We are in another elimination final but I think the comparisons between this year and last are chalk and cheese.
Last year, we were relieved and happy just to make the finals and break the drought but at the same time, we were all pretty rattled, both physically and mentally, going into that Souths game.
It was a big year for us with 18 games straight after the comp shut down and we all trained really hard during the COVID break and by the end of the season, our bodies were just about over it.
It's a different feel this time. There are a few of us with some injury issues obviously but no-one is feeling at all mentally drained like we were last year.
The boys had a big session on Tuesday and really ripped in and got some sweat out and everyone is just pumped for the challenge of what's ahead of us on Sunday up there in Rockhampton.
We'll have another session on Thursday before Saturday's captain's run and go from there. Everyone's excited and confident about where we're at and what is possible going forward.
I've got no doubts there is a lot of improvement left in us and hopefully these big games ahead bring that out. We are definitely a mentally lot tougher team then we were this time last year.
We've shown a lot more resilience in defence and a lot more resilience in hanging in games even when things have gone against us.
There is so much talent in our side but for whatever reason, things probably haven't quite clicked for us with the footy. But these all-or-nothing big games that you train and play all season to be a part of - they can be the games to bring out the best in us and take us to another level.
One thing we are going to need to do on Sunday is match Parramatta's intensity from the word go. They will come out hard and fast and try to blow us off the park. You can be sure of that and we'll need to go with them.
They have picked a really strong forward pack. When Ryan Matterson can't make their best 17 and Isaiah Papali'i is on the bench, you know the pack must be pretty healthy.
They've picked Ray Stone, who hits like a sledgehammer, at hooker and big Reagan Campbell-Gillard is back to partner Junior Paulo in the frontrow.
They will take us on up the middle with their big men and then look to their edges through Mitch Moses, Dylan Brown and Gutho [Clint Gutherson] to try and pull us apart. It's going to be a huge test for us.
In saying all that, I reckon our forward pack is at least their equal if not even better and we'll be jumping out of the ground to have a crack at them and give as good as we get.
The outcome is going to come down to effort, desire and execution. We are hellbent on nailing all of them and continuing on.
