NSW Blues coaches excited by new Centre of Excellence
Danny Buderus remembers the days when the NSW Blues did their ice baths in wheely bins. It is not surprising then, he was blown away by the NSWRL’s new Centre of Excellence.
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Danny Buderus remembers the days when the NSW Blues did their ice baths in the green sulo bins commonly collected by garbos.
So you can understand why Buderus was blown away by the unveiling of the NSWRL’s multimillion-dollar Centre of Excellence at Olympic Park on Tuesday.
The world-class facility includes a full-sized training field, a gym, plus recovery and medical treatment rooms.
“This is amazing,” Buderus told The Daily Telegraph while overlooking the Blues’ new home for Origin.
“The guys these days have got water resistance, bubbles and all sorts of things.
“We used to do ice baths in those green sulo bins, but it is a totally different set up these days.”
There is no denying NSW’s new training facility is seriously impressive.
The three-storey complex is a one-stop shop for all things rugby league preparation.
But as Buderus rightly points out a building isn’t going to win you State of Origin series against the might of the Queensland Maroons.
“All of the equipment is great but it always comes back to the individual and how they want to train and win,” the Blues’ assistant coach said.
“Everyone is trying to work hard to ensure that we have years of sustained success.
“We gave 12 players their debut last year. It was a clean slate to try and get them accustomed to being New South Welshmen for years to come.
“Winning does that. When you win, you can’t wait to get back together.
“Queensland had that for 10 years in a row, so that is what we’ve got to try and build.”
NSW coach Brad Fittler is on the same page as Buderus when it comes to the Blues’ new Centre of Excellence.
Fittler says the facility, which is also the Country Rugby League’s new home, will be a brilliant resource for the state’s grassroots.
It will also give the Blues every opportunity to succeed on the Origin stage.
“But at the moment it is a building,” Fitter said frankly.
“We’ve got to put the spirit and soul into it.
“We will bring a lot of kids through here, so the results of the building itself won’t be seen until five to 10 years’ time. We need the team and our staff to get some results now.
“The technology is great but it’s all about the sweat and the effort. Hopefully we can combine the both and that is when you get the great results and experiences.”
Fittler wants the current crop of Blues to learn from Queensland’s record-breaking run of 11 series victories in 13 years.
He says the Maroons’ culture was the key to their success.
“The amazing thing is how they maintained it,” he said.
“I think everyone can have great moments but to have such longevity takes a lot of effort and commitment.
“We need to emulate that and it’s down to the players.”
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Originally published as NSW Blues coaches excited by new Centre of Excellence
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