Centrals’ embrace ‘free swing’ at Tigers
WERRIBEE Centrals coach Nick Smith has described tomorrow’s clash against unbeaten ladder-leader Thomson as a “free swing”.
With the Centurions fighting to keep their top-three hopes alive — and consolidate their place inside the five — Smith has declared his side is capable of causing a boilover at Galvin Park.
“I definitely think we can (win),” he said.
“I believe, and I’ve said it all along, that our best footy is as good, if not better, than any team, but we just don’t play it for long enough.
“But the boys know that. We’ve come up with a bit of a scorecard for quarters and we reckon we’ve played 11 of the last 12 the way that we want and the scores reflect that — 10-goal win over Winch, six goals over Bannockburn and 14 goals over North, so that tells me we’re good enough.
“Most coaches I’ve talked to along the way reckon we’ve got the game plan and the type of players that can undo Thomson.”
Beaten by the Tigers to the tune of 46 points in Round 2, Smith insists much has changed since.
“I went back and looked at that game in my review and you forget how much your personnel has changed,” he said.
“We had five or six guys that don’t play in our senior team any more — we’ve had an influx of new players — and it’s also interesting to analyse the game.
“My son Jackson hurt himself and was off at quartertime, Brayden Smith was done by halftime and we had no bench in the second half.
“They’re not excuses, but there’s always reasons for why results happen.
“We didn’t play well either, but I’m comfortable that: one, we’re playing better footy; two, we’ve got a stronger outfit; and, three, we were coming off a difficult loss.
“To be honest, I think we were all spun around from the loss to North Geelong (in Round 1) and then we got beaten by a much better team.
“This time around we’re riding off the back of two or three of the best wins that the club’s had in the last 5-10 years.
“We’re having a crack at the undefeated team with not much to lose. That’s what I’m telling our guys. It’s a free swing.”
Few teams have been able to handle the might of the Tigers this season, but Smith is certain his side will be in the premiership mix if it can score a major upset at home.
“If anyone was to beat Thomson, you’d immediately have to consider them a chance to do it again later on, but we’re still trying to make sure that we get into the finals, let alone thinking we can win the grand final,” he said.
“To be honest, the biggest thing that will come from this weekend is knowledge that we can climb the ladder.
“If you can beat a team that no one else is beating, that’s a game you get back.
“We’re getting to the point where it’s getting hard for us to make ground on Bannockburn and Inverleigh if they keep winning.
“We do get a crack at Inverleigh, but we’re already two games behind them. To make the top three, we pretty much have to go through undefeated.
“I would just love the guys to get the affirmation for what I know they’re capable of.
“I think we’re capable of beating Thomson and if we can beat them they will believe it as well.”