Rewind seven years and coach Brad Thorn would be coming out of retirement in his 40s to solve the lock crisis that has so suddenly crippled his Queensland Reds.
In the early seasons of his coaching reign, Thorn would still pack his boots in his luggage when the team travelled to away games for just such an emergency. He played at 41 for Queensland Country in 2016 in the now-defunct National Rugby Championship so he kept his hand in.
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Alas, the 2011 World Cup winner is now 48 and beyond solving the dire situation that threatens to undermine the Reds in the opening rounds of Super Rugby Pacific.
It happens to all teams. The lightning rod of rugby fortune seems to strike down players in a single position when teams can least afford it.
Front-line lock Angus Blyth was the first to go down when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the opening trial against the Western Force. He still had his bad ankle in a moonboot at the Reds’ season launch on Tuesday night and could miss the first month of the season.
A tweaked neck prevented former Wallaby Luke Jones from playing in last weekend’s second trial against the NSW Waratahs in Narrabri.
Australia A lock Ryan Smith hurt his shoulder late in the first half and the sight of 2022’s high performer walking off was more bad news.
Right now, the only fit locks around the Reds squad are 21-year-old rookie Lopeti Faifua and Bond University club call-up Jake Upfield. No.8 Seru Uru has been recommissioned into his secondary position and shapes as a Round One starter at lock.
Jones is some chance of being fit for the season-opener against the Hurricanes in Townsville on February 25 but lock stocks are at critical.
Even the squad’s young lock projects Taine Riori and Wilson Blyth are grounded with injuries.
For a side that has prided itself on a dominant scrum for years, the disruption can only erode the cohesion of a pack already trying to deal with the loss of top prop Taniela Tupou (Achilles).
The lineout will have to find a way too without its tallest timber. The return to full fitness of versatile Liam Wright is a definite plus in this area.
Wright is a proven ball-winner at the lineout.
You look around the country at players who might go from invisible to valuable in the Eddie Jones era and Wright is one name that deserves mention.
He made the last of his five Test cameos in 2020. Not being an explosive ball-runner has seemingly counted against him.
That simplistic assessment disregards all his excellent features. He is skilful and fearless in digging for turnover ball as his two thieving moments against the Waratahs in Narrabri showed again.
He’s a No.7 who wins lineouts, tackles stoutly and never stops working. He’s also a smart footballer and versatile enough to play No.6.
At a pinch, he might even find himself playing some lock minutes early in the season to answer an SOS from the Reds.
Thorn is optimistic about 2023: "There's been a lot to like in our two trials and it should be nice and hot for the New Zealanders in Townsville. We want to start the season well.
"We were a finals footy team last year but didn't go as far as we wanted to.
"We led teams at half-time and there was one-point in it with 25 minutes to go against the Crusaders (in the losing quarter-final). We've got to take it up to another level at the business end of games...that's the challenge."
