Matthew Knights gives directions at Tuesday's training session
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ESSENDON coach Matthew Knights believes there is no chance of his players getting ahead of themselves despite their big win over Carlton on Friday night.
Knights said it was pleasing to see the Bombers apply pressure across the entire game, and agreed the challenge existed for them to replicate that this week.
However, he said he was certain both he and the players would maintain realistic expectations despite their rise up the ladder.
"If my players get ahead of themselves, they let each other know. I don't have to let them know,” Knights said from Windy Hill on Tuesday.
"I wouldn't have thought there would be too much of an issue with this playing group getting ahead of themselves. We're 7-6 and seventh on the ladder.
"I don't think there is anything to write home about at this point in time."
He said the Bombers were focused on not ranking any result as particularly important this season, and were keeping their emotions on an even keel.
"You've got to be very mindful not to get too high or too low in this industry," he said.
"That helps you keep a pretty good balance about your life and your football club. You don't celebrate the highs too high and you don't beat yourself up about the lows."
Knights likened the build up to this Friday night's blockbuster against Collingwood to last week's, but said his players were embracing the hype once again.
"It's great for our club to be involved in another marquee match," he said.
"Our Collingwood games have been pretty well fought out the last two or three times we've played them.
"The last game couldn't get any closer. We're two pretty evenly matched sides and we'll go at it pretty aggressively again and see what happens."
He also said the Bombers were looking forward to the contest against the Magpies, considering their recent dominance.
"Collingwood has won five in a row and not many teams have been able to do that this year. Adelaide and Collingwood have, and the two top teams," he said.
"They're in rare form and we're going to again have to play similar football to what we played last week to get over the top of them.
"The great thing about Collingwood is they've got a lot of those players that are creative geniuses in a lot of ways, with Alan Didak, Dane Swan and Leon Davis.
"They do make something out of nothing, so that's why they're a pretty dangerous side. They've got a united defence, which also helps their cause."
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