Fraser McReight has revealed the Reds’ playing group was not seeking a coach too similar to current boss Les Kiss to take the reins in 2027, but rather someone who would “find something different” about the group. The Wallabies sensation will assume the Queensland captaincy in 2026, and his greater responsibilities included working alongside fellow senior players and Test great James Horwill in devising the criteria that dictated who the club would hunt to succeed Kiss. That led to the appointment of Auckland Blues’ 2024 Super Rugby Pacific-winning mentor Vern Cotter, nine months on from when McReight and the players were consulted. Fraser McReight will captain the Queensland Reds in 2026. “We wanted someone who has had success and delivered, and who can ultimately make us improve in areas we know we can improve on, and find something different about us,” McReight said.