Q. How bad is the injury to Hird?
A. We will see what he does at training tonight. We have a training run at Colonial on Friday just before West Coast, so we will have a look at him then.
Q. Who is in line for selection?
A. Dean Rioli and Chris Heffernan.
Q.Will Mercuri play this week?
A. No, he won't play this week.
Q. Has Mercs run his race now?
A. He would be getting close to it, but it really depends if we win.
Q. Are you trying to organise another practice match for the VFL side this weekend?
A. Our staff have rung up the staff at Williamstown to see if they want to play a game anywhere or even their reserve team or their top-ups. Sometimes a two hour training run is a lot harder than a practice match, but you can balance that out.
Q. Robert Shaw just spoke very passionately about how much this week means to the club in terms of Dick Reynolds and the importance of the match...
A. Dick has been a marvelous embassador after he finished coaching the club and now just recently voted as the best player to ever play for the club. He was one of the nicest people I have ever met. I had him in the box one day and he was listening to the two coaches sending messages and he said - ""gee life has changed and they speak a different English here sometimes."" He was a very funny man.
Q. Obviously Friday is going to be an emotional day and all of the players are involved in what is going to happen. Is their a concern from your point of view that it might affect their preparation for Saturday?
A. We will try to make sure it doesn't. That is all we can do as coaching staff. Our players will be at Windy Hill and all the coaching staff will be going to the church. I think Dick Reynolds having a lap of honour here is a fantastic gesture.
Q. Will you do anything special on Saturday before the game?
A. No. We will just focus on playing well against West Coast. They have some brilliant mid-fielders, some of the best young players in AFL playing for them. Chris Judd is a marvelous player and he will be wanting to play well in his first final, so will Daniel Kerr. John (Worsfold) has done a good job with the team in his first year. Last year they were in the bottom four and now they are ready to bounce into the top four.
Q. Damien Peverill will have a big job in his first final taking on with Ben Cousins or Daniel Kerr?
A. He might not even play on Cousins. I don't know yet.
