and what it was like winning the Super Rugby AU final in 2021. (He was just 19 at the time!)
I enjoyed catching up with the hard-working halfback and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading our conversation!
The last few Reds international games were super exciting for me. How did you find playing in the overseas games recently?
For the Tonga game and the Wales game, I was actually injured, so I didn't play those games. I had a stress fracture that I got during the season, but I played through until we finished against a Chiefs, when we lost. Then I went for scans the following week and found out there was a crack in my foot. So I missed those games, but I was a part of the Panasonic game.
It was cool getting to Japan and experiencing a different culture… and it was great to connect with the new club players that came in. It was cool to get the win too. They came out firing, they were “up” for that game. It was just awesome to be on tour and be amongst the boys, get the win and bring the shield back home.
What did you love most about Japan?
The food was awesome. Especially the convenience stores over there, you can go there anytime, get fried chicken... sandwiches, it’s awesome. The food over there was one of my favourite things and it's also so cheap. And just the respect that the Japanese show. You walk the streets and there's no rubbish, which is crazy for a big city like that, Tokyo especially.
What was it like going through rehab? And what did you learn from the experience?
It was tough. That was my first proper injury that I've had throughout my footy career. So I was out for three months, which is nothing compared to an ACL injury, or something like that. So it was different experience for me. I thought it was going to be pretty cool, having time off footy, but it was actually frustrating mentally, especially a month into my rehab. When I got the cast off, I was walking fine and all I wanted to do was get back on the footy field, because I thought I was sweet. But just having that awareness and discipline to keep up your rehab, especially when you go home, you got to do all those little exercises, just to get you on the front foot, which is something that I hadn't had to do yet.
Even keeping up with my injury prevention, I would say doing the exercises today just helps keep me from getting injured again. And it was something that I enjoyed. It was good process, just to learn and do something else that was pretty tough.
This is Red Rugby Rules, so I’d love to ask about the 2024 Super Rugby season. How do you feel like the team progressed? Also, how are you feeling about how things are tracking leading to next year?
I think we started off well. We played the Tahs round one, beat them, then went down to magic round in Melbourne and just lost to the Hurricanes in the extra time. Then we came back to Suncorp and played the Chiefs and we ended up winning. So it was a bit of a good start for us, to be able to go toe to toe with the Kiwi teams. But then we sort of hit a flat patch in the middle of the season. We had three losses, one to Moana, the Brumbies and Force, on the trot, which wasn't the best. And then we ended up going into our buy round, which I think was a big refresher for the boys, because we came back and we had three Kiwi teams. So we had the Highlanders, which was a good game at Suncorp, where I think it was 31 - nil. Then we just lost to the Blues the following week, when they scored on full time…
And then we went over to the ‘Saders and beat them over in Christchurch. That was probably one of the best feelings I've had since the Super Rugby AU final in 2021! It was pretty cool. But then to make the quarterfinals and lose to the Chiefs for the second year in a row, that was pretty tough… just the way we played in that first half and getting a hiding like that in the quarter final, we know we're so much better and I think that's brought us in good stead for the 2025 season. We just need to keep at it, especially in the quarter finals, when the pressures on. But I know the boys and Kiss and the coaches are super excited. We're getting a lot of new boys coming from the Rebels and so I think next year will be awesome.
Obviously the 2021 Super Rugby final was a great experience for all of us Reds fans. What were your highlights from that experience?
I think the crowd was a big part of the environment. I think there were 42,000 people at the game and I was a just young 18-19, year old. Playing in front of a crowd like that, those are things that you dream of and to get the win in the fashion that we did, with O'Connor scoring that last try on the final play, you dream of those moments, winning on the final play and the celebrations afterwards. I remember that like it was yesterday, especially that feeling. There's not many times where you get to replicate that feeling outside of footy. So it was awesome.
I love hearing about people's rugby journeys. How old were you when you first started playing and what inspired you to play?
Well, I was one of those kids that always had a ball in my hand. I was real energetic - I couldn't keep still. And my dad, he always watched the footy, so I must have gravitated towards rugby. I started footy when I was four or five, at the Springfield Hawks and I've just been playing ever since then. I went to school at Ipswich Grammar in grade eight, I moved there through a scholarship and that opened my pathway to the Reds. If I’d stayed at the school I was at previously, which was Springfield Anglican, they were in the second division. They weren't in the GPS system, which is “div one” and playing at IGS, just opened so many doors. It got me into the Reds pathway. And then I was just lucky enough to make the Academy. Then I had one year in Academy with the Reds and then I was In the top squad in 2021, which was my first season.
What are your goals for the future, both in rugby, and also personally?
For rugby, definitely, I have a the biggest belief that the boys here and the team that we have, the coaches that we have, can win the championship. Although, I feel like you wouldn't show up if you didn't believe that. That’s probably my number one goal for rugby. And personally… It's probably just to be more present or more, yeah, more happy, I guess. I feel like footy can be a stressful time sometimes, especially with the pressure and the outside noise. So it's good that I have a sports psychologist, where I can just talk to her through things and just get stuff off my chest. That's probably one personal goal, just to stay present.
What's your favourite post game feed?
There's a Maccas that’s right up the road from my house. So I stop there on the way home and I love that. That's the truth. So my go to meal is, 24 nuggets and a large Quarter Pounder meal with large fries and just a water. That's pretty much it. I'm real basic.
Thanks Kalani for making time. I’m cheering you and all the team on into 2025. Keep training hard, I’m with you all the way!
Sweet brother, all good. Thank you!