Finals pressure

There's been a lot of press this week about 'finals pressure', especially in connection with the Bombers and Blues, whos’ young players have not participated in a finals campaign.

I was thinking about this, again especially in regard to the Bombers and Blues, both of whom regularly play in front of high-volume crowds at the MGC.

Forty years ago, when most teams in the then-VFL played only occasionally at the MCG — when they played Melbourne, or, post 1965, Richmond — crowds at traditional suburban venues were probably no more than 35,000 at most. In those days, there were four finals games over four weeks (first semi, second semi, preliminary, Grand Final). On each of the Saturdays in September, the MCG would host a finals game for each of under-18s, reserves and seniors. With three games being played, not to mention a rare chance to see games at the ’G, crowds of 90,000-plus weren't at all unusual, even for the 'minor' finals.

So, a group of players unused to playing at the MCG, unused to playing before 90,000 people and playing for a place in history, might easily feel additional pressure.

For a young group of players who already play regularly in front of big crowds, I wonder whether there is any extra pressure in a finals game, other than, perhaps, the Preliminary and Grand Finals.