PORT Adelaide coach Mark Williams says a win over North Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday is not out of the question for his inexperienced side.
North Melbourne will be desperate for victory over the Power to clinch fourth spot on the ladder and to help celebrate veteran Shannon Grant’s 300th game.
The Power came within two points of pipping the Roos at AAMI Stadium just seven weeks ago and, despite significant changes to the line-up, Williams said his side would be looking for a similar effort this week.
“It’s going to be a mighty tough game for us,” Williams said.
“But I think Tredders [Warren Tredrea] had a shot on goal to try and beat North Melbourne last time we played, so it’s not like it’s out of the question for us.”
Last week the Power supported suggestions they aren’t as bad as their 13th place indicates with a 78-point belting of 16th-placed Melbourne.
Williams was hopeful the win, the club’s first since round 16, would give his players confidence going into this week.
“You can train as much as you want, but unless you get the results at the end of it, it’s hard to sell. The players will get a lot of confidence out of the game and are really up for this week.”
Williams, despite leading Port Adelaide to its worst season on record, denied 2008 had been his toughest year as a coach.
The premiership coach said his side wouldn’t ‘walk away’ from its bottom-four finish, but doubted the group would find itself in a similar position next year.
He also reaffirmed suggestions that last year’s record 119-point grand final loss to Geelong had a greater impact on the players than first thought.
“Last year was the second-best year I’ve ever had in football. We didn’t get a great result at the end of the year, but I was probably a bit more measured than most in regards to what I expected from the year,” Williams said.
“It’s difficult to measure 42 players’ psychological scars in regards to the grand final. If you think about it, only 22 played and one [Brad Symes] went to play for the Crows, so that leaves 21.
“I don’t disregard [the impact the loss had] entirely. I probably think it had more [impact] than I’d anticipated.
“We played Geelong first up this season - we lost by 120 points the first time [in the grand final] and lost by about 10 the second time [in round one], so you think gee, they’re [the Power] probably into it for the year.
“There were some close calls early in the year where we didn’t quite get over the line and when you add those to the disappointment at the end of last year, then maybe it starts to kick in.”
