2016 Brisbane Lions starting line up

[Viceregal]

When I read it (it seems to be gone now but quoted aplenty already) I immediately assumed that he was on the wrong board and meant Nick Reiwolt ... interesting that I think there is more chance of Saint Nick being delisted next year than Lion Nick! In any case what minimal credibility he had left as a poster seems to have imploded into an alternate universe now ...

 

[knaf]

Obviously some posts deleted but I will microwave my membership card if NRobbo is delisted at the end of the year. Appears exactly the type of player and bloke we should be trying to keep.

 

[Fatcat08]

Without Merrett this year we would have had Andrews actually having to play on a key forward rather than being that floating interceptor. He would have got absolutely slaughtered if he had to play a body on body role down back this year. Personally I tend to think that Merrett may call stumps at the end of the season and that Clarke will be ready to take over that role by then. I think that time and past injuries may be catching up with his body. He's also got interests outside of football and strikes me as one of those guys who would call it quits rather than go round for a year too many. That way Andrews and Gardiner are both a year older as well and I think it will be time to pass the mantle on. If he wanted to, I think that someone like Rog would be a perfect type of guy to go into player welfare, strikes me as a really good bloke who gets on well with the younger guys.

 

[a mayes ing]

Fair enough mate, but think Clarke is a monster. Same with Gardiner. Truly believe we have the best young back line going forward by miles. Build from the back, they are two years in front of the forward line. No need for Merrett this year for mine. Just unbalances the whole team going forward.

What?! Have you not seen our backline getting decimated last season when Merret wasn't there and Key forwards getting 4/5/6 goals against us every week.

 

[Robbo18!]

Without Merrett this year we would have had Andrews actually having to play on a key forward rather than being that floating interceptor. He would have got absolutely slaughtered if he had to play a body on body role down back this year. Personally I tend to think that Merrett may call stumps at the end of the season and that Clarke will be ready to take over that role by then. I think that time and past injuries may be catching up with his body. He's also got interests outside of football and strikes me as one of those guys who would call it quits rather than go round for a year too many. That way Andrews and Gardiner are both a year older as well and I think it will be time to pass the mantle on. If he wanted to, I think that someone like Rog would be a perfect type of guy to go into player welfare, strikes me as a really good bloke who gets on well with the younger guys.

I reckon he's a quality guy and would have never said what that plonker indicated he said.

 

[Davemonkey]

I reckon he's a quality guy and would have never said what that plonker indicated he said.

Double liked for use of the term 'plonker'. Not one I have heard since my granddad was trying to be well behaved around the kids.

 

[Panthera]

Obviously some posts deleted but I will microwave my membership card if NRobbo is delisted at the end of the year. Appears exactly the type of player and bloke we should be trying to keep.

More chance of me being on the Lions 2017 list than Nick not being on it

 

[Caiphus]

Double liked for use of the term 'plonker'. Not one I have heard since my granddad was trying to be well behaved around the kids.

Heard of an ex state MP by the name of Peter Dowling?

 

[Judge]

Without Merrett this year we would have had Andrews actually having to play on a key forward rather than being that floating interceptor. He would have got absolutely slaughtered if he had to play a body on body role down back this year. Personally I tend to think that Merrett may call stumps at the end of the season and that Clarke will be ready to take over that role by then. I think that time and past injuries may be catching up with his body. He's also got interests outside of football and strikes me as one of those guys who would call it quits rather than go round for a year too many. That way Andrews and Gardiner are both a year older as well and I think it will be time to pass the mantle on. If he wanted to, I think that someone like Rog would be a perfect type of guy to go into player welfare, strikes me as a really good bloke who gets on well with the younger guys.

I would certainly have a fit Merrett as our first choice FB at this point, despite his disposal deficiencies, and I'll be shocked if that doesn't happen.

Merrett is not a shocking kick per se, he's pretty good kicking long. For me, his disposal problems down back occur when he tries to bite off more than he can chew, usually when he tries to hit a target either short or (far too often) across field. And then there are the handballs backwards to team mates under pressure....

If I was coaching, I'd be telling Rog that for him there are no handballs towards goal, and no switch kicks in the defensive 50. Just go long down the line (just about) every time. Justin Clarke could probably be given the same instructions at the moment as well, I reckon it would save a lot of turnover goals this year if the two of them played to those rules.

Hardly ideal I know, as you'd much prefer your backmen to be setting up some play from D50 a la Drummo, but I think they are the best defensive cards we have at the moment.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I reckon he's a quality guy and would have never said what that plonker indicated he said.

Never understood why people want to come on here and bag their own players.

 

[WA Lion]

Never understood why people want to come on here and bag their own players.

especially if they don't know them!

 

[snooplions]

With what the 2013 draft have shown, none of them are likely to be delisted, within this decade anyway.
... Maybe Taylor if he can't control his kleptomania.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Who would have thought layland_brother would have made my favourite post of the week.

Adios ****wit.

 

[cmt26]

Who would have thought layland_brother would have made my favourite post of the week.

Adios *******.

Surely the "punk bitch" post gets an honourable mention.

 

[cmt26]

Looking at our list

The players who I would have concerns about not surviving into 2017 (excluding rookies & retirements) are:
Bewick, Clayton, Watts, McGuiness & Lester.

Bewick & Lester have been around for far too long to still be inconsistent contributors. While Watts, Clayton & McGuiness all haven't shown enough in the seconds yet to suggest they will become AFL footballers.

I think 2016 is a really interesting year for a few of our players. While their position on the list isn't exactly in doubt, the development of the following players will be watched very closely: Cutler, Close, Robertson, Paparone & Jansen. All have tremendous talent and AFL qualities so will be interesting to see where the season takes them.

 

[SizeMatters]

Would throw in C.Beams as well IMO. Could very well be his last preseason.

 

[hench]

Let's just hope our best 22 are still healthy after 5 weeks.

 

[POBT]

Let's just hope our best 22 are still healthy after 5 weeks.

I think we've got a fairly even list down to about 28 or 29...maybe even deeper.

I think the injuries we can't afford are to our top dozen. The likes of Rockliff, Hanley, Beams, Martin need to play together for us to be competitive. We can replace a third tier player with someone outside the best 22 fairly easily. What we can't afford is the knock on effect of an A or even B grader going down. Keep our best dozen or so on the park and we'll create consistency of performance that will allow the rest of the team to get sorted.

 

[M Malice]

I think we've got a fairly even list down to about 28 or 29...maybe even deeper.

I think the injuries we can't afford are to our top dozen. The likes of Rockliff, Hanley, Beams, Martin need to play together for us to be competitive. We can replace a third tier player with someone outside the best 22 fairly easily. What we can't afford is the knock on effect of an A or even B grader going down. Keep our best dozen or so on the park and we'll create consistency of performance that will allow the rest of the team to get sorted.

i think it's the 2 key position experienced guys we would like to see stay fit. ie d.merrett j.walker and the mids group you mentioned.

 

[Milux]

Would throw in C.Beams as well IMO. Could very well be his last preseason.

Wow. Maybe if he gets another serious injury. This kid has serious game sence and so much potential its not funny. He is in my 22. Abit of consistency in his game with a injiry free season and he will surprise.

 

[lions2010]

What?! Have you not seen our backline getting decimated last season when Merret wasn't there and Key forwards getting 4/5/6 goals against us every week.

This was evident on Brownlow night when all our opposition key forwards continued to get the 2 or 3 votes as they kicked bags of goals against our backline. Just go back and look at the players who received votes against us

I agree, we need Merrett next year while Andrews plays the intercept role in front.

 

[Eons]

Andrews played very well against Tex from memory. Although not ideal, he has showed he is capable of holding his own. Pretty amazing from a skinny 18 year old kid.

 

[Dicky Fitzwell]

Skinner will be a gun

 

[Milux]

Skinner will be a gun

It would be nice if skinner can slot into clarkes roll when clarke takes over from merrett at the end of 2016.

 

[Doc Hattori]

Any reason you have Clarke twice?

One was Andrews in disguise