Queensland coach Phil Mooney has boldly declared the Reds contain the nucleus of the Wallabies' 2011 World Cup squad and aren't far off a remarkable Super 14 turnaround.

Queensland have finished in the bottom three of the competition for the last five years but will start their 2009 campaign in South Africa with renewed hope.

Despite 2008's mediocre results - three wins, a draw and nine losses for a 12th-placed finish - Mooney said there was progress and enough signs to suggest a first finals finish in eight years was achievable.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans agrees, and this week delivered a huge wrap by saying the young Reds reminded him of the 1997 Crusaders outfit which laid the foundations for a hat-trick of Super 12 titles.

While Mooney quipped he was now "looking forward to the next six titles", he said his young team knew they could beat any team in the competition.

"Having spoken to Robbie about it, basically we believe we have the nucleus of the Wallabies side for quite a while," he said.

"It's quite important we harness that and we perform every week as the Reds.

"One of the things I learned from last year was that we're not that far away. Sure we didn't win the games we should have but we lost to the ultimate top four teams by seven or less."

Interim skipper Berrick Barnes, standing in for injured lock James Horwill, is one of only a handful of Reds players who have been at Ballymore longer than three years.

"We're all in the same boat, there's no real hangovers from the last few years," Barnes said. "We're a bunch of kids basically who all want to work for each other.

"Consistency will be our Achilles heel."

Heading to Pretoria for the season-opener against the Bulls next weekend, Mooney has selection dilemmas at halfback and blind-side flanker.

Incumbent No.9 and goalkicker Ben Lucas is under pressure from Will Genia who made a huge impact off the bench in Thursday night's comeback 22-19 trial win over the Western Force.

Mooney must also decide whether Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman starts at lock or No.6, where Tasi Loufutu and Scott Higginbotham are also competing to partner Daniel Braid.

Former Canberra Raiders playmaker Mark McLinden played his way into the 26-man Reds squad for first-up matches against the Bulls and Stormers.

McLinden's selection comes after an up-and-down rugby conversion, which saw him dropped to the Reds Academy team this week.

The 29-year-old impressed at fullback but Wallabies winger Peter Hynes is set to take the No.15 jersey with McLinden a potential super-sub.

Queensland squad: Backs - Berrick Barnes (capt), Blair Connor, Quade Cooper, Anthony Faingaa, Charlie Fetoai, Will Genia, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Ben Lucas, Mark McLinden, Morgan Turinui, Brando Va'aulu.

Forwards - Daniel Braid, Adam Byrnes, Ben Daley, Dayna Edwards, Saia Faingaa, Sean Hardman, Scott Higginbotham, Greg Holmes, Leroy Houston, Van Humphries, Tasi Luafutu, Hugh McMeniman, Robert Simmons, Laurie Weeks.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP