THE end of the school term was eagerly anticipated by assistant principal at St Eugene College, Burpengary, Nick Fogarty.
The final bell on Friday, September 21, didn’t herald a rest and recreation however.
It meant Nick, a first-grade coach, was a day closer to the Brisbane first-grade rugby union grand final for GPS, his 11th grand final in 15 years of coaching senior football.
Nick is quick to say he “did lose eight grand finals in a row before getting the gorilla off” his back with “a major boilover against Sunnybank in the 2011 decider”.
This year’s team is looking to defend the premiership they won last year in today’s final at Ballymore.
Team members range in ages from 20-28 years.
“Last year we came from sixth to win the big one,” Nick, who was educated at St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace, said.
“I was really pleased for the players as we had lost the year previous to Souths after full-time by a point.
“The lads had worked really hard for a couple of seasons with nothing to show for it, so last year the emotion in the sheds after the game was more relief than anything.”
This year the side has continued in last year’s form and has only lost two matches during the regular season.
Their team philosophy is that “no one individual is bigger” than the team.
“We are very disciplined and believe the harder we work as a unit the luckier we become during match day,” Nick said.
“Our game plan is simple and complements the strengths of the individuals in our team … (and) we all believe in the game plan.
“We try to train harder than the game is going to be.”
Nick said “motivating the players is easy (because) they want to succeed”.
“Preparation, commitment and discipline is vitally important,” he said.
In the grand final qualifier the team had a solid victory over Queensland University, 31-13, who it will meet again today.
Nick said the “skills” he has gained as an assistant principal have helped “in the role as coach and vice versa”.
“I’m very fortunate to be working with such a great group of young men,” he said.
“They make my job as coach very easy and enjoyable.
“I’d like to think that we have put in the work to cover anything Uni can throw at us, but as we saw last year, anything can happen on the day.”
