Last year towards the end, sides were working us out and in the last quarters ( where previously we were so dominant and overpowering ) after the initial 5-10 mins in the last we were beginning to flounder.
Of course you could say sides without nothing to lose took more risks, especially through the corridor and looking back we could have lost to Geelong and the Dogs in the last round to get that kick up our backsides !.
Even when we beat Hawthorn convincingly and many were talking us up , Collingwood had learnt from their previous two thrashings we gave them ( blowing them off the park in the last quarters ) for three quarters they did play well. They came with a plan and we failed to adapt .
Many could say we were cocky, over confident, took some ill ( Astbury ) , injured players in the game (Dusty, Lambert etc ) but once the cross the line and declared fit, it's on.
So in hindsight , of course as we were two games clear . to have dropped one of those or both might have been the catalyst to propel us to a GF but those things we cant be certain of.
We have won now 7 in a row.
Unfortunately as the season is so tight with the Pies close to us we cant afford to drop either game. We cant rely on other sides to do us any favours as they are fighting for a finals birth too.
Destiny is in our hands.
Even though there are some in the media saying its ours to lose we still have to beat WC & Brisbane to shore our top 4 spot and double chance. I dont think we can win it without the double chance and hopefully remaining on the G.
That would make it 9 in a row before the finals begin. That would be a very good streak. I dont know what or who has won more for the year.
If we beat WC & Brisbane the likely scenario is that we could meet again.
Do we go all out guns blazing against these two sides or do we hold some pieces / aces up our sleeves?
Dimma seems a coach who trusts in his system and the way we play and its up to the sides we play to counter us. Against WC & Brisbane things may not go all his way so is he prepared to shuffle the deck chairs to counter.
Selection Thursday will show us ( for this game at least ) if he goes with his system or as he has shown this year through adversary and the side he is up against, whether he picks a side to counter WC height and Brisbane's small forwards.