2021 Lions Off-season

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I clarify my post with those I said under the pump from PF. I thought 1/3 of the team tops be who we look to depth.
7 players I know others say McCarthy although I think he plays a role and move into more mid work.. He also adds a X factor.

McStay, Robbo, Birchall, CEY, Lester, AhChee & Payne

McStay.. A fit Daniher takes Martins spot from PF.. So does Big O now do 80% of ruck work and McStay/Daniher chop out.. Martin/Big O going into the centre did not take away one of our best forwards. Daniher does.. Or we need to bring in Fullarton who can ruck more to leave Joe in the forward line. Hence McStay.. Even though I see the small things he does. He needs to have impact. Be that Jack Darling type. Has fewer good games.. Really needs to step up to keep his spot. Daniher does break packs as well.

Robbo.. Played more defensive last year although we all love Robbo.. We have a bunch of kids waiting for a game. Neale, Zorko, Lyons, Clugga and Berry.. with McCarthy, Starc, Rayner, Bailey and Charlie getting more mid time.. add Cockatoo. You think Robbo the one most at risk to make way. As said saying that Cats smashed us in the centre.. with the players I have above Robbo

Birchall.. I hope he gets back some form..Did not think he was bad as others have said. We are too slow off HB.. Answerth and Cockatoo be after that spot. As well as Kiddy who played off HB in NEAFL before also Prior.

CEY.. Came to us as a inside mid, played forward.. Both Coleman Brothers and others want that spot in the forward line.. We playing Lyons, Berry, Zorko and Neale in his preferred spot. Really like CEY and think he can add to the side.. Although if he is in who misses out?

Lester I thought did well in the back line. best season ever.Although as people said we need to play Payne. Dizzy be back also Adams.

Ah Chee.. I thought he added a bit although only had a few great games with a few avg. Needs to work on the bad games. Not sure why people think he is safe.. If form picks up yes.. if he has a few avg games I like to think we go for depth.

Payne I really like and think we need to get games into him.. Dizzy will come back in.. So Lester, Payne and Adams going for that one spot.
I have Lester ahead of him from last years form. Fagan played Adams when fit.
 
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PattyKwasagun said:
I would love Ely to succeed, but from everything I have seen myself and heard from others I would have him at fairly long odds.

He is in a system that has developed others around him quite quickly and comprehensively, to the point where the vast majority are now significantly better footballers than they were when they arrived at the club. I’m not sure the same could be said of him.

He wouldn’t be the first high level AFL player to be a late bloomer if he is able to put it all together, but I don’t think the signs have positive been in any meaningful way since his arrival at the club.
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100% agree with this. He was a stretch when drafted and sadly is looking like a bust. He’s also not a natural footballer, for that reason I have young Tommy Joyce in front of Ely.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Bit of talk recently re how the Cats beat us up in the midfield battle in the Prelim, I think we have a fair bit available now to maybe address that weakness, it appears to be the big bodies that get on top of us occasionally.

We hopefully have Cam Rayner(187cm/90kg) playing some more time in the middle along with a big bodied Nakia Cockatoo(186cm/90kg), also wouldn't be surprised if Brandon Starcevich(188cm/88kg) spends time as a mid this season. I'm not a big fan of Ely Smith(187cm/86kg) but if he comes on he would be a help in this area of the ground as well.

We usually go ok when it comes to raw stat breakdowns for centre clearances but opposition have got on a roll a few times over the last 2 seasons from the centre, we need to be able to stop players streaming forward unhindered out of the centre bounces and at the least get some sort of pressure on them, this and some work on around the ground stoppages should be enough to take us to the next level in 2021 ie. a Grand Final berth.:brisbane::trophy:

+ Big Joe having a huge season of course.
 

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Are people assuming that we suddenly win 70/80% of games in Melbourne? The one game in Melbourne for 2020 was a disaster, against average opposition.

Just seems that some posting is that we are a given for the top 2 or top 4. If that’s the case form in Melbourne or Victoria will need some improvement. Not trying to dampen enthusiasm but it is a realistic issue.
 
McLuggages said:
This surprises me. Do you say this based on your own view of Ah Chee or that Fagan stuck by him through thick and thin last year?

Imo he was so underwhelming - had a good half against the blues and a good quarter forward when Rayner (?) did a hammy.

I'd prefer Answerth and Starc as the 2 small defenders, Gardiner 3rd, Rich and Birchall, plus Harris and Lester as the back 7. Lester's game against Riewoldt was fantastic and he was good in the prelim too. No reason he can't be our Liam Jones.
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Both.

Ah Chee improved as the season progressed, and I believe he was one of our better players during the finals.

I believe he offers something different to our back 6 that no other player does.

He still needs to improve his kicking accuracy and game sense (when to go inside or down the line, etc), but so do every other defender apart from Rich and Birchall.

If I was picking a back 7, mine would be: Andrews, Payne, Gardiner, Starcevich, Rich, Ah Chee & Answerth.
 
Bobby Beecroft said:
Are people assuming that we suddenly win 70/80% of games in Melbourne? The one game in Melbourne for 2020 was a disaster, against average opposition.

Just seems that some posting is that we are a given for the top 2 or top 4. If that’s the case form in Melbourne or Victoria will need some improvement. Not trying to dampen enthusiasm but it is a realistic issue.
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We did finish the H&A season 2nd in 2019 which was a "normal" schedule.

Of course we are not a given for a top 2-4 berth or even top 8, no team is but we do have 2 seasons of demonstrated very good form and are understandably one of the favourites going into this season.
 
Nunez said:
This. briztoon I think you'll find his biggest weaknesses were his lack off fitness to cover AFL level KMs and his versatility wasn't there. Judging by the reports he sounds like he's worked particularly hard on those two areas. Will be an interesting one to watch.
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The other players highlighting Ely in that "Who's Flying" article says a lot. Looking forward to his debut
 
I keep waiting for Jarrod Berry to be moved in to a much more on ball role.

If anyone is going to be that big bodied mid for us, it should be JBerry.

Last year our main 7 mids were; MRobbo and McCluggage on the wings. Neale, Lyons and Zorko starting at centre bounces, with Bailey and JBerry on the bench.

My preference would be for Bailey to replace MRobbo on a wing, and for Cockatoo to come in to the side, starting on the bench.


Lyons really got exposed against Geelong, for lack of pace and inability to run back defensively. It’s not that he didn’t try, it more that he wasn’t able to. I’m unsure if it was that he didn’t have the tank to do it, or if it was that he was continually caught out on the turnover.

My other player of concern is Zorko. If he can’t recapture his 2018 and 2019 form, in personally struggle to find a spot for him in our best 22. I believe the club is hoping long term, that Cockatoo takes over Zorko’s role and position in the team.


As is usually the case with young players, they just lack the experience and game sense, to simply come in and play a meaningful role.
 
AFL Article on one game
Looks like we get to play the Suns twice. Same would applies to SA, WA & NSW
But Melbourne Teams i imagine can find another suitable team to play
I could be wrong as they have not produced the revised fixture yet

www.afl.com.au

One game, less travel: AFL revises AAMI Community Series fixture

The AFL has released a revamped fixture for the AAMI Community Series to protect community and industry safety
www.afl.com.au www.afl.com.au
 
Jason mp said:
Bit of talk recently re how the Cats beat us up in the midfield battle in the Prelim, I think we have a fair bit available now to maybe address that weakness, it appears to be the big bodies that get on top of us occasionally.

We hopefully have Cam Rayner(187cm/90kg) playing some more time in the middle along with a big bodied Nakia Cockatoo(186cm/90kg), also wouldn't be surprised if Brandon Starcevich(188cm/88kg) spends time as a mid this season. I'm not a big fan of Ely Smith(187cm/86kg) but if he comes on he would be a help in this area of the ground as well.

We usually go ok when it comes to raw stat breakdowns for centre clearances but opposition have got on a roll a few times over the last 2 seasons from the centre, we need to be able to stop players streaming forward unhindered out of the centre bounces and at the least get some sort of pressure on them, this and some work on around the ground stoppages should be enough to take us to the next level in 2021 ie. a Grand Final berth.:brisbane::trophy:

+ Big Joe having a huge season of course.
Click to expand...
pertinent comments regarding the midfield, and lets hope Ely comes on, but i fear with COVID there will be lockdowns and that could derail our chances of a GF in 2021. Unless hubs in SEQLD think we might come back to the pack a little and 4th, 5th, 6th could be on the cards.
 

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The AFL have indicated that only one community game will be played to "reduce travel".
They do mention "prioritise the health of our players, staff," in last paragraph
I think it has more to do with Covid than anything else
Maybe the AFL are hoping all players will be vaccinated before round 1
 
briztoon said:
As is usually the case with young players, they just lack the experience and game sense, to simply come in and play a meaningful role.
Click to expand...
It is a catch 22.. if you do not play the kids.. then they get no big game experience.
I agree with you re Lyons and Zorko was not the Zorko of old.
Berry had a bad game as well.. Cats just too good twice last year.
Seems a problem we had big bodied mids tear us a new one , happened a few times so was not a one off.
I also think Hawkins out played Big O in the ruck in their forward 50. Although now no Martin I hope Big O steps up.
 
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Ralphy2017 said:
pertinent comments regarding the midfield, and lets hope Ely comes on, but i fear with COVID there will be lockdowns and that could derail our chances of a GF in 2021. Unless hubs in SEQLD think we might come back to the pack a little and 4th, 5th, 6th could be on the cards.
Click to expand...

Hubbing in Vic would be awesome. Finally get the number of Victorian games we're supposed to with the merger agreement, and valuable experience playing at the G :)

Agree it may be a tougher year for us. Might knock us back from being minor premiers, to just top 2 ;)
 
Section 5 said:
The AFL have indicated that only one community game will be played to "reduce travel".
They do mention "prioritise the health of our players, staff," in last paragraph
I think it has more to do with Covid than anything else
Maybe the AFL are hoping all players will be vaccinated before round 1
Click to expand...
I’d be freakin angry if they jumped the queue.

Even if we started tomorrow, there’s no way Australia could vaccinate enough of the priority and at risk population between tomorrow and the start of the footy season.
 
BangyBangy said:
Hubbing in Vic would be awesome. Finally get the number of Victorian games we're supposed to with the merger agreement, and valuable experience playing at the G :)

Agree it may be a tougher year for us. Might knock us back from being minor premiers, to just top 2 ;)
Click to expand...
Yeah, I wouldn’t begrudge our Victorian members at all if that happened.
 
briztoon said:
Both.

Ah Chee improved as the season progressed, and I believe he was one of our better players during the finals.

I believe he offers something different to our back 6 that no other player does.

He still needs to improve his kicking accuracy and game sense (when to go inside or down the line, etc), but so do every other defender apart from Rich and Birchall.

If I was picking a back 7, mine would be: Andrews, Payne, Gardiner, Starcevich, Rich, Ah Chee & Answerth.
Click to expand...
Ah Chee has genuine talent and I don't understand how others can't see it.

Every time we have an ordinary game or even a good game he's the first one a lot of people seem to pick on even when he's been one of our better players.

I think it's a confidence thing with him but he's a lot harder in the contest than he looks from the outside . I can't remember when his direct opponent ever beat him when played back , anyone feel free to tell me who and when, and as you say he was fine in the finals.

Can also go forward and potentially M/F. The one thing I really like about him is that he can play tall or short and does X factor things .
 
So we will probably play on the 27th as planned and again on the 6th against the suns, both at metricon since they are ticketing and won't play on subpar surfaces like surfers again. Will be good watching the intraclubs on likely the 13th and 20th but they will still try a lot of different team compositions and rotations even until the second Suns game.
 
martinson said:
Ah Chee has genuine talent and I don't understand how others can't see it.
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Pretty sure everyone can see his talent. Another year playing with the guys will help. Not the first guy I drop
He has gone missing in games. We have a few other players who have super talent although go missing.
Take someone like Rich.. His best and worst is not such a big gap. Our X type players if they all flat we need enough solid players to carry us. A balancing act.
You need the X factor to get over another team of good players. X factor players win games. Charlie done that for us a few times
Not sure how many you can have in a team. You need that X factor.. Just rather his quiet games not so quiet. So too players like Rayner, Hipwood, Zorko, McStay,Charlie, Daniher now etc
 
Ah Chee was very lucky to get the extended run of games in the first half of the year. He was very marginal and survived on being the new toy imo. As the year went on he did improve although he did not bring to the team what he was brought in for. He was supposed to be the linking runner from the back that we have needed for quite some time. He was not that.

Toward the end of the year he improved defensively and did a really good job on different opponents. His positioning was good and it allowed him to drop off his man and help nicely. He also did nicely as another intercept marker. Offensively though he was not bad but he did not have a lot of hurt factor and the linking run was not really a consistent aspect of his game.

Personally I do not see his position under threat based on how he finished last year but he is one I would still consider tipping out if one of the younger guys can give equivalent defensive work and better run. He is by no means a certain pick every week for me.
 
martinson said:
Ah Chee has genuine talent and I don't understand how others can't see it.

Every time we have an ordinary game or even a good game he's the first one a lot of people seem to pick on even when he's been one of our better players.
Click to expand...

If we'd picked him at pick 8, he'd be getting an easier ride of it from supporters.

Because he got traded in we have less investment in him than "our own" draftees in the reserves.

It's an emotional connection as much as anything else.
 

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2021 Lions Off-season

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