Click here to watch Mick Malthouse's Thursday press conference - on CTVMick Malthouse believes his team has learnt plenty in the last six weeks and also from the narrow round 15 loss to Geelong.
Speaking to the media at the Lexus Centre on Thursday after training – the team’s last session before Friday night’s preliminary final – Malthouse exuded a clear determination for his side to put up a better showing than when the Cats triumphed by 16 points in the only previous meeting between the two teams this season.
“I didn’t think we played particularly well, but I’ll also say this… you’re only allowed to play as well as your opponents let you,” Malthouse said.
“We broke down in a few areas that day, and we were pretty disappointed. We just seemed to be very mechanical. If we’ve learnt anything in the last half-dozen weeks, it’s probably against Adelaide.
“The set structure, and I take full responsibility, we didn’t play the game, we played the blackboard, and I can’t criticise that, because that means the players want to listen, and expect me to come up with the answers, and they just played the way the blackboard said to play, and we didn’t really play the game.
“So the lesson is, against Geelong is round 15, we just didn’t play with any instinctive creativity that the players have got, knowing full well that Geelong have got stacks of it, but if you don’t take that on, you don’t take anything on.”
With the team set to be announce late Thursday afternoon, Malthouse said Josh Fraser looked good on the track and is in line for a recall, while other changes can’t be ruled out, although after such a superb win in the west last week multiple changes are unlikely.
“He (Fraser) got through training, got through very well.
“Are there any certainties in selection after a win like that last week? We’ll be having a close look at that, and weighing it right up until tonight when we pick our side, and we’ll be weighing it up until match time to see what the conditions are like and who’s most ready.
“We’re not going to be playing around with the side overly much, given most of the boys stood up physically and mentally, and got through this week’s training in a very good state.
“Williamstown did play on Sunday. Three or four blokes there will be looked at if needed, but by and large we’ve escaped any major injury, or any minor injury for that matter, so it gives us a good base to pick from.”
The veteran coach also believes that the sudden passing of club legend Len Thompson during the week won’t have an affect on the team as a whole, but may impact on certain individuals.
“As much as we’ve seen Len around, I’ve got to say those things are very individual.
“If someone is very close for a reason, that might take place. We’d like him on our side, I hope he’s up there doing the right thing, but that will have very little bearing on our psyche for this week.”
