Unofficial Preview Changes v Geelong (Preliminary Final)

[3KZ is Football]

AAA: Big questions for Giants, heat on Lion after 'really poor' showing

Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd review week two of finals.

www.afl.com.au

I think we go in unchanged, but Fagan needs to put a rocket up a few and certainly needs to hide the bath water after the weekend. We need to be ruthless and disciplined against Geelong.

 

[Section 5]

Last game we got well beaten by the Cats at home in the wet. Score 37-63.
So is there any positives or changes from that game.
We played terrible footy in R6 v Cats, & R7 v Giants. Rounds 1-5 also very inconsistent.

Cats had 18 shots on goal to our 17.

Playing that game: McCarthy, Tunstill, Gardiner & Lyons was sub
Missing that game: Bailey, Ashcroft, Morris & McKenna sub last week. All likely named again

A quick look at the Cats from last meeting
Conway (Ruck) & O'Connor (tagged Lockie) played in R 7 but now injured and both out for the season.
Did not play R 7 but played in Cats QF game: Mannah, Stanley & Neale.

Oscar subbed out in the 2nd quarter with concussion 30% TOG. Jo full time ruck for the last half 97% TOG.
Cats Tom Stewart 46% TOG also subbed out at half time also with concussion.

Lions goalless that day: Daniher, Cameron, Hippy, Gardiner, Lohmann & Ah Chee. No repeat of that, i hope.

 

[Grasshopper17]

70k tickets already sold. They're expecting 90,000 on Saturday

Amazing the increase in general interest since the corresponding fixture pulled just 77,677 in 2022.

 

[Paul Mac]

If Stewart plays for the cats, please don't do what we did re our last final against them at the G. We allowed him to roam around the half back line on his own and he just controlled things early on when the game was set up. We seem too always, or majority of times allow opposition to play a loose man in our forward line but we can't allow Stewart to play that role if he plays this week.

 

[Elixuh]

If Stewart plays for the cats, please don't do what we did re our last final against them at the G. We allowed him to roam around the half back line on his own and he just controlled things early on when the game was set up. We seem too always, or majority of times allow opposition to play a loose man in our forward line but we can't allow Stewart to play that role if he plays this week.

 

[lionshine]

View attachment 2112908

Yep but I did have him down for the Holmes role. I’ll call Fages and scratch that

 

[Sanchez365]

View attachment 2112908

Last time Ah Chee played as the loose for us in the backline (when Geelong manufactured their +1 to release Stewart).

Much more comfortable with him playing a shutdown role in the forward line.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

i remember two games down at Geelong where we were somewhat handicapped by some umpiring decisions. Give us those and Geelong haven't beaten us down here in home and away for awhile.

I'm wearing my Lions gear today to work (don't work Mondays ). Wore it to the South Melbourne market on Sunday and got lots of "Go Lions" responses. Too wet to have the scarf out the window.

 

[mpal6]

Last game we got well beaten by the Cats at home in the wet. Score 37-63.
So is there any positives or changes from that game.
We played terrible footy in R6 v Cats, & R7 v Giants. Rounds 1-5 also very inconsistent.

Cats had 18 shots on goal to our 17.

Playing that game: McCarthy, Tunstill, Gardiner & Lyons was sub
Missing that game: Bailey, Ashcroft, Morris & McKenna sub last week. All likely named again

A quick look at the Cats from last meeting
Conway (Ruck) & O'Connor (tagged Lockie) played in R 7 but now injured and both out for the season.
Did not play R 7 but played in Cats QF game: Mannah, Stanley & Neale.

Oscar subbed out in the 2nd quarter with concussion 30% TOG. Jo full time ruck for the last half 97% TOG.
Cats Tom Stewart 46% TOG also subbed out at half time also with concussion.

Lions goalless that day: Daniher, Cameron, Hippy, Gardiner, Lohmann & Ah Chee. No repeat of that, i hope.

We tried to play dry weather handball heavy footy and got shown up. Good news - forecast is for a wet Saturday so we have an opportunity to reverse it. We'll be more match fit in those conditions compared to Cats who've played one game in nearly 20+ days. Hope we take it up to them early.

Agree with other posters - no loose man in defense for them, especially if its Stewart. Ah Chee to Stewart early.

 

[SeaOfFire]

It's sometimes said that in finals, you gotta know what your best side looks like.

Outside of probably Linc, the 22 we put out last week is our best side imho.

No changes I reckon.

 

[Squizz89]

It's sometimes said that in finals, you gotta know what your best side looks like.

Outside of probably Linc, the 22 we put out last week is our best side imho.

No changes I reckon.

Reckon Kiddy might have something to say about this.

 

[mpal6]

It's sometimes said that in finals, you gotta know what your best side looks like.

Outside of probably Linc, the 22 we put out last week is our best side imho.

No changes I reckon.

+ Coleman for sure.

 

[jjami15]

+ Coleman for sure.

Would love to see what a Kiddy and Zorko from the HBF would look like.

 

[luthor]

An oldie but a goodie

 

[Perrip]

Anyone at Open Training today?

 

[McIvor]

It's sometimes said that in finals, you gotta know what your best side looks like.

Outside of probably Linc, the 22 we put out last week is our best side imho.

No changes I reckon.

Interestingly, when Ashcroft runs out (levelling with Reville on 12 games for the year), provided there are no other changes, that 23 is the 23 that has played the most games for the Lions in 2023, so you could definitely say that (with the exception of our ACL victims, Linc and Kiddy).

 

[McIvor]

Good to see Champs again.

 

[luthor]

View attachment 2112676

So we are due

 

[Lion_LegacyXL]

So we are due

Poetic if we do it, 20 years later in the exact same match at the same venue. Ironic if we go onto play Port Adelaide, again 20 years later and it's the opposite result like last year against the Pies.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I've got a feeling we will see a special game from Charlie Cameron

23

Charlie Cameron

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.1

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.5

5star

D

9.6

2star

K

7.9

3star

HB

1.7

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.2

4star

this Saturday night. 4 goals and a lot of Country Roads

 

[Perrip]

Jessica Stewart [ABC]

Very light day for several Lions players after Sat’s 44 point epic fightback, Lachie Neale

9

Lachie Neale

Age

31

Ht

178cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.0

5star

K

11.5

4star

HB

15.5

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.7

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

28.3

5star

K

13.9

5star

HB

14.4

5star

M

4.6

4star

T

4.0

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

CL

0.4

3star

already in the sheds after some brief hand-balling, Ashcroft, Payne, Answerth, Hipwood all in joggers & doing run thru’s in the modified group ahead of prelim with Cats

 

[Lace Out]

20th anniversary of playing a home preliminary at the MCG

 

[M Malice]

Jessica Stewart [ABC]

Would be standard practice this late in the season, not much training needed, fitness can not be improved before a possible GF.

 

[Elixuh]

I think Fages said they were going to be light on with the training this week. Focus on recovery.

 

[Section 5]

We tried to play dry weather handball heavy footy and got shown up. Good news - forecast is for a wet Saturday so we have an opportunity to reverse it. We'll be more match fit in those conditions compared to Cats who've played one game in nearly 20+ days. Hope we take it up to them early.

Agree with other posters - no loose man in defense for them, especially if its Stewart. Ah Chee to Stewart early.

Would still prefer it to be a dryish game.
Melbourne weather changes from day to day and hour to hour sometimes
Forecast not to bad but need to wait till Friday as it will be more accurate.

Playing in the wet is too much of a gamble in regard to recent form.
I would be less confident of advancing to the GF if it is a wet day.