Coaches' call: Grand final edition

Stats pack

• Norths have won eight finals matches in a row, which is the best run in the history of the competition. This run started with the 2021 qualifying final.
• Redcliffe have won five of their last six games. Norths have won three of their last six.
• Redcliffe were in the top eight all year, going as low as seventh and as high as second. Norths only fell out of the top eight once, slipping to ninth after Round 6. They led the competition for a period after Round 16.
• Dave Elliott and Ben Te'o have coached against each other five times in Cup, with Elliott winning three, Te’o one and one draw.

Note: Statistics provided by Brad Tallon.

Coach Q&A

It's been a few years of hard work and preparation for you both. How does it feel to now be one of the 2024 grand finalists?

Ben Te'o: Pretty good. I’ve been here three years, went to a grand final with the Colts, had a great bunch of guys last year and then this year a lot of new players have come on board and I’m happy we’ve brought them together well. We’ve survived a lot of ups and downs this year in terms of injuries and players that have been released. I’m just happy with this bunch of guys that they get an opportunity to play on this stage.

Dave Elliott: I’m just really happy for the playing group. It’s well-documented that there’s been a big changeover into this year and I’m happy for the playing group that in the space of 10 months they’ve come together with some adversity, like losing some really key guys throughout the year. For them to get through that and come together as a team, to actually be here – to make finals would have been really good – but to get to this game, I’m really happy for them more than anything.

What is the biggest lesson you've learnt this year?

B: The biggest thing I’ve learnt is, if you create a good environment and have good systems that you can trust the next man up. That’s something that more coaches need to understand. At times you’ve got players in your squad that may not seem as talented but if you give them an opportunity, they can really show what they can do. I’ve had no choice at times but it’s been really nice to see these guys step up and play. Some of the guys I’ve had this year couldn’t even believe they were playing Cup and they did a good job.

D: I got to come out here a fair bit (to Dolphins NRL) so I was lucky enough that Wayne (Bennett) allowed me to come in some pretty closed meetings and to trainings and watch how he went about different games and how he went about interacting with players. Less is more is the biggest thing I took from that, particularly with game day and that sort of stuff. But I do have a whole heap of trust in the playing group and the leadership group and they’ve been a real pleasure to coach.

What impresses you most about your playing squad?

B: What impresses me most about them is I’ve always been impressed by Cup players, part-time players. They go to work all day and then they come in the night and we train them and push them and we want them to be at that same level as NRL. I’ve never had any complaints from my players. They understood where we wanted to go and I pushed them sometimes maybe harder than they thought they could go but they never complained. That’s been something that impressed me about them and maybe it’s why they’re here.

D: To get to this kind of game, you have to have a tight group. You have to have a selfless group, an honest group that trusts each other. You have to go through some resilience like losing some players and maintaining your standards and things like that. We recruited around character and the type of person we thought would be a good fit at Norths so it’s been really pleasing to see all the different personalities come together and how much time they have for each other and how close they are. They love playing footy. We’re really excited about the opportunity we have on Sunday and that’s all it is – it’s an opportunity. It’s anyone’s game. We have to turn up and be somewhere close to our best and hope that that’s enough.

How do you prepare for grand final day?

B: It's trying to understand what’s important to the players and what’s not. It’s not changing too much but it is different. It’s understanding it’s a different event that comes with its own obstacles. But they need to get what they need, not what I think they need.

D: Just the obvious things – keep things as normal as possible, go about our normal training week. We’re lucky to have guys who have been in grand finals recently. The playing group will lean on them and their experiences. It’s such a good, level-headed group of players. They’ve never got ahead of themselves at any point. We’ll know the task in front of us, which will be a really tough one. It’s anyone's game on the weekend and Redcliffe have certainly proven over the last couple of weeks that they’re a formidable team and they’ll be coming to win just as much as we are. It’s a big game, big occasion for both groups. We’re concentrating on ourselves and making sure we have our mentality right, to make sure we’re going to start the game the way we want to start it, that emotionally we’re up but not over the top either. It’s going about it the best we can and us being at our best, that’s always the challenge.

How is the mindset heading into Sunday?

B: Pretty good, to be honest. With the rollercoaster the last four weeks, I’m not surprised with whatever happens next. If a player walked off the field (in the lead up to the game) and just fell over, I wouldn’t be surprised. Just whatever happens, happens. The main thing for my squad and where we’re at depth-wise, we just have to get them to the game. Get them in the game and I want to hear that whistle blow and we’re on.

D: They’re a good group, a good leadership group there. I’d like to think the mentality going in is good – and we as coaching staff help to get that right because grand finals are anyone’s game. We’ve had a focus on our starts all of the finals series. We had a valuable lesson from the Falcons in the last round about the importance of starts. The mentality is right in front of us. It’s not worrying about what we have done or what we’re going to do. It’s right there in front of us and we’ll turn up that way on Sunday.

Ben, this is your last year at Redcliffe. How important is it for you to leave with a premiership?

B: We all want it for different reasons. The players want it for each other. I’d love it. I don’t think leaving changes it too much though. I’ve been here, I’ve done my time, I’ve brought some young players through, will see some older players off and then I move on and they move on. But I haven’t thought too much about it in that sense.

Do you think a win could help your career?

B: It’s more about the lessons involved and the lessons of this year and putting this team together. I was pretty hands on with this, from the back end of last year all through the off-season and the Christmas break, putting together this team, gelling them together, going through the ups and downs. This finals series, that’s where the lessons are. We’re at the end now and the journey’s about to end so that’s where I’ve got the most, from the journey of it.

Dave, Norths have had a lot of success over the past four years. How important was it for you to return the club to grand final day?

D: It wasn’t too important for me, as such. It’s all about the players, it’s all about the club and the legacy of the club. That part is important. It’s a really proud club with a lot of history. There was certainly a rebuilding phase not too long ago. But it’s really exciting for supporters and fans and the people that follow us everywhere we go... our sponsors and businesses that support us, it’s really good in regards to all that. The players – some have played in grand finals recently, some are in their first grand final – I’m really happy for how much work they’ve put in and now they get the opportunity to play in a grand final and hopefully at the end of 80 or 90 minutes or whatever it takes, hopefully we get to win a grand final. That’s always the ultimate goal for us and the players.

What kind of leader do you hope your team sees you as?

B: It would be an interesting one to hear from them. I hope they see me as someone that just gives them what they need. That’s the main thing. Sometimes I tell them things that are hard to hear but I think I tell them in a way that they understand what I’m trying to do. I want to get the best out of them and the best for the team. I want to give them information but not too much information. I want to try to sell the dream to them. If that’s what they think, that’d be alright.

D: I hope they see me as a caring leader first of all. An honest leader and someone that really valued their opinion but was honest enough to keep developing them as players, but probably more so as people, as young men. It’s always great to see your players develop and be better people and get new jobs and move in with girlfriends and get married and have babies and all that sort of stuff. You’re on that journey as well. Footy is the thing that brings us together and the thing that we all love and have loved for a long time. We’ll probably never lose that love but yeah, I'd say that. I hope that they’d say that… but they might say some other things too.

What are you expecting from your opposition on Sunday?

B: We’ve played each other three times this year. They’ve won the last two. They’ve put 40 to 46 on us the last two times so we understand what’s coming. When Jack Ahearn came back to them this year, I knew things were going to change. There’s no one with that IQ in the game at this level. It’s going to be a lot to handle. Off the back of that is their pack. They’ve built a pretty strong pack. We understand that they’ve been pretty dominant, they’ve finished second and they’ve breezed through the finals pretty easy. We know what’s coming.

D: A really physical battle. Both teams will know this is it. There’s a lot of rivalry between the clubs. We all know each other and get along but with the history of our clubs, there will be nothing left on the field, I would think. Their last two games in particular, they've showed a real grit and resilience to turn week one around. There's some guys in there that you know what they’re about and they’re not going to give up or go away. They have real classy players that can hurt you if you’re not on your game. I hope it’s a really good game for everyone that comes to watch. Both teams are hoping they can lift the trophy at the end f it. I think it will be a really, really good battle. That’s a good way to describe it.

What do you want to see from your team?

B: Yeah, a better performance than week one of the finals verse Norths, that would be nice. Not getting 46 put on us. But no, I think it’s time for us to show more of a complete game. We’ve been tough and gritty and defied the odds and knocked off some big teams but it's time for us to put our game together. If we’re not going to do it now, when are we going to do it? It’s time.

D: I just want to see them come out and be them. We’ve spoken about the importance of starts and knowing them as a group, they’ll be right up for that. Stick to what we know and continue to trust our processes and trust each other. We’ll put ourselves right in the contest.

Finally, you've both spoken a lot about what a win would mean for the team and the club and the community. What would a premiership win mean to you personally?

B: A grand final win to me would probably just solidify my belief that if you get good honest men, hard-working guys with a common goal, a lot of special things can happen. If you can fight through some adversity and tough times, there is something at the end of the rainbow. That would be nice. They’ve been through so much these guys. No complaining. When we had a lot of (NRL) players back here, a lot of these guys were playing BRL and didn’t complain. Then all of a sudden – bang - they were all gone and I was pulling them up to the next level. What a great reward for those guys if they got the result.

D: It is that for me. My wife asked me the same question – how do you feel? But… I’m just more happy for them and for everyone else. If we won, then I’d just be happy for them.

To get your tickets to this year's highly-anticipated Queensland Rugby League grand final day, presented by Ford, click here.

The only place to watch the Hostplus Cup grand final live is Fox League from 5pm. Available on Foxtel and Kayo Freebies.