Brendon Goddard of St Kilda celebrates during the 2010 Toyota AFL Grand Final between the Collingwood Magpies and the St Kilda Saints at the MCG, Melbourne.
They will start the underdog but St Kilda has a secret weapon that might just prove the difference – its tough psyche. This week has required the kind of mental preparation and strength that would test even the most resilient mind, let alone team.
But at Moorabbin they already have an established formula to combat any outside distraction and unwanted attention. It’s known as the “St Kilda bubble”.
On numerous occasions this year many thought, or at least presumed, it was about to burst, but adversity and external pressure only galvanises the Saints.
This week will be no different either and as a result, you have to wonder if the Magpies can match the Saints for mental strength.
I’m not sure they can and if anything they appeared the more rattled of the two sides throughout the week.
First Nick Maxwell complained about the rules describing the draw as an “absolute joke” and then, surprisingly, admitted his team had “dodged a bullet”.
Not quite waving the white flag but hardly oozing confidence and self-belief.
Those comments contrasted with St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt’s immediate pledge to quickly regroup and recover were perhaps telling in themselves.
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon said it all yesterday.
“We are certainly a team that’s not worrying about results, because if you do it gives you anxiety and you can’t focus on the job at hand.
“So we stay in the now, we focus on moment by moment, if we do that we don’t have to worry about trying to convince ourselves ‘are we going to win or lose?’
“Because people who do that get stuck and don’t execute,” he said.
People like Collingwood?
Was this a subtle yet pertinent message directed at the Magpies inability to kick straight and score efficiently?
The match should have been over at halftime with the inside 50 count a staggering 21-4 in favour of Collingwood in the 2nd quarter alone.
Bombing the ball inside 50, the Magpies wasted far too many opportunities and played into the hands of voracious Saints zoning defenders like Fisher, Gilbert and Blake.
Have they lost faith in the game plan? Will the yips in front of goal cost the club another grand final?
In another bizarre moment, star midfielder Dane Swan was scheduled to front the media, but instead escaped the club early to avoid the spotlight.
By his own lofty standards, Swan’s performance was well below his best in the grand final and he like many other players at Collingwood must be feeling the pressure and weight of expectation after an average performance last week.
Only time will now tell if Swan can respond on the big stage.
Perhaps though, the events of this week have been a silver lining for the Magpies?
It’s hard to believe anything could take the attention away from St Kilda and Collingwood, but this was an extraordinary week of news, almost like no other.
In many respects James Hird, Mark Thompson and Gary Ablett actually provided the perfect distraction.
The chance for the players to collectively take a breath and recharge for the rematch with the media and football world momentarily sidetracked.
Thankfully, on the eve of what promises to be another epic contest, all of the focus has finally shifted back onto the game.
The refuge of training and a little bit of normality has no doubt helped Collingwood’s preparation, but is it enough for the Magpies to mentally get up?
I don’t think it will be.
My tip is St Kilda.
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