Well done on tonning up Crofty, a servant to the game in Queensland

Croft flooded with motivation

April 11, 2007 - 7:46pm
Story by: Sportal

There's no lack of incentive for the Queensland Reds this weekend - but flanker David Croft was struggling to select any one source of inspiration ahead of Saturday night's clash with the Waratahs.

The Reds traditionally pick themselves up for any match against their New South Wales rivals, especially after relinquishing the Templeton Cup in the opening round last season in Brisbane.

But the bottom-placed club should not need any additional motivation - even against their old foes - than the dire position they now find themselves in.

Not only are the Reds propping up the ladder, they haven't won at any venue since the first round. They have lost eight matches on the bounce including their heaviest thumping at home in Super history last weekend which left Eddie Jones' caustic post-match spray still ringing in their years.

After training on Wednesday, Croft admitted the bottom of the table clash with the equally-desperate 'Tahs is a special one but said it was the club's record-breaking sequence of defeats which drives him and the team on more.

"The (lack of) winning stings. The losses every week kill you," Croft said. "It really does hurt and it's something that you can't become accustomed to."

"This week I don’t care who we're playing. We need to win"

"But I love playing New South Wales and I want to beat them."

For Croft, a standout for the Reds this season, the trip to NSW will be his 100th game for Queensland, joining current team-mates Chris Latham, Sean Hardman and Ben Tune in the 100-cap club.

Unfortunately, not all his colleagues are displaying the commitment and passion associated with Croft who incredibly hasn’t missed a Super match since making his debut against the Chiefs in 2001.

Reds coach Eddie Jones might have bemoaned the poor attitude at the club in light of Queensland's 43-point loss last weekend, but that can hardly apply to the 28-year-old loose forward who, with captain John Roe, has provided some ray of light in a forgettable year.

He at least has the prospect of the World Cup with the Wallabies to look forward to, but before he can turn his attentions to the game's showpiece tournament, Croft, who is out of contract this year, admits he has unfinished business at the Reds.

After Saturday, Queensland plays the Cheetahs at Suncorp Stadium before finishing the season in South Africa with matches against the Stormers and the Bulls.

"I don't want to finish up at the end of the table. I want to finish off in a victorious Reds side," a determined Croft said.

"Hopefully I'll be around to see that - maybe I won’t be. We'll see if they want me and go from there."

In team news, wing Andrew Walker took some part in the Reds' final training session before leaving for Sydney on Thursday, but remains touch and go with his run-on place likely to go to former academy star Brando Va'aulu.