St Kilda is keen to finish the season full of steam and build momentum into the pre-season and into the 2017 campaign, says midfielder Jack Newnes.
The Saints crawled to the finish line in 2015, losing the final two games of the year in disappointing fashion, starting with Sydney by 97-points in Round 22 and ending with West Coast by 95-points a week later.
Despite exiting the race to September over a week ago, Newnes believes the Saints have plenty to gain by finishing the year off strongly against Brisbane, following a gritty win against Richmond on Saturday.
“I think last year we had a couple of games towards the end of the season where we just got blown out of the water; there was a couple of 90-point losses. So we’ve had a huge focus on finishing the year strongly,” Newnes told Crocmedia’s Sportsday on Monday night.
“We want to have a lot of confidence going into next year as well. You know if you have a strong end of the year that it will slingshot you into the pre-season and hopefully into a strong 2017 season.”
Join the players and coaches at the 2016 best and fairest and celebrate an exciting season
While Newnes hasn’t quite leapt up like a Tom Hickey or Tim Membrey this season, he has continued his incremental year-on-year rise in 2016, producing not only some of his best performances to date but also his best year yet.
Across all 21 games this season, Newnes is averaging career-highs for disposals (23.2), uncontested ball (16.7), inside 50s (4.7) and rebound 50s (2.8), and is set for his highest finish yet in next Thursday night’s Trevor Barker Award.
The Saints leader says his form has been progressing in line with the teams rise in improvement, with his confidence growing during his fifth season in the AFL.
“I think it’s building with the team as well. I’ve played 90 odd games now and I’m starting to feel very confident out there,” Newnes said.
“It’s my fifth year I’m in that middle bracket so each game I’m building my confidence and I feel like I’m taking on my responsibility on the ground.”
