FOR THE THIRD time this season, the Demons and Cats are preparing to do battle, but now, it’s all on the line.
Next Friday’s knockout clash at Optus Stadium gives Melbourne a chance to play on the last Saturday in September for the first time since 2000, but there is a big hurdle in the way.
Geelong, last year’s runner-up, is no stranger to the pointy end of the season, preparing for its 12th Preliminary Final in 18 years, and the Dees’ midfield coach Adem Yze understands exactly what to expect next week.
“We know that they’re a strong contested team and that came out in their game yesterday, and they do like to possess the ball,” he said on ABC Radio.
“So there was nothing really last night that came out of the game that we didn’t already know.
“We know that their good players, if they play well, they’re a big chance of winning any game – that’s the reason they’ve been so consistent and so strong over a long period of time.”
While Melbourne got the points in Round 4 and Round 23, its most recent match-up showed there is little separating the two sides.
“We played each other in the last game of the season and in that game there was momentum shifts,” Yze said.
“There would’ve been aspects of the game that they would’ve felt like they had control of … at some point, then at other parts we gained momentum.
The Demons, who are one week into their hub journey, have enjoyed the chance to rest up, following their 33-point Qualifying Final victory last week.
And after a big game-like training session on Friday morning, there was no pressure on the players to watch the Cats’ match that night.
“We just made sure the boys did what they normally would do,” he said.
“Some don’t like footy, others love watching footy, so the players did what they normally would do, and then as a coaching group we sat down and watched it together in Goody’s room.
“We just tried to make it as normal as possible, as we would do if it was a normal home and away game.”
To hear more from Yze in the lead up to the final, listen to the audio below.
