Nine Wallabies selected in first Queensland Reds team of 2026

Head coach Les Kiss has named Carter Gordon in the first Queensland Reds team of 2026, with the Wallabies fly-half named in the reserves ahead of a pre-season trial against the Western Force on Friday afternoon.

Gordon returned to rugby union last year, following a stint with the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL. The playmaker was fast-tracked into the Wallabies squad for their Spring Tour, featuring in one Test against Italy in Udine.

While injury prevented Gordon from playing more minutes during the end-of-year-tour, the code-hopper will take the field at Scots College this week. Gordon will look to make a difference off the bench, with Kiss selecting Harry McLaughlin-Phillips in the run-on side.

Teenager Nicholas Conway will start for the Reds at fullback, while promising loose forward Vaiuta Latu has been picked at No. 8. There are nine Wallabies in the 29-man squad to face the Force, but team captain Fraser McReight is not one of them.

George Blake joins Wallabies rake Matt Faessler and prospect Massimo De Lutiis up front, while Josh Canham and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto round out the tight five. Joe Brial joins John Bryant and Latu in a new-look backrower combination.

James Martens will link up with McLaughlin-Phillips in the halves, while Hunter Paisami and Isaac Henry combine in the midfield. Xavier Rubens and Lachie Anderson are the two wingers, with Conway starts out the back.

Zane Nonggorr, Kalani Thomas, Jock Campbell, Aiden Ross, Dre Pakeho, Tim ‘The Junkyard Dog’ Ryan and Gordon are among the reserves. Both the Reds and Force have named extended benches for the first Super Rugby Pacific trial of the season.

“It’s exciting to get started with our matches for 2026 after the work put in during the pre-season,” Kiss said.

“We want to see growth in what we have planned and trained for.

“For Perth, it’s exciting to see this blend of experienced players with the young guys who put their hands up for the Reds in the matches against Tonga and the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights plus Super Rugby AUS at the back end of last season.

“We were certainly impressed by guys like Vaiuta Latu, James Martens, Xavier Rubens and others playing as Reds for the first time in that block of games.

“Nicholas Conway will get his first chance at fullback for us in this trial.

“Across our two trials, most of our squad will get opportunities on the field so we have factored that it.

“It’s great to see Lukhan (Salakaia-Loto) and Josh (Canham) as our lock pairing and the experience of Hunter Paisami and Lachie Anderson in this backline.

“Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has really impressed during the pre-season. He’ll start at No.10. Carter Gordon has added significant value to the squad and he’ll come off the bench.”

Queensland Reds team to take on Western Force

1 George Blake
2 Matt Faessler
3 Massimo De Lutiis
4 Josh Canham
5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
6 Joe Brial
7 John Bryant
8 Vaiuta Latu
9 James Martens
10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
11 Xavier Rubens
12 Hunter Paisami
13 Isaac Henry
14 Lachie Anderson
15 Nicholas Conway

Reserves
Zac Hough, Harrison Usher, Zane Nonggorr, Hamish Muller, Tom Robinson, Kalani Thomas, Carter Gordon, Jock Campbell, Aidan Ross, Nick Bloomfield, Charlie Brosnan, Dre Pakeho, Tim Ryan, Will Ross