Western Bulldogs defender Taylor Duryea is hopeful the team can thrive on the ‘do-or-die’ mentality this 2022 AFL Finals Series.
The eighth-placed Bulldogs will meet the fifth-placed Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Saturday 3 August in an elimination final, after results went their way on the last day of the home-and-away season.
“I’d only ever sort of been in that position as a helpless fan – last year when we needed Brisbane to either lose or win by a small enough margin for us to stay in the top four,” Duryea told SEN Breakfast on Monday morning.
“It was the same again yesterday – but fortunately, we were on the right side of the result which was good.
“Our first chat after the game – not knowing what the result would be between Collingwood and Carlton – was more about ‘we’ve done what we could’, and (acknowledged) it was a bit of a difficult season where we let ourselves down with some poor performances.
“Realistically, although it was an anxious wait to get a result to go our way, we’d have rather been in this position than not.
“We sort of fought out the last month and although they were scrappy, got the wins we need. Sometimes that’s all you need to kickstart something.”
Having to play off in a cutthroat final interstate is something the Dogs are well-equipped and familiar with too, only needing to look as far back as last year, where they played all four finals outside of Victoria.
“Bevo has the absolute belief in us, and we have it in ourselves – it’s just been a bit of inconsistency at times (this year),” Duryea said.
“Now it’s almost a clean slate with a ‘win or go home’ mentality which we were familiar with last year.
“We feel like we can be in any game, and have got a strong enough side to put it to anyone which we’ve proven at stages of this year.
“That ‘win or go home mentality’ clears out a lot of noise, and you can just focus on what makes you a good side and hope to execute that.”
Tickets to the Bulldogs’ elimination final will go on sale from 12pm – 4pm AEST (10am – 2pm AWST) on Tuesday 23 August for eligible Club members, and 5pm AEST (3pm AWST) for the general public. Please click here for further ticketing information.