THE BLUES are chomping at the bit to play another finals series and their chance will come next Saturday evening at the Gabba.
After an open training session in front of over 2000 fans, Patrick Cripps spoke to the media about their finals preparation, potential returns to the lineup and the mindset the group will carry into September.
Here's what he had to say.
On the feeling of playing finals:
"Once you get a taste for it, this is the time you want to be playing. The group is really eager. It’s probably a different feeling to last year, last year was a lot of years of wanting the experience and now we know what to expect.
"You get the same nerves and excited energy but it’s a bit more knowing what you’re walking into. Finals series prepare you for the next one so we’re ready and we’re looking forward to getting back to the Gabba where we’ve had a few good encounters up there with the Lions."
On the Lions as a team and travelling to Brisbane:
"It feels like yesterday we were playing the prelim then going there again in Round 0. It’s one of those games where they’re great on their home deck and we’ve got a high level of respect for the way they play, it’s going to be a contested brand.
"When you travel as a group, it’s good to get up there and then to see how much Navy Blue was around. Chatting to the Lions players after the prelim last year, that game and the atmosphere was incredible, so we’re looking forward to that again.
"We know we have to play at our best to beat them because they’re a bloody good side and they have been for a number of years.
"They’ve got a lot of physical guys that compete and they’re hard to beat up there. We’ll take a lot of confidence from our result at the start of the year, but also the experience and exposure we’ve had up there for the last couple of years."
On the support from the fans:
"Finals are hard to get into, so when you’re in them, you have to appreciate them and I know the fans definitely feel that as well. It was a grind for a lot of years, to be in the finals series again is special for us and for our fans."
On the potential of Sam Docherty returning:
"I reckon he’d be knocking down 'Vossy’s' door every day until selection. He’s a great story: he’s done a lot of work today, but he’s been doing that for a good six weeks training with us. He’s put his hand up, but the coaches will pick the side they think is best.
"Personally, I love playing with him a lot. He’s been through a lot, we’ve been through a lot together and he’s a guy you can trust on the footy field. If he gets picked, you know he’s going to perform.
"I think that was a goal for him: if you set a goal and chase it, if you fall short at least he’s going to give himself another chance to play if he gets through. He is a guy that doesn’t do it the normal way, he does it another way. All the stories you hear, we see, we see the real life version of the work he puts in.
"He’s had the three knees, two bouts of cancer and one thing that he’s always done coming back from those is work bloody hard."
On other returning players and the squad mentality:
"We’ve got four guys who have played a lot of footy, only missed the last two games, so that’s Charlie, Harry, Zac and Gov. If they’re fit, they’re going to be a big chance to play.
"The other four, they’ve done a lot of work and that’s where this finals bye has helped us. It’s not like they’re getting picked off no work, they’ve done a lot of work over the last six weeks, so they’re doing everything they can, but it’s going to be interesting to see how the team is.
"We talk about a squad mentality, it's taken a lot of our squad to get to where we are now and whoever is picked, one thing we’ll do as a team is celebrate whoever is picked and we’re all heading in the same direction. That's the power of the energy it can create.
"It started today with our training session, build momentum today into our big session on Monday when everyone is pulling in the same direction. We’re all locked in as a group and as a squad and whoever gets picked, I have a lot of confidence they’ll get the job done.
On the whole team playing their role:
"In the last two games, we’re a system-based team, everyone has a role to play and when you have guys with clarity in their role and confidence to perform, like some of those young guys did, we actually played a tough brand of footy that we’re proud of and it’s given a lot of these guys confidence.
"It also has given them a taste of what it takes and the confidence that they can play at the level. If these guys come back, which I reckon a lot will, they know the role they have to play, they don’t have to do anything special, just back the role in, bring the pressure and if we play as a unit, we can do special things."
On Cooper Lord:
"I love him. He’s got a great mind for a young fella. When young guys come in and they want to get after it, as a leader and an old fella, it gives you a lot of energy. He just watches, observes, asks questions, he’s got a real desire to compete.
"One thing about the young guys who have come in is that they haven’t waited to be good, they just came in and played a role and were good straight away, which is really pleasing for us as leaders of the team.
"He did a great job to come in like he did and have an impact. He’s played two games but you can tell he belongs there. He’s a guy that you know if his magnet is picked, you’re going to back him in to play some good footy."
On using the 2023 preliminary final to fuel their game:
"Every final is a different thing. Round 0 was pretty big for us, it was where our season finished to where we started and the way we won was a big tick in our development.
Every challenge is a new challenge, there are eight really good teams in this final series that would all think are a chance to win, which is special, I think the general public thinks you can make a case for anyone."
On Charlie Curnow:
"We’re quick to jump on a star when we’ve only had one finals campaign. He did an important role for our side, so people can look at the stat sheet and say he didn’t have impact but he did have impact, because he always takes on the best defender. He’s eager to have a big finals series but we don’t need him to do anything special.
"If he plays his role, does the basic stuff - which he does - then his talent will show. His talent is as good as anyone in the competition. He’s been working so hard the past couple of weeks, that’s where the pre-finals bye gives guys time like him to really get after it.
"We’re locked into the stuff we know is really important to us as a team, when we value that stuff, it allows the talent of the individuals to show."
