'There is a hoodoo': McReight scheming to twist 'dark arts' in Reds' favour

Fraser McReight has spent all week thinking about how to win the battle of the “dark arts” as the Reds captain prepares to join one of Queensland rugby’s most exclusive clubs.

Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final in Hamilton against the Chiefs will be the No.7’s 100th for the Reds.

Only two other flankers – former Wallabies captain David Wilson and tough-as-nails Test toiler David Croft – have achieved the feat for the Reds.

The milestone game shapes as one of the most defining for McReight, still just 27, and his men as they aim to end a run of four-straight quarter-final exits before coach Les Kiss departs for the Wallabies’ top job.

“Just to get one game, seven or eight years ago, was special … and what better week to have it than a quarter-final,” McReight said.

“All I care about is getting that win.”

History is against them, with New Zealand teams leading Australian teams 21-0 in finals games played across the Tasman.

And the Reds were blown off the park in their last two finals games – they trailed 27-0 against the Crusaders last year and 28-0 after just 24 minutes against the Chiefs in 2024.

“The past two years, we’ve sort of got dominated,” McReight said.

“Physically, they stepped it up. When we’ve played them in-season, it’s a close game. Maybe we were expecting that would happen again, and it definitely didn’t.

“Set piece, breakdown is huge.”

That’s where McReight, undeniably one of the world’s best disruptors at the breakdown, comes into it.

The flanker was left frustrated in a 31-21 loss to the Chiefs in Brisbane a month ago when the visitors outsmarted the Reds in that domain.

Captain and coach bit their tongue at the time, but Queensland Rugby Union lodged a please explain after a 12-5 penalty count went against them and multiple decisions raised eyebrows.

“They’re very good at that. The dark arts, so they say,” McReight said of the challenge to at least break even in the breakdown battle with the Chiefs.

“It’s a good question, I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week, and as a No.7 I dare say they’ll be targeting me in that area.

“We’ll have some words about how we can influence that, and not just our pilferers but about our clean outs, ball carry, depth of ball placement, to really take the referee out of it.”

The Reds won’t have the services of rampaging centre Hunter Paisami (knee) but are well served in the midfield with Josh Flook, Isaac Henry and Filipo Daugunu all impressive this season.

McReight said there was a desire to win a finals game before Kiss departs, but that there were bigger motivations at play.

“I don’t know who’s thinking of it in that light,” he said.

“We want to do it for the team, players, coaches, admin, fans, family. People who love Queensland rugby know how important it is.

“There is a hoodoo, but it’s about stacking each day and … thinking too far ahead, you can get in tricky waters. You’ll start thinking about things that might not even happen and wear yourself out.”

QUEENSLAND REDS’ QUARTER-FINAL WOES

* 2025 – trailed the Crusaders 27-0, lost 32-12.

* 2024 – trailed 28-0 after 24 minutes, lost 43-21.

* 2023 – led the Chiefs until the 70th minute, lost 29-20.

* 2022 – lost 37-15 to Crusaders.