SAVVY SAINTS ARE PRIMED THIRD TIME

A TWEAK to the game plan and a maturity in the playing group has been the catalyst for St Mary’s improved season, according to captain Jacob Welsh.

Co-coaches Glenn Keast and Travis Robertson have steered the Saints into their third-straight GFL decider after taking the reins from Troy Mitchell in the offseason.

It’s given the club and players a fresh set of eyes — well, two sets in fact — and helped the Saints finetune their game plan ahead of another premiership tilt.

“This is a bit different to the last couple of years,” Welsh told the Geelong Advertiser.

“I feel we’ve matured and learnt from the last two (grand final) losses so I’m very comfortable where we are at the moment.

“Mainly we’ve just matured and there’s more structure in the game and on game day we’re more level-headed and sure of our game plans. I think previous years we’ve been go, go, go, but we’re just learning to control the ball at different stages and shift momentum when we can.”

Welsh said his side went through a mid-year “slump”, but is hitting its straps at the right time of the year.

“I think we’ve been building, from just before finals to the weekend, and just growing in confidence week by week,” he said. “For the win of the year, it (the semi-final win over Leopold) would have to be right up there. I think we just brought that pressure, so if we bring that, it’s hard to play against.”

The Saints train at Deakin Uni tomorrow evening after L W watching the preliminary final, with the wider expanses leaving them better prepared for a GMHBA Stadium decider.

Welsh, who was named in the GFL team of the year, got the most votes for St Mary’s in Wednesday’s vote count.

“It’s always nice to have that little bit of recognition from the umpires; it definitely means something,” he said.

“That’s all good and well and handy getting a few votes but that means nothing compared to next weekend and what that will mean for myself and the club.” L W W