Source:
www.stuff.co.nz
Anderson cost us the grand final - Campion
01 October 2006
Kevin Campion has launched an extraordinary attack on former Warriors coach Daniel Anderson -accusing him of costing the team an NRL grand final.
Campion, captain of the Warriors side which made the 2002 premiership finals, said Anderson's attempted halftime pep talk backfired so badly the team went to pieces.
The Warriors ended up being thrashed 30-8 by the Sydney Roosters.
Down just 2-6 at the break, the Warriors players gathered in the sheds to wait for Anderson's instructions.
But Campion said, instead of talking tactics, Anderson walked into the dressing room with a tape recorder, turning on a mock commentary of the Warriors beating the Broncos.
Then he walked out without a further word.
"That halftime speech goes down as one of the worst things I have ever heard - it was just ridiculous," Campion told Sunday News.
"I am not too sure what he was thinking. "He made us this tape of a mock commentary and must have thought the Broncos would make the grand final."
On the tape the Warriors scored a try to win the final.
"He never addressed us at halftime.
"He brought a tape recorder in, said, "Boys I want you to listen to this", and then walked out.
"It starts playing, "Welcome to the 2002 grand final, the Warriors versus the Broncos".
"I flipped out and thought, "What is this?"
"I was just going, "Turn that s*** off".
"I was screaming, "What the **** is this?"
Campion said some of his younger teammates were visibly confused by Anderson's ploy.