Simpson focuses on the now
WEST Coast coach Adam Simpson will not get sucked into a false sense of security as the Eagles prepare for a grand final against Collingwood.
Melbourne was bundled out of the premiership race on Saturday after copping a humiliating 66-point preliminary final loss to West Coast at Perth Stadium.
The Demons entered the match full of confidence after beating West Coast in Perth just five weeks earlier.
But their hopes of pulling off another victory were quickly extinguished as West Coast piled on the first 10 goals of the match to set up the 18.13 (121) to 7.13 (55) win.
The Eagles have every right to feel confident going into Saturday’s grand final after beating Collingwood twice this year. West Coast beat Collingwood by 35 points in Round 17 at the MCG and posted a 16-point win over the Magpies in the recent qualifying final in Perth.
But Simpson said those wins meant nothing, especially after watching how ruthless Collingwood was in beating Richmond by 39 points in the other preliminary final.
“I’m not really buying into that,” Simpson said of the significance of the past wins over Collingwood.
“A lot of that was [said] about Melbourne as well — they beat us in Round 22. But it’s just so different [in a final].
“When there’s a lot on the line, stakes have changed, conditions change, personnel changes.
“What doesn’t change is the way each teams plays.”
West Coast will ease Jeremy McGovern through training this week after the defender copped a knee to the body in the win over Melbourne.