DANIEL Venables won't mind if his nerves are jangling before West Coast's qualifying final against Collingwood. In fact, he'd prefer it.
Venables is a bundle of energy before every game and the mere thought of making his finals debut in front of 60,000 fans at Optus Stadium is "nerve-wracking".
It is enough to get anyone keyed up – especially a 19-year-old with only 12 games under his belt.
But the speedster's half-forward role is all about intensity and defensive workrate so, as long as he channels his energy in the right direction, he'll be happy to be a touch jittery.
"I get a bit nervous, but I think it's always good to be nervous," Venables told AFL.com.au.
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"It just shows that you care and that it means something to you.
"I'm not one of those edgy blokes, I like a bit of a laugh.
"That's why I love footy, is times like these.
"It's a new experience, my first finals series and I'm just keen to see what happens."
Venables is likely to be one of four finals debutants named in West Coast's 22, alongside Willie Rioli, Liam Ryan and Tom Cole.
Growing up in Melbourne, the Western Jets product remembers going to watch finals at the MCG and is trying not to overthink what lies ahead.
"I went to a couple of finals and I'm just pinching myself that I'll hopefully get out to play in them," Venables said.
"The fans get louder, the pressure goes up, the heat goes up and I'm really excited to get out there.
"I might ask a couple of the boys (what it is like), but I don't want to really play it in my head too early.
"I reckon when I was younger I used to try to build it up, but now it's just like any other game."
It has been a season of new experiences for Venables, who was the Eagles' first pick – No.13 overall – in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft.
Foot injuries blighted his first season in the west, but he was picked in this year's blockbuster Optus Stadium opener and showed promise slotting three goals in his second game.
He had to cool his jets after a severe ankle setback against Gold Coast in round four – although the injury had a silver lining.
"I thought it was my best game and I was really confident and finding my feet," Venables recalled.
"But I think while you go through missing 10 weeks of footy, it really does help you understand why you're playing and how good it is.
"It was a lot of hard work to get back, there were some tough times through that and the team was going well and you didn't know what was going to happen towards the end of the year.
"But looking back at it now I think it was all worth it.
"I appreciate it a bit more now."
It took Venables some time to rediscover his groove after his mid-year comeback, but his searing pace, ability to chime in on the scoreboard (eight goals) and pressure have been assets.
A couple of telling majors in the must-win last round against Brisbane were a timely confidence-booster, while a MCG hit-out against the Pies in round 17 could prove invaluable, with the tight-knit Eagles eyeing a deep September run.
"We've got a real tight brotherhood," Venables said.
"At the start of the year, all of us young boys worked off each other, but now the senior boys are really helping us all out (to prepare for finals).
"It's just a good spirit going around at the moment."
