Q. Do you look back on the 2001 Grand Final at all and have you spoken to James Hird about it?
A. I haven't really looked back on that day. To me it is about our future and where we are going this year. I think Jim is a pretty good person and has always been good for the game. There is no malice in Jim Hird at all and the way he plays. He has set the scene for this year the way he has performed - he has probably been my best player at Essendon in my voting in the last couple of matches - he has done very, very well.
Q. Why didn't you shake Leigh Matthew's hand on the ground after the Grand Final last year?
A. I will be honest - on the day things were just that busy I would not have meant that. You are trying to pacify your own team - you have lost the game and when you look up all of sudden they've got a premiership cup in their hands and they are all up on stage - you feel like you are breaking in on their party. Rest assured I did congratulate him when we got to the coaches conference which is just as important.
Q. Do you think it is good for the game with Brisbane playing so well?
A. It is tremendous for the game and it is great to be up there in Brisbane. Leigh Matthews and the Lions have done everything that has been asked of them since they got together. They have taken the footy right to the height to win a premiership. It was a marvelous effort to come to Melbourne and win - we just need to make sure we get back in the ball park and lift our act. We both played preliminary finalists last weekend - Richmond. We thought we were going all right with a 50-point win but Brisbane jumped up out of the ground and belted the Hawks by over 100-points - that is just a marvelous win.
Q. Will Rioli play this weekend?
A. He will mostly likely be coming into the side in the VFL - but we haven't discussed it at selection yet to be honest. Maybe the two weeks off might have freshened him up and maybe he needs a game. When I sit down and have a chat with Dean we will go from there - but it is great to have him back in town.
Q. How is he feeling?
A. Probably tired. It would not have worried me that much if he didn't train until Wednesday or tomorrow or Thursday. We just want to start building him up so he will play good footy for us.
Q. When will you make a decision about him playing this weekend?
A. I want to have a look at him Wednesday night and I will probably gauge things better from there.
Q.Do you expect him to return to form?
A. We hope so. He has always been a good player for us - he has been unfortunate with injury and that really frustrates him and then last year in the Grand Final he really had a lot of leg problems and in the end it was pretty frustrating.
