Catching up with Queensland's Jude Gibbs

Last week I got to catch up with one of the newest members of the Reds, Jude Gibbs! We chatted about all sorts of things, including his personal rugby journey and how the team going.

BY THE WAY…. the Reds are looking really good ahead of the pre-season tour of the UK. I’d rate the intensity at training over the last few weeks at about 10 out of 10!

And it seems Jude feels right at home amongst the Reds boys… I hope you enjoy reading our conversation, as much as I enjoyed having it!

The Reds are in their second week of training for the year. How do you feel the team is going during
preseason?

I think the team's going really well. We had a really good block before Christmas and then for this second week that we've just started, we've got all the Wallabies boys back, so we're back to full compliment. We're able to train 15 on 15. And so, yeah, we're really going strong, developing and looking good for the tour of the UK. Good question.

How are you going settling into Brisbane?

Yeah, I'm going really well. I'm enjoying life in Brisbane. I'm definitely making a lot of friends here. There’s a very welcoming group and fortunately, I've got a good network outside of rugby, with family and friends living up here who have been really hospitable to me and letting me stay there. So it's been an easy transition for me, which allows me to just focus on playing my rugby, which I'm really enjoying.

What do you love most about being based here at Ballymore?

What do I love most about being here at Ballymore? Well, I know it's just got a really rich history for the Reds and a few Australian games have been played here in the past, not to mention the club footy in Brisbane is at a really high level. I know they have their grand final here and it's had some massive moments. And we're very lucky to have the new facilities built, I think, just in the last 18 months. So it makes it really enjoyable to come here and be able to train as hard as we can with great facilities. And then, the staff with it.

I know you can play in quite a few positions. If you had to choose a favourite, what would it be?

My favourite position is definitely five-eighth. I played the majority of my rugby there, going through the grades and that's definitely where I prefer playing. But have spent time playing inside center and fullback, where the roles are somewhat similar. But yeah, I definitely prefer playing five-eighth and then closely watch all the professionals play and try to learn as much off of them as I can.

I love hearing about people's rugby journeys. What inspired you to start playing the game?

What inspired me... Well, I started playing rugby league when I was four, I think. My dad used to play rugby league for South in the 80s and he was a pretty decent player. He got, as he tells me a lot, the Dally M second rower of the year in 1980 and was the youngest captain for South which he also mentions a lot. So yeah, rugby’s sort of in the family bit. And so I got pushed into that and, yeah, I really loved it. So I've been playing rugby league and AFL and rugby union for the majority of my life. It's what I've wanted to do for my whole life, really.

I heard your dad was a great rugby league player. Can you tell me about your rugby club in Sydney, Norths?

Yeah, Norths. In Sydney, I played there in 2023 and 2024 it's honestly, it’s probably greatest decision of my rugby career, before getting this opportunity. Because, yeah, I was given a very good opportunity with a great coaching staff who had a really good game plan and the players in the team were at a really elite level. We were really fortunate to make two grand finals. So I definitely learned a lot playing in the Shute shield with that club, especially, like I said, from the coaching staff, who were quite young and how to game style that I hadn't been exposed to before, where it was a lot more running rugby, which definitely developed my game, for sure.

Can you tell us something about yourself that not many people know?

Hmmm, let me think. An obvious one is, it sounds like a bloody sob story, but it's not at all [laughs.] I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease when I was, I think, 12,  and so I've been… “battling” is definitely the wrong word to use… but “managing” that for the majority of my life now. And so, yeah, that's not necessarily a struggle, but it definitely makes the planning and preparation side of things for rugby a massive thing, because yeah, it can flare up from time to time and there's a fair bit of stress placed on your body in rugby, mentally and physically. So I make sure I can handle that, eat the right foods, make sure my body's in the best condition for myself to be able to perform at training, you know, day in and day out.

What's your favourite post-game feed?

It's always take-out - a bit of a meal you deserve... last year, I especially loved getting a chicken burger after a game... or I don't mind pasta of some sort. Last year where I lived, they had a nice takeaway shop around the corner. Those burgers were outstanding.

Thanks Jude for taking time to catch up!

Of course, it was great. Very good questions. Great interview!

Scrapping it up with the Junkyard Dog - A Conversation with Tim Ryan

Last week, I had the pleasure of catching up with Queensland's Tim Ryan, otherwise known as the "Junkyard Dog"! We had a great chat about a whole bunch of things, including how the team is travelling and a few of his hobbies outside of rugby.

Last year was a big year for Tim, which saw him awarded Queensland and Rugby AU's "Rookie of the Year"! (Click here to read about the hatrick he scored on his debut!) I did ask Tim about his experience last year, including what it was like being a part of the Wallabies Hub at Ballymore. Overall however, it was clear to me that the winger is focused on the upcoming Reds season. (Super Rugby kicks off Friday February 21st by the way!!!!)

I hope you enjoy reading my conversation with Tim, as much as I enjoyed having it!

Hey Tim, great to catch up. Thanks for making time to chat, during a busy training week!

Thank you! Thanks for having me.

What did you get up to over Christmas and New Years?

Yeah, Christmas was busy, as usual! Then just after Christmas, I went to Straddy, North Stradbrook Island, which was amazing! It was my first time there. And, yeah, we caught a few fish, I'm getting into my fishing. And then for New Year's, I was in Burleigh, down on the Gold Coast, with my family. (We always go down there.) So yeah, good little holiday, I enjoyed it!

Speaking of hobbies, Jock was saying to me on the way out that I should ask you about tennis.

[Laughs.] Yeah, me and Jock have a little bit of a tennis rivalry at the moment. We haven’t actually played yet! [Laughs again.] We’ve got a game brewing, so I’m trying to work on my tennis skills.

You’ve had 4 days back training at Ballymore, since the break. How are you travelling? And how do you feel the team is travelling?

I feel like we're traveling really well. I feel like everyone's attitude and intent in training has been amazing and the coaches are really pushing us through that. Obviously, we had a bit of a break over Christmas, so the boys have come back firing and keen for what’s to come.

Don’t worry, I’m fired up too! Last year was a great year for the team, and also, from your perspective. What’s your mindset heading into 2025?

Yeah, last year was a great first year for myself, and then for the team we obviously made that final against the Chiefs. So I think going into next year, we need to just improve on the base that we had last year. Obviously, with the new coaches coming in last year, we've got a full year under our belt now. And we've got a lot of new boys coming in, from the Rebels and other other areas and we're all just really confident as a group that we can put in a really good year together. But yeah, build from from last year and really give the give the comp a shock, hopefully.

I love that. By the way, congratulations on winning Rookie of the Year last year!

Thank you very much. Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise that I wasn't expecting. But yeah, they flew me down to Sydney with my girlfriend Jesse as well. It was a good trip. Thanks, Tommy!

What are the skills you learnt last year, that are position-specific?

Yeah, I worked with Brad [Davis], our defensive coach, a lot on really knocking down my positioning as a winger there. If you ask Brad, it's been a bit of a stepping stone, a work in progress kind of thing. But yeah, I'm going to continue working on that during preseason. And this fellow here, Here [points to Heremaia Murray, walking through the hallway], he's great. He’s got lot of experience and is helping me out. A lot of the boys are helping me out from that wingers perspective. But yeah, going to keep doing my passing and kicking and nailing down those little positions-specific skills. You need them.

What was your biggest challenge of 2024?

Um, I think just coming in really fresh, first year, first year in Super Rugby, I think it was just like the confidence thing coming in. I think that was probably my biggest challenge. Like going week to week and just trying to start fresh every week, that was probably my biggest challenge. So, yeah, putting the game face on every every weekend was a bit hard, but yeah, was good, good in the end.

You’ve signed on for another 2 years with the Reds. What do you love most about being based here at Ballymore?

I was born and raised in Brisbane, so I just love the group, love what we're about and how we're building. I’ve made so many good mates here, and then a really good connection with the coaches, obviously. So I’m very excited to see what we can build this year.

I love hearing about people’s rugby journey. How old were you when you started playing rugby? Also, what inspired you to play?

Yeah, I started playing rugby in grade five. So I grew up playing Rugby League, just club, since under sixes, but yeah, I went to St Pat's at Shorncliffe and they’re a big Rugby School. So from grade five, I started playing there and haven't turned back since, I just loved it there. And then, at the end of grade 12, had the opportunity to come or go into Brothers and then made it into the Reds Academy, here at Ballymore.

You were a part of the Wallabies hub a few months back, although you were in a group of players rehabbing at that time. How was that experience?

Yeah, I thought it was great inside. Yeah, it was pretty intense! Even standing back and watching there while I was in rehab, it was pretty cool to see. Joe is really switched on and he has a very clear plan for the boys and demonstrates that well. It was pretty cool, seeing all different faces, meeting all the new people from all the different clubs. You can take little things from everyone else's game that you haven't met before and then add it to your own game. So yeah, it was good. I enjoyed it.

What are your goals, both in rugby and perhaps personally?

Definitely this year it’s just hopefully locking down my starting spot from round one. That'd be my main goal. Obviously, there's a big challenge with all the new boys coming in, a whole lot of depth in our squad. But yeah, it's just going to push each position group a lot. So that'd be my main goal, locking down that starting spot and then obviously trying to hold form.

My current personal goal is beating Jock Campbell at tennis. That's my main goal right now! [Laughs.] Otherwise, I'm just cruising in life, really.

What’s your favourite post-game feed?

Definitely Maccas. [Laughs.] A chicken and cheese burger and then maybe some nuggets with sweet and sour sauce, put that in a meal with a bit of fries and a Sprite. 

What about you Tommy? What do you like - for a cheat meal?

For a cheat meal, definitely McDonald’s too. Nuggets or a cheeseburger meal, it could go either way. :-)

Thanks Tim for making time to chat! Always a pleasure.

Thanks so much for having me on Tommy. It's been great. I'll see you around at training soon.