Preview Brisbane Lions v Carlton Blues PF, 5.15pm Saturday 23rd Sep 2023

[Dom PC]

If it's a GWS v Brisbane grand final, I wouldn't be surprised if the AFL and the AFL media just left a note at the MCG saying to switch the lights off when we are done.

The coverage of particularly Brisbane has been awful.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Just watched that 360 interview “with” Lachie. Cringeworthy. Actually felt embarrassed for Lachie, having to sit through that, through no fault of his own.

He gets paid for it though...

 

[M Malice]

If it's a GWS v Brisbane grand final, I wouldn't be surprised if the AFL and the AFL media just left a note at the MCG saying to switch the lights off when we are done.

The coverage of particularly Brisbane has been awful.

I just watched the weekly segment(went for around 35 minutes) with Cornes/Healy/Hoyne and the Lions got at best and being generous 45 seconds of passing mentions.

Right at the end as an afterthought Hoyne's tips were yer Lions get it done and Giants/Pies is a genuine toss up.

 

[Squizz89]

Wish we were the first game this weekend to be honest.

If the Pies have won, the AFL are a game a way from their dream match up. If the Giants have won, the AFL are a game a way from their least preferred match up.

It’ll certainly be interesting which way the 50/50 calls go on Saturday, even though you’d like to think playing at home, should in theory help us.

I’d actually like to see the club put a bit of pressure back onto the umpires through the media this week, just to keep them honest, but that’s not really in ours and especially Fages’ nature.

 

[M Malice]

I am very confident of a win... the only thing that could throw a spanner in the works IMO is set shot accuracy ie. either the Blues kick the lights out or we can't hit the side of a barn.

Need Joe or Hippy to nail an early 25 meter set set shot from straight in front to put the yips to bed.

 

[The Zork]

If Payne wasn’t under a cloud, I don’t think I would’ve heard a single bit of reporting about us this week.

 

[Warwick]

Just watched the last quarter of the 2009 Final against Carlton. What a game!

Best game I’ve been to.

 

[briztoon]

I get that, but with what you highlight as an obvious deficiency, albeit in one game, how did he win the Liston and generate the numbers that he did? Does he compensate for lack of run with something else?

We played a lot of bog ordinary teams in the beginning and middle part of the VFL season, where we clearly had the best midfield unit of Lyons, Mathieson, Tunstill, DevRob and Answerth. Plus the other Dunkley.

We were also the healthiest squad, and often fielding more AFL listed players than our opponents.

And as another poster mentioned in another thread, AFL teams in the VFL don’t game plan for the opposition.

They concentrate on playing the same game plan as the seniors, and focus on player development for their younger players.

Lyons won the Liston because he was the most dominant mid, in the most dominant midfield for two thirds of the season.

Then when injuries hit our squad, our lack of VFL depth got exposed. DevRob went to the seniors, Answerth had a season ending injury, and all of a sudden our VFL team lost its two best defensive runners from the midfield and half forward line.

Hence we slipped from comfortably top two (we were outright first for a short period mid season) to outside the top four.

Then in finals, even at VFL level, your weaknesses get exposed against the other top teams.

Our lack of run from the midfield (Lyons and Mathieson) really got exposed, so to our lack of pressure from our own forward 50, which saw teams easily transition from defence to offence, and cut us up with run and precision kicking.

 

[Son of Superboot]

I am very confident of a win... the only thing that could throw a spanner in the works IMO is set shot accuracy ie. either the Blues kick the lights out or we can't hit the side of a barn.

Need Joe or Hippy to nail an early 25 meter set set shot from straight in front to put the yips to bed.

I've got the feeling one of the other forwards McCarthy/Bailey/Zorko are going to kick a bag, as the blue's defence will put all their efforts in trying to negate Joe/Charlie/Hippy.

Was impressed with TDK game last week, who goes to him? I think Andrews/Lester/Payne(or Gardiner) will have their hands full against Curnow/McKay/DeKonig

 

[harrypotterafl]

Wish we were the first game this weekend to be honest.

If the Pies have won, the AFL are a game a way from their dream match up. If the Giants have won, the AFL are a game a way from their least preferred match up.

It’ll certainly be interesting which way the 50/50 calls go on Saturday, even though you’d like to think playing at home, should in theory help us.

I’d actually like to see the club put a bit of pressure back onto the umpires through the media this week, just to keep them honest, but that’s not really in ours and especially Fages’ nature.

You think the game will be decided by an umpires call?

 

[Son of Superboot]

If Payne wasn’t under a cloud, I don’t think I would’ve heard a single bit of reporting about us this week.

Its probably one of the bonus's of being outside the Melb bubble. The players won't be feeling the pressure, no journo's camped out watching them 24/7. A majority of media coverage in Bris right now is about the Bronco's, only yesterday was there any mention of the Lions (Payne ankle). Sometimes no news is good news.
The biggest issue about AFL in Brisy at present is the scheduling of game and the clash with NRL.

 

[LongLion]

I thought Sharp was diabolical against Werribee. I can’t see how he will ever get a senior game. Don’t mind Prior.

Sharp got plenty of ball but his disposals were poor particularly his handballs to the feet of our player. he's better than that but no he shouldn't get a start based on that game.

 

[briztoon]

Now I’m not comparing them in terms of football ability, but Leigh Matthews could not run out of sight on the darkest of nights in any sort of time, but he is the greatest player of all times according to many. Late in his career, he was given a specific role up forward and he absolutely killed it. In his last four seasons he kicked 74, 79, 77 and 56 goals. It was just a matter of recognising his limitations and developing a new role.

The game has changed. Defenders and forwards no longer stay in their third of the field.

Midfielders need to be able to run the full length of the oval. We’ve seen Charlie back defending our own goal line, and we half backs kicking goals from inside 50.

It’s ok to have one, maybe two pure inside mids who aren’t the best in transition, but if the bulk of your team can’t run both ways in today’s game, you get exposed in finals.

That’s what happened to us by Geelong last year, and by Melbourne in 2021. Our midfield got exposed by harder running teams, both ways.

 

[3KZ is Football]

We played a lot of bog ordinary teams in the beginning and middle part of the VFL season, where we clearly had the best midfield unit of Lyons, Mathieson, Tunstill, DevRob and Answerth. Plus the other Dunkley.

We were also the healthiest squad, and often fielding more AFL listed players than our opponents.

And as another poster mentioned in another thread, AFL teams in the VFL don’t game plan for the opposition.

They concentrate on playing the same game plan as the seniors, and focus on player development for their younger players.

Lyons won the Liston because he was the most dominant mid, in the most dominant midfield for two thirds of the season.

Then when injuries hit our squad, our lack of VFL depth got exposed. DevRob went to the seniors, Answerth had a season ending injury, and all of a sudden our VFL team lost its two best defensive runners from the midfield and half forward line.

Hence we slipped from comfortably top two (we were outright first for a short period mid season) to outside the top four.

Then in finals, even at VFL level, your weaknesses get exposed against the other top teams.

Our lack of run from the midfield (Lyons and Mathieson) really got exposed, so to our lack of pressure from our own forward 50, which saw teams easily transition from defence to offence, and cut us up with run and precision kicking.

Great post and, it must be said, you watch the Reserves much more closely than I do.

Bearing in mind Lyons polled votes in 11 of 14 games, there are conceivably only 3 games where he was really exposed. That makes sense doesn’t it?

 

[M Malice]

Great post and, it must be said, you watch the Reserves much more closely than I do.

Bearing in mind Lyons polled votes in 11 of 14 games, there are conceivably only 3 games where he was really exposed. That makes sense doesn’t it?

The umpires vote on the JJ Liston Trophy, IMO they would take no notice of who runs defensively... or forward for that matter, they look for highlight moments and possessions much like for the Brownlow.

 

[3KZ is Football]

The game has changed. Defenders and forwards no longer stay in their third of the field.

Midfielders need to be able to run the full length of the oval. We’ve seen Charlie back defending our own goal line, and we half backs kicking goals from inside 50.

It’s ok to have one, maybe two pure inside mids who aren’t the best in transition, but if the bulk of your team can’t run both ways in today’s game, you get exposed in finals.

That’s what happened to us by Geelong last year, and by Melbourne in 2021. Our midfield got exposed by harder running teams, both ways.

Agree briztoon, which is why I’m advocating for Lyons to be SUB. Neale and Dunkley would massive “outs” if they were injured and Lyons is a great back up. If they stay strong in the game, Lyons comes on late and focuses on forward stoppages.

… but if the bulk of your team can’t run both ways in today’s game, you get exposed in finals.

I agree 100% here, because you make a strong case for not including Gunston.

 

[3KZ is Football]

The umpires vote on the JJ Liston Trophy, IMO they would take no notice of who runs defensively... or forward for that matter, they look for highlight moments and possessions much like for the Brownlow.

Yeah nah. I reckon umpires know more about the game than we give them credit for. If you are getting “carved”, it stands out.

 

[rye]

I just watched the weekly segment(went for around 35 minutes) with Cornes/Healy/Hoyne and the Lions got at best and being generous 45 seconds of passing mentions.

Right at the end as an afterthought Hoyne's tips were yer Lions get it done and Giants/Pies is a genuine toss up.

people joke about how gerard whateley would still find a way to seed carlton above brisbane in his weekly rankings next week even if we win the prelim

hoyne is like that joke, but replace carlton with melbourne. he cannot stop frothing them enough because theyre ticking all the champion data boxes

 

[rye]

i dont know what its like up in queensland, but the majority of neutral people im speaking to in victoria are absolutely sick of the wankfest around carlton and collingwood. front page of the hun everyday, only thing being spoken about on sen etc. we need to win for the good of football

 

[greyhound punter]

Hope to see the Lions play without fear this weekend. Not afraid to lose...attacking from start to finish....good luck

 

[Mighty Lions]

I am very confident of a win... the only thing that could throw a spanner in the works IMO is set shot accuracy ie. either the Blues kick the lights out or we can't hit the side of a barn.

Need Joe or Hippy to nail an early 25 meter set set shot from straight in front to put the yips to bed.

there is no yips. no idea why you would say this crap.

 

[M Malice]

there is no yips. no idea why you would say this crap.

Not crap IMO ML, just my thoughts/fears on what could unfold during the game ... although I will admit it is highly likely I have posted my fair share of "crap" over the 8 years and 30,000 posts since I have been on Big Footy.

 

[Mighty Lions]

On afl daily podcast fish said it flared after the port game.

Did say main session is thursday. So i guess if he is not in normal training then we’ll know

Whiting along with all the other media whores have no real idea of where or when it happened nor if he will be OK to play. We all will find out in the day or 2 but everyone outside the Lions walls are just guessing. Even training on Thursday is no confirmation unless a Lions official comes out to make a statement.

 

[rye]

Whiting along with all the other media whores have no real idea of where or when it happened nor if he will be OK to play. We all will find out in the day or 2 but everyone outside the Lions walls are just guessing. Even training on Thursday is no confirmation unless a Lions official comes out to make a statement.

what is your opinion on the chances of payne being selected ML?

 

[M Malice]

This bloody week is dragging worse than last week, 3 sleeps and then a long Saturday to go.