Port Adelaide assistant coach Dan Merrett says the team will keep riding its momentum, heading into this weekend’s AFLW Preliminary Final. 

Coming off a stunning one-point Semi-Final win on Saturday night, the team is on an eight-game hot streak as it prepares to face an unbeaten North Melbourne side this weekend. 

Merrett spoke to the Adelaide media on Monday about the feeling after the win, the mentality of the playing group, and what they need to do to challenge the Kangaroos.  

Merrett on the feeling following Saturday’s Semi-Final win 
“Yeah, slowly getting over the shock from the weekend, for sure. Definitely afterwards, I think you could see on the players’ faces like, I can't believe we just did that. Twenty-two points down at three quarter time, it was the biggest (3QT) comeback ever in AFLW history, and we happened to do it in a final, so it was pretty remarkable. And yeah, just immensely proud of the group to pick ourselves up at three quarter time and then get the job done. I’m probably still sitting there going, I can't believe we actually did it, but yeah, just so excited.” 

Merrett on the moves at three quarter time 
“Yeah, so we had to change something. So if we kept going the way we're going, it was probably just going to keep continuing the way it was, which wasn't great. We were getting dominated at inside 50s. I think they'd nearly racked up 50 at three quarter time, and we'd had 10 or something. So we were way away (from where we needed to be). So we just thought we'd start throwing the magnets around, as you do. We put Sachi (Syme) forward. She was playing back, so to maybe play a bit of a defensive forward role. And then Abbey (Dowrick) had had six touches for the night, so we ended up putting her forward, and she had seven touches in the last quarter, and kicked a couple of goals. And then we pushed Ash Saint in around the ball from the forward line. And yeah, she just got to work in there and had some really dominant clearances. And then I just think it started really in that last quarter, that first centre bounce Matilda grabs out of the ruck, and then just runs through someone, and then goes up again, and we get that next clearance, and then the momentum started, and we just got rolling.” 

Merrett on the moves working in the fourth quarter 
“You’d like it to happen more! I think it's funny, sometimes it works out where, you know, where do we need them? And in the end, I think it's just getting your good players around the ball and where you want the ball to go. So yeah, it was a great call from Loz (Arnell) and the other coaches to get those changes done, and yeah, where we're pumped that we're here to talk about it and celebrate it.” 

Merrett on looking ahead to the Preliminary Final 
“Yeah, hopefully we don't have to again result in throwing the magnets around, but it's always something, I suppose you think about pre-game, and you kind of plan in the back of your mind that if a few ‘what ifs’ happen, what are some aces up our sleeves that we can throw around? So yeah, we'll look at that again going into next week. And yeah, what a week it’s going to be against the Kangaroos, who are an amazing team. They’ve been the best team all year, and it's a huge challenge for us.” 

Merrett on the adaptability of the group  
“It was a little bit of discussion (between coaches). But to be honest, I can't remember who actually made the actual call (to move players around at three quarter time), I think all of us as a coaching group. And it's probably on the players as well. So I look at someone like Abbey, wasn't having a great night, and then when she went forward, she was absolutely electric and really helped us win the game. So it's that character of a player, they’re not having a great night (but) it's still not over. I think that was probably our group's mentality as well, coming into that last quarter, we had nothing to lose. And I think being in front, but not a mile in front, it's a scary place to be, because you're trying to save the game. I remember saying to the players, we've got nothing to lose. Throw the kitchen sink at them, let's just go after it, and we'll see what happens. And we probably haven't seen as much in the W but we’ve definitely seen it in the men's where it's like, no lead’s, safe, right? When you get momentum, you can get rolling and we were just lucky we converted in last quarter.” 

Merrett on his experience at Port Adelaide so far 
“Yeah, loving it. When I first came in January, I definitely did not think we'd be going into a prelim, but I just love the club, in general. I love what they're about. Love the culture. The people are amazing. And since I've been here, coming down from Brisbane, I've been made to feel so welcome, my family and everyone. So, yeah, loving it.” 

Merrett on the mentality after winning the game in the way they did 
“Yeah, I think heading into next week, we've just got to keep riding this momentum. That's eight in a row now, and yeah, let's keep rolling. So again, massive underdogs this week, because North Melbourne are an amazing team. But again, we've got nothing to lose. And I think we'll throw the kitchen sink at it this week for sure.” 

Merrett on how to beat North Melbourne 
“Well, it's about playing our game, I suppose. They've got stars all over the park. So yeah, without a doubt, it's going to be very, very difficult, but I think we're, I’ll have to check the stats, but we are the number one pressure team in the comp. We're very good at contested footy, and the way we play is pretty predictable. So, I think if we play our way, it's finals type footy, and it's shown the last couple of weeks, we play our style of footy, it works in finals.” 

Merrett on the possibility of a Showdown grand final 
“Can I be cliche and say one week at a time? I just think having the two South Australian teams in the last four is so great for footy in South Australia, particularly women's footy in South Australia, and it's a great testament of the depth of talent that we have here in South Australia. And I think the amount of attention that both teams have been getting this year, just keep growing the game, AFLW in South Australia is awesome.”