Queensland Reds coach Richard Graham has applied the blowtorch to his backline ahead of the franchise's season-opener against the Waratahs, claiming his forwards were "outstanding" in an otherwise disastrous 2015.

Graham is under huge pressure to perform at Ballymore this season, having survived an internal review that came midway through an unflattering 4-12 season.

The decision to reappoint the former Western Force boss infuriated many of the club's fans while chief executive Jim Carmichael has also become the subject of supporter ire.

"Oh look, mate, for me personally it was tough -- you know you can't lie about that," Graham told ESPN. "But at the same time all you can do is really work hard and focus on the things you think you can control.

"In the end a decision was made that I was continuing and probably from that point on I haven't really thought too much about what happened.

"So I've been in a really good headspace since that point in time.

"The disappointing thing is that you see the effort and the energy that goes in in the group and you don't get the results and the results are often small margins.

"And I know it's frustrating for the people who support the side and I can certainly appreciate that, but the frustration in the group was very high also on the back of that."

A half-time disagreement between Test players Adam Thomson and James O'Connor, both of whom have since departed Ballymore, seemed to capture that frustration while rumours of other internal rumblings just wouldn't go away.

© Chris Hyde/Getty Images

But Graham said that frustration was more a result of an injury-marred pre-season - a position from which the Reds never really recovered.

"(A) lack of consistency," Graham responded when asked to isolate the Reds' failings of 2015.

"I thought our forwards last year were outstanding; we pretty much sat in the top three for scrum and lineout across the competition.

"But we didn't start the season well. We had 14 guys unavailable for selection; we had eight of those guys who played international footy before.

"So just getting that momentum at the start of the season that you want just gives you a little bit of confidence and belief, and we could never escape that (injury) cycle. And on the back of that our performances just weren't consistent."

The Reds have largely been written off in the Australian conference with the Brumbies and Waratahs the popular picks as potential semi-finalists.

The Queenslanders have waved goodbye to Test players James Horwill, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Lachie Turner and Ben Tapuai, creating an opportunity for a number of youngsters to stake a long-term claim for a starting position - particularly in the halves.

"I've been really pleased with all the guys that we've used in the trials," Graham said of his scrum- and fly-half options.

"(Nick) Frisby's been the heir apparent there for a while now, he's done his apprenticeship behind Will (Genia), but needs to play well; he's got some good young kids that are chasing him.

"(Jake) McIntye, over the last two seasons of the NRC, has proved his worth; obviously he's been consistent in that competition and will get an opportunity here to start Super Rugby. But again, he's got young Sam Greene who's been the standout in (Queensland) Premier Rugby as a No.10 and a young kid called Mack Mason.

"So there's plenty of youth and with the youth, you know not burdened by what's gone on in the past and probably see it as an opportunity for themselves to shape the way we want to play, and also be part of the side for the next couple of years."