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Adelaide’s prime mover Scott Thompson says he doesn’t feel like a rank AFL outsider.
Thompson and his Crows enter Saturday’s AFL preliminary final against Hawthorn with pundits and bookies dismissing their chance of upsetting the flag favourites.
But Thompson has no doubt the Crows can stun the Hawks.
“We have got great inner belief in what we think we’re capable of doing,” the All Australian on-baller said on Tuesday.
“We have got no control over what the bookies do … we’re confident.
“We have always had that belief within the group and whatever gets said outside is out of our control.”
The Crows haven’t played a preliminary final since their 2006 defeat at home to West Coast, a loss which still rankled Thompson.
“We were four or five goals up at halftime against West Coast, it’s one that really sits in the guts, to be in that position,” he said.
“They don’t come around too often.
“And we have got every chance now to go over there and have a win against Hawthorn.
“It’s exciting.
“(Adelaide backman) Michael Doughty has announced retirement, he’s playing in his fourth prelim and has never made a grand final.
“So as a group, and for him especially, we would love to make the grand final and give it a real nudge this year.”
While Hawthorn’s attacking power looms large in the MCG final, Thompson said winning initial possession was key to cracking the Hawks.
“We have to try and get our hands on the ball and play the game in our forward half,” he said.
“That gives us every opportunity of getting the score on the board.
“They’re big, strong bodies right across the field, Hawthorn, they have got a lot of experience – but we’re going over there confident.”
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