""I haven’t really thought about it (All Australian selection). I am excited about what is to come. I am excited about what we did last weekend and playing Geelong this weekend,"" Hird said.
""I might sit down at the end of the year and be a bit disappointed but at the moment we are in a position that a lot of other clubs would love to be in.
""It is great to play well during the season but all that matters is this weekend. This is the time of year when you want to play well. I’m looking forward rather than what has gone before this weekend or dwelling on anything else.""
But Bombers’ coach Kevin Sheedy wasn’t about to let the issue go.
""I would have Hird and Lloyd in it but I am biased. It is a hard gig but I just wonder if they should pick the best 22 and not worry about positions any more,"" Sheedy said of the controversial omissions.
Hird quickly turned discussions to this weekend’s match saying that the media was overplaying Geelong’s lack of finals’ experience.
""There is definitely something to be said for experience but there is also a lot to be said your youth – they just go out there and have a good time and dare to try and dare to achieve. I think there are advantages from either perspective,"" Hird said.
""I don’t know if it was nerves (last weekend). They played a very good side that was very hard at the ball, physical and made it hard for them to get clean hands on the ball. If you don’t allow a side that early it is hard to get any rhythm and they probably stopped them getting into that rhythm.
""They came up against a side that was desperate to get rid of the demons of the past two years and that would have been difficult for anyone to beat.""
Hird, who declared he had fully recovered from a knock to the head last week, said his side’s confidence was high in the wake of last weekend’s thrilling win over Melbourne.
""That was a special win for us – the guys got a lot of confidence out of that. We think we can put a side out there that can play well this weekend. We think our side at its best can take on Geelong and win but we have to be at our best. Geelong is a quality side as well,"" he said.
""When you feel you are a chance to win you put that pressure on yourself. You always have to look at it as possibly your last opportunity. When it comes to finals the pressure you put on yourself is greater than anything other people can put on you.""
