UPDATE: Six weeks ago Calder Cannons coach Andrew Jago told his players that results didn’t matter this season as long as they were playing “Cannons football”.
“I actually meant it from the point of view that if we were playing our processes, our football and our way, what comes will come,” said Jago on Saturday after his side won through to the TAC Cup grand final.
PICTURE GALLERY: Calder Cannons v Dandenong Stingrays preliminary final
“They have responded to that and we will go inside [the changerooms] and judge ourselves on whether we played what is Cannons football.
“If we aren’t happy with it [the way we play football] then we wouldn’t be happy win, lose or draw.”
While they only played patches of the football the coach wanted, the Cannons are through their first grand final since 2010 with a 53-point win, 15.12 (102) to 7.7 (48) over Dandenong Stingrays at Visy Park.
The Cannons, coming off a week’s rest, started the better of the two sides with the first four goals of the game. From there they were never headed.
“We knew we had to ride their pressure early and they did have pressure early, we got the first couple which always helps,” Jago said.
“They never quit and we never felt like we had it.”
Jago said while his side was in front the whole game, there were a lot of things they had to work on.
“We did not deliver the ball well inside our 50 and Dandenong, a credit to them, they defended well. We didn’t give our forwards great service, but something we definitely need to work on.
“We played patches, but we didn’t play for four quarters.”
Jago said key forward Jayden Foster played an important role despite not receiving the best delivery and provided lots of opportunities for the likes of Josh Cauchi, Damien Cavka and Hisham Kerbatieh who kicked nine goals between them.
He also highlighted the roles of his defenders Rielly O’Brien, Jack James and Luke Ryan.
One concern to come out of the game was a leg injury to Peter Wright.
Jago said straight after the game that he had spoken to the doctors and Wright wasn’t in much doubt for the grand final.
“It’s a bit of a knock. It’s either a knee or high shin. The doctor says seems his fine and I’d be surprised if he didn’t play.
“He could have stayed on, if need be.”
He said there was 6-7 players outside of the team that defeated the Stingrays who would come into contention for the grand final, including Ben Allan and Jake Lever.
Lever, who could be a top 10 draft pick, has missed the whole season with a knee injury but was named in the extended team for the preliminary final.
“[Bruno] Laguda, [Aaron] Christensen, will be considered and so will Tanner Nilsson. We won’t take anyone injured in.
“He [Jake] is potentially a top 10 draft pick and he has been training with us for a month. His name will get thrown around, but is unlikely.”
