I really hope that our game this Friday night against Collingwood, which is third against fourth, can be just as good an encounter as the one between first and second last week.
There will be a real intent from all of us to make sure we put on a good show. It will be a slightly different build-up, as the Saints and the Cats were yet to lose a game, but this week is just as vital.
We're only one game ahead of them and if we can beat them, it will give us a nice break from fourth position. It's an extremely important game because we've got a big month ahead and this is just the start of it.
The win over Hawthorn has given us a lot of confidence. Sure, they're not the side they were last year, but they beat us pretty convincingly in that first final last year and it's something we won't forget.
It was good to play so well, and it makes us believe that we can use the ball well and be efficient and hit our targets.
We're determined to do that again this week to knock off the Pies.
We're both form sides – we've won our past five games and they've won six – and it doesn't happen often when two sides play each other in form. There's usually a loss somewhere along the line.
Collingwood has been playing very well, and that's when you want to play sides. You want to play them when they're up and beat them when they're at their best.
To beat them, we'll have to apply pressure like we did against the Hawks in the first quarter. It will be unlikely that we score 9.6 in the first quarter again, but it would be nice if we did.
Wherever I play, I could get an in-form player - Josh Fraser or Simon Prestigiacomo. I'll have a good look at both of them. I don't think Presti has played on me in the past, so that will be interesting, but I've played on Josh a few times so I know what to expect there.
Josh spreads pretty well from the contest so you've got to keep an eye on him because he can get away from you. He clears away from the stoppages well, and even though he's not as tall as some of the other ruckmen, he can be very dangerous.
I enjoy playing against the Magpies; I have good memories against them. A few years ago, we played them in an elimination final at the MCG and it was a lot of fun.
We kicked a few goals in front of 80,000 people and got a good result. It was my first final and it was great. While it's not a final this week and it's at Docklands, it's the same old Collingwood and they have a pretty loud and passionate following.
Another reason the match is important is because we play Collingwood again in round 22. We could actually play Collingwood three times in the next three months, if we get the Pies in the finals.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
