COLLINGWOOD forward Leon Davis says previous sub-par performances in September will not place him under any extra pressure ahead of another finals campaign.
Davis, who will play his 200th game against Carlton at the MCG on Saturday, acknowledged that he hasn't been at his best on the big stages, but said he would leave it to others to judge his output.
“All I worry about is [the feedback I get] internally and what the coaches want from me,” Davis said from Gosch's Paddock on Friday morning.
“As long as I go out and do what they expect of me, then I'll be happy.”
Davis won All-Australian selection in a standout 2009 season, where he averaged more than 21 possessions and a goal playing mainly through the midfield.
But his best return from three September outings last year was his qualifying final performance against St Kilda, when he managed 15 touches and one goal.
Davis didn’t think he had been unfairly criticised for his past September performances.
“People are going to say what they say, and I didn't really help that at all by not performing. So they have the right to say whatever they want,” he said.
However, criticism has followed Davis when he has struggled at stages of this season, with coach Mick Malthouse playing the 29-year-old in a different role - predominantly in attack.
Davis said he wasn’t fussed about his position, saying his main focus was maintaining a high work rate and helping the Pies achieve the ultimate team success.
“I enjoyed last year playing through the midfield but it’s kind of team first for me,” he said.
“Mick wants me playing up forward so I’m happy to play wherever they want me to, and I’m with the understanding that we’ve got a great midfield and the types of blokes that go through there, they’re doing a job.
“I don’t really want to disrupt that and worry about myself too much.”
On Saturday Davis will become Collingwood’s first indigenous player to reach 200 matches.
The West Australian admitted it hadn’t always been an easy road, especially when battling homesickness early in his career.
“Blokes like Ben Johnson and Rhyce Shaw sort of helped me out with when I first came over,” he said.
“There were times when I wanted to go home but I’m glad I stayed and stuck it out, and glad to get to 200.”
Davis will carry good form into this weekend, having kicked four goals in last round’s flogging of Richmond.
Twenty-six players trained on Friday, with injured defender Heath Shaw and forward Paul Medhurst - who is not in the extended squad - also taking part in drills.
