LEON Cameron believes talk of Greater Western Sydney's increased aggression in this year's finals series has been "overrated", but vowed his side wouldn't take a backward step in the chase for its first flag.
MATCH PREVIEW Tigers v Giants
Greater Western Sydney hits Saturday's Grand Final against Richmond after three brutal finals wins over the Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions and Collingwood.
Dogs coach Luke Beveridge joked on Channel Seven on Thursday night that the Giants had used some martial arts tactics throughout September as they made their push.
Leon Cameron and Phil Davis at Friday's Grand Final press conference. Picture: AFL Photos
Giants superstar Toby Greene was found guilty of misconduct against Dogs matchwinner Marcus Bontempelli, and then suspended a week later for making unreasonable or unnecessary contact with the eye region of Brisbane gun Lachie Neale, missing the preliminary final.
But Cameron said the Giants hadn't made a focus of being more physical in September.
"I think it's been a bit overrated. We have a run-with player in Matt de Boer, and we've probably upped the ante in the finals series and we've actually had two with Sam Reid as well," Cameron said on Friday.
"We're not denying that we've had a couple of run-with players for most weeks. Is it a negative tactic to try to drag down some of the best players in the opposition? That's their role.
"We've just upped the ante a little bit more with our tackling. If you watch closely last week's game it was a good ding-dong battle with Collingwood, and Brisbane gave out as much as we did. It's been a little bit overrated.
"We're proud that we have built a brand over the past three or four years that we like contested footy. We put our head over the ball, but so does Richmond."
The Giants have averaged 75 tackles in the past three weeks, compared to an average of 63 across the year.
Cameron said he wouldn't light a fire under his side to take things up a level given the stakes of Saturday's clash.
"Our boys will push the line in our attack on the footy. Our tackle pressure has been first-rate, along with the Tigers as well. I don't think that's pushing the line, but just the basic fundamentals of the game," he said.
Our boys will push the line in our attack on the footy. Our tackle pressure has been first-rate - Leon Cameron
"We were in the position where we were cut-throat [entering the finals in sixth position]. We had to win. So have we raised the stakes in our tackle pressure? We have a little bit more on the home and away season.
"But other than that we're still banging in like we were in round 16, 15 and 14."
Tigers counterpart Damien Hardwick said both teams had needed to play a brutal game style to make the premiership decider.
"The fact of the matter is we've had to play the same way to get to where we've got to," Hardwick said.
"The side that goes hardest for the longest is probably going to win tomorrow."
