Elliott: Pies can take ‘hard road’ to AFL flag

FORWARD Jamie Elliott believes his Magpies can win the AFL premiership “the hard way” as he backed a “phenomenal” Jordan De Goey to continue his match-winning heroics against Sydney.

Elliott believes his team’s game is in exceptional shape after breaking even in centre square clearances but dominating every other facet of its semi-final win over Fremantle.

The Pies will enter the SCG clash on Saturday aware De Goey missed the round 23 loss with quad tightness, and Jack Ginnivan went off early with hamstring tightness.

And while Elliott (pictured) is trying to stay in the moment, he says there is no reason a team that finished 17th last season cannot go all the way, despite a week-one finals loss.

Asked if they could win the flag despite those obstacles, he said: “We have proved it all year we want to do it the hard

way so it probably suits us to be honest.”

“We are going to do it the hard way but that was a great win. Apart from centre bounce I thought we were in control of the whole game. Our pressure was through the roof.

“Some of those easy ones out of the centre bounce hurt us a little bit but for the rest of the game I thought we dominated so it was a good win.

“Even throughout the season we gave ourselves a chance with the top four ... but no one would have thought at the start of the year we would be in this position.

“We are just enjoying the ride and what it is, living in the moment. We are not getting ahead of ourselves and we will review this game and then look forward to Sydney again.”

Elliott signed a three-year contract extension in August and said he would love De Goey to remain with the club.

“We want him to stay. He is a phenomenal player,” Elliott said. “We missed him against Sydney and he just plays a crucial part for us. He is a bull in the midfield. Clearance wise, he makes it easier for us and he hits the scoreboard.”