LENDING a hand. 

Adam Cerra praised the way his teammates have been able to share the load in the midfield over the past month, with most midfielders seeing about 70 to 80 per cent of game time in the middle. 

Speaking to ABC WA following the Round 17 win over Fremantle, Cerra lauded his teammates' efforts to sustain their dynamic defence for four quarters.

The reason for this - Cerra says - is to allow them to keep constant pressure around the ball and contest – especially with the lack of tall timber in the ruck at the moment. 

Working on their craft and learning new structures around the ‘scramble ball’ has been a must for the Blues, as they work through injuries to key rucks Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning.  

“We had to go to work on our craft knowing that we’re not getting those clean hits that we’ve normally do with both of our ruckmen in” Cerra said.

“For us to play that pressure game, keep it hot in the contest, we need to keep rotating through boys – it shares the load but also helps us maintain the pressure for four quarters.” 

Referencing the difference that some returning players have delivered in the midfield, the 23-year-old also credited the defensive and forward lines for playing higher up the ground and bringing the pressure closer to the forward 50. 

“Cuningham and Fogarty have come in and played a massive role in stoppages,” he said. 

“It’s not just the midfield: it’s the half-backs coming forward, it’s the forwards coming up to put on the pressure, it’s a team effort. 

“If they’re going to win the first possession, it’s a matter of getting after them and bring it back.” 

It's been a much more positive month for the Blues, with three wins in a row instilling a sense of confidence amongst the team. 

Throughout that time, Cerra notes that the training standards have risen to a new level, with a lot of reflection and hard work going on at IKON Park. 

“We definitely had a lot of moments of reflection at the Club, but as players, we owned it, we weren’t bringing the pressure or enough contest to give our forwards enough looks or look after our defenders,” he said.

“Training has really gone to another level in the last month, we’re putting in a lot of pressure at training and it’s showing on game day and gives us confidence that we can sustain it for four quarters.” 

Not one to take credit, it should be noted that Cerra had a massive impact on the game, earning a perfect 10 AFLCA votes for his 27 disposals, 11 inside 50s, nine score involvements and gaining 708 metres. 

The midfielder however gave a pump-up to his captain Patrick Cripps, who delivered a strong performance in the middle, with Cerra noting the inspiration that Cripps brings to the group day in and day out.

“[Cripps] was massive for us – he leads the way with his stoppage craft, he works on it every day, he brings us along with him and really sets the tone for us with his ability to hunt the ball and pressure the opposition,” he said. 

“It’s great for him to bring his strengths to the team while also sharing the load with others – it’s one of his great qualities as a leader.”