It’s a different mental battle to any other game you face as a player or coach because it really is a fork in the road and the fire truly has to come from within.

When you’re just playing for playoff survival, like we were at home last week, it’s very easy to find that drive to win. That will is also not hard to find in a grand final series because you’re already well down the path but it’s games, like the one we face in Adelaide on Thursday, that really reveal the character of a team and of individuals.

Right now the series has gone to serve – they’ve won their game at home we’re won our game at home – but there’s no doubt heading into game three that most of the external pressure is on Adelaide.

Some people might dismiss that as a psychological ploy but it’s not. They were the first placed team, they led the league all year so if all things go to script they should win.

Before the season started people picked us to finish in the bottom two. We’ve made the playoffs, we’ve avoided being swept so, to a lot of people, we’ve already overachieved. It would be easy for us to be content with where we are, but that’s not the mindset we have within our group.

There’s five other teams at home while we’re one of three still playing for a championship. I’ve really driven that home this week because I want the guys to appreciate how valuable that opportunity is.

It’s not very often you get to this position where you have a chance to play for a championship.

It comes down to to each individual and how bad do they really want to achieve something the majority of people don’t ever achieve. 

This is our time just as much as anyone else’s and we won’t accept mediocrity. 

Everything’s been said, the fire’s been stoked. We’ve played six times this season so they know what we’re going to do and we know what they’re going to do. We’re not going to be pulling any rabbits out of our backsides because these games aren’t about trick shots.

It’s going to come down to which team wants it most.