After 18 rounds of Hospital Cup regular season action, the finals are here, with the top four sides – Brothers, Easts, Wests and Bond – now just two wins away from premiership glory.

While Brothers and Easts will face off in the major semi-final for a direct route to the decider, Bond head into the knockout clash with Wests as the clear underdogs, looking to upset the form team of the competition and keep their season alive.

Fittingly, we’ve started our finals series chats with Bond head coach Mick Heenan, to hear how his side plans to defy the odds – and what he thinks about the other contenders.

How are things looking ahead of finals and how has training been?

“Training’s been great,” Heenan told Rugby News.

“We’ve had a good run into finals – we’ve won six of our last seven – so we’ve built nicely through the year.

“Obviously, we had a pretty tough start, losing some games early on. It wasn’t looking great and I think for the coaches there was a bit of PTSD from last year, but we’ve built nicely since then.”

How much confidence is there internally given that strong finish?

“I think we’re confident, but we’re not complacent because we know we’re now playing against the best of the best,” Heenan said.

“Wests have won 11 in a row and have been absolutely dominant. They haven’t just won; they’ve been brutalising teams. While we’re confident in what we can do, we’re also realistic that we’re playing against a really good side.”

Realistically, you’re playing the form team in the comp.

“Absolutely. And to be fair, we haven’t played one of the other contenders for a while,” he said.

“It’s been a while since we met one of the top-three teams, so it’s been a while since we’ve experienced that level. We’ve got to get our mindset right for the challenge.”

What’s the game plan for Wests?

“We’ve spent a lot of time building our understanding of what works for us. When you go into finals, it’s about getting your own game in solid order,” Heenan said.

“We know what Wests will bring, but defence is going to be hugely important because they break a lot of tackles. Completing our tackles and working really hard off the ball to put pressure on Wests in contact will be a major part of beating them.”

Do you think you can win it from fourth?

“This is the 18th time I’ve been involved in finals, so I know it’s not easy from this position – but I’ve been part of teams that have done it,” he said.

“The whole point of the regular season is to get to finals, and once you’re there the whole thing starts again. We’re one of four teams that can win it.

“You’ve got to be confident in how you’re playing – and we are – and you’ve got to be healthy, which we are relatively speaking.

“Obviously this week is a bigger challenge than we’ve faced in the past month or so, but we’re in good shape and have every reason to feel good about our chances.”

Brief thoughts on Brothers and Easts?

“Easts have been really consistent all year and play a very difficult style of footy,” Heenan said.

“They really understand the way they want to play, have a good forward pack, and a really smart halfback in Eli Pilz who runs things well for them. You’ve certainly got to respect what they bring.

“Brothers have a really complete team. I like the way they play their footy – they’ve added some strings to their bow since last year. They’ll also get a few guys back from the Reds after their Tonga trip, so they’ll be tough.”