A Cool Conversation with Queensland Prop Aidan Ross

It’s been an awesome couple of weeks at Ballymore. The Reds Super Rugby AU season has kicked off with an awesome game against the Brumbies, where we came away with a 36-26 win. And leading the forward pack was one of Queenslands newest recruits, Aidan Ross!

Today, after a tough morning of training with the boys, Aidan sat down with me for an interview about all things Queensland. We had an awesome conversation. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed having it!

What’s your experience been like at Ballymore so far?

My experience at Ballymore's been really awesome. The new facilities are world-class - like nothing that I've ever had before, and the players and the coaches are just so welcoming. It’s a really cool environment to come and be a part of.

Congrats to you and the whole team, for the win last week, over the Brumbies! What do you feel like the team will need to do to beat the Waratahs in Narrabri on Saturday?

The team will need to back up another good performance from last Sunday. 

One of the hardest things in sport is having a really good performance and then doing it again the following week, so that's the challenge for us. Also, just sticking to what we're really good at, having a strong scrum and a strong maul, really set-piece orientated and the backs showing their skills out wide.

What do you love most about living in Queensland?

Queensland’s an awesome place and to bring the family over here and experience a different city's been real eye-opening - for the better.

I’ve been living in Hamilton for the last 10 years and my family and I really enjoyed that place, but it was time for a change up and just to see how such a big city runs so easily, with the public transport system and all the parks, the kids love the vibrant culture, there are a lot of family-orientated activities going on in this city. It's really awesome to come and experience it.

I’d love to hear about your experience during the British & Irish Lions tour. What was it like for you, playing for the Reds against the Lions, and also, being in the Wallabies squad, towards the end of the tour?

Coming over and playing my first game for the Reds against the British and Irish Lions was, you know, really spectacular. I had a chance to play against the Lions eight years ago in New Zealand for a couple of sides [the Chiefs and the Barbarians], and then to do it again this year, it was just so awesome to see a country, many countries, to be fair, get behind such an incredible tour.

How many supporters there were, the quality of the Lions team, the packed-out stadiums, it's just something that if you get the opportunity to play against, you certainly want to try and do it and then to join the Wallabies in the squad at the end was awesome too - to get welcomed into that group and get alongside such awesome staff and players, it was really special for myself.

Can you tell us about your rugby journey growing up and what first got you hooked on the game?

Yes, obviously, I was born in Australia and I lived here ’til I was about eight years old, although my Mum and Dad were born in New Zealand. I never played the game while in Australia, but when they took us back to New Zealand, I started playing rugby then, just because everybody does it in New Zealand, you play footy.

It was more just a thing that I did with my mates, and I didn't take it too seriously. I certainly wasn't the best at it, we just enjoyed the game.

And then, I played for my club, played for my school. Once I got to the end of my school journey, when I could see a genuine pathway there, through the rep system and the age group systems, from there, it kind of cracked on. I made the New Zealand under 20s and then Bay of Plenty in the NPC and then after a couple of years of NPC, I got my first Chiefs contract. I was there for 10 years and now here I am here at Ballymore.

Who were your biggest influences or mentors early in your career?

When I was growing up, one of my first rugby coaches at under nines or tens, was Bull Allen, also known as Mark Allen, I played along with his son. And obviously, with him being a former prop, I really got alongside him growing up, and he helped me a lot along the way. Then, as I got into high school and my early stages of rep footy, I really looked up to Sammy [Sam] Cane, with him also being from Bay of Plenty and a Chiefs legend. So definitely those two blokes.

What future goals do you have for yourself? Both inside, and outside of rugby?

Coming to the Reds, just leaving as big a mark as I can on the club… whatever success that looks like, you know, ideally, we want to win a championship here. That's definitely a thing that I want to be involved in.

And outside of rugby, I’ve moved my family over here, I’ve got a two year-old boy and another one on the way, I want to bring them up really healthily, get them get them into schooling and give them, I guess, the best childhood possible.

What do you like to do away from rugby to relax and recharge?

I love taking the boy down to the park, grabbing a coffee and just seeing him have so much fun and enjoyment. He's getting to a good age now where he's starting to climb up and over the playgrounds. I love going on new adventures with him, exploring all the different parks in Brisbane. So days off, that’s pretty much what I'm into at the moment. 

What advice would you give to young rugby players that want to play professionally?

Make sure you really enjoy it because if you don't enjoy it, it's not going to be much fun along the way because it gets bloody tough and hard at times. So if you're enjoying it, you'll want to just stick at it, no matter what crossroads you you come to along your career. 

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

No, I don’t. Actually, I do wear the same pair of jockeys. They're a nice blue pair - I’ve worn those my whole career. But apart from that, I don't really.

Yeah, nothing really phases me if something's different on game day. I do like a nap on game day…. But yeah, I'm pretty cruisy kind of guy, I’m not too high-maintenance.

What’s your favourite post-game feed?

Um, burgers. I’ve just discovered Betty's burgers here in Brisbane - they’re so good. Anything with a bun on either side of it.

Thanks Aidan for taking time out for an interview. All the best against the Tah’s on Saturday, I’ll be watching and cheering you on!

Awesome, mate! Thanks for interviewing me - I’m looking forward to seeing you around here more.

Kicking Back with Joe Brial at Ballymore

It’s an awesome time to be following Australian rugby. Super Rugby AU is about to kick off and Queensland is STACKED with talent.

Last week, I was happy to catch up with Reds forward Joe Brial. Now in his second season here at Ballymore, Joe has left his mark on the squad, making an impact in the number 6 and 8 positions.

I enjoyed chatting with Joe about his experiences here with the Reds, his favourite post-match feed and many plenty more! I hope you enjoy reading our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it!

This is Reds Rugby Rules, so I’d love to start with the Reds. How did the 2025 Super Rugby season go from your perspective? And what do you think is in store for the Reds, looking forward?

I think, obviously, results-wise, we wanted to win, obviously, so it was a bit heartbreaking. But I think, as I'm sure you've seen, it’s such a good group of boys, building a strong, consistent game. It’s pretty exciting. Obviously, you want to win, and, but I think what we're building here is a strong, great group of boys with great coaches as well. It's, yeah, it's really exciting.

Even now, we’re working on ways to do a couple better and bring that cup, so you can have a look at it.

I’m super stoked about Super Rugby AU. I think something like it has been needed for a while now. The first home game will be on Sunday, September 14th, at Ballymore. What’s your message to fans ahead of that game?

Yeah, I agree with you, you just need more games, you know. It has been needed for a while and it's only gonna make everyone better, so I'm really looking forward to it. Anytime you get to put the Reds jersey on, it's pretty exciting. 

My message to the fans would be come down and watch some exciting footy. You know, this is not just a couple of games for us, but we're really looking forward to this comp. We want to win, we’re playing for the State, so it's an exciting time to get down and watch us!

What’s been the highlight so far, over the last two seasons of playing with the Reds?

There's been a couple of good ones. You know, like, playing in Dunedin and beating the Highlanders for the first time down there in a few years.

Another one that sticks out for me personally, was that try I scored against the Chiefs in Hamilton. I kicked it and then put the ball down with my tummy… you can watch the replay, I don't quite put it down right. It's debatable, but it's a try, it got points, so for me personally, that's a bit of a highlight, you know, I haven't played too many super games before that.

But yeah, lots of highlights with the team: beating the Chiefs at home last year, the Blues this year - yeah, a lot of highlights. They just keep coming as well, which is good.

Who were the players you looked up to growing up, and have you had the chance to face or play alongside them yet?

Yeah, when I was a lot younger, people like Michael Hooper, Kieren Read, you know, those kind of loose forwards have definitely been people I’ve looked up. They’re people I’ve modelled my game off. And, yeah, I've had opportunity - not to play with them, but to meet them and talk with them through the years. It’s interesting, you kind of get a bit star-stuck at first - sometimes it’s hard to keep calm and actually have, you know, normal conversations, but then you realise that they're just normal people.

How would you describe your playing style, and what do you see as your biggest strengths on the field?

How would I describe my playing style… It would be, as a number eight or six, back-rower, I try and be physical, so that's with my ball carries and my defence. I think those are the ways for back-rowers to impact the game.

Knowing you, I’m sure you enjoy watching all all the big hits and big runs.

Yeah, that’s one thing I love about the game, I prefer that to a game with too much kicking! Who’s the hardest player you’ve had to tackle or play against?

Um, people like Ardie Savea - he's pretty elusive and hard to tackle. Then you have... even Harry Wilson at training, he’s hard to tackle - he runs pretty hard and fast.

And when we played for the AUNZ team against the British and Irish Lions a couple of weeks ago, going up against Bundee Aki… he's a big wrecking ball.

Is there an aspect of your game you’ve been focusing on improving this season?

Yeah, I’ve been working on my defence, trying to stay active and not to get beaten. So when I work hard to try and make a big hit or a tackle, how I can make more of them stick. So if that's with my footwork going in, or my positioning, that kind of stuff.

What do you love most about playing for the Reds?

In Queensland, there's such a pride for the Reds jersey. I feel pretty privileged to be able to put that on and play for the State - and how many people love the team. 

I think that's probably my favourite part, but also the group, the boys and the environment that we have is awesome. It makes coming into training enjoyable.

What are your personal goals, both inside and outside of rugby?

Yeah, inside of rugby would be the Wallabies. That's obviously a big goal of mine. So I'm always trying to work towards that - playing for Australia. 

That drives me day to day and keeps me training, which is good. Outside of rugby, I do enjoy learning, so as we talked about before, I went to uni and got a Bachelor's degree in commerce, which has been good. I think I want to continue studying, so I’m looking to do my master’s, potentially in business administration or something like that. 

While I have lots of resources and a bit of time, I’m trying to progress in that way. I enjoy it as well, which is good.

What do you like to do away from rugby to relax and recharge?

I play a lot of golf. I actually played with Jock Campbell and Jordy Petaia yesterday, which was nice, we had a good game with him.

What else… I like going to the beach, swimming, enjoying the nice Queensland sun, this time of the year at least, while it's not too hot. But yeah, I like to try and keep busy.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

Yeah, I do have a few. Before home games, I tend to try and eat the same things. So my go-to is - it's probably a little bit weird - but I have a couple of ham, chicken and mayo toasties. And then, what I have been doing this year is quite a lot of, breathing and meditating before games which is pretty good. It helps me kind of relax and stay calm.

Reds 2026 season passes are on sale already!

And the last one… when we go out for the warm up, I pull my boots on, head out to the field, I have a look around, take it all in and then tie my laces up and then get stuck in to the warm up before the game.

Speaking of food, what’s your favourite post-game feed?

Well, whatever I get, it's a lot of food, but it can range from, getting a couple of pizzas from Domino’s, to the quick drive through at the Milton Maccas after the game, or KFC, but I think it’s just that, whatever I get, I get a lot of… and then, you know, you tend to go straight to sleep after that, you get a bit sleepy after a lot of food.

Thanks Joe, for your time and all the best for this year’s Super Rugby AU games and your Wallabies journey! See you at the club finals game Sunday!

Thanks Tom, awesome to chat mate! Really appreciate your support and you coming down.

Reds Star in British and Irish Lions Rugby Spectacle (Part 2)

In my last blog, I talked about the incredible rugby showcase that was the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, in which many of the Reds starred. (Click here to read part 1.) There were so many great games that I had to save the Green and Gold games for part 2!

The nine-game Lions tour climaxed with an epic three-game mini-series against the Wallabies. I couldn’t be more proud of the whole team's effort, and I believe the future looks bright for Aussie rugby!

I wanted to profile the Reds players that played for the Wallabies against the Lions. And you’re very welcome to check out my past interviews with these players.

They are right ahead of two games in South Africa and the “Rugby Championship”, so it’s a perfect time to get to know these players! [Update… The Wallabies just beat South Africa, the current world champs. Maybe that needs another blog?)

Tate McDermitt

Tate McDermitt came off the bench in all three matches against the Lions - even playing out of position in the second match, after winger Harry Potter was injured. One of the best halfbacks in Australia, McDermitt is known as the “sniper” and he lived up to his nickname, ESPECIALLY in game three, with this awesome try. (He also scored in the first test in Brisbane, in front of all of us in his home crowd!

Catch up on some of my past interviews with Tate:

* Back in 2022 here.

* Last year during the Wallabies hub here.

* And back in 2018 here!

Fraser McCreight

Fraser played excellent footy at his usual world-class standards!

Check out my interview with him in 2018 here. (Fraser, it sounds like we're due for another official one soon!)

Catching up with Fraser and Harry in 2019 after they beat New Zealand in the Under-20s Oceania Cup

Tom Lynagh

Tom played extremely well in all three games, and I was gutted when he went off with a concussion while the Wallabies were ahead in game three.

Tom made a bold move when he left England for his family's country (and state) of origin. Right after finishing school, he chose to come to Queensland, and his move has paid off!

Check out my 2022 interview with him, a few months into his time here.

Harry Wilson

Reds fans couldn’t be more proud of Harry, who stepped up and answered the call, when Joe Schmidt chose him as Wallabies captain last year. One of the hardest working players on the field whenever he plays, Harry has led our country brilliantly and played with passion as we’ve always known him to. 

Catching up with Harry over a flat white at Ballymore

Check out my very first interview with him at Brothers Rugby club in 2019 and my recent interview with him at Ballymore.

Zane Nongorr

A forward-pack force to be reckoned with, Zane didn’t feature until the third game. Check out my previous interview with Zane here!

James Slipper

James currently plays for another team (we won't mention that...) but James was my very first interview with Reds Rugby Rules back in 2017. (Read that interview here!)

Just like they say: "Once a Red always a Red."

Catching up with James, as well as Harry and Scott Sio
at Wallabies training back in 2023.

Special mention goes to Hunter Paisami, Josh Canham and Filipo Daugunu, who didn’t feature this time around. I'm expecting them all to feature in Wallabies squads in the future though!

Reds Star in British and Irish Lions Rugby Spectacle

I love the Reds, I love Australian rugby, and of course, I love the Wallabies. Every time they play, you can bet I’ll be watching and following closely. So when the Lions came and toured Australia… I was pretty much glued to the screen for every minute!

What an epic chapter of Australian rugby it was. In particular, I was incredibly proud of the Queensland players who stepped up, in basically every game! Let me explain…

The Lions began their nine-game tour playing the Western Force. The Perth-based team includes some notable former Reds players, including BPA and Mac Greely.

The next week, the Queensland Reds took them on at Suncorp Stadium… I was fortunate to get to witness the event from my favourite spot in the stands. Led by Jock Campbell, the squad put on an incredible fight - especially in the first half. Lukhan Salakaia-Lotu, Kalani Thomas, and too many Reds players to name starred in the game.

Catching up with Lukhan during the Reds tour to Samoa back in 2017

The Lions versus Queensland. It was such an epic event. I was blessed to be interviewed by Stan Sport in the lead-up, along with a few other Reds super-fans. Click here to watch!

As soon as that game finished, the Lions were off to Sydney to play the Waratahs. It’s not too often that I support teams wearing light blue, but especially with Taniela Tupou and Lawson Creighton in the mix, I was cheering them on. (I think they lost by a pretty small margin for a game against a team of international superstars. Well done, Tahs!) The Brumbies put up a fight too, almost taking the Lions out. (Feao Fotuaika and Hudson Creighton were just a few of the Queenslanders in their squad!)

The Lions tour would culminate with three Wallabies games, but the build up wasn’t complete yet!

A special “AUNZ” team was put together, and not surprisingly, a number of Reds made the squad giving them valuable international experience. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto was the standout! I always love watching him play.

Then the centrepiece of the tour began in Brisbane… Wallabies vs Lions!!!!

I think I’ll save the three Wallabies tests for my next blog. (Let’s just say for now they were all very memorable!!!! And I am EXTREMELY proud to be a Wallabies supporter.)

Four days after the Suncorp test…. The Lions squared up against some more Reds players that were a part of the First Nations & Pacifica XV!

What a hit-out that game was, with the hosts almost pulling off an upset. Lukhan and Seru Uru were outstanding, along with Kalani Thomas, and Richie Asiata.

With Kalani Thomas during my interview with him late last year

I believe all of these experiences have made the Reds stronger and I'm looking forward to 2026.

See you here next week where I’ll talk about the Reds players that starred in the Wallabies squad in their three-game series!