Q. Which team will you be barracking for on Grand Final day?
A. It is a tough one. They put us out of a final in Melbourne and they beat us in 1990 - but I think I am going to have to go for a Victorian club. They are our partner on Anzac Day, but I hope it is a close game and they all hit heads.
Q. Which team do you think will win?
A. Brisbane are the best side in the AFL at the moment - there is no doubt about it. They have proven that by the way they have gone into their last couple of seasons. They will be looking forward to coming down and winning back to back premierships. I think they are the best side and I think they will win. The best chance Collingwood has got, is really being level at three quarter time and stretching them in that last 30 minutes.
Q. Do you think Collingwood are any chance to win?
A. I go back to 1984 and no one expected Essendon to beat Hawthorn in that grand final. We were just within a touch at three quarter time. Then the clouds opened up and we won the grand final. I have seen it happen in the past, teams not supposed to win and they do. I know it is basically 16 years ago, but it can happen.
Q.Leigh Matthews and Mick Malthouse have quite a bit in common - both have coached Collingwood and both are dual premiership coaches. Who do you think will get the better of the coaching dual on the weekend?
A. You have Leigh Matthews from the Lions up against an old Tiger - so who is going to be King of the jungle. They both have been terrific players and marvelous coaches and they are both going for their third premiership. At the present time, experience wise the Brisbane team is a lot more experienced in the finals. The deal in the end, is that Collingwood have done a fantastic job getting there.
Q. What is your stance on players being suspended and missing the grand final?
A. I won't talk about Cloke, but lets talk about Carmen and McCartney and all the players that have missed out on a grand final through suspension. I just think that it is a pretty big deal for a player not to be selected in a grand final. It is a hell of a lot different to a home and away game. There are about 12,000 players who have played AFL footy and only 2,000 have played in finals. So when you miss out on a grand final it is pretty big. To me, the players association should sit down with the AFL and work out a proper structure. I don't think we are looking at it from a player’s point of view. Just imagine if it is the only grand final you could ever have played in and you will never play in another one again. That is considering many of the games greats never got a chance to play in a grand final. I think it is an area of improvement that we have to make sure happens in footy.
Q.What areas of the game do you think need to be looked at?
A. I think we look at the melee fines. It is to the games detriment that the players get fined $8000 for wrestling when they might only get paid $5000 a game.
Q.Do you think there would have been as much interest in the grand final if it was an all-interstate affair?
A. It has probably saved the finals series with a Victorian club in the grand final. Eddie McGuire has been sensational for Collingwood and I read an article during the week about former president Kevin Rose. He should be congratulated as well, and so should Eddie, because he has helped Collingwood get up with his new board and they are a bit of a chance.
