By MITCHELL DALE
SUNSHINE Coast Falcons coach Des Allen thought that being behind the wheel of a tip truck that collided head-on with a semi-trailer when he was 18 was character building.
But, almost 30 years on, Allen has found something equally as character defining – trying to field a team in the second toughest rugby league competition in Queensland with 16 fit men.
Allen's Falcons head into tomorrow's clash with FOGS Cup equal leaders Ipswich with just 16 men, due to injuries, and will need to call up a player from the Falcons colts to back-up and sit on the bench. It comes a week after the Falcons were reduced to just 13 fit bodies in the second half of their 62-10 defeat at the hands of Wynnum.
"It builds character... even when you're 47," Allen said. "I'm finding out things about myself (and) about how tough it is."
Adding to Allen's plight, he picked up Monday's Daily to read the 2007 Sunshine Coast Falcons representative side, made of players from the local Maroochy RSL Cup competition. It is a squad bristling with talent and NRL experience. and one that would make any FOGS Cup coach drool like a St Bernard.
The rep side would probably give the FOGS Cup competition an almighty shake and Allen can't fathom why those players are seemingly not interested in trying their hand at FOGS Cup level.
"I read that representative side - it's bloody ridiculous," he said.
"No disrespect to my guys, but it should be the best side from the Sunshine Coast playing in the FOGS Cup. Hopefully that changes in years to come. From an old stager like me, I can't understand it.
"Everybody I speak to says it to me, 'How come you haven't got the choice of whoever you want from this area'.
"So many people say it to me all the time. I just don'’t know."
After last week's record defeat, things don't get any easier for the Falcons tomorrow. The Jets are soaring high and boast a team chock-full of Queensland Cup experience.
"Have you seen their side? Crikey, it's nearly their Q Cup side from two years ago," Allen said. "Donald Malone has played a lot of Q Cup; Brendan Marshall, he's a Q Cup player and former Queensland Rangers captain. The bloke on the wing, (Gordon) Rattler, the hooker (Adam Boettcher), there's a whole tribe of them who have played Queensland Cup.
"But what can you do? We'll go out there and do our best."
Allen could have blamed last weekend's loss on injuries and the fact his side only finished with 13 fit players. But he didn't hide behind excuses. He said the side's ball control was woeful and something that needs to improve drastically against the Jets tomorrow.
"You just can't afford to give these teams too much ball," he said. "Mate, we wouldn't have beaten Palmwoods Second Division last week. Our completion was 35%. That's just disgraceful. How can you compete against sides like Wynnum with that?" |
