The Winning Try Episode 9 Recap & Review: A Doping Scandal Shakes the Team!

Key Takeaways & Analysis | Episode 9

• The High Cost of Mistrust: This episode shifts from sports comedy to a drama exploring how accusation can poison a team’s culture.

• Illness as a Narrative Device: Joo Ga-ram’s myasthenia gravis is no longer just a secret; it’s a ticking clock that raises the stakes for his character.

• Role Reversal’s True Purpose: The coaches’ punishment wasn’t just for laughs—it was a crucible that exposed their deepest flaws and insecurities.

• Students as the Moral Compass: The players, frustrated by the adults’ feud, take drastic action, highlighting the theme of fractured mentorship.

• Doping Allegation: A serious plot point is introduced that could have ramifications for the entire series, moving beyond schoolyard rivalry.

In The Winning Try episode 9, it aired on August 22 on SBS. The episode placed the focus on coaches Joo Ga-ram (played by Yoon Kye-sang) and Bang Heung-nam (played by Jung Soon-won).

Their roles were switched as punishment after a fight inside the school. This change created tension not only between the two but also among the student teams.

On their first day as swapped coaches, both struggled. Joo Ga-ram took over the aerobics club, while Bang Heung-nam tried to lead the rugby team. Neither group found the training easy, and it quickly showed in their faces. The methods of the two coaches clashed with the usual ways of each club. The students had to carry the burden.

The teams then tried to fix the conflict on their own. The rugby team proposed a deal to the aerobics club, offering to share the fitness room if they worked together. The students agreed and decided on a bold plan. They locked both coaches inside a storage room, demanding they reconcile before being allowed out. It was childish but also revealing.

Inside, Bang Heung-nam shouted at the students. Yet the bigger shock came when Joo Ga-ram showed symptoms of his illness, myasthenia gravis. His hand shook as he tried to accept water from a student. The bottle fell. He looked drained and left first, unwilling to explain further.

Back in his room, Joo Ga-ram found Bang Heung-nam waiting. The tone was sharp. Bang questioned him about why the rugby team had improved so much. He hinted at suspicion, asking if Joo had given the players something. His words sounded less like curiosity and more like an accusation.

Joo Ga-ram noticed Bang had taken something from his pocket and followed him in haste. But he failed to confront him properly and lost track. The moment suggested that secrets were building, and Bang’s doubt would not disappear easily.

Also Read: Good Boy Episode 15 Recap: Dong-joo Faces the Truth, but Can He Handle It?

Tension Between Coaches and Teams

Elsewhere, Moon Woong cared for Seo Woo-jin in the infirmary. Seo appeared weak, and Moon Woong gave him water with quiet concern. When asked if he was dizzy, Seo only told him to act like nothing was happening. The scene revealed both vulnerability and denial.

The fragile moment broke when Yoon Sung-joon entered. He pushed Moon Woong aside, questioning Seo Woo-jin with visible worry. Seo gave no answer. Instead, he sent a pleading look toward Moon Woong, almost asking him to cover.

Their silence created suspicion. Yoon Sung-joon asked what they were hiding. Moon Woong lied about searching for a patch, but the excuse felt thin. Seo quickly left, pointing at the cabinet to end the exchange.

Back with the coaches, Bang summoned the rugby team and presented a doping test kit. He accused Joo Ga-ram of giving the players drugs. His suspicion was loud and harsh. Joo, furious, dragged him outside and shouted. He asked if Bang really thought he would risk the health of his students for a result. Bang insisted yes.

The argument turned physical. They pushed and fought, spilling ingredients over themselves. The fight escalated further when both teams joined the chaos. Students tried to defend their coaches, but the scene grew messy. It ended only when the principal stepped in.

Both Joo and Bang were punished again. Their coaching roles were swapped once more, with Joo leading the rugby team and Bang assigned to aerobics. The punishment was clear: learn to handle responsibility without letting personal grudges ruin the balance.

Takeaway

Episode 9 carried a darker tone than earlier ones. It showed how suspicion and pride can destroy trust. Joo Ga-ram’s illness added weight to his struggle, while Bang Heung-nam’s obsession with results exposed his flaws. The students, caught between two stubborn adults, revealed their own frustrations with authority.

The story raised questions that remain unanswered. Is Joo Ga-ram hiding the full extent of his sickness? Will Bang Heung-nam’s mistrust grow into something more damaging? The drama used comedy in the food fight, but underneath, it felt like a warning about misplaced suspicion and the cost of rivalry.

The Winning Try episode 9 recap and analysis makes it clear that the heart of the story lies not only in sports but also in the fragile bonds between mentors and students. When coaches stop trusting, the players suffer. When players hide the truth, the game becomes more than just a match.

The episode left tension hanging in the air. Viewers may expect the next chapter to reveal whether Joo Ga-ram can continue with his illness and if Bang Heung-nam can learn to trust instead of accuse.

Until then, the Winning Try episode 9 recap and analysis serves as a reminder that victory is not only about winning games but also about overcoming doubt.

Will Bang Heung-nam’s doping accusation become public, potentially jeopardizing the entire rugby team’s season? How long can Joo Ga-ram hide the progression of his myasthenia gravis from his players, especially if it affects his coaching? What did Bang Heung-nam take from Joo’s pocket?

Is it related to his medication, or something else entirely? Is Seo Woo-jin’s fainting spell related to the doping accusation, or is it a separate health issue tied to overtraining? What are your predictions? Let us know in the comments below!

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