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Mick Malthouse and Rodney Eade could not have made their feelings known any more clearly. For the hard-nosed duo, playing reputations are forged under the unforgiving finals blowtorch.
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“It’s one of the prerequisites of a footballer who’s got anything to write home about,” said Malthouse after watching his young Magpies over-run Adelaide last weekend.
“Our players know without a shadow of doubt they are comprehensively assessed by myself on the way they perform in finals.
“I have seen some terrific players – players who finish high up in the Brownlow or club best and fairests – not handle the occasion.
“Really, at the end of the day, those players, you are better off moving out and finding another club, because you’ve got to be able to trust players.”
Eade was similarly forthright in the wake of the Bulldogs’ capitulation to Hawthorn.
“Teams and individuals make their name when the heat is on and other people fall away,” he said.
“You talk about people being positive and making it all fluffy and nice but it’s being able to look it straight in the eye and meet that challenge head on.”
In addition to their fine coaching records, Malthouse and Eade both proved up to the mark as premiership players with Richmond and Hawthorn respectively.
But there are several players in action this weekend from the two sides who were belted in the qualifying finals – the Bulldogs and St Kilda – whose efforts will be severely scrutinised.
It looked very much like boys against men last Friday as the Hawks – inspired by Lance Franklin and Luke Hodge – trampled all over the top of the Dogs.
Robert Murphy and Brad Johnson were among the big-name Bulldogs to have precious little influence on the match.
Ditto lesser lights such as ruckman Will Minson and onballer Farren Ray and former Crows forward Scott Welsh.
Jason Akermanis would hardly have been satisfied with his evening’s work either, although as a triple premiership-winner with Brisbane, his September credentials are not up for debate.
Even so, when the Bulldogs decided to take the punt on Aker two years ago following his famous falling-out with Lions coach Leigh Matthews, it was in the expectation that he would still be able to stand up in the biggest games.
For all of the above Dogs – and plenty of their teammates – the time is now.
Having only lost one of their first 15 matches this year, the Bulldogs have won just two of their last eight.
The reputations of several players would take a major dent if they were to bow out of the finals in straight sets without giving a yelp.
Ditto St Kilda.
Admittedly, unlike the Bulldogs, Ross Lyon’s outfit struggled for much of the home and away season and only earned the double chance courtesy of a remarkable 108-point drubbing of injury-riddled Essendon in round 22.
But having claimed fourth spot, the Saints were embarrassed by Geelong on Sunday.
To lose by 58 points was bad enough, but in truth the margin would have been far greater had the Cats not shut up shop in the final quarter with the result long beyond doubt.
Much was made of St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt’s poor showing against Cats’ first-year defender Harry Taylor.
But Riewoldt has enough credits in the bank to cover one bad final.
Can the same be said of Justin Koschitzke or Stephen Milne, who hardly helped his cause by petulantly gifting a goal to Steve Johnson in the third term?
Regular Saints whipping boy Raphael Clarke was anonymous, as were many of the club’s other fringe players such as Andrew McQualter and James Gwilt.
At least, unlike the Adelaide and North Melbourne players who failed to show up in their elimination finals losses last weekend, the Bulldogs and Saints get the chance to make amends straight away.
But if they don’t, the words of Malthouse and Eade will ring out loud.
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