IN MY 18 months out of the game I haven’t really missed playing – until this week.

The build-up to this week’s blockbuster between the Saints and Cats has brought back memories of the 1990s, when at North we would play in a similar game to this year after year.

The nervousness, anxiety and anticipation kick in early in the week, and the weekend can’t come around quick enough.

Everyone has their own opinion about whether it’s good to lose the game or win it, as the popular consensus is that both will be playing off in the grand final anyway.

I have my opinion on that: what a load of rubbish.

Two points have to be made. Firstly, no-one is assured a place in the grand final as so many things can go wrong from now until September. Secondly, players and coaches have one thing on their mind every week and that is to win.

Leaving your powder dry for a possible finals match-up is fraught with danger. The philosophy should be simple – load it up and give it both barrels.

So who will win? It’s a coin toss, as you can make a great case for both teams.

Throw out all the stats – it all comes down to who wants it more. No tricks from the coaching box, no inspirational speech and no single individual will get either team over the line.

That team that has every player sticking to his role like his life depends on it will take home the points.

All this may sound old-fashioned, but when there are two teams so evenly matched, it all comes down to one thing – desire.

Collingwood v Essendon
What a great way to kick the round off, with 90,000 at the G and the Pies looking to cement a spot in the four; the Bombers in the eight.

Both teams are in form and playing an exciting brand of football.

Essendon's offensive running is the best going around and their defensive game is improving. But they are up against one of the best in the league when it comes to playing with a balance of offence and defence.

The Pies' ability to apply pressure by out-numbering and tackling and then switching to all-out attack once they cause a turnover is at a high level at the moment and it will trouble the Bombers' style of play.

Throw in the inclusions of Davis and Pendelbury for the Pies and the loss of Watson for Essendon and I can’t see the Pies getting beaten.

Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn
This is it for the Hawks. Do or die.

With a tough run home they need this win, not only for the points but also for the confidence.

We have been waiting for them to click into action all year and this week has to be it.

I know they've had some injury concerns and some players had limited pre-seasons but I don’t care if everyone of them had these issues. They still should have beaten West Coast with the talent they had on the park.

The worry with a team like the Hawks is that some in the side think that it’s just going to roll into the next.

When it doesn’t, players start to question each other and the coaching staff, looking for excuses. All this does is cause rifts in the group and the focus changes.

All of a sudden you start getting individuals doing their own thing and if they don’t snap out of it, this once-stable group will come down like a house of cards.

I hope they can think back to what made them successful last year and get back to it. A selfless, hard-nosed, professional unit with no individual motives.

They are a great side to watch when they are up and going so I hope they can turn it around.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.