Boomers star vows to beat Spain at 2024 Paris Olympics for legend Andrew Bogut

Boomers big man Jock Landale has vowed to beat Spain for retired great Andrew Bogut in a bid to avenge a string of heartbreaking losses to the European powerhouse.

Matt Logue

@mattlogue7

3 min read

July 25, 2024 - 4:45PM

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Boomers big man Jock Landale has vowed to beat Spain for retired great Andrew Bogut in a bid to avenge a string of heartbreaking losses to the European powerhouse.

Australia tips off its Paris Olympic campaign in Lille on Saturday against the Spanish and Landale concedes the clash means “something extra”.

Spain have denied the Boomers medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2019 World Cup in China.

The double overtime semi-final defeat to the Spanish at the ’19 World Cup was Bogut’s final international tournament before he retired.

The crushing loss was also remembered for the Boomers players being so shattered that they refused to leave the sheds post-game.

Bogut also lashed out in the mixed zone after the game, yelling: “Google where headquarters of f***ing FIBA is ... it’s a f***ing disgrace”, following some contentious calls down the stretch as the Australians surrendered an 11-point third quarter lead.

Aron Baynes with Patty Mills of Australia reacts after the loss to Spain in 2019. Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images.

Landale was only a rookie on that team, but he has vivid recollections of the pain the senior plays felt to let a guaranteed medal slip against Spain.

“That was my first real taste of what this meant to the group,” Landale said.

“You hear about it in the warm-up but you only really understand how much goes into it when you lose an opportunity to win a medal and for us to lose that opportunity against them the sting in that lockeroom was unbearable.

“For us there’s a little bit of something extra going into that game and Bogues being one of my good mates, that being his last international game carries a bit of wait for it.

“So for me I want to get that win for the sake of the old guys who are some of my best mates but that’s just the first step in the road for and it’s an important one at that.”

Bogut expects the Boomers to go in as favourites against Spain, but concedes the history will make the game closer than everyone expects.

The retired NBA big man believes the Spainish remain Australia’s “bogey team”.

“The lucky bounce, the phantom referee call, a guy who hits a tough shot, we miss a wide-open shot,” Bogut said on the NBL Media’s The Gold Standard podcast.

“It just always happens against Spain for us. Australia are heavy favourites going into this game…I don’t know if we should be that heavy.”

Boomers legend Damian Martin shares Bogut’s pain when it comes to Spain.

Rudy Fernandez of Spain celebrates during the semi-final 2019 World Cup semi final in Beijing. Picture: Di Yin/Getty Images.

Martin says he will never watch a replay of the shattering bronze medal match loss to the Spanish at the 2016 Rio Games.

A controversial blocking foul on Patty Mills cost the Australians the game and the program’s first medal. The match referees later conceded they made the incorrect call.

“I have so many incredible Olympic memories, but the strongest memory of all was unfortunately frustration and sadness of the dying minutes of that loss to Spain,” Martin said.

“It was the ultimate rollercoaster of emotions.

“I was on the bench next to Chris Goulding thinking, ‘this is happening, we’re going to win the medal.

“Then some horrible calls got made and I couldn’t believe what unfolded in front of my eyes.

“Patty slid across from his right to his left going down the lane and it should have been called a charge, but the refs didn’t call it and Spain hit the clutch free throws to win.

“I don’t see the rivalry dying down anytime soon because Spain will continue to produce strong national teams and the Boomers team we’re sending to Paris is the best we’ve ever had.”

Patrick Mills in the bronze medal match at the Olympics in 2016. Picture: Adam Head

Spain aren’t the powerhouse force of past years, with the likes of Ricky Rubio and the Gasol brothers no longer in the line-up.

However, Martin is still expecting a stern test against the Europeans in the Olympic opener.

“There is no way that any comments downplaying Spain’s ability will be going through the minds of any Boomers players,” he said.

“While there are some different faces on this Spain team, history is history and when you’ve donned the green and gold you understand some of the pain that past players have experienced.