Nick Carter knows plenty about finals pressure and expectations
BELIEF plays such a big part in everything we do.
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Having the confidence and dare to keep trying, no matter what, is so crucial in the sporting world.
Whether it's the AFL, the US Open, or a Bendigo Junior Football League, the thought you can achieve just about anything is so important.
Some players and teams go into a contest with hope, others with the thought that no matter what they will win, or at the very least make it extremely difficult for their opponent to triumph.
Only those in the inner-sanctum at Richmond Football Club really know what's taken place to turn around a 3-10 start to this season into a nine-game winning streak and another appearance in the AFL finals.
Tigers fans, and there are plenty of them, are hearing and talking a lot about belief.
Richmond was hamstrung by injuries to key players earlier in the season and the game-plan looked chaotic.
What's happened at Tigerland across the past nine rounds is amazing.
An assignment with Port Adelaide on its home turf in the first week of September is an extremely daunting one for the Tigers.
The dare to take the game on is what those in yellow and black will keep doing.
Many footy fans are tipping the Power will be too strong, but the Tigers have kept on defying the odds.
Maybe they can do so again.
Across the weekend, Bridgewater and Golden Square again showed they can take to their game to another level.
Clubs do not win five consecutive premierships, as Golden Square has done, or four in Bridgewater's case without having plenty of belief in the ability of their team-mates.
Golden Square's start to the elimination final against Eaglehawk was not so great.
About 20 minutes and fans, a lot of them in the blue and gold of the Bulldogs, were wondering whether their season would roll on into September.
Despite a six-goal deficit there was no panic.
A calm and measured approach by Golden Square coach Nick Carter, pictured, at the quarter-time huddle was significant.
A dual premiership-winning coach at the club, Carter knows plenty about finals pressure and expectations.
The belief his team could turn things around was always there.
Every week in the finals the Square is fighting to avoid being knocked out.
Belief the five-time reigning champions can make it to another battle for the premiership cup is incredibly still strong.
At Flushing Meadow in New York, Casey Dellacqua continues her remarkable comeback to grand slam tennis.
Last summer Dellacqua won back-to-back titles on the Bendigo Tennis Association courts as the fightback from many injury setbacks rolled on.
Her mental toughness and "have a go" approach is an inspiration.