The last word: Grand final captains
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Hostplus Cup grand final captains Kierran Moseley and Max Bailey have had their last say ahead of today's premiership decider.
Norths skipper Moseley is in his second grand final appearance, after winning the 2022 title with the Devils, while Bailey is making his big dance debut.
Here's what the pair had to say ahead of today's clash at Kayo Stadium.
Grand final captains Q&A
How does it feel to be here on grand final day?
Max Bailey: It’s very exciting. It’s my first year here at Redcliffe so to be here for grand final day, it’s what we work for all year and all season and for it to finally have come around, I can’t wait.
Kierran Moseley: I’m excited. Just being here, I’m just excited and happy for everyone at the club. We're seeing all the hard work starting to pay off.
At what point did you know your team had what it took to get here?
M: Everyone knows the Redcliffe clubs expects success. That’s part of the reason why I came to the club. I wanted to be somewhere where they’re always striving to be in the finals and to be at the end of the season. Coming into the pre-season, I came in late after training with Dolphins NRL and there was a really well-drilled squad. Benny had them really fit and firing. Heading into this season, we started performing really well early in the season. It’s the goal to be here and from early on in the season I knew we had the squad that could go far into the finals. We earnt some trust with each other through the year and built some good combinations and faced a lot of adversity which helped us out in the back end of the season. We stuck in there and with the win last week, we got ourselves in so we’re finally here.
K: I could see by who we brought to the club and the boys that have been coming back from the Dolphins NRL, they’ve really bought into what Dave (Elliott) and the coaching staff are trying to drive. For them to buy in and with the strong foundations here, I always knew we could push for this spot. But it’s another thing to go on and win it now.
What is your role today?
M: Just the same as what I’ve done all year. I try not to think too much about my role (as captain) but more myself as a player, as part of this squad. We all try to do our bit for the team and if everyone does their role, as we have over the back end of this season and particularly last week, it will come together. I try not to overthink it but go out and do my best as a forward and as a backrower and get the job done for the team.
K: I always try to look at it as another game of footy. If you do think of being captain or more pressure or responsibility, it can get the best of you. As hard as it is to say, I try not to think about it too much because it could get the best of you. I’m just trying to push a little bit harder but also let everyone take it in. That’s part of being a leader – letting other people say things and play their part. You can’t always be the one at the front and I’ve always been someone who tries to lead through my actions. Jack Ahearn has been to three (grand finals), Jacob Gagan is another that has a lot of experience and we all lean on each other. Oz (Oryn Keeley) has given us a different dimension and he’s only young, but what he says, people listen. It’s not one person’s job – everyone needs to do their part. How we come together on the day is what really matters.
Max, this is your first grand final. What are you expecting?
M: It is and there’s a lot of hype and pump up and build up. Being at home will do well for the nerves. It will settle it down a bit. I know it’s a cliché but I’ll just try to treat it as another game. I won’t try to play the game too early or get in my head at all. This is the fourth time we’ve versed Norths now and we both know each other really well. There’s not going to be anything outside of expectations so just prepare well and treat it as another game.
Kierran, this is your second grand final in three years. Does that experience help?
K: It definitely helps you but it doesn’t automatically mean we’ll get the win. There’s going to be a lot of adversity and how we’ve prepared will be very crucial. It definitely helps having boys that have been there before and experienced the whole week. You do most of the preparation before the 80 minutes so if everyone gets that right and turns up with the right mindset, it will put us in a really good position to go on and win it.
What are you expecting from your opposition?
M: A lot of attack. They’re a great attacking team. They put it on us in that first week of the finals and they move the ball really well. They have some good leaders in their team with a lot of experience, particularly in grand finals. They’re going to play the way they do – they move the ball, they attack lots and if we give them cheap possession they’ll make us pay for it. I’m expecting a lot of attack and a big start from them.
K: A very physical, tough game. They’ve proven that they deserve to be here. It doesn’t matter who lines up on the day. They went up last week and beat Pride, who were the best team all year. We finished on the same amount of points – we only beat them on for-and-against. They’re a very tough team. We’ve both gotten better since that very first finals game so it’s going to be exciting.
What impresses you most about your own squad?
M: Our depth and our ability to work hard for each other. We’ve shown throughout the year that we haven’t had it easy. We haven’t had it easy at all. We’ve lost a lot of players through injury, a lot of young fellas come through and made their debuts and performed well for the team. We’ve used a lot of squad members but we’ve developed this trust in each other and this knowledge that we’re always going to keep going, no matter what. We’ve faced a lot of adversity and come out on top. There’s a lot of trust in this group and a lot of belief we’re going to work hard for each other, no matter what. I think that is going to be the difference this weekend, the team that works the hardest for each other.
K: Everyone is just starting to find their roles in the team. We have a fairly young squad and when everyone realises their individual potential and how they can contribute to the team is where we get the most success and everyone doing their part. We do have a fairly young squad but we have big forwards and fast outside backs and a good combination of experience and youth, which is always good. The younger lads make you feel young and push you at trainings. It just makes it a lot more enjoyable.
Finally, what would a grand final win mean to you?
M: It would mean a lot. It’s my first one. I’ve been playing Cup for seven to eight years now so I’ve never been in this position and they don’t come around often, I know that. Most players go through their career not ever being able to play in a grand final, let alone win one. It’s going to mean a lot to myself and my family and all the sacrifices I’ve made for this game and all the sacrifices my family have made for this game. It’ll mean a lot to get a win and for the club as well. This club expects success so they expect us to go out there and get the job done.
K: Right now, I can’t really explain it. When you look back and think about Norths as a club, it means a whole lot more to a lot more people. For me, it’s my second time being in one. From where I’ve first come from, from when I first decided to leave Cloncurry, I couldn’t have ever imagined myself standing here now, being in my second grand final, let alone captain at Norths. There’s been a lot of hard work and sacrifice, not just from myself but wife and family. We’ve sacrificed a lot and it means so much more to a lot of people.
The Hostplus Cup grand final will be played at Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe, from 5.30pm. It will be shown live on Fox League and Kayo Freebies from 5pm.
