HappyBadger
Juniors
- Messages
- 243
Andrew Johns was once more at the Ponte Preta camp, and they're still in Brisbane, waiting for their next game, at New England Celtic, for the right to play in the Grand Final.
He asked Billy Goats' boss, Happy Badger, some questions:
Q: First, the loss to Celtic to end the season, in your new stadium's maiden rugby match...
A: I was quite unhappy, because we lost. Of course I was unhappy we lost, and yet, it wasn't that bad, because we did not play all that badly for most of the game.
The problem is, New England executed well for all eighty minutes, and we didn't, and that cost us. And I am not certain any video review of this game will help us when we play them again - if we execute perfectly, we will win. If we don't, we will lose. That's the bottom line.
Q: Then, another trip to Nanking - I believe the FFBRL subeditor said the game was "unconvincing"...
A: Hmmmm...let's see, I believe that it was because the Grapes had significant injury issues that led the subeditor to conclude that. Obviously, that subeditor has never played anything more difficult than netball, because he forgot several issues.
First, we were playing in Nanking - and if there's anything more difficult than playing in Nanking in the regular season, it is surely playing in Nanking in the playoffs.
Second, just because Nanking had serious injury issues, they still were a very good club, and if we had decided to just stroll in there, as if we were c**k o'the walk, we would have had our heads handed to us. As it was, they played very well, as we expected them to.
What I didn't expect, and this was my fault, was the effect that the loss to Celtic had on us. You know I never take anything for granted, but I thought normal preparation and motivation from me would be sufficient. Here, it clearly wasn't - my players were missing a little something, zip, pep, whatever, they weren't themselves.
Halftime adjustments, well, they helped, but we still had to execute, and do so with completely instinctive action, which we weren't doing in the first half. And at that, we won. If the subeditor wasn't convinced, if the press wasn't convinced, if the Dally M voters weren't, the thing that they have to remember is that it is only the scoreboard that has to be convinced...and that read 12-16 after eighty minutes.
Q: Did you do anything different for the Brisbane game?
A: Quite honestly, I knew my side were prepared as well as they could be physically and mentally, but they seemed to be thinking too much, rather than reflexively and instinctively playing rugby.
Honestly, I thought my pregame talk before the Grapes game was just right, not saying much...but I think I had to let the dogs of hell loose in their minds, so to speak. So, I didn't say a word, only played this, before the game, with clips of everything we did right in Nanking:
https://youtu.be/aHWcN5YxuYc
The results, I think, proved me correct.
Q: So, now what are you going to do with New England Celtic?
A: All league has been delayed, thanks to the Scottish Rugby Union's whinging about Australia, the RUFU (suspending Scots for minor offences, while letting Aussies get away with banging Viola Davis under the posts), and the fact that they get underpaid (if they want to be underpaid, the louts, let's see them play in Barrow, shall we?)...
...but, I think we're as ready as we're going to be...I haven't decided whether to play some Louis squared, or some Led Zeppelin, or maybe some good ol' fashioned Twisted Sister...
He asked Billy Goats' boss, Happy Badger, some questions:
Q: First, the loss to Celtic to end the season, in your new stadium's maiden rugby match...
A: I was quite unhappy, because we lost. Of course I was unhappy we lost, and yet, it wasn't that bad, because we did not play all that badly for most of the game.
The problem is, New England executed well for all eighty minutes, and we didn't, and that cost us. And I am not certain any video review of this game will help us when we play them again - if we execute perfectly, we will win. If we don't, we will lose. That's the bottom line.
Q: Then, another trip to Nanking - I believe the FFBRL subeditor said the game was "unconvincing"...
A: Hmmmm...let's see, I believe that it was because the Grapes had significant injury issues that led the subeditor to conclude that. Obviously, that subeditor has never played anything more difficult than netball, because he forgot several issues.
First, we were playing in Nanking - and if there's anything more difficult than playing in Nanking in the regular season, it is surely playing in Nanking in the playoffs.
Second, just because Nanking had serious injury issues, they still were a very good club, and if we had decided to just stroll in there, as if we were c**k o'the walk, we would have had our heads handed to us. As it was, they played very well, as we expected them to.
What I didn't expect, and this was my fault, was the effect that the loss to Celtic had on us. You know I never take anything for granted, but I thought normal preparation and motivation from me would be sufficient. Here, it clearly wasn't - my players were missing a little something, zip, pep, whatever, they weren't themselves.
Halftime adjustments, well, they helped, but we still had to execute, and do so with completely instinctive action, which we weren't doing in the first half. And at that, we won. If the subeditor wasn't convinced, if the press wasn't convinced, if the Dally M voters weren't, the thing that they have to remember is that it is only the scoreboard that has to be convinced...and that read 12-16 after eighty minutes.
Q: Did you do anything different for the Brisbane game?
A: Quite honestly, I knew my side were prepared as well as they could be physically and mentally, but they seemed to be thinking too much, rather than reflexively and instinctively playing rugby.
Honestly, I thought my pregame talk before the Grapes game was just right, not saying much...but I think I had to let the dogs of hell loose in their minds, so to speak. So, I didn't say a word, only played this, before the game, with clips of everything we did right in Nanking:
https://youtu.be/aHWcN5YxuYc
The results, I think, proved me correct.
Q: So, now what are you going to do with New England Celtic?
A: All league has been delayed, thanks to the Scottish Rugby Union's whinging about Australia, the RUFU (suspending Scots for minor offences, while letting Aussies get away with banging Viola Davis under the posts), and the fact that they get underpaid (if they want to be underpaid, the louts, let's see them play in Barrow, shall we?)...
...but, I think we're as ready as we're going to be...I haven't decided whether to play some Louis squared, or some Led Zeppelin, or maybe some good ol' fashioned Twisted Sister...
