CRAIG Jennings says Melbourne has only focused on West Coast’s recent form – not previous records or this year’s JLT Community Series game against the Eagles.
Jennings, the red and blue’s game analyst and education coordinator, said Melbourne was a team “that doesn’t look backwards and is not too concerned about previous results”.
“We’re just planning for what we’ve seen in West Coast this year and planning to execute our own game style, so we don’t get too hung up on what our opposition do, but we acknowledge their strengths and we look for weaknesses that we can exploit,” he told melbournefc.com.au.
“But, really, we focus on our game style and it’s a contested footy game style, and we want that to come to the fore every week – no matter who the opponent is.
“What’s more important than last year and the JLT game is West Coast’s recent form and how they’re playing at the moment. Over the top of that is the momentum were trying to build in our season, which is far more important than looking backwards.”
Jennings said West Coast’s pressure factor in its win over Geelong at Domain Stadium last round was considerable.
“We have to be really prepared for another high intensity, high pressure game like we played against the Bulldogs and the week before against Collingwood,” he said.
“It’s just the benchmark of the AFL now – you have to deal with the opposition bringing a lot of pressure in games. We’ve been working on a game style for a few years now and the players have learned to get it done in critical moments.”
Jennings said the coaches and players were aware of the external expectations around the club, but added they simply had to focus on the job within.
“It’s something that we understand externally – the conversation of expectation is hard to miss, but you just don’t have the luxury in footy on a day-to-day basis to even contemplate or think about those things,” he said.
“The week gets set in really finite detail. We review and then we preview – we execute the game plan, and every minute of every day of the coaching life style is accounted for. The week is so structured that you’re barely thinking about the next day, let alone the next game, so everything is done with intensity and purpose about the upcoming opponent.
“That part of footy, in terms of results and ladder, will look after itself. We’re a really well planned team, in terms of our own game style, and we’re really well planned in what we think will win games against every specific opponent.”
