Zach Tuohy wasn’t nervous for the Cats showdown with the Swans back in 2022.
The qualifying final against Collingwood was the hardest game he’d played in, but after an easy win against the Lions, he was ready.
“I don’t remember being very anxious on the day of the game,” he told Geelong Broadcasters’ Mill and Nic.
“I had been on the Monday and Tuesday, but by the day of the grand final I was pretty calm.
“I knew we’d beat Sydney, I knew we were good enough and this was our best chance, and that’s how I feel about this Cats team. They’re the best team.”
This time is different.
Instead of dashing from the backline, he’ll be on the couch.
Well, maybe.
“I’m a terrible watcher,” he said.
“I’ll have it on, but I’m not sure I’ll watch it. I won’t go.
“It’s so much worse than when you missed as a player too, but I’m super excited. These opportunities are super rare.”
While he obviously has the Cats in the box seat, Tuohy is wary of the Lions.
“Their best is still elite,” he said.
“The Cats beat them comfortably in that qualifying final, but it also means there is really recent data for them to go over and see what went wrong.
“They got the Jezz match-up wrong and changed it later in the game, McCluggage got tagged out. They’ll know these things.
“Leading into the finals, Geelong were on top by a mile, so you fancy them, but that doesn’t really matter in a one off.”
One way or another, he’s tipping a much closer contest than three weeks ago.
“It won’t be as big as it was in the qualifier,” he said.
“Scotty is the best coach in the game, but emotion tends to take over in these games, so there is not as much for the coaches to do as people think.
“Especially if it gets close. It will largely be on the players.”
