Four milestones add extra spice to Reds-Brumbies derby

The Queensland Reds are intent on not letting the ACT Brumbies crash their party in a Super Rugby Pacific derby laced with added motivation.

The Reds are dedicating Saturday night’s home game in Brisbane to 100-game milestone man Tate McDermott while also wanting to win for 50-cap forwards Zane Nonggorr and hooker Matt Faessler.

But the hosts are also acutely aware they must lift to claim a record-equalling seventh straight victory over Australian opposition after losing their past three encounters with the benchmark Brumbies.

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“We’re expecting a tight match,” Reds vice-captain Fraser McReight said on Friday.

“They’re a quality side with great players and we’re building and they’re building so we’re expecting a great game.

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“If you look at history, the AU sort of stuff, we’ve always been thereabouts with the top-two sort of teams and we battle it out – we get one, they get one.

“But they’ve had the wood over us for a few years at Suncorp so it’s about getting back to what we do really well.”

McDermott this week ranked racking up a century of games for Queensland above captaining the Wallabies, with his teammates vowing to honour their halfback and captain’s feat in style.

“Everyone knows how good he is with ball in hand and how he is on the field, but he’s a leader. He’s tough, he’s a dog on the field. He really rips in,” McReight said.

“Eight seasons, 100 games in Queensland. It’s tough in itself to get to 50.

“So it shows the kind of calibre of a player he is and how tough he is. So really excited for him and his family to be able to get that milestone at Suncorp, which is awesome.”

Nonggorr and Faessler are both celebrating 50 matches for the Reds as well.

Muirhead will play his 100th game for the Canberra franchise after moving south to the national capital in 2017, thinking he might spend two seasons at the Brumbies.

“I’m a stubborn fella,” the 31-year-old said of his longevity.

“And I’d say I’ve gone through a fair few things off field and just being resilient and backing myself.”