Lyon doubts lose one to win one theory

It's a factor that Chris Judd and Tom Harley both believe contributed to their sides
winning AFL premierships, but Ross Lyon is not a believer.
Harley, who captained Geelong to last year's flag, and Judd, who skippered West
Coast to glory in 2006, have both this week described how losses in the previous
year's grand finals helped drive those teams.
But Saints coach Lyon is sceptical of the theory that last season's desperately
close loss to the Cats will help push his side to the ultimate prize against
Collingwood on Saturday.
"I certainly don't subscribe to it," Lyon told reporters on Tuesday.
"I hope they're right, but it's an opinion business, I think everyone's entitled to
theirs.
"And when the ball's bounced everyone starts equal and away you go."
Rather than lap up the occasion, Lyon said he wanted the week to be as normal as
possible for his players, despite obvious abnormalities, such as Monday night's
Brownlow Medal count and Friday's grand final parade.
"You can put whatever label you want, it's another game of Australian Rules," he said.
"Certainly we've fought hard for the opportunity, we're not being flippant, we know
that it's a coveted prize.
"But at the end of the day it's about what stood us in good stead the prior 25 weeks
and games and we've earnt the right and we're not going to be reinventing the game
plan.
"How we play is how we play against any opposition, any time and we go in full of
confidence that if we bring our effort and structures we're going to be in the game
right up to our ears."
That emotional detachment will extend to selection, notably the decision on whether
to include veteran tagger Steven Baker.
The 30-year-old, who debuted for the Saints in 1999, was a regular until suspended
for nine games after the clash with Geelong in round 13.
A toe injury then prevented him returning for the earlier games of the finals series.
Lyon said the decision on whether to recall Baker would hinge on the fitness of the
current 22, and potential match-ups.
But as with now-retired veteran defender Max Hudghton, dropped late last season and
not reinstated for the grand final, sentiment meant nothing.
"There's no room for sentiment in football, I think we passed that test certainly
last year, so sentiment will play no part in selection," Lyon said.
In a positive sign for the members of the Saints' winning preliminary final side,
Lyon said: "It's easier to stay in than to get in."
The two players under injury clouds, Nick Dal Santo (back) and Jason Gram (groin)
both started Tuesday's training session with the main group, although media were
then ordered out.
But, after Gram on Monday described himself as 90 per cent fit, Lyon warned he would
not be fielding anyone below peak condition.
"If he's 90 per cent, hopefully by the end of the week he's 100 per cent, because if
he's not 100 per cent he won't play."