Football: Aker prepped Lions for grand final glory

As last year’s grand final combatants prepare for a re-match in this week’s SWFL preliminary final, 2001 Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis has revealed the insight he gave Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault before the 2010 premiership decider against hot favourites South Bunbury.

The outspoken three-time premiership player and veteran of 325 AFL games addressed the HBL players at the request of coach Heath Black, telling them to ‘‘control the things that they could control’’.

Akermanis said the experience of playing in four grand finals with Brisbane had taught him how to approach big games.

After winning the Brownlow Medal in 2001, Akermanis said he put too much pressure on himself to perform in the grand final, and he was hampered by injury the following year.

‘‘But the third year, where I kicked five goals was all about just doing a couple of things that I could control,’’ he said.

Last year, the Lions’ high-intensity opening to the grand final surprised South Bunbury, eventually culminating in a five goal-to-nil first quarter performance that set up their premiership triumph.

The venomous initial proceedings outraged Tigers’ powerbrokers, who criticised the tactics.

Akermanis was the South West Football League’s guest of honour at last season’s grand final.

‘‘I was pretty happy they won, because all of a sudden you’ve got a vested interest,’’ Akermanis said.

‘‘It certainly makes you deliberate, it must have worked.’’

‘‘I think that Blacky was doing a really good job, and what I said was pretty much what he was talking about.

‘‘I think it helped him and the group just settle them down and say ‘Well yep, that’s what’s expected, that’s what we need to do’.’’