Training 2025 Pre-Season Thread

[martinson]

I'm more bullish than I would have been had we lost the GF, by a fair margin. And not for the obvious reason that winning GF good, losing GF bad. I think losing the GF and Joe would have really tipped the mental strain for the group over the edge rather than galvanising them or creating hunger. I'm excited to see what they can do with a bit more freedom and with that stress valve released a bit. We have been the hunted for several seasons so that bit doesn't worry me either.

If you asked me my honest view I'd agree.

It was evident in 2024 that once we were cooked and forgot about consequences we started playing the way we'd always hoped we could.

So we could steamroll everyone in 25. We could still so easily gone out against GWS in 24 and we'd be having a totally different conversation.

It's a fine line between success and failure.

 

[BuntonRules]

If you asked me my honest view I'd agree.

It was evident in 2024 that once we were cooked and forgot about consequences we started playing the way we'd always hoped we could.

So we could steamroll everyone in 25. We could still so easily gone out against GWS in 24 and we'd be having a totally different conversation.

It's a fine line between success and failure.

It's a fine line between pleasure and pain, you've done it once, you can do it again.

 

[troppo]

As Chrissy used to sing “there is a fine line between pleasure and pain”

 

[LongLion]

I remember throughout the year continually answering people with 'our best footy is better than anybody else. it's just a case of playing it for 4 quarters" and guess when we ended up playing it

 

[KissKiss]

Linc suffers an even worse fate than Answerth in my opinion. With four spots available in the front seven for non-talls with them being:

Ah Chee and Lohmann, who both kicked four goals in a grand final and stellar finals campaigns.

Rayner, who had a good finals campaign and was in the AA squad.

Charlie Cameron, who was probably the worst of the four in finals yet it is not even close to appropriate to suggest Charlie be dropped.

It really highlights both the quality of our starting players and the quality of our depth players.

That's not even counting the guys who rotate through the forward line: Bailey, McCluggage, potentially Levi and then there's a chance we look at Zorko moving forward again. The small-medium forward competition is going to be tough this year

 

[KissKiss]

Everyone's so bullish on 2025 about how we have this incredible depth and all that my sceptical radar has gone up.

Its hard not to be excited at this time of year (especially in our case).

But for all the great depth we still have some potential weaknesses:

1. Joe replacement is one big one
2. Im not sure our goal kicking issues will have gone away.
3. Big mids (like Cripps) can still rip apart our mids
4. Fast running teams are super dangerous and a lot of teams are looking at pace

 

[Scubaveg]

Linc suffers an even worse fate than Answerth in my opinion. With four spots available in the front seven for non-talls with them being:

Ah Chee and Lohmann, who both kicked four goals in a grand final and stellar finals campaigns.

Rayner, who had a good finals campaign and was in the AA squad.

Charlie Cameron, who was probably the worst of the four in finals yet it is not even close to appropriate to suggest Charlie be dropped.

It really highlights both the quality of our starting players and the quality of our depth players.

There’ll be some trades next year. Draft capital will come in and be used on the KPF incoming.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Gadzorks]

Its hard not to be excited at this time of year (especially in our case).

But for all the great depth we still have some potential weaknesses:

1. Joe replacement is one big one
2. Im not sure our goal kicking issues will have gone away.
3. Big mids (like Cripps) can still rip apart our mids
4. Fast running teams are super dangerous and a lot of teams are looking at pace

Regarding point 2 - goal kicking problems can be in the head. Nothing like winning the big dance to clear the head. it'll be good now.

 

[Tom14]

Regarding point 2 - goal kicking problems can be in the head. Nothing like winning the big dance to clear the head. it'll be good now.

We went from the least accurate team in the competition in 2020 to one of the most in 2021. It really can swing wildly from year to year.

 

[Nuggo]

Yes we have some weaknesses but we have a lot strengths and the other team will have to contend with that. I think the balance is in our favour in most cases. No guarantee of another flag though.

 

[Dalions]

We went from the least accurate team in the competition in 2020 to one of the most in 2021. It really can swing wildly from year to year.

Without looking at the numbers and going by the eye test on this years goal kicking, if 2 players improve a bit on last years accuracy (Bailey and Cameron) we will be in a much better place in that aspect of the game.

 

[Section 5]

Day or possibly Smith in for McKenna in this Fox article
They must think Hippy is going to fill Daniher's ruck relief role

Recruits straight in, draftees to make boom debuts: Every AFL club’s predicted Round 1 side

Recruits straight in, draftees to make boom debuts: Every AFL club’s predicted Rd 1 side

www.foxsports.com.au

BRISBANE LIONS

B: B.Starcevich, H.Andrews, R.Lester

HB: C.McKenna, J.Payne, D.Zorko

C: J.Fletcher, W.Ashcroft, H.McCluggage

HF: C.Rayner, L.Morris, J.Berry

F: C.Cameron, E.Hipwood, Z.Bailey

FOLL: O.McInerney, J.Dunkley, L.Neale

I/C: K.Lohmann, C.Ah Chee, N.Answerth, D.Wilmot, L.Ashcroft

EMG: S.Day, D.Fort, B.Reville

The reigning premiers are in terrific shape heading into the new year, despite the continued rehabilitations of Keidean Coleman, Lincoln McCarthy, Darcy Gardiner and Tom Doedee, who each suffered ACL injuries last season and will all likely miss Opening Round at a minimum. Ruckman Oscar McInerney will play provided he has recovered from the shoulder reconstruction that kept him out of the 2024 premiership triumph. Darcy Fort and Sam Day will be in calculations for Chris Fagan as the Lions attempt to fill the void left by retired star Joe Daniher, but the continued development of Logan Morris will also be counted on.

 

[JasRulz63]

Morris looks like he's slimmed down a bit looking at the reel posted by the official Instagram this morning.

 

[Perrip]

Day or possibly Smith in for McKenna in this Fox article
They must think Hippy is going to fill Daniher's ruck relief role

It's a weird 23 tbh.

Even assuming Kiddy isn't back for OR/Rd. 1, switching McKenna out of that sub role is odd. Not to mention Levi in for Joe as the only significant change is weird.

 

[Perrip]

Morris looks like he's slimmed down a bit looking at the reel posted by the official Instagram this morning.

Kiddy:0

 

[Section 5]

It's a weird 23 tbh.

Even assuming Kiddy isn't back for OR/Rd. 1, switching McKenna out of that sub role is odd. Not to mention Levi in for Joe as the only significant change is weird.

Overall players in the named side are about right except for Day.
Changes from the GF side and not selecting who will be the sub

Out McKenna In Levi
Out Jo In Day
Out Fort In Oscar.

 

[Perrip]

Out McKenna In Levi
Out Jo In Day
Out Fort In Oscar.

Yeah, those would be the changes I'd make from the GF team, pending injuries + players recovering.

 

[Perrip]

VFL boys back too

 

[martinson]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Mckenna had a stellar year in 2025.

There were a couple of reasons he couldn't be seen at his best last year but he's good to go in 2025

 

[dlanod]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Mckenna had a stellar year in 2025.

There were a couple of reasons he couldn't be seen at his best last year but he's good to go in 2025

Definitely on the cards.

One of the quietly impressive stories late in the year was McKenna's successful pivot to the sub role. You hear about how it's tough to be a sub repeatedly, mentally not knowing how or when you'll come on and physically because your fitness can drop due to the shorter game time. But he took effectively a demotion and instead maximised his impact in those minutes compared to his limited/hampered form when playing full games.

 

[martinson]

Definitely on the cards.

One of the quietly impressive stories late in the year was McKenna's successful pivot to the sub role. You hear about how it's tough to be a sub repeatedly, mentally not knowing how or when you'll come on and physically because your fitness can drop due to the shorter game time. But he took effectively a demotion and instead maximised his impact in those minutes compared to his limited/hampered form when playing full games.

I think he only got his body right by the time it was too late to break back into the starting 22.

But what was noted ,as you say ,was his capacity to make an impact as sub , a rarity.

 

[Nunez]

Morris looks like he's slimmed down a bit looking at the reel posted by the official Instagram this morning.



View attachment 2182634

Looking very fit isn't he. Given he's an elite reader of the ball in flight and contested mark, feels like we're going the Jeremy Cameron route of running opponents ragged then beating them with footy IQ and ground ball gets.

 

[Elixuh]

Regarding point 2 - goal kicking problems can be in the head. Nothing like winning the big dance to clear the head. it'll be good now.

Imo the sherrins that were used in the games we lost were defective.

 

[JasRulz63]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Mckenna had a stellar year in 2025.

There were a couple of reasons he couldn't be seen at his best last year but he's good to go in 2025

One of my Essendon mates said that McKenna seemed to be someone that struggled more than other players if he was playing under an injury cloud.

 

[WheildonTheAxe]

As Leigh Matthews would say, we ain't defending anything

What was his full quote? I don't remember hearing that