With September creeping ever closer, the need for four points intensifies, as Adem Saricaoglu writes.
For Collingwood, who this Sunday faces Coburg Tigers, that notion is particularly pertinent.
Both clubs currently sit outside the top eight and need to find winning form quickly if finals are on the agenda later this year.
Collingwood is coming off a bye, and after assessing the first half of the season, coach Tarkyn Lockyer says he and his players know where they sit going into the second half of the year.
“From a win/loss perspective it doesn’t look all that pretty at the moment, but we think that we’re headed in the right direction,” Lockyer said.
“We’ve been really competitive in parts of games, which has been unfortunate that we’ve dropped our guards for periods of games - that has cost us in certain games throughout the year.
“I think it’s very important to keep ourselves in the hunt to potentially play finals, we’re against an opposition who are obviously just above us on the ladder, so it’s an opportunity to take a scalp.”
Currently three wins outside the eight, Lockyer says the target is still to reach September.
“When you’ve got the AFL team looking like they’re going to play finals football, clearly it’s an advantage to have the VFL side playing finals footy as well, just to keep the guys match fit,” Lockyer said.
“We’re well and truly aware of where we sit and where we need to get to.
“Clearly over the first half of the season the injury toll hasn’t been kind to us, but you roll with that and hopefully the second half the year will bring a few more wins.”
Lockyer said he expects Sunday’s clash to be fierce.
“It is an important game for both sides, crucial to get a win and I’m sure early in the game it’s going to be pretty red hot,” he said.
“Any time you play Coburg they pride themselves on being pretty hard at the footy and hard at the contest.
“With the weather over the past couple of days and the condition we expect the Coburg ground to be in, it’s going to lend itself to that really hard, contested footy, so we’ll be looking at that first and foremost.
“I think that’s where games are won and lost.”
The game kicks off at Mantello Holden Oval at 2pm on Sunday.
Last Modified on 22/06/2012 21:35