Kitchin focused on nothing but winning Grand FinalSaturday, September 22, 2018 - 6:06 AM - by Chris Pike

NO matter what pain there is to draw on or history attempting to be made, all gun Subiaco midfielder Leigh Kitchin is worrying about is trying to win Sunday's WAFL Grand Final to cap a remarkable first four years with the Lions.

Kitchin joined Subiaco from VFL club Frankston with the Lions needing to replace 2014 Simpson Medallist Jason Bristow in its midfield, and he has well and truly stepped up to the plate with a remarkable first four years in the WAFL.

The prolific ball winner and tough and tenacious inside midfielder is already a premiership player at Subiaco from 2015, has played state football in each of his four WAFL seasons, won a fairest and best award and runner-up on another occasion and is currently vice-captain at the Lions.

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As Kitchin prepares for Sunday's Grand Final against West Perth at Optus Stadium, it will mean he's played on the last day of the season in all four of his WAFL seasons and he has been such a key part of all of that success the Lions have had across the 85 matches he's played.

The move to come west back at the end of 2014 is certainly one that's turned out well for him and the four seasons since have been near perfect with four minor premierships and four Grand Final appearances, but one premiership at the end of the day means he's desperate for another on Sunday.

"I think it could have gone a little bit better, there's a couple of obvious ways it could have gone better, but it's been great. The Subiaco footy club has embraced me completely and I love every part of that footy club, and everything that comes with it," Kitchin said.

"I was lucky enough also to play state footy and that's been a really great experience and it's great to play with the other best players in the competition outside of your own footy club. 

"You get to know them a little bit and develop friendships which makes playing in the competition more fun as you progress. 

"You build relationships with your opponents and even the people who work within the commission and the WAFL. It's been great overall and some of those travelling experiences have been awesome."

There might be a focus on Subiaco trying to make up for losing the past two WAFL Grand Finals to Peel Thunder or on the Lions' attempt to go through the entire 2018 season undefeated and becoming the first team since 1946 to do so.

But for Kitchin, nothing else matters except focusing on trying to win the game on Sunday and then all those factors can be reflected on in the aftermath.

"There's nothing bigger than winning a Grand Final so everything outside of that pretty much falls away when you are thinking about it. There's just one focus and all you want to do is put yourself in a position to win the Grand Final and we've done that," he said.

"Nothing that's been done before really means anything compared to focusing on winning on Sunday now. We also know what it feels like to lose and all we want to do now is be the best team for the year and win the premiership. That's our focus.

"I don’t know if it would mean more because it means a lot regardless, it's a WAFL premiership. It can't mean too much more and to the guys who have sacrificed everything all year to be part of a WAFL Grand Final and premiership.

"It can't mean much more anyway but obviously we've experienced some losses the last couple of years and there's no more motivation you need than trying to go out and win a WAFL premiership no matter what has happened before."

After finishing the home and away season with a fourth straight minor premiership and with a perfect 18-0 record, Subiaco overcame South Fremantle by 18 points in the second semi-final to advance to a fifth straight Grand Final.

Kitchin appreciated the week off to now prepare for Sunday's Grand Final and get ready to play at Optus Stadium for the first time.

"I think the bodies are feeling fresh amongst the group and the fact that we've been able to prepare that way a couple of times now we really know what we're doing with having the bye and then the week off after winning that first final," Kitchin said. 

"It gives you a really good opportunity to train quite hard over those two weeks to prepare yourselves and then taper off towards the back end of the week.

"We have marked out the oval and it's quite similar in dimensions to Leederville Oval anyway so there's not much of a difference. 

"But there's not much you can do really because you can't get on the oval beforehand. It's just about understanding it's an oval basically like all the others we play on so there's nothing to be unsure or nervous about. We just have to approach it with that mentality."

Monday night's Sandover Medal count was also held at Optus Stadium which provided for a great way to open the week and whet the appetite for everyone in attendance for the Grand Final to come at the same venue on Sunday, including Kitchin.

"They do a great job with the Sandover and it was nice walking in there knowing it was the coliseum you were going to be playing at rather than being off site somewhere. It creates a really nice atmosphere going into the week having it where the actual battle is going to take place," he said.

"It is exciting to be playing there, though, and I think it's a great thing for the WAFL Grand Final to be there. There are still so many people who haven’t had a chance to get down there to an Eagles or Dockers game to see the spectacle. 

"It's an amazing stadium and I was there on Monday night when it was all lit up for the Sandover. Seeing it and the atmosphere you can sort of envision it creating, it sort of makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when you think of playing there on the weekend. It's incredibly exciting and a great thing for the WAFL."

As for that second semi-final win over the Bulldogs, Subiaco had to overcome a ferocious start by the Bulldogs and an early 23-point deficit, but they did so and perhaps should have won by more than 18 points with some better kicking on goal in the second half.

Kitchin and the Lions came away feeling they could play a lot better and they hope to do so on Sunday against West Perth in the Grand Final.

"I definitely think we have some improvement and as a group we all recognised the things we could have done a lot better in that second semi," Kitchin said.

"We were lucky enough to obviously come through to the win and scrap through and get there, but we are definitely looking to put in a much better performance than we did that day. 

"There is a lot of improvement that we've had a couple of weeks to focus on and work on, and hopefully we can produce our best footy of the year on Sunday."

There's certainly no complacency at the Lions, though, after what has happened in the past two Grand Final and having witnessed West Perth's best in last Sunday's preliminary final to beat South Fremantle, Kitchin is fully aware of what the Falcons are capable of.

"Their intensity was fantastic and their attack on the ball and the man was really good, and really easy to see by being at the game and watching it. We expect them to come out with absolutely the same mindset now on Sunday with their attack on the footy and the man," he said.

"We are preparing the same way and we want to come out and play the way that we play, and the way we have for our first 19 games this year. Hopefully we can start better than two weeks ago and put in a better performance than we did against South."

Taking on West Perth in Sunday's Grand Final means for Kitchin and his Subiaco midfield teammates Kyal Horsley, Chris Phelan, Josh Deluca and company led by ruckman Zac Clarke will have another battle with Chris Keunen, Aaron Black, Shane Nelson, Luke Meadows and Trent Manzone too.

"You want to play against the best players and they have proven over a long period that they are a really good, strong midfield and we are definitely up for that challenge," Kitchin said.

"Our midfield group has been great though. Playing in a group of players like that continues to make you want to lift your performances because you are surrounded by great competitors and guys who are playing great footy. 

"Horse has had a phenomenal season again and Phez and Delucs are playing really good footy, and Zac is playing great footy along with the other guys who go through there. 

"It makes you try to raise your game every week to compete with those fellas and it's definitely a pleasure to be playing with such great teammates who have such an unselfish mindset."

When Kitchin initially moved west for the 2015 season he saw it as a two-year journey and that he'd likely return home at the end of 2016.

But the now 28-year-old quickly fell in love with Subiaco and the Perth lifestyle that now with one game to go in his fourth season, he sees himself finishing his playing career with the Lions and then deciding where he will settle down.

"The plan is to stick around and the Subiaco Football Club is my football home. I see myself playing footy here for at least the next couple of years and hopefully we have more success. I'd love to keep being part of it," Kitchin said.

"It's a bit of a funny one long-term. I came here in the first place with a two-year plan and that's obviously gone by pretty quick and before you know it it's been four years with no real intention of going home at this stage. 

"I'll just have to make that call afterwards because I do have family and close friends back in Melbourne who I saw a lot more in the first couple of seasons than I have the last couple of years. 

"It would be great to spend some more time with my family but I am loving everything about being over here, and the longer I'm here the more roots I'll develop and the harder it might be to leave."