COLLINGWOOD star Adam Treloar is writing exclusively for AFL.com.au during this year's finals series as well as appearing on the AFL Exchange podcast.
In Grand Final week, Treloar gives an insight to what it will be like at stoppages during the big game and highlights the most important match-ups.
YOUR voice is as important an asset as your arms and legs around stoppages.
Before the ball is bounced or thrown-in, words fly in as many directions as bodies.
The biggest responsibility falls on those on the fringes of the congestion.
They have the best view in the house so their teammates in the middle of the chaos rely on them to make good decisions.
For example, Sydney Swans young gun Isaac Heeney might alert Josh Kennedy that Marcus Bontempelli is about to block him so Tom Liberatore can get the first look at the football.
'The Bont' might tell Lachie Hunter to bolt forward of the action because he has space to go third man up and hit the ball into free country, which is a signal for Jake Lloyd to react so that Hunter is caught.
It's hard to believe Bontempelli and Heeney are just 20 and so influential. Both are freaks.
Dan Hannebery might appear to be going inside the contest then all of a sudden, he is on the outside running into space so Jack Macrae has to be conscious of not following him in and getting lost in the traffic.
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Such tricks are part of the game so you need to be aware of what opponents have up their sleeve and live in the moment.
Concentration is paramount, which is why the Bulldogs' style is hard to combat because it chips away at that by keeping the ball alive in stoppages.
Players on the fringe need to be conscious not to get sucked into the contest to become the second tackler or the extra ball hunter, because if they misjudge the moment then they will be chasing their opponent if a loose ball suddenly spins out.
It also means players need to keep the intensity high right until the whistle is blown because any drop off and the moment could be lost.
Having said that, breaking the Swans' concentration is tough.
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They are very good at making the right decisions in such circumstances, keeping the pressure on around the ball, maintaining their intent and controlling the ball.
Such games are exhausting mentally but they are also invigorating because your attention to detail has to be spot on.
It's in this area of the ground that ascendancy can be gained and it requires teams working like a choreographed dance, in synch and knowing your role.
Obviously I wish I was playing but it's going to be a great game and I'm looking forward to watching some key match-ups, specifically these ones:
Tom Mitchell v Marcus Bontempelli
Mitchell will apply a pseudo-tag, responsible for Bontempelli at stoppages. Because Bontempelli is twice the size of Mitchell he will have to rely on his smarts. That is not a problem because Mitchell is a very smart player who knows how to play the best players around the ball. He will try to make it hard for Bontempelli to go third man up in the ruck and needs to stop his momentum through stoppages so he doesn't carry the ball inside 50. That means pushing him off the line of the football, bodying him at the right time and getting the ball himself.
Josh Kennedy v Tom Liberatore
They are both bulls who win contested footy. Around the ball they will be right next to each other, but in general play they must be aware of each other. They just can't let their opponent do damage on the inside because it gives the opposition control of the ball so they are accountable for that.
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Luke Parker v Luke Dahlhaus
Parker floats forward quite a bit so the defenders are going to have to match up on him when he does. Joel Hamling might get the handover because he plays on the mid-sized types. Dahlhaus flies completely under the radar. Only Caleb Daniel is smaller than him so he will need to play Parker from behind because the Brownlow runner-up is an absolute unit.
Parker is a star but sometimes he gets caught ball watching which gives you the chance to push him into the stoppage, which gives Dahlhaus a chance to get him on the outside.
Jake Lloyd v Lachie Hunter
They are both very, very good outside players who have poise and are good decision makers. They will both go on the outside and set play up away from the stoppage but they can create numbers at the ball when needed.
Isaac Heeney v Liam Picken
This is a great match-up because they are both similar in a way, good overhead and very courageous. They come forward to defend better than any players in the competition, tackle hard and squeeze space quickly to force turnovers. It's funny watching Picken because although he is now a playmaker he still carries some of the habits of a run-with player. He likes being annoying and you can bet he will try to bash into Heeney and bug him.
Lance Franklin v Fletcher Roberts
It's a team job but I think Roberts matches up so well on the big guys. He's not overly big but he uses his body really well and he does the little things really well. He is quick, has good closing speed and did the job on Jeremy Cameron last week. Franklin is the best at it but Cameron plays in a similar style to Buddy, getting up the ground and working back. Franklin is stronger but Roberts has enough agility to be selected for the massive task.
Dane Rampe v Jake Stringer
They are both X-factors. Stringer's influence around the ball has improved since he went back to the VFL and he can turn a game on its head while Rampe can lock down and then get 30 touches. He also helps out his teammates better than anyone else in the competition. If nothing else, Stringer provides a great decoy because he needs constant vigilance, which gives other forwards such as Clay Smith or Tory Dickson a chance to get off the chain.
