Michael Walters admitted to being so disappointed about missing a chance to win the game against Geelong in round 14 that it had started to annoy his wife.
Seven days following that disappointment, Walters bounced back to play what he described as the standout game of his career.
Walters’ six-goal and 32 disposal effort has since earned universal praise as one of the great individual performances of 2017.
According to Walters, the impetus for his turnaround was through his desire to stand up as a leader – taking example from captain and fellow leadership group member Nat Fyfe.
“(The miss) does play on your mind for a little bit but I learnt something from Nat Fyfe – because Nat’s so mentally strong through his mental rehearsal,” Walters said.
“So my focus was on my mental relaxation.
“For the first two or three days it was a bit hard, Marnie sort of got a bit annoyed at me for being upset and angry but you just need to focus on the next moment.
“Being a leader, I’ve worked on that and I know if I’m going to feel down, some of the younger boys might follow.
“That’s what got me over the line. I thought about the younger boys and the team.
“Being a leader in my ninth year I can’t allow myself to dwell on the past when I can’t do anything about it, as it’s just going to bring everyone else down.
“At times it can be cancerous so you just need to focus on the next moment.”
During the past two seasons, Walters’ role has transitioned from a traditional small forward to a mixture of forward and midfield.
On Sunday, Walters’ stat sheet read like one that combined two separate performances of an elite forward and midfielder.
Walters had the opportunity to kick even more than six goals more with eight scoring shots.
He also created opportunities with three inside 50s, including Freo’s opening goal where Walters hit an open Hayden Ballantyne near the goal square.
As a midfielder, Walters racked up 18 contested possessions in his 32 touches – finding more of the contested ball than renowned ball winners in Lachie Neale (16) and Fyfe (13) while collecting five more than any St Kilda player.
Walters said he relishes the big moments when playing forward but appreciates the freedom of playing in the middle.
“Playing forward I enjoy kicking goals, I love to celebrate as most players do,” Walters said.
“But you do get a run-with pretty tightly playing forward so it’s always good to go up the ground to get yourself into the game and get a few kicks.
“I enjoy playing midfield and forward but I’m just happy to play where Ross puts me. Whatever’s best for the team.”
