Q: You’ve brought about 30 players over here, is Sheeds playing some games?
A: He’s named a long bench. We’ve been told the 18 but he’s said that he hasn’t decided which players he’ll take into the four bench positions. With the weather like this (wet), I’m not sure what it’s going to be like on Friday, but I’m sure that will come into it.
Q: Sheedy said the team will be spread over a few flights, who wasn’t on your plane?
A: Mark Mercuri is the only one from the team last week who hasn’t come. Everyone else is here with Barnard and Alessio and Richards and a few others. It’s up to Sheeds to decide who to play.
Q: You had a pretty tough training session today, has everyone pulled up okay?
A: Yeah. Everyone’s fine. There’s no problems.
Q: How do you feel when the coach puts you through something like that so close to a big game?
A: We felt we let a good position slip last week. We knew he was pretty fired up when we got there on Monday. It’s all to do with playing well on Friday night. Occasionally when a player goes down, he’s doing it to put a point across. We’re just really fired up for this match.
Q: Was it a really tough session?
A: It was more so for guys who may not have been going to play. The guys who have played for most of the season didn’t find it too tough. The guys who are fighting for a position are who have to go through those sessions a bit more than others.
Q: With all of the bashing talk going on, do you have to put those emotions aside when you run out?
A: That came from the Freo club and not from us. We like to think that we’re hard at it and nothing untoward. We’ll just play like we’ve played right throughout the year. I’m not too sure where that really came from.
Q: Peter Bell said he expects you and the Dockers to bend the rules. Will you?
A: I don’t think you can any more. If you want to go on, you’re just going to cost yourself a spot. It’s an elimination final so you have to be hard at the footy and there’s no time for any of that other business any more.
Q: Will it be harder in front of a parochial crowd?
A: I’m sure it will be. There’s a definite advantage for Perth teams over here, like it is for us in Melbourne. The Dockers found that out a few weeks ago. It’s definitely a different ball game this time around.
Q: Having been knocked out in the finals last year and then missing the final against Port Adelaide, how desperate are you to play finals footy again?
A: This is what it’s all about. Finals’ footy. The 22 games that we’ve just played are all about Friday night so I definitely want to make amends for last year. This is where you make your name, in finals footy, so I’m definitely looking forward to it.
Q: Your finals’ record is outstanding, do you expect more of yourself in these games?
A: Definitely. It’s been rare that we’ve had to play in a knock out final so early on, so it’s do or die.
Q: Can you win the flag from 8th?
A: Adelaide won it from 5th. That’s the lowest a team has won it from. We’re going to have to travel week in and week out to win it but we haven’t looked past Friday night.
Q: You’ve had a seven day break and Fremantle has had a six day break. Both of you are coming off tough games. Will the extra day help you?
A: I’d like to think so. I’m sure there’s positives for them and us but we’ve got no injuries which is a great positive. It’s the first time that we’ve gone into a finals series since we won it in 2000 that we’re at full strength. We’ve got no excuses. If we go down, we’re just not good enough.
Q: How much better are Freo in Perth?
A: We reckon they’re probably a six goal better side over here.
Q: What about your interstate record?A: It definitely hasn’t been good, but we feel that we haven’t had as good a side as this the last few times that we’ve travelled. Time will tell and we have to improve on our interstate record.
