A champion team will always beat a team of champions

The past weekend of football proved to me that belief counts in footy, and the ability to rely on your mate can take you a long way. As  they say, a champion team will always beat a team of champions.

My Hawks proved that if you don’t bring your A game at the highest level of our sport, then you can be in trouble. What is that tells the Greater Western Sydney boys when they are 3 goals down to the reigning premiers in the last quarter that they can turn it around and win. What is it that says to a bunch of young Saints that being down by 10 goals is not too much?

Or if you are a Bear, what says you are down 9 goals to nil at half time, you are going to come out and win the second half?

For most of my working life, this ability to band together as a team when the chips are down has fascinated me. Working in V8 Supercars, I recently watched Will Davison take a car no-one thought could win, to do just that in the toughest track on cars in the country. It wasn’t just his belief as a driver, it was the belief of everyone in his team, right the way from the person booking their flights to the team owner, that no matter what anyone says, they were heading in the right direction.

And just like in most sports, most people didn’t see it coming. Just as no-one saw the Saints coming back last weekend.

The bottom line is that some people just never give up, no matter what the scoreline tells them, no matter what their teammates want to think. These are the sports people I really admire, and I saw that a few times on the weekend. But what I also saw was that these players are the type that brings others into the game with them.

These players are leaders, whether they have the title or not.

The grading games are done and dusted now, so let’s get out there and have fun with hopefully many more even contests and cheer on not just the leaders, but the quiet player who does the one-percenters… Like Jacob in the Under 11 Grizzlies who has worked hard on his fitness and skills since starting Aussie rules last year, and last weekend kicked his first goal.

The best part is, we have lots of young players with the spirit and endeavour of Jacob, and that is what makes us a great club.