The Leaked Dossier | The Wisdom & Experience of Robert Craddock (04.05.26)
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What tactics are used in competitive sports to gain an advantage?
the whiteboard exercise at the Brisbane Lions. It actually put me straight in mind of cricket. This is much more, I know it's a practice borrowed from rugby union, but this is a common cricket practice. The leaked dossiers of John Buchanan through the years. And there was on the eve of a test series against South Africa, Australia's game plan leaked. And when I was Googling this, it was all written by Robert Craddock.
Yes, well, Mickey Arthur deliberately leaked the game plan for South Africa because he thought it would get into their heads, and it did. And, Gerard, it's funny how when a game plan like this leaks out, it does actually get a level of mental penetration, which is quite unique. Adam Gilchrist was playing for WA when John Buchanan left a game plan in a McDonald's. in Perth in a Shield game and it got out. And the local paper went crazy on it, the West saying, hey, would you like a Queensland game plan with your Big Mac? But Adam Gilchrist said it got through to him. Like he was consumed by it a little bit, you know. But there's been some funny ones over the years, hasn't there? I remember Chris Cairns against New Zealand when Australia leaked a one and it called him mentally fragile.
Everyone was waiting to talk to Chris Cairns. And he came up with a beautiful reply. He said, hey, of course I'm meddling fragile. I could have told him that 10 years ago. You don't think that's a big exclusive, do you? So he played it down nicely. But it does get in, Gerard, doesn't it, you know?
I like the stories from 2012. So Australia zeroed in on Hashim Amla. And it was to be a short-pitched barrage and psychological warfare because Michael Clarke's team thought that he would melt.
How did Mickey Arthur use leaks to influence the South African team?
Amlar comes out and makes a century at the Gabba in the first test and then wins the series with 196 in Perth. And this is the bit that I think got missed in some of this is use it. Fuel it. Essendon didn't give a yelp confronted by any of this information. Bit of Hashim Amlar in you.
Yeah, exactly. And he was the coolest cat, wasn't he, in international cricket, Hashim Amla. I mean, Usman Khawaja's favourite ever rival player. But he had that brilliant... He was so calm about everything he did. Like, fast bowlers used to sit next to him on the bus on the way to the ground because they just felt this chilled-out vibe. But he was motivated by that to prove them wrong. You can go two ways, can't you? Shane Warne used to broadcast... his game plan for Nasser Hussain to him at the crease. Like he would say, now, Nasser, you can see what I'm trying to do here. I'm trying to drift the ball into you and get it to snap back to get that edge. That's why I put a silly mid-off in. And when he got him out like that, he would say, Nasser, seriously, how much help do you really want, mate?
I nominated it to you. But, hey, Gerard, the other thing is, I'm sort of – I have my eye on the blowback because you often find that players who've had their weaknesses broadcast then go the other way. For instance, Zach Merritt and Kyle Langford, who have been branded selfish, I'm watching them now for the next few weeks. I bet you they – do everything to portray a non-selfish player. In a play like Jacob Farrow, who was branded sort of weak at the contest, I bet you he burrows in.
What memorable incidents highlight the impact of leaked game plans?
You know what I mean? Things you can control, you react to. Like if you can't kick with your left foot, you can't. But effort things and behaviour things, you watch, you watch. I bet you it turns, these guys will go the opposite to what they were branded on the whiteboard in the Brisbane Lions game plan. Do you agree with that, Gerard? Well, it should. It should.
Yeah, so I look forward to seeing a response. The fact that there was no response in the first quarter when it was fresh probably tells you a bit about where the team is at. But, yeah. Is it the dossier delivered under the wrong hotel door? This has got such a rich history in cricket.
I love it. Yeah, it has. And John Buchanan, the first one was an accident. He delivered it to the New Zealand team on the eve of a game.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What tactics are used in competitive sports to gain an advantage?
0:00–1:45
2
How did Mickey Arthur use leaks to influence the South African team?
1:45–3:27
3
What memorable incidents highlight the impact of leaked game plans?
3:27–6:23
4
How did psychological warfare play a role in Australia vs. South Africa matches?
6:23–7:08
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Whateley
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