A shift in mentality last month has helped inspire the VFL side’s run to the finals.

The Bombers came from behind to beat Geelong on Saturday in an Elimination Final.

Little more than a month earlier the Cats beat the Bombers by 78 points.  It was the first of two big losses in consecutive weeks for Matthew Egan’s side. 

The 86-point loss to Casey prompted the coaching group to change their approach.

“I’m pretty big on not ‘over-coaching’ and we’ve probably seen a change in our group over the last four weeks,” Egan told SEN. 

“We had a couple of pretty bad losses against Casey and Geelong.

“I think we gave the players too much information so the last four weeks we’ve kept it really simple.”

Throughout that four week run the Bombers have won four straight games including victories over 3^rd placed Williamstown and last Saturday’s win over the fifth placed Cats.

“I’m really big on ‘instinct’ – that was on my board on game day,” Egan said.

“We’ve focused a lot on our team and helping each other and enjoying it.

“You see after a game, in some players, when we have a win they still don’t look quite happy because they’re worried about their own performances.

“Footy is supposed to be fun, I think we forget that these days and players put so much pressure on themselves to perform and get into the AFL team.

“If we get them to play the right way – to have fun, to be themselves, to play on instinct – they end up playing well and working their way into the seniors any way.

“I have kept it pretty simple over the last four weeks and it appears to be working, so we’ll keep going to the same way because we’ve got a massive game this week against the Doggies.”

In their only meeting this season, the Bulldogs beat the Bombers by 19 points.

But that was in round seven and a lot has changed since then. 

The Bombers will return to North Port Oval this Sunday to take on Footscray from 2.40pm. The match will be broadcast on Channel Seven.