PORT ADELAIDE players have returned to training after a few days off and will now start ramping up their preparations for next week’s SANFL Grand Final, as the club works to ensure the build up is as normal as possible.
The Magpies qualified for the SANFL decider on Sunday week by beating Glenelg by four-points in a physical and intense encounter last weekend.
The players were given four days off to allow them to refresh but returned to Alberton on Friday in good spirits and ready to tackle the biggest week of the year.
“We’ve had a bit of time to digest it and we’re looking forward to a week off (playing) now,” coach Matthew Lokan told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“It’s been a little bit different. We gave the boys a bit of time off for the start of the week – I think a few of the guys got away and played some golf and just relaxed.
“You can get into that trap of playing the game before it comes around so we let them have some time to recover and get away and they’re back today for a training session, we’ll have a good run tomorrow morning and then we’re back into a normal week.
“There’ll obviously be a few extra things next week to deal with but we’ll try and keep it as simple and as normal as possible.”
The Magpies lost narrowly to Sturt and Norwood in the 2014 and 2017 Grand Finals and haven’t won a premiership since 1999.
Lokan has a relatively inexperienced group at his disposal but he is confident it has what it takes to deal with the excitement that comes with Grand Final day.
“Going into these days, you’ve got to keep it as basic as you can,” he explained.
“What we can control is the way we prepare and the way we play.
“We’ve had a couple of goes of it between our last win and where we are today but we don’t build it up for what it is – it’s a Grand Final, it’s exciting and we’ve got to produce our best on the day.”
The Magpies have won ten of their last eleven games and will go into the Grand Final full of momentum and belief.
“A lot of our guys haven’t played in Grand Finals before and aren’t sure what to expect but it’s exciting for everyone.
“It’s obviously a big occasion for our footy club – it’s been 20 years since we’ve won a Grand Final so it’s exciting for the club and our supporters.
“For them, the opportunity to come along and see us on the big stage again is big for our club and we feel like we need to repay them and hopefully come away with the result we’re after.”
Port Adelaide will learn its opponent when Glenelg faces Adelaide in a Preliminary Final on Sunday afternoon and Lokan says he’ll be watching.
“I generally watch sides play the week before we play them during the season and nothing changes now so we’ll get along on Sunday and I think a few of the boys will get along and watch as well,” he said.
The SANFL Statewide Super League Grand Final will be held at Adelaide Oval on Sunday 22 September from 3pm.
