Q. The two best games the team has played this year against Collingwood and West Coast, the following week has been disappointing. Is it just coincidence?
A. I think a lot has to do with different aspects around football depending on what type of game you are coming off. Richmond was a very disappointing game and we were coming off a trip from Western Australia. I think we have seen most teams struggle with that. But in this situation Sydney is not that far up the road - it is basically the same as Melbourne to Geelong.
Q. Can the bye weekend not come quickly enough?
A. We will probably get four or five players back after the bye. This Friday night is such a crucial game for ourselves. The Kangaroos are right up there knocking on the door of the top four, they have done very, very well. We just have to get up there for this game and play well, it is as simple as that.
Q. Will Dustin Fletcher play?
A. He is probably more of a chance to play this week than he has in the last few weeks. But we can't rely on Dustin Fletcher coming back and playing fantastically well because he has been out for some time. James Hird definitely won't play this week. We think he will return after the bye.
Q. Any particular reason for the change of training venue this afternoon?
A. Just for a break we decided to train at Aberfeldie park this afternoon. We are having a light night on the track and doing a bit of running. We want to get away from Windy Hill for a change.
Q. It is a close season - can you remember one being so competitive?
A. There wouldn't be many seasons where you would have two draws to the half-way mark and losses by two points, one point and a kick. It is very, very close that way. It is tremendous for the competition but not fantastic for the coaching staff and players.
Q. Does the season being so close make planning even more important?
A. I think you have to control your emotions and keep concentrating on what is important. And that is getting your team up for the next match, trying to win that game and get as many wins on the board because it is going to be a season where it is right to the wire and percentage is going to count more than ever before. You are probably going to have thirteen teams that are a chance, maybe even fourteen depending on the next half of the season and who is available for there respective clubs.
Q.Why do you think the team has been so erratic this season. You have either won well or lost by big margins?
A. Most of the season we have had our goal to goal line out - that is pretty hard. Most sides that would lose the players that we have would struggle a little bit. And one or two of our senior players have lost a bit of form and confidence. It is up to us to try and get them up and believe in themselves. The confidence sort of makes that erratic form expand a little bit. You have to try not to lose too many in a row and get some wins between the losses.
Q. The Brisbane Lions players have been talking about this hard ground at The Dome. Your team plays there every second week, do you have any similar problems to Brisbane?
A. Well we played our best game there two weeks ago. We haven't found any real trouble with it. I have never worried about the surface that much but I haven't played on it in fairness to myself and the players who play on it today. I think you get some great games there and we are getting some great crowds there at last.
