You hear players mention it ad nauseam, about sticking to the process, but the messaging and lessons learnt against the Suns and Blues are never more pronounced than they are today.
Essendon face their bogey team. In the past, they’ve lost the game before the ball is bounced. Cats will come at Essendon hard. Question is, how long can they maintain the rage?
If Essendon are switched on, they’ll win. This game is akin to a final, with the same level of pressure / expectation.
I fully expect the team to treat this game as a final and bring the heat accordingly.
As an aside, was interesting seeing Danger and Holmes came off 1/2 way through the last quarter against the Blues. Clearly, the coach took them off with Essendon in mind.