The guys are feeling confident going into this weekend’s game, obviously we’re coming off four solid wins, so we’re in good form. Brisbane are in good form as well - they didn’t play their best last week and I’m sure they’ll come out and return to their best form this week. So it’s a real challenge for us on Saturday playing a top-four side, and hopefully on our home ground we can have a good win.
It’s unfortunate that Craig Bolton will miss the game, but it gives an opportunity to one of the young guys for a chance in the side. One of the guys who has been playing well in the seconds, like Paul Bevan, Ted Richards or Gary Rohan will get the opportunity this week. So that’s exciting for those guys, considering the team has been playing really well and there have been very few changes.
Obviously the clearances are going to be important. They’ve got two super key forwards in Brown and Fevola, and we’ve got a good forward line with Goodesy, Daniel Bradshaw and Jesse White, so they’re going to be critical, the clearances, so you can get that break and get it into the forward line quickly before too much pressure is back there. That’s one focus area that you’ve really got to be strong at, those stoppages.
Fortunately for us, our two key defenders are in very good form - Heath Grundy has been in terrific form and Lewis Roberts-Thomson has been in really good form as well, so it’s a challenge for our form backmen to take on their two form forwards, so we’ll hopefully come out on top in those duels but I guess that’ll have a big bearing on the game.
Braddy (Daniel Bradshaw) will no doubt be nervous this week coming up against his old team, but he’s been playing super footy - his last few weeks have been terrific, he’s fitted in really well and he’s a genuine star himself. Hopefully he can have a good result and kick a few goals for us.
Jesse White has been quiet, but he’s been important, helping out that third tall option for us up forward, he’s playing a role without getting a lot of reward for himself. Obviously he does need to pick up his form a little bit, but at the moment he’s playing a role and we’re winning football games so that’s what counts at the moment.
The guys trained on Tuesday, which is always a light session. A few guys are resting, and we’ve got our full training tonight with a full hit-out, so hopefully we’ll have a good session and take that into the game on Saturday night.
