Favourite tag will not distract Hawks in quest for redemption
DRYSDALE will not be looking ahead to the Division 2 grand final yet, despite being a hot favourite for tomorrow’s preliminary final against St Mary’s.
The Hawks are taking advantage of the double chance after North Geelong blew them out of the water in a second semi-final thrashing.
Despite comfortably having St Mary’s measure in the home-and-away season — the Hawks defeated the Saints by nine goals only two weeks ago — Drysdale coach Stuart Craven was not getting ahead of himself.
“You can’t win them (grand finals) unless you’re in them,” Craven said. “We’ll be really disappointed if we didn’t make it but we’re not there yet.
“We’ve got to regroup and play very well this weekend.”
He said the Hawks had learnt from the Magpies.
“They’re just very, very strong. They’re far too experienced; we were no match for them but we haven’t been all year,” Craven said.
“They played at just a different level. They’ve still got half their team from their undefeated Division 1 premiership side, so ridiculously good finals footballers and they seriously just played at a different level to anyone else.
“We’ve got another week to work on a few things.
“It’ll be a completely different ball game (against St Mary’s), I would imagine.”
Melissa Egan has starred for the Hawks with 59 goals from 15 games and will be a key focal point in attack.
“She’s such a good footballer. She’s played a lot of footy,” he said.
“She’s so smart. She’s got really good skills, a beautiful kick for goal, strong hands but she’s strong on the ground.
“It’s great that she’s kicked so many goals but she’s been a fantastic player all around.”
Laura Taylor and Gabrielle Deller are also stars, but Craven said he had a lot of talent at his disposal.
“They’re quality players, obviously VFL listed, so you’d expect them to be,” he said.
“They never let us down but there are a couple others in the side, a few lesser knowns who have been equally as valuable for us like Brooke Lowe and Tanacha Saunders and the captain Prue Davies.”