It was a professional performance, we banked the four points. What’s really important about that is we’ve locked up a top four position now. We can’t lose top four, so we’re guaranteed a double chance. From here it’s two weeks to improve our football. Can we win, and other results potentially go higher, but for the minute that will suffice, a double chance. When you start a home and away, it’s an aim to get a double chance and it’s reward for the players’ effort, but there’s still two games to go, a really difficult assignment at home against Port Adelaide that will be hungry to win and keep their position in the eight. They’re really well coached by Ken, clearly I think all of us would say he’s coach of the year, and he’s got a young hungry group, so it’s a really good challenge for us.
The injuries.
We’ll keep going around in the same manner, but obviously if we have to manage it, or if anyone’s at risk, it makes it a bit easier, with the calls. Straight up, we’ll talk about Aaron and Hayden, because everyone’s going to ask that question. Aaron’s copped a knock to the head really early in a marking contest and has gone to hospital and had a scan. It doesn’t look great, I can’t tell you exactly what it is, but it looks like a cheekbone. From there we’re really confident, I’ve seen Stephen Milne with two fractured cheekbones play the next week, and with us, Mick Barlow. We know you can play with them, but potentially he could miss one, two, but he’ll certainly be available when the whips are cracking. If that were to change, we would update you. Hayden fell over, he’s just wrenched his shoulder a bit.He’s had a wrist reconstruction before, so we thought it might have been that, but he’s ok, he’s a bit upset, the shoulder, just a bit of a sublux, but he’ll be fine as well, we’ve had plenty of players with them. We’re really positive and optimistic, but again, will he play this week because of the position we’re in? You’re really able to look after him and get him ready for when the whips are cracking, that’s basically where it sits.
Has the time off the field interrupted Aaron Sandilands this year?
Well it interrupts him, but John Kennedy said anything above the shoulders doesn’t count, he was a pretty fair coach and his players were pretty tough and prepared well. Aaron will be able to, once he settles. Our first priority is Aaron’s health, for himself and his family, so once we take care of that, and he’s ok, we’ll then put him in the work and he’ll run and work, and he’ll be fine.
You asked Zac Clarke to step up earlier in the year and he did again today?
I think the whole group is growing, and his ability to shoulder the mantle is really strong and he’s a different dimension. He’s a superb athlete, he runs like a midfielder, and has the agility of a midfielder and he’s starting to take contested marks. There’s obviously bigger challenges than we’ve face today coming, starts next week with Port, so we’ll enjoy tonight, it’s a short break, six days, Port played yesterday, so we’ve got a bit to work with recovery and review.
Matthew Pavlich?
I thought the whole team across the board had their moments, he’s kicked four, he took a couple of ripping contested marks, I think we can all see him building.
Why are you a better side this year? Last year this time you were 8th, this year you are 4th.
That’s a good question, I think there been natural growth through hard work, we clearly understand how we want to play. From the beginning of the year as opposed to when things clicked in the second half of last year, those modifications we made last year have carried into this year, so I think Neale was a strong contributor, we’ve got Neale, Sheridan,contributing, the continued growth of Spurr and Mzungu, Walters. It’s really just sharing the load and growing across the board, understanding what we’re about from the start of the year rather than having a new coach, new system, trying to adapt. It’s just been that continuity.
Ryan Crowley on Nathan Jones
Ryan Crowley was disciplined to his role, it’s easy to lose concentration, but if you keep practicing it, even when you don’t need it, it’s going to be there when you need it. I thought that represented the team. We watched Geelong be ruthless and uncompromising against the Eagles to secure their spot, and we wanted to go about it in the same manner. I thought we were quite solid.
The final term the last two weeks have been 15 goals. Is there a message to go out and get percentage?
No, not particularly, we haven’t spoken about it once, we understand we need to keep winning, and we needed to fix our offence, and there’s bigger challenges defensively, but there’s some really good sides for us.
The players out, will you get them back before the finals?
That’s a really good question. McPharlin is definitely round 23, unless there’s a hiccup. Ibbotson we’re expecting to play every week, and he’s getting there but it hasn’t been as quick as we’d like. Potentially you’ll see him back this week. Clancee Pearce will either definitely be this week or the week after if he hits his milestones.
Is Zac Dawson okay, he seemed to be grabbing his elbow?
Yeah, he’s gangly and he’s a bit sore, but it’s a contact sport and part of the business.
