Flately out in more ways than one

[Danny]

Flately will miss this weekend,struggling to return from a head knock in round 3. He has also given up the role as captain. Obviously the pressure when losing is high and not an easy job when you are trying to recover from injury and ensure your playing your best football.

Flatley quits as Reds captain

Wednesday, April 6, 2005
RUGBY HEAVEN

Injured Queensland Reds rugby union captain Elton Flatley has decided to stand aside from the position.

Flatley missed the Reds last two Super 12 games after being concussed against the Crusaders on March 12.

"I want to concentrate solely on getting fit again and getting back to playing my best football without any other distractions getting in the way," Flatley said.

"Captaining the Reds is a huge responsibility and while it may be a bit selfish of me to stand down in order to get myself fit and to regain my form, I believe its also in the best interests of the team."

[Danny]

Valentine is flying home early and may be out for the rest of the Super 12.

Raw look to injury-struck Reds
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
RUGBY HEAVEN

Super 12 strugglers Queensland will be forced to rely on more inexperienced players against the Bulls this weekend.

The Reds have lost gutsy halfback Josh Valentine for the second match of their South African trip in Pretoria.

Valentine is on his way back to Brisbane with a knee cartilage injury that is likely to keep him out of the rest of the Super 12.

Nic Berry will start for the Reds against the Bulls, who hauled themselves up the ladder with a home win over the much fancied Crusaders last weekend.

Queensland A representative Brett Sheehan has been called into the Reds squad as back-up halfback.

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Berry, just 21, was only drafted by the Reds after unlucky Tim Atkinson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury before the start of the 2005 campaign.

He has impressed off the bench, particularly last weekend in Cape Town where the Reds suffered a narrow 15-13 loss to the Stormers.

The Reds, already without concussed former skipper Elton Flatley, have one of the most inexperienced squads in the competition with an average age of 22.

Berry, lock Hugh McMeniman, props Greg Holmes and Rod Blake, fly halves Brock James and Scott Daruda and back rower Mitchell Chapman are among Queensland's Super 12 newcomers this year.

With one win from six matches, the Reds can keep the knockers temporarily at bay and set up a face-saving finish to the season if they can overcome the Bulls.

The announcement last week of star lock Nathan Sharpe's departure to Perth next year and the likelihood of fellow Reds Ben Tune and McMeniman following has rocked Queensland.

But Queensland stalwart Flatley has urged the team's new young players to pledge their futures to the Reds despite big offers from ambitious and well resourced Western Australia.

"We've just got to make sure that we keep a lot of these younger guys that have made their appearance this year," he said.

"We need to explain to them that while things have been a bit disappointing this year, there is definitely a big future here and we've got a great crop coming through.

"It's up to us to make sure that we stick tight as a team.

"We've got to accept that we're going to lose some other players but it's a matter of doing everything you can to hold on to the ones you want to keep."

Flatley, who has been training in Brisbane, aims to be back for the Reds' home game against the Sharks on Saturday week.

AAP