Coach Post Match – Todd Curley Qualifying Final

WHAT South Fremantle coach Todd Curley said after the Bulldogs' 52-point qualifying final win over West Perth and looking ahead to this Sunday's second semi-final against Subiaco at Medibank Stadium.

QUESTION: That win must give you a lot of confidence to take into the second semi-final against Subiaco?
ANSWER: The boys were really good and it was pleasing because you do so much work. They've worked from November all the way through and qualified really strongly, and performed really strongly in what was the first final for a lot of them. To come out and start the way they did, and pressure the opposition the way they did was very pleasing.

Q: That first 12 minutes was incredible but they actually steadied and had some control for the next 30 minutes. I think you would have been even happier with the lead up to half-time and then the dominant third quarter?
A: We started really well and obviously being a final they were always going to come back so it was a bit of an arm-wrestle before quarter-time and then the first half of the second quarter they really charged at us. But we steadied and absorbed it and then were able to win the quarter still. Then to come out in the third quarter and really put our stamp on the game was really pleasing.

Q: Your pressure and intensity was enormous all day, and they really struggled to cope with that. You must have been happy with that pressure?
A: Whenever you play well your pressure's up and I think it's a real barometer for how we are going in the game is how well we pressure. I thought we had a really even contribution which helps as well. We had most of our 22 who at the end of the day played their role and did their bit.

Q: I think it was 16 of your team playing their first final and they obviously handled the occasion well?
A: At the end of the day finals are just a game of footy. It's in the lead up that you get some extra nerves but once you are at the ground and with your teammates you start to feel comfortable, and then when the game starts it's like any other game really. I know we've got no senior finals experience with a lot of them but a lot of our guys have come through a successful colts program playing finals. The difference between a final is the expectation you have to carry with the result so it was really pleasing and I thought we were pretty even, which was good.

Q: The forward-line looked exciting and it has been a great strength all year being able to kick goals from multiple options. And Shaw, Saunders and Johnson all kicked 11 between them?
A: I thought they worked really well together and we want to share the load. It's really hard if you rely on one or two of them because if they get shut down it can make for a long day. Our pressure was outstanding and Blaine Johnson was fantastic with five goals and three goals.

Q: Your back-line was terrific as well with Marlion Pickett just about best on ground, Jason Maskos shut down Max Duffy and Pullman, Wilson and Gundry all did their jobs?
A: Over the last three or four weeks they have defended really well. Pullers has had a great year and Marlion has had a super year. He has been amazing. They really work well together as well but generally you defend pretty well when the pressure up the ground is pretty good. Our pressure was good and we defended pretty well for the most part.

Q: This performance couldn’t have been more impressive, how much does that momentum count for going into Sunday against Subiaco?
A: I think confidence is up but you work so hard to qualify and then really everyone is back to zero. We had a great season in terms of winning 15 games and you take confidence from that but to be able to reproduce that in our first final is obviously pleasing. We haven’t been the best team all year but our absolute aim is to be the best team in September. We were pretty good in our first final and now we get another chance to test ourselves against what's been the best team of the last few years.

Q: Subiaco remains the one team you haven’t beaten the last two years. What do you need to do to turn that around?
A: We just have to play our way and be bold. We started really poorly last time but we didn’t have Hams Schloithe or Johnson. That's not to say personnel will make a difference but we are now healthy and if you talk about preparation, we are in good shape and will be prepared as well as we can be and have some confidence. We just have to let the boys go out there and do their bit. They have won the last two flags and they can celebrate them, but they count for nothing in this finals series. What matters is what happens on Sunday and we'll have a crack. If we are good enough, then we are.