Melee not so bad: Mitchell
by: Jordan Chong
Sportal
Re: Hawthorn's preparation
The players landed in Melbourne at about 1am Monday morning and have a six-day break to prepare for the Saints at the MCG on Saturday night.
Mitchell said the club, which sits eight with a 4-3 win-loss record, was heading into a crucial stretch of games, with its opponents between rounds eight to 11 being St Kilda, West Coast (Launceston), Port Adelaide (away) and Sydney at the MCG.
"I don't think we'll be doing too much training, it'll just be a week of freshening up and getting the bodies cherry ripe for the Saints on Saturday night," Mitchell said.
"It's that real tough time of year, we've got a pretty tough month coming up with really important games."
Mitchell said the club was keen to ensure exciting 20-year-old forward Lance Franklin, who has kicked 24 goals this season, including bags of six and nine against Geelong and Essendon, respectively, stays grounded in the face some serious hype.
"He comes into a media like this, where there's five or six people standing around him and he would be completely uncomfortable in this sort of environment," Mitchell said.
"He picks up the paper and sees himself in it every day, it's pretty daunting for a young guy."
"The most important thing for us as a footy club and for him as a player is for him to play good footy and we think the best way to do that is to just keep a lid on 'Buddymania'."
How are the Saints planning to prepare for the near future?
After the Hawthorn Match (MCG) we are off to Subiaco against Freo then back to Melbourne for 2 matches before heading back to Subiaco again.
Saturday 19 May 2007 7:10PM - Melbourne Cricket Ground
Hawthorn Vs St Kilda
Friday 25 May 2007 6:40PM - Subiaco
Fremantle Vs St Kilda
Sunday 3 June 2007 5:10PM - Telstra Dome
St Kilda Vs Geelong
Sunday 10 June 2007 2:10PM - Telstra Dome
St Kilda Vs Kangaroos
Sunday 24 June 2007 2:40PM - Subiaco
West Coast Eagles Vs St Kilda
That's a tough little patch of the draw. We need to take our chances as they arise, and the Hawthorn match is a chance that we cannot afford to let slip through our fingers.
I hate Freo, and I have little respect for them, but they are tough to beat on their own turf. Then Geelong in white hot form with the Subi curse, followed by a tough match against the Kangaroos (another one we can't take for granted - or we'll lose). Then a break before heading off to Subi to belt the Eagles. After that we have a nice run of matches at home, punctuated only by a trip to Sydney.
by: Jordan Chong
Sportal
Re: Hawthorn's preparation
The players landed in Melbourne at about 1am Monday morning and have a six-day break to prepare for the Saints at the MCG on Saturday night.
Mitchell said the club, which sits eight with a 4-3 win-loss record, was heading into a crucial stretch of games, with its opponents between rounds eight to 11 being St Kilda, West Coast (Launceston), Port Adelaide (away) and Sydney at the MCG.
"I don't think we'll be doing too much training, it'll just be a week of freshening up and getting the bodies cherry ripe for the Saints on Saturday night," Mitchell said.
"It's that real tough time of year, we've got a pretty tough month coming up with really important games."
Mitchell said the club was keen to ensure exciting 20-year-old forward Lance Franklin, who has kicked 24 goals this season, including bags of six and nine against Geelong and Essendon, respectively, stays grounded in the face some serious hype.
"He comes into a media like this, where there's five or six people standing around him and he would be completely uncomfortable in this sort of environment," Mitchell said.
"He picks up the paper and sees himself in it every day, it's pretty daunting for a young guy."
"The most important thing for us as a footy club and for him as a player is for him to play good footy and we think the best way to do that is to just keep a lid on 'Buddymania'."
How are the Saints planning to prepare for the near future?
After the Hawthorn Match (MCG) we are off to Subiaco against Freo then back to Melbourne for 2 matches before heading back to Subiaco again.
Saturday 19 May 2007 7:10PM - Melbourne Cricket Ground
Hawthorn Vs St Kilda
Friday 25 May 2007 6:40PM - Subiaco
Fremantle Vs St Kilda
Sunday 3 June 2007 5:10PM - Telstra Dome
St Kilda Vs Geelong
Sunday 10 June 2007 2:10PM - Telstra Dome
St Kilda Vs Kangaroos
Sunday 24 June 2007 2:40PM - Subiaco
West Coast Eagles Vs St Kilda
That's a tough little patch of the draw. We need to take our chances as they arise, and the Hawthorn match is a chance that we cannot afford to let slip through our fingers.
I hate Freo, and I have little respect for them, but they are tough to beat on their own turf. Then Geelong in white hot form with the Subi curse, followed by a tough match against the Kangaroos (another one we can't take for granted - or we'll lose). Then a break before heading off to Subi to belt the Eagles. After that we have a nice run of matches at home, punctuated only by a trip to Sydney.
