Pressure Pressure Pressure then Burst

[bendigo bob]

Just looking back over the last 2 games and have noticed that they have been real pressure cooker games for the first 3 quarters and then out we come in the last quarter, go up another gear to a higher level, break the game open and then put the clamps on and pressure our opponents into submission.

It seems that this may become the norm this year as more teams copy our style of "Saints Footy".

Anyone not playing this style appears destined to be steam rolled this year.

The notable difference in Saints Footy is that it is a game plan built around the collective skills of the team not the skills of one super star. This is why we can have Roo on the sidelines and still produce unlike when North had Pagans paddock based around Carey. When he didnt play the paddock was empty. It also means that we can change other playing personnel in and out of the team and Saints Footy still works eg the Hawks game last year.

Whatever it is I love it and believe it will deliver what we all want - our next flag!

[busso mick]

The ability to apply the blowtorch when it mattered has been Geelong's trademark in the last 3 or 4 years and what will separate the contenders from the pretenders this year. As you say BB our ability to collectively lift at the start of the last quarter against both Collingwood and Fremantle was very pleasing.

We have become a very flexible and even side in the past 18 months and with that our top shelf players have also lifted their rating (ie Dalsanto, Goddard, Roo, Hayes etc) due to the boost from our lower ranked blokes.

Also we did use the paddock principle yesterday with Milne to great effect in the absence of a key focal point.

[degruch]

It seems that this may become the norm this year as more teams copy our style of "Saints Footy".

Anyone not playing this style appears destined to be steam rolled this year.

Luckily we have what no-one else has, that makes us the kings of pressure footy...Dave Mission. His fitness team and their expert management gets our guys up and running week after week, something just about every other team struggles with. They're absolute gems.

You can drill and drill and drill til the cows come home, but if your team can't back it up physically, you end up like the Hawks or the Adelaide Crows. Extremely important as the season wears on.