WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL B - AUSTRALIA VS KOREA

March 9, 2023

David Nilsson

Tokyo Dome

Team Australia

Pregame Press Conference

Q. How do you feel heading into the first game of the WBC?

DAVID NILSSON: I feel very excited. It's been a long time coming. Both us and South Korea have known; and the day has come and the time is here. It's time to let the players go out and execute and show their ability. Everybody is really excited. We feel really relieved and really relaxed and cannot wait for the start.

Q. What's it about Jack O'Loughlin that you wanted to give him the start in this game versus Korea?

DAVID NILSSON: Well, it was a very tough choice. I had a lot of different choices to pick, and just had a hunch that Jack was ready. I just had a hunch that -- he got to pitch in the ABL Championships back in Australia.

He's a young pitcher I've been following for a while and seen him develop in many ways, mentally and physically. I just think it's a very good matchup for the Korean hitters, so we went with that.

Q. So obviously big day. You don't have to get everybody up for this one but what do you tell the guys before the game to get them ready to go out on the field?

DAVID NILSSON: Yeah, thanks for the question. Obviously I don't have to say anything. I won't say anything. We won't have a team meeting. There will be nothing done. I just come early and coaches prepare the players and the players prepare to play. It's game day. There's nothing I can do at this stage apart from sit back, be ready to watch, watch my players and enjoy what happens.

DAVID NILSSON: Yeah, people ask me this all the time. It's not about the individual, the strength of team Australia. It's not about any one name. It's about how we together as a group. And for the last period of time, the last six months, we've been discussing it and planning it, and for the last three weeks, we've been executing our preparation.

We have been paying a lot of attention to detail and working very hard, and it's how we are going to play as a group.

For us to win, obviously an individual has to have a big moment and that may happen and it probably will happen and I look forward to seeing who it is. But going into the game, it's not one person. It's about a whole team working together.

Q. Following up on Jack, what's the expectation for him in this game, and do you pretty much have everybody kind of ready to go in the bullpen, all hands on deck after him?

DAVID NILSSON: Thank you. Hope you're feeling better.

Listen, with Jack, it's a three-batter minimum, and I'm just going to review how he pitches. It's a very big moment for him. He's 21 years old.

Obviously the only one way you get experience is by being out here and this is part of his learning journey so today is a big moment, a big experience and he's capable of doing a lot of things, but to answer your question, we'll just get him through the first three hitters and we'll take the game from there. If he's doing good, he'll get a fourth hitter. If not, I'll turn it over.

Q. Were you surprised Korea changed their starting pitcher?

DAVID NILSSON: Well, I wasn't surprised when they changed the starting pitcher. That seems to be a consistent strategy for south Korea. They nominate one person and then they change it and think that they are going to get some advantage going that. It just doesn't work that way. Late last night, to find out there's a new starting pitcher, whatever.

We're ready for everything. It's game time. There's no more talk. There's nothing to do. It's time for the players to go out and play. We're going to sit back, you're going to report on what happens, and we'll talk afterwards and hopefully I'll be here for the winning interview, not the losing interview.

Thank you, everybody.