> Watch the mid week press conference featruing Travis Cloke, Harry O'Brien, Leon Davis and Leigh BrownCOLLINGWOOD defender Harry O'Brien says his side's ability to bounce back from adversity will hold them in good stead for Saturday night's first semi-final clash against Adelaide at the MCG.
On the back of their 28-point loss to St Kilda last Sunday, O'Brien remains confident the Pies can draw on their round 19 win against Adelaide – and last year's elimination final victory against the Crows – and advance into a preliminary final against Geelong.
"I remember last year we beat Adelaide in the first final and we had our backs to the wall, but we do respond, so that's some confidence that we can take from being in that position in previous years and weeks as well," he said from Lexus Centre on Tuesday.
"We've got a lot of confidence in the playing group and the work that we've done, particularly in the second half of the season.
"We know that they're certainly in form and firing as well, so we're going to take as much confidence as we can, but also know that finals footy is a whole new intensity. Both teams know there is no second chance."
Despite dropping its first final, O'Brien said the Pies still thoroughly deserved to be right in contention for the rest of September.
"We earned the right to be in the top four and we earned the right for a second chance, so we're aware that finals footy is tough – that is what finals footy is all about, so we never thought it was going to be easy," he said.
"Getting as far as we can and getting a win against the Crows would be fantastic.
"It's going to be a classic finals footy game where both sides are playing for their lives and all of the work that we've done prior to this game – it's all coming down to this point, so I'm looking forward to it."
