South Barwon captain Matt Caldow said getting to the Geelong Football League grand final via fourth spot has, in some ways, been a positive.
The Swans lost last year’s decider to Leopold and have had to reach the big game this year via a series of official, and unofficial, elimination finals.
“I think we’ve been playing finals (for) a four-week period, (but) technically it feels that we’ve been playing (them) for six to eight,” Caldow said.
“Our philosophy is that you get better every week, every training session. So the team we were four weeks ago, I’d like to think that we’re a better side now than what we were four weeks ago.”
Caldow said losing last year’s grand final obviously stung at the time, but that he was impressed at how his side had handled the back half of this season.
“It’s obviously disappointing to lose a grand final and you deal with that at the time,” he said.
“I sort of strip it back to, well, what can we control? And you just focus on the things that the team needs from me or the group that we need to do together and that’ll be our focus – not so much what’s happened in the past or outcomes previously.
“Outcomes take care of themselves when you’re focused on the process so I think that’s our mindset.”
Caldow said he expects Harris Jennings to match up on him and that star forward Fraser Fort was primed for a big game after dominating in the second semi-final, but was kept quiet in the prelim.
“It was a tough day, I think all key forwards struggled out there,” he said.
“The way the footy was coming in, it wasn’t a spectacular brand of footy by any means. He’d be up for the challenge, he’s a great player.”
Caldow said he was not surprised in the slightest that Leopold had made it to the grand final again.
“They are a really well rounded side, there’s no surprise that they’re playing in the grand final,” he said.
“They’ve got really strong key position players then guys that go inside and win the footy as well, so I’d say it’s their evenness that probably sets them apart.”
Swans vice-captain Taylor Mulraney will miss the clash after suffering a fractured scapula in the first semi-final.
“He’s such an amazing person…and, obviously a great player as well,” Caldow said.
“We’re shattered for ‘Grub’ that things didn’t work out for him this year.“
Caldow said playing the grand final at an AFL stadium after a turbulent finals series weatherwise would be a thrill.
“I think the home and away season weather was fantastic and then this final series we’ve really paid for it, so (we) can’t wait to get out there,” he said.
“It looks like good weather, and hopefully (the game will) excite a few people watching.”
