-
Brisbane Broncos - Source: Getty images -
Related
There won't be any demons haunting Brisbane's Ivan Henjak when he returns to the scene of the most embarrassing moment of his brief NRL coaching career.
Henjak may have been at the helm for the worst loss in the Broncos' history - a 56-0 away hiding to Canberra in August 2009, but he's not talking about revenge when his side head to the nation's capital for Monday night's round two NRL game against the Raiders.
Having spent most of his playing days with the Raiders, Henjak took the loss hard and was savaged in the media as the Broncos lost seven of eight games.
But Henjak composed his troops and the side went on to win their next seven games, bowing out of the finals just a game short of the decider when they lost to Melbourne.
"A few things disappointed me but at the end of the day it was a game of footy and we'd performed poorly and put our hands up and took the blame," Henjak said
"(But) It was like we'd murdered someone."
Henjak said the media had every right to get stuck into the team for the way they played.
"We performed poorly and they had to report that," he said after announcing an unchanged squad on Tuesday to play the Raiders.
"It was difficult and distressing - the way we played.
"It was embarrassing and we felt a real responsibility then to try to get some pride back.
"There wasn't much said. Everyone was hurting, disappointed and embarrassed.
"When we got back to training there was some honesty then. We looked around the room and everyone had a bit of a say and we came up with a plan on how to move forward and luckily enough everyone bought in on it."
Henjak has mentioned the Canberra loss to the players this week, reminding them how important it is to turn up with a good attitude.
But he didn't dwell on it.
"This is a new team, there's a few new players in the side and we expelled those demons in the last seven games of the (2009) season," he said.
"These are a fresh two premiership points and the ghosts of the past certainly don't haunt us."
TVNZ's Sport Tipping is back for 2010. Sign up now to play Super 14 and NRL. There are great prizes to be won and more games including the Football World Cup to come. Get tipping NOW!
