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Collingwood wingman Steele Sidebottom says the Magpies must turn the MCG into a fortress against the travelling Lions, who have lost 14 of their past 15 matches at the home of football.<\/p>\n
The Pies haven\u2019t left Victoria since round 19, playing six of their past seven games at the MCG, and winning their past four.<\/p>\n
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Thousands of fans attend the last Collingwood open training session before the grand final.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Eddie Jim<\/cite><\/p>\n Fast starts in their two finals have been critical to their wins, according to Sidebottom, and the 308-game veteran said it would be important again on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, I think when we get our tails up and the crowd get involved, I could imagine it\u2019s intimidating for opposition clubs to come and play against,\u201d Sidebottom said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to use that to our advantage. The last two games we\u2019ve started the game well and that\u2019ll be our plan again on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve been defensive games the last few games, but teams are hard to break through at times, and it\u2019s not always easy to score, but I think it\u2019s important to make the most of the opportunities you get.\u201d<\/p>\n More than 5000 fans turned up to the Pies\u2019 final training session on Thursday, where the club welcomed back a host of past players including Anthony Rocca, Shane Wakelin and Gavin Crosisca.<\/p>\n They also had two-time premiership great Thorold \u201cTitch\u201d Merrett involved. The dual best-and-fairest winner, who played in flags in 1953 and 1958, turns 90 on Saturday, and the Magpies players presented him with a cake and sung happy birthday before beginning training.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s something \u2018Fly\u2019s\u2019 been good at, touching on our past and bringing a lot of our past players back in,\u201d Sidebottom said of coach Craig McRae.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always look to our past and they\u2019re as much a part of it as we are.\u201d<\/p>\n Darcy Moore trains ahead of the decider.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Eddie Jim<\/cite><\/p>\n Billy Frampton played forward in match simulation and will play in his first final on Saturday, filling the void left by injured recruit Dan McStay.<\/p>\n Sidebottom said Frampton\u2019s role would be simple in Saturday\u2019s decider.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big strength I believe in \u2018Chooka\u2019 is he\u2019s got that real aggression, and I think that stands up on big games, guys who crack in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not expecting him to go out there and do too much, we just need him to create a contest, whether it\u2019s forward or back, but it\u2019d be nice if he did kick five, that\u2019s for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked whether Collingwood had enough avenues to goal, the 2010 premiership player said: \u201cI\u2019d like to think everyone chips in at some stage, but I think at this time of the year, it\u2019s defence that wins games of footy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s probably showed in the past as well, the best defensive teams win the big games,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can keep the opposition to a low score, we believe we can pip that by whatever margin it is. We\u2019ll look to defend well and hopefully, we can kick enough points at the other end.\u201d<\/p>\n Sidebottom and former captain Scott Pendlebury will become the first two players to win grand finals 13 years apart if Collingwood triumph on Saturday. Drew Banfield and Doug Wade currently hold the record with 12-year gaps between their first and second flags.<\/p>\n Sidebottom, who will take his daughter Matilda in Friday\u2019s parade and sit alongside Jeremy Howe and his son Zander, said he was grateful to be a part of another grand final.<\/p>\n \u201cI debuted in 2009 and played in a prelim and a couple of grand finals after that, and probably took it for granted a little bit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cNow I\u2019m a little bit older and understand they don\u2019t come around that often, I want to make sure I take everything in, enjoy the occasion and help a few other guys out along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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