COLLINGWOOD young gun Dale Thomas believes the Magpies' close encounter with last year's Grand Final has made the players even hungrier to achieve the ultimate success this season.
Thomas, 20, said the sting of the Pies' five-point preliminary final loss to Geelong had made his teammates determined to take proceedings one step further this September.
"Last year is last year, and there's players that have come and gone and we have some new guys coming through," he told collingwoodfc.com.au.
"But we got so close. It's a new year and we've got the same goal to win the premiership, but it certainly is a bit of a factor where every now and again you think back about what could have been.
"But the thing is, you've got to put that out of your head and concentrate on this year."
Thomas said the Magpies' current level of evenness and depth was reflected strongly in their extra-time semi-final triumph over West Coast, which remained as a motivation for the side this year.
"The game over at Subi was amazing," he said.
"To go over there and beat the Eagles at any time of the year, especially when they're up and running, is a good effort.
"But the way the guys went about that over there and to win in overtime really showed what we are about as a team.
"Everyone contributed in that last 10 minutes of extra time, and then to come back after that trip over there and take the premiership team to within a kick was a super effort."
The finals series last year presented the Magpies with a stage they are all too familiar with – the prime-time, capacity-crowd theatre the powerful side thrives on.
Thomas, who Mick Malthouse has often named as one of his natural "big-stage" players, said he naturally loved the thrill of performing in front of boisterous mobs.
"I don't think there are too many people that don't like playing in front of a big crowd," he said.
"A couple of times there I've got lucky and the ball has come to me at the right stage of the game, but you can read into that what you like.
"I just like getting out there and playing footy, and anyone who gets the chance to play on the MCG would love that opportunity.
"We're lucky in that respect that we have great members and a great fan base, and there's always plenty of people that come to the games.
"Even on the weekend, there were 76,000 and the week before, about 60,000.
"So you're always playing in front of big crowds, and it's even better on the big days like Anzac Day and last year during the finals when the 'G is filled."
This year, Thomas and the Magpies are hell-bent on being present on that last day in September.
The colourful young midfielder believes there are no reasons why the black and white can't make that dream a reality in 2008.
"We've got a good, strong list, and it's a very even side we're putting on the field each week," he said.
"It's always good to have depth to call on, and as you can see by young blokes like Nathan Brown coming up and playing good senior footy just how deep that depth runs."
