St Pats co-coach Alex Russell isn't worried his troops will face Old Scotch at the NTCA Ground in their NTFA division one second semi-final.
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The Thistles have ended up with home ground advantage despite St Pats finishing top of the ladder and earning a week off.
When asked last week whether the Saints would host at John Cunningham Oval, NTFA president Scott Rigby explained not all grounds were suitable to hold finals.
Russell isn't surprised to be playing away from home.
"We haven't trained on our ground for three weeks," he said.
"With the way the weather is, we wouldn't be playing at home anyway. We're happy to play any team, anywhere. We don't care."
And the Saints are raring to go.
"The past couple of weeks have been great to get everybody back to 100 per cent and we've finally, for the first time since round one, got a full list," Russell said.
How have they prepared for the big game?
"We chucked in a lot of match play along with a lot of touch work," the co-coach said.
"Everyone's attitude has been really good. With the weekend off, there was a bit of extra load in those weeks but everyone got through it unscathed which is even better."
Russell said St Pats' senior players ventured out to Lilydale last weekend to watch their reserves and also Old Scotch play the Demons in the qualifying final.
"It was good to see how they matched up against Lilydale," he said.
"And obviously with OLs (still in it), if anything there's a goal or two between every side left now. It'll be a good run to the last game I'd imagine."
The Saints beat the Thistles by one point at home in tough conditions in round 18.
Russell anticipates another close contest.
"Both teams match up really well together. It's always going to be a goal here or a goal there," he said.
"Either way, you can't really predict it when we play. We know we can match it with them. It was nice to beat them once so we know we can beat them. They've beaten us once so we're one-one going into our final."
Russell said winning the contested ball would be key to success.
"If we can get first-use from our midfielders into our forwards, we back our forwards one on one against any side," he said.
"If we're the harder and more contested team and better at it for longer, I think we'll win. Scotch are just as good at it. But it's just a matter of who can do it for a bit longer."
St Pats reserves captain Tom Everett will play his 200th game this weekend when his team also takes on Old Scotch at the NTCA Ground.
Russell said training was buzzing on Wednesday night.
"I've probably never seen a better training and atmosphere in the eight or nine years I've been involved with St Pats," he said.
Meanwhile, the Thistles have three teams playing at home on Saturday as the premier women's team is also facing Bridgenorth.
Old Scotch mentor Brayley Coombes said it was exciting for the club and a good opportunity.
"It's probably a bit fortunate given ladder positions but you just roll with the punches and take the good with the bad I suppose," he said.
Wing/half-forward Lachlan Edmunds returns after being unavailable last week.
"He'll inject some real leg-speed into our line-up," Coombes said.
The coach said injured gun player John McKenzie was a slim chance to return this week.
Coombes hopes he'll play a part in this finals series.
The Thistles are keen to control the ball on Saturday.
"Our ball-use is evolving and it's improving," Coombes said.
"There's still a lot of room for improvement there but the fact it's improving and we're winning games is really exciting."
Eliminating lapses is also a focal point.
"Rotations are pretty important in that. Once guys become tired, they become tired in the mind," Coombes said.
"That's when lapses eventuate. So it's critical we're right on top of our systems and structures, not just with our ball-use but also our rotations and all the key little things that contribute towards lapses."
He spoke of the crucial role outside runners would have on the game.
"A fortnight ago probably doesn't really depict where either club is at given the size of the ground and the conditions of the ground that we played on," Coombes said.
"What both sides did prove is they're both good in the contest.
"The contest will be decided this week, not just by who gets on top and who wins the ball on the inside, it's who's going to be bravest on the outside."
Tom Allison played his 150th game for Old Scotch in the reserves last week.
"He's been a multiple premiership player, a senior best and fairest winner and won the reserves best and fairest this year so that was a terrific achievement for him," Coombes said.
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