Ross Lyon enters this year's finals hoping to finally win a Grand Final in what would be his fifth attempt.
But according to a pair of his former players, the Fremantle coach is under no more pressure than in any other year or facing more scrutiny than the other seven finals coaches.
"There’s nothing more at stake for Ross than any of the other coaches in the finals," said Lenny Hayes, the former St Kilda champion who played under Lyon at the Saints.
Games aren't won on paper: Lyon
"It’s great that they’ve put themselves in a position to have another crack at it and there will be a lot of external noise but I don’t think he will be going about things differently than he has in the last."
Hayes, who this week joined Greater Western Sydney as an assistant coach, took part in an interview with the AFL Record previewing this year’s finals, along with former St Kilda teammate and Collingwood premiership player Luke Ball.
"He’ll prepare them as well as he can but then it's up to them," Hayes continued. "The rest will take care of itself. That’s what he’ll be saying. People will talk about the premiership being the one thing that’s missing from his record, but they’ve put themselves in a great position.”
Hayes nominated the Fremantle Dockers as his tip for the flag, while Ball selected Hawthorn, which is chasing its third straight premiership.
"Hawthorn’s best is the best of all the (teams) if you were to line them up," Ball said. "Their challenge is to produce that, but even if they’re not they have enough back-up plans and ammo to find a way to win with the experience they’ve got.”
Read the full interview with Lenny Hayes and Luke Ball in this weekend’s edition of the AFL Record, available at all grounds.
