Keep calm, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has urged his players ahead of Saturday’s AFL grand final against Sydney.
But the dual-premiership coach admits he’s finding it hard to gulp down a dose of his own medicine.
An estimated crowd of 3000 fans braved wet and chilly conditions at Waverley Park to cheer on the defending premiers in their final training session before Saturday’s MCG clash.
Hawthorn’s players hit the track just after midday for a one-hour session before Clarkson jumped on stage to chants of “Clarko!, Clarko!”.
The master coach soon revealed it was a challenge to keep it as a normal week.
“I was a little bit jumpy before training. I was thinking to myself ‘gee what am I jumpy about?'” Clarkson said.
“It’s funny just having people around, the big crowds, it always make you a little bit toey and know you’re on edge to perform well.
“I suppose on Saturday morning will be the time that I start to get a little bit toey.
“There’s so much on the line for our players, for our footy club, for all you supporters.
“We just need to be pretty relaxed going into this game.
“The side that settles first usually gets away to some sort of advantage and we want to be that side.
“That’s the way the game unfolded last year against Fremantle.”
Clarkson said it was magnificent to see so much brown and gold at Thursday’s training session, and hopefully again at Saturday’s game.
Luke Hodge’s 15 and Cyril Rioli’s 33 were popular numbers on the back of fans’ jumpers.
Retired Hawks’ ruckman and 2013 premiership player Max Bailey said the buzz of the crowd gave the players a huge boost of energy.
“Probably the hard thing is not overdoing it at training,” he said.
Clarkson was also under pressure on a domestic level. His three children had gone on stage and revealed daddy was a good hugger, he couldn’t cook to save himself and his favourite TV show was Neighbours.
Clarkson said he was guilty by association. He only watched Neighbours so he could spend some quality time with the kids.
“Us old timers, Seinfeld was the one,” he said.
