We eclipsed our highest totals of the season in consecutive weeks, all without Lance Franklin having a massive impact. That must be a huge positive on the eve of finals…

Last time we spoke the thing we talked about the most was our inconsistency, not just week to week, but also in games.

Our last two weeks we’ve put in four good quarters of footy without too many lapses in the play and in quarters – mental lapses that is.

Our ability to get a look and our ball movement inside 50 has improved dramatically.

We look like scoring every time we go in.

Those scores were against sides out of finals contention. Do you think our firepower can stand up against finals contenders?

Yeah, definitely.

If you look at our inconsistency throughout course of the season and then compare it with the last couple of weeks, we’ve been able to put close to four quarters together so the playing group will reap some confidence as a result.

We’re not going to kick 133 and 135 points every week; we understand that finals are another kettle of fish.

The fact we know we can kick a big score and share the load as well is a huge positive.

Is it good knowing that when one of our key forwards is held down we have the ability to share the load and still impact the scoreboard?

The pleasing thing is, from the side’s point of view, Kurt Tippett has been in great form in the ruck but he’s also working hard forward and kicking goals for us so that in itself reduces the workload on others.

Throw Gary Rohan into that mix, obviously Buddy is back to full fitness while Josh Kennedy is kicking goals, Tom Mitchell is popping up with a couple each week and Kieren Jack has always looked dangerous down there as well.

Every side looks for a spread of goal-kickers, not just one focal point, and we’ve been able to find that in recent weeks.

Gold Coast could be forgiven for not being “up” for this match. How do you keep the boys motivated and ensure they’ll be at their best when finals are already guaranteed?

The key is that we’re playing for a top four spot.

It’s boring but something that’s remaining constant within the playing group and reinforced by Horse (John Longmire) is if we focus on what we’re doing the scoreboard will take care of itself.

We can’t worry about what happens next week or the peripheral stuff. If we go out there and simply play to our potential, than we give ourselves every chance.

It would be extremely difficult to put the thought of finals aside though…

If you look at how many experienced players we have on our list, I think it would be pretty easy for them to do it.

I think if you were on the brink of your first finals in 10 or 20 years, it has been a long wait and you could fall into the trap of thinking one week ahead.

A majority of the playing group is senior and experienced enough to not let that happen.

Jake Lloyd comes into the side, replacing the injured Nick Smith. He's one in about half-a-dozen who could have been selected.

And we look at that as a positive. We’ve got a healthy list and depth to choose from.

It’s super that Lloyd is back. He’s a quality player who has pace and uses the ball really well.

There are also a number of other guys in the mix. If they can keep playing well in the NEAFL, well, who knows what could happen.

Jake isn’t a specialty backman so will we see the defensive set-up tweaked a little?

Over the course of the season we’ve had a lot of players who have gone back there.

There are the mainstays like Ted Richards, Heath Grundy, Rhyce Shaw, Jeremy Laidler, Dane Rampe and Smith but we’ve also had a number of different players who helped down there in different stages.

So we won’t be completely overhauling our defence.

Lewis Jetta and Gary Rohan have played down there in patches so they’ll probably show their faces down back through the course of the match.