These are seven days like no other, with stressed coaches and players trying to stay calm, reveals Melbourne Victory captain Kayla Morrison
Welcome to Grand Final week… it’s the best week of the year. You can finally draw breath and forget about all of the injuries, the hectic schedule (like seven games in 21 days), and all the ups and downs that led you here.
Because from this point forward, none of that matters. Once Sunday rolls around, there will only be one game and one team standing in between you and that medal. Just one all-encompassing game, at the end of a week to enjoy. Having been injured all season I have had a unique vantage point…
Grand Final training = normal training
Believe it or not, the training on grand final week isn’t much different than the training on any other week. That might be a superstitious thing… because, well, it’s gotten us this far! But it’s essential to treat this game as any other, because the girls are feeling enough pressure to perform from within themselves.
So, from a coaches’ point of view, they keep the week the same, with a main focus on Sydney and their playing style. But there is one crucial difference, almost a fun element happening within the squad because we know that no matter what, this is our last training week together.
Our team will never be exactly the same, and you don’t want to miss out on taking a step back and appreciating the moments that this group has been through. So, although we are more focused than ever, we take a few deep breaths and relax because technically and tactically we know exactly what to do.
Reactions
The reactions and attitudes of players and coaches are very interesting in Grand Final week. You see people’s true colours emerge and see how they mentally handle the pressure brought on by such an important event.
Undoubtedly the people who get the most stressed out are the coaches. They know that once that whistle blows to start the game, they have done all they can do; it’s up to the girls from that point on. So, in the buildup to that first whistle, they want to cover every single aspect of the game.
They are at the field before the sun comes up, setting up the pitch, and they don’t leave until every girl knows exactly what their role is. You can almost see the grey hair spread.
But the girls? Cool as a cucumber. They individually know what they need to do to perform at their best. Whether that is ice baths, staying after for extras, or going out for breakfast with friends and then sleeping the day away. The young ones follow in the footsteps of the experienced players and confide in them if they are feeling anxious or needing help in any area of the game. But, at the end of the day, these girls are professionals. They’ve been here before. And it wasn’t too long ago, that they won it.
Last year
When you track the two campaigns and compare them, it’s pretty crazy to see how similar this season and last have been. Sydney had a great season, peaked early, and never let off the gas. Victory had an up and down year, but have come into the finals series guns blazing. Now we, yet again, face Sydney in the Grand Final, away at Jubilee Oval, as the underdogs.
But that’s always a good spot to be in. The underdogs don’t feel that pressure of “you shouldwin”. Instead, the underdogs get to do everything to prove those “experts” wrong, and show people that they have earned their spot here, that they will fight tooth and nail to hold that trophy. And when I think about last year, fighting is what we did. We fought through 90 minutes as the better team, shot after shot, momentum constantly building for us. Then we fought through another 30 minutes, finding the back of the net in the 120th minute of the game, to secure our spot as champions.
When I look back on the season that both teams have had, you couldn’t have guessed the journey each team would have to take to get to the final. You also couldn’t have picked two more deserving teams.
Whatever team shows up with the most heart, the most fight, the most desire, will lift that trophy. It’s a David vs. Goliath fight.. and I’ve read that story. I know how it ends.
