Frustrated Queensland Reds coach Nick Stiles has dropped Wallaby halfback Nick Frisby and hooker Andrew Ready to club rugby, publicly criticising their match preparation.

Despite also losing fullback to Karmichael Hunt to concussion for Saturday’s Super Rugby derby against the Brumbies in Canberra, Stiles wielded the axe on Wednesday in an effort to get more from his under-performing bench.

It comes after the Reds squandered another good first half when the defending champion Hurricanes got away in the second spell for a 34-15 victory last weekend – the hosts’ fifth straight loss.

Frisby, who recently lost his starting spot to James Tuttle, and Ready, who was a Wallabies development player on last year’s European tour , were both omitted from the match squad entirely.

Stiles hoped tit would be a long-term “blessing in disguise” for the underperforming pair.

“I flagged straight after the game at the weekend that I was disappointed with the bench and it wasn’t just that game,” he said.

“Over the last couple of weeks in particular Andrew Ready and Nick Frisby’s preparation hadn’t been spot on.

“It takes so much to prepare well. It’s tough to win Super Rugby and you can’t just rock up on a Saturday and expect to win.

“It’s the preparation you’ve got to put in Monday to Friday that sets you up to perform well and unfortunately for those two it hasn’t been up to scratch.

“What I’m hoping now is that they’ll go back to club rugby and I’m wanting to see a response from them.”

Former Brisbane NRL utility Lachlan Maranta will make his run-on debut at fullback to replace Hunt.

“I saw him play as a schoolboy and he’s very gifted,” Stiles said of Maranta.

“Then he went into the Broncos and you don’t get a better culture to really grow and flourish in than there.

“During his time there he’s played in numerous big games for the Broncos and I think that experience is going to be important when we go down and play the Brumbies this weekend.”

Queensland Reds: Lachlan Maranta, Chris Kuridrani, Samu Kerevi, Duncan Paia’aua, Eto Nabuli, Jake McIntyre, James Tuttle, Scott Higginbotham, George Smith, Adam Korczyk, Kane Douglas, Rob Simmons, Sam Talakai, Stephen Moore (capt), Sef Fa’agase. Reserves: Alex Mafi, Kirwan Sanday, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Hendrik Tui, Moses Sorovi, Hamish Stewart, Izaia Perese.