Rivers opens up on Collegians’ resurgence
Collegians go for seven-straight wins this week but their ex-AFL coach is more focused on ironing a ‘terrible’ mistake from the past. He also opens up on his side’s season.
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Collegians are eyeing seven-straight wins this weekend when they take on Old Melburnians away from home at Elsternwick Park.
The win streak marks a stunning resurgence for the Lions who won the opening three games of the season before losing five straight. The Lions have now returned to an impressive win streak of six games.
In the current run of form, the Lions have defeated sides who previously beat them by hefty margins earlier in the season.
This has included Old Brighton who they lost to by 67 points, Old Xaverians by 31 points and ladder leaders St Kevins by 21 points in the space of three weeks between round four and six.
Rivers said turning patches of good footy into four quarter efforts has developed the team to the point where he is confident against any opposition they play.
“And now we‘re starting to get belief which you need in footy,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter what level you play at, if you start to get belief within the playing group, you can go far.
“We haven’t put a ceiling on anything, we have still got a fair bit of work to do but given our last few performances we’re pretty confident that if we play our style and our way, we can match it with most.”
The only team the Lions haven’t beaten this season has been the Old Melburnians who they will face on Saturday.
The loss to Old Melburnians came in round eight which coach Jared Rivers labelled as ‘terrible’ where they fell short by 63 points on a big stage in front of a home crowd.
“We played them (Old Melburnians) on a Friday night game here at our home ground and we were terrible,” Rivers said.
“Big key game for the VAFA on a Friday night and we let our members down and supporters down and we just let ourselves down really with our output that night so we’re really keen to make amends.”
Old Melburnians put on a clinic that night at Harry Trott Oval, kicking 16 unanswered goals after David Mirra had scored the first goal of the match for the Lions inside 60 seconds.
The Lions will face them again on Saturday as the only team in the competition who they haven’t beaten this season.
Rivers believes his side can challenge Old Melburnians this time around after improving greatly from when they last met.
“We feel like we’re a better team than when we played them last time,’ he said.
“We felt like they were one of the best teams we have played all year so it’s going to be a big effort but right now we feel like we’re capable of having a fair crack at these guys.
“On their home deck is always hard but we’re hopeful that if we bring our game for four quarters, we should be OK.”
Rivers, who played nearly 200 AFL games for Melbourne put his side’s resurgence to a six-game win streak down to the resilience his players have built over the season.
“Probably the resilience within the group, I reckon a lot last year and even earlier in the year, teams would get a roll on and kick a few goals and we would probably drop our heads and go to water in a sense,” he said.
“So we’ve definitely built that resilience up over the course of the year and we have clearly been challenged at times but now to see the want and the will to win these tight games have been really impressive to watch as a coach.
“Can’t give more high praise to the whole playing group especially the leaders of the club who are driving the standards each week and the young boys are following which is good.”
Rivers mentioned some of the players who have stood up this season including Vivian Michie who has been awarded best on ground on four occasions.
He also complimented halfback Sam Sofronidis who came back from a foot injury and has been in the best players in four of eight games this season, featuring twice as best on ground.
Kenny Ong who has been in the best players in eight of 12 matches this season was also praised alongside Sam Hibbins coming back from “a shocking run of injuries”.
“Kenny Ong who I didn’t know much about until I joined the Collegians a few years back and he has just come in this year after being away in Singapore for work and has been sensational,” he said.
“He brings that A-grade class to us but also to the competition. He’s such a smooth mover, a great person and great player to watch.
“If you want to come and watch VAFA footy, he is a standout.”
Rivers, who won the AFL rising star award in 2004 also credited goalscorer David Mirra and youngsters Matthew Warren and Nicholas Canny.
He highlighted that his side relied on everyone in order to perform their high intensity brand of footy successfully.
“We can’t just rely on a Viv Michie or a Dave Mirra each week, it would be nice but we rely on everyone playing their role within the team and that is what makes this bunch of players really special,” he said.
“Everyone is really clear on what they need to do come game day.”
Rivers said simplifying his team’s game plan during the season has helped his side.
“We probably made it a little more simpler game plan wise and everyone knowing their role now,” he said.
“And touch wood our injuries have been nowhere near as severe as last year and we’ve got that continuity in the group now… so that definitely builds trust and confidence within the playing.
“And if you’re going out each weekend and you know what each of your teammates are going to do, that builds confidence within the playing group.”
Rivers said a change in mindset has also given his side an edge.
“It’s been hard work,” he said.
“The boys have put a lot of work in over the pre-season and this year to get to this position right now.
“And that’s what I keep saying to the playing group, last year we were probably in a position where we weren’t in contention of playing finals at all and we were close to getting relegated.
“Our mindset has changed.
“It is a lot of effort, the boys don’t get paid so it’s an effort to rock up every single night at training two nights a week and game day and do it again week after week.
“I just made the point, let’s get something out of that. We all lead busy lives but let’s try and get some success and all that effort we put in each week, let’s try and get something out of it.
“I think that’s the mindset the boys are bringing and each week they‘re rocking up and doing their thing which is pleasing.”
The Lions are in fourth position, four points ahead of Old Xaverians after they defeated them by three points in a nail biter last week.
A win over Old Melburnians this week would go a long way in securing a finals spot for them in the run home.
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