World Footy News

The Queensland Kickstart team were up against the Victoria/Tasmania team. After a half with the aid of a useful but not powerful breeze, Queensland faced a two goal deficit. To win from here would take a turnaround in fortunes.

So what is said at half-time?

Rhan Hooper, former Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn Hawks footballer, is head coach. He is assisted by former North Melbourne player Eddie Sansbury and his other lieutenants Dwayne, Travis and Keith.

The coaches get the forward, defensive and midfield units aside to chat amongst themselves about how things panned out in the first half. Players urged each other to lift and suggestions are offered.
Eddie prowls from one group to another with his insights. Player positioning, players to watch, match-ups, responsibilities. The players listen intently. These guys have played at the highest level – the AFL – their words are from experience, and lots of it.

Rhan brings the whole squad together. He asks them how they think they are going. One or two braver souls venture some positive words. “Better than yesterday!” says one. Others know they have come up short. They know they have to lift.

Rhan tells them to be more predictable – code for conventional – follow the team plan and stick to it. Be precise on kick-ins. Head to the ruckman who can contest. He points to his whiteboard with a message scrawled on the back – “Pride, Hard At The Ball, Commitment”. He implores the players to again read those words, and makes a point of saying “look at the middle one – hard at the ball boys.”

Rhan, Eddie and the crew can’t do much from here. They have given their message and now the players will respond. Some will – hopefully all of them. It’s in the players hands for the second half. Messages will come from the bench, players will be interchanged, advice will be barked from the sidelines. But at the end of the day the players hold the key now.

The players raise hands together and shout the unintelligible group chant, which sounds something like “Queensland”, just with lots of extra “r’s”, “g’s” and seemingly new letters to the alphabet. But it is a shout of unity no matter what.

The coaches return to the comparative safety of the bench. The players go back into combat. The siren starts and the messages will be put into action

Just 15 minutes later the game is all over. Victoria/Tasmania have won by five odd goals. They had the wind and it helped. Did the coach’s messages miss their mark? No. In the field of battle the team tried very hard to implement the half time advice, and for the most part succeeded. They just couldn’t hold back the tide of a stronger team on the day.

Such is coaching.



Left: Queensland Kickstart players listening to coach.