The coach takes credit with players mental strength. I have gone to pains to highlight this over the year.
Malthouse hasn't quite got there yet. Big improvement however over the past few weeks. That's a big tick.
Coach gets credit when he gets the list playing he's way and not when he wants to throw them out and start again eg. Fremantle & Port just to name 2.

We're going to need to hit our straps next year on all fronts from the start of season. Hopefully the boys are understanding what needs to be done. Great efforts the past few weeks to fight back. Need the mental strength to follow through to our kicking for goal (yesterday a marked improvement)

New fixturing system will have us playing 3 of Hawks, Cats, Swans, Dockers or Port twice now we're in the top 6.

Mental strength?

In reality are Port and Tiggers really that good. Next week should give a better indication. Beware the wounded Swan. They can still put up a good yelp.









Not that I didn't jump as high as anyone else at the final siren on Sunday.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

Port and Richmond were good enough to perform better than us over the course of the home and away season. There have been plenty of times in the past where we would have just been blown away by teams when we were that far behind.

The Swans are obviously at another level so this week will be a step up for sure but with the confidence and belief gained over the past few weeks i wouldn't think a win this week was impossible. We just need to be prepared to keep working and grinding away.

Sydney were only half a game ahead of Richmond in the H&A. Yes we can expect a tougher game, because they're a hardened finals unit, but their performance this year has been patchy, and they've really struggled in the last month. Our best is a big chance.

They ave 8 day to we ave only 6

Given we lost 3-4 matches this year we should rightly have won, I think last weekend's win puts us in about the spot we would have otherwise expected the team to finish in this year. About top 6, not too far out of the reach of the lower teams in the top 4 (Sydney and Geelong), but maybe a little behind the other 2.

The match is very winnable. But we can't afford to coast for a quarter, match them for a quarter, and then kick into gear. The Swans simply won't give us that opening. They're past masters at grinding teams down and keeping the foot on the throat once they've got their opponents down.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.