TonyK
Tash Jayasinghe
CibbuanoEagles will give everything: Worsfold
August 27th 2008 05:59
WEST COAST coach John Worsfold has admitted that a win against reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday is unlikely.
But Worsfold promised that his players will compete to the best of their abilities.
"It would be a big win if we could do it but all we can guarantee is that we'll go out and give it everything, not just count down the minutes in the game until the end of the season, but just go out and enjoy the challenge of playing against a great side," Worsfold said.
"This week we'll go out to compete and play at our best and the expectation is probably not that we're a great chance to win but anything can happen.
"You go out to get your match-ups as good as you can get them, give players great opportunities and you expect them to do their best."
Following the Cats' 33-point win over the Kangaroos, Geelong coach Mark Thompson said the Eagles will experience the 'hardest day of their lives' against his side.
However, Worsfold believes Thompson is just trying to fire up the minor premiers for a seemingly meaningless encounter.
"Mark Thompson made a statement that is really directed at the Geelong players more than at us," Worsfold said.
"So he's dealing with his side, they're going through a lot of different emotions this week and he'll deal with it in his own way and I'm interested to sit back and see how he deals with that and what impact it has."
Worsfold also said his side was not looking for revenge after the Cats thumped West Coast by 135 points in round 13 - the club's worst-ever loss at Subiaco Oval.
"It (the loss) taught us a good lesson, there's no doubt about that, not just from Geelong, but where we stood and why we couldn't really close any sort of gap to stop them scoring," he said.
"That was a game where the players were pretty strong about not being beaten like that again, but we have to make sure we've learned from it in the long term."
Meanwhile, small forward Mark LeCras is a chance to return after being a late withdrawal from last weekend's match against Hawthorn with an adductor strain while veteran David Wirrpanda (bruised buttocks/hamstring) is unlikely to play.
But Worsfold promised that his players will compete to the best of their abilities.
"It would be a big win if we could do it but all we can guarantee is that we'll go out and give it everything, not just count down the minutes in the game until the end of the season, but just go out and enjoy the challenge of playing against a great side," Worsfold said.
"This week we'll go out to compete and play at our best and the expectation is probably not that we're a great chance to win but anything can happen.
"You go out to get your match-ups as good as you can get them, give players great opportunities and you expect them to do their best."
Following the Cats' 33-point win over the Kangaroos, Geelong coach Mark Thompson said the Eagles will experience the 'hardest day of their lives' against his side.
However, Worsfold believes Thompson is just trying to fire up the minor premiers for a seemingly meaningless encounter.
"Mark Thompson made a statement that is really directed at the Geelong players more than at us," Worsfold said.
"So he's dealing with his side, they're going through a lot of different emotions this week and he'll deal with it in his own way and I'm interested to sit back and see how he deals with that and what impact it has."
Worsfold also said his side was not looking for revenge after the Cats thumped West Coast by 135 points in round 13 - the club's worst-ever loss at Subiaco Oval.
"It (the loss) taught us a good lesson, there's no doubt about that, not just from Geelong, but where we stood and why we couldn't really close any sort of gap to stop them scoring," he said.
"That was a game where the players were pretty strong about not being beaten like that again, but we have to make sure we've learned from it in the long term."
Meanwhile, small forward Mark LeCras is a chance to return after being a late withdrawal from last weekend's match against Hawthorn with an adductor strain while veteran David Wirrpanda (bruised buttocks/hamstring) is unlikely to play.
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