Preview Lions 2019 Discussion

[CarterS]

I was talking to the club yesterday to organise guest passes and they said it's tracking well above expectations in all areas... GA sold out and demand for reserved seats, corporate and guest passes all very, very high.

Just need the weather to cooperate.

They are allowing guest passes? IIRC last year they didn't for home games against big Vic teams

 

[Hollow Knight]

They are allowing guest passes? IIRC last year they didn't for home games against big Vic teams

Sorry, I meant guest discounted tickets. Got my wife a ticket in our section (prime) for 42 dollars.

 

[CarterS]

Sorry, I meant guest discounted tickets. Got my wife a ticket in our section (prime) for 42 dollars.

Tracking at 30+ for sure by the sounds of things.

 

[briztoon]

How do you find out about these things - I am a member and can't recollect any heads up on this?

Received an email from the club. "First Year Members Tours"

 

[_Gin]

It’s amazing that our scores from centre bounces stat is league high despite us not exactly dominating centre bounce clearance numbers, particularly last weekend.

Points to what I’ve been saying that despite winning, we have a lot more upside to tap into yet. We start taking advantage in the middle and we might run up some big scores on teams.

Exciting to be 3-0 with room to grow.

Was pleasing to hear Bartel say yesterday that there is something very sustainable about the way we are playing. Good balance in the squad executing a clear plan. It’s not just a case of a young team playing above themselves and ambushing a few sides at the start of the season.

I'd expect us to put at team to the sword at some point this year.

Hopefully Essendon.

 

[briztoon]

Is anyone keeping up to date with the AFL Coaches Association Votes?

How is it Neale hasn't got 10 in each game so far?

I was pretty sure he received 10 votes from both the Port and North game, which means he only received 2 votes from the Eagles game.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Is anyone keeping up to date with the AFL Coaches Association Votes?

How is it Neale hasn't got 10 in each game so far?

I was pretty sure he received 10 votes from both the Port and North game, which means he only received 2 votes from the Eagles game.

BRISBANE v WEST COAST
10 Hugh McCluggage (BL)
4 Charlie Cameron (BL)
4 Lincoln McCarthy (BL)
4 Dayne Zorko (BL)
3 Daniel Rich (BL)
3 Harris Andrews (BL)
2 Lachlan Neale (BL)

 

[luthor]

BRISBANE v WEST COAST
10 Hugh McCluggage (BL)
4 Charlie Cameron (BL)
4 Lincoln McCarthy (BL)
4 Dayne Zorko (BL)
3 Daniel Rich (BL)
3 Harris Andrews (BL)
2 Lachlan Neale (BL)

...........and that's why Lachie for all his dominance, doesn't have all the votes,

Fair enough too!

Hugh was a clear BOG in the Eagles game.

The votes by Coaches pretty much mirror how we voted in Rd 1 POTY

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/round-1-2019-brisbane-lions-vs-west-coast.1214230/page-20

 

[Albi_Mangler]

I'd expect us to put at team to the sword at some point this year.

Hopefully Essendon.

Was thinking this today too. I reckon vs the Swans next month would be a good candidate. They have smashed us so many times over past 10 years.

 

[bungalow_bill]

I like the idea of smashing EX rolling maul teams (Swans Tigers) rendered impotent by the new rules with our fast flowing high scoring game

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I'd expect us to put at team to the sword at some point this year.

Hopefully Essendon.

Would be nice but I'd be just as happy to be 4-0 come Saturday night.

 

[Dylan12]

Brisbane Lions of old as 'The Gabbatior' returns (Jono Baruch)

The Australian men’s cricket team have a formidable record in Brisbane. Not since 1988 against the powerful West Indies side has an Australian team been defeated at the Gabba. The fast, bouncy track often proves the kryptonite for visiting sides, along with the steamy Queensland air just being too hot to handle. As the years have rolled on, only a six-month period when the pitches were rolled and the goalposts were removed did the Gabba attain the name “The Gabbatior”. There was only one team that caused mayhem and it wasn’t the one with the Sherrin.

But there is now a team in town that ensures that the name The Gabbatior lasts a full 12 months of the year. The Brisbane Lions are not just coming, they are here. They say a week is a long time in Football. A year is even longer. A decade without any form of success can feel like an eternity. You have to go all the way back to 2010 to find when Brisbane started a season with three straight wins. It was a time where Jonathan Brown was at the peak of his powers, Brendan Fevola was up there playing second fiddle for a season and the likes of Simon Black, Luke Power and a young gun called Daniel Rich were ruling the roost in Queensland.

The football was great, the crowds were loud and the Gabba was pumping. While this brief period of excitement in 2010 was brief and they ultimately missed the finals that year, it has been a long and barren trough of decent Australian rules football coming from Queensland. Until now. While the word from within will be to keep a lid on it and it is only Round 3, it is hard to argue that the Brisbane Lions have been one of the most exciting teams in the competition to watch.

In the first three rounds of the season, they have not only fought to win all their games but they have run all over the top of the opposition. Round 1 against the reigning premiers West Coast, 14 goals to two after quarter time. In Rounds 2 and 3 they were 10 points down with 15 minutes to go and proceeded to run over the top of the opposition by kicking the next seven scores – in both wins.

While coach Chris Fagan calls it the steady growth of his young cubs, the results and numbers are there to be seen that this is a team that’s on the up – and quickly. And the Gabba and the game as a whole and supporters in Queensland are going to be the biggest benefactors of all of this. As such, “The Gabbatior” is about to live up to its name as a fortress once again. The noise that the 20,000 people strong crowd made has been getting louder and louder as the games have worn on. Emerging key forward Eric Hipwood notes that like the rusted on AFL fans that ride every single bump that they are all along for the ride.

“But it’s not just that. It’s the spoils, it’s all the little acts, the defensive acts that the crowd gets involved in. It’s not all the goals, it’s the little things,” and for Fagan, who has been so intent on bringing fans back to the Gabba since he has come to the club might just have the perfect tonic. His team plays incredibly watchable Football which is conducive to the modern game.

They move the ball quickly and slickly from one end of the ground to another with little to no fear and they have the players who are capable of putting a big score on the board. It’s the type of game-plan and style that can not only turn the Gabba into a fortress again but make it a feared road trip for anyone in the competition. With Aussie rules in Queensland on the rise at grassroots and the AFL teams performing well, with a blockbuster Thursday night Easter Thursday game coming up – the tickets are only going to get hotter and go quicker.

They boast one of the most exciting young lists in the competition, inclusive of one of the best players in the competition right now while also loaded with players who are destined to become household names. As Florence and the Machine put it so beautifully in one of their favourite songs “the dog days are over”. The people are coming back to the Gabba and like the folk of Brisbane have made it such a great environment for their Cricket teams to perform in recent years, the Brisbane Lions are about to get what appears to be an extended run of that same love and support.

 

[Hollow Knight]

It’s kinda nice not to care about rising star nominations for a change. Starting to realise that it’s a bit of a McDonalds encouragement award for supporters of rebuilding teams.

Feels so meaningless compared to your team actually winning games of football.

 

[bungalow_bill]

And not being concerned about how high or low is our draft pick.

 

[irel]

And not being concerned about how high or low is our draft pick.

Actually I am concerned how high/low our first round pick ends up being. Obviously you're not on the Death Ride bus. Jump on bb, still some room at the back.

 

[Jivlain]

And not being concerned about how high or low is our draft pick.

Having traded future picks it means we don't even need to feel conflicted about it. Now on with the death ride!

 

[bungalow_bill]

Actually I am concerned how high/low our first round pick ends up being. Obviously you're not on the Death Ride bus. Jump on bb, still some room at the back.

I'm on board with that one!

 

[Viceregal]

Actually I am concerned how high/low our first round pick ends up being. Obviously you're not on the Death Ride bus. Jump on bb, still some room at the back.

It's still mathematically possible for the Pies to get the spoon isn't it?

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Broncos lost at home again, hmm , must be culture. lol.
Their fans don't absorb losses too easily.
Great timing for us.
we just need to keep our form consistent through the year , keep the wins coming in at a positive rate and we could dominate the patronage numbers.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

Broncos lost at home again, hmm , must be culture. lol.
Their fans don't absorb losses too easily.
Great timing for us.
we just need to keep our form consistent through the year , keep the wins coming in at a positive rate and we could dominate the patronage numbers.

Interestingly it's their worst start to a season since 2010 at the same time as we're having our best start to a season since 2010. Good timing for us.

 

[CarterS]

Broncos supporters are the worst. Including most of my mates. I guarantee you, now that the broncos are rubbish we are about to get a huge amount of broncos supporters switch over to the lions if we continue to go ok.

 

[CarterS]

...........and that's why Lachie for all his dominance, doesn't have all the votes,

Fair enough too!

Hugh was a clear BOG in the Eagles game.

The votes by Coaches pretty much mirror how we voted in Rd 1 POTY

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/round-1-2019-brisbane-lions-vs-west-coast.1214230/page-20

My brother who is a casual lion but keen afl watcher has started noticing him and going on about how good he is, if he is any indication then people are starting to notice.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Broncos supporters are the worst. Including most of my mates. I guarantee you, now that the broncos are rubbish we are about to get a huge amount of broncos supporters switch over to the lions if we continue to go ok.

They are very entitled for sure. I also LOL'd that Milford is getting more than $1M per year. That's the equivalent of giving Aish Dangerfield's salary.

 

[Dylan12]

THE STATS THAT PROVE YOU CAN'T COMPARE BRISBANE AND CARLTON (NIC NEGREPONTIS)

Carlton and Brisbane are two teams who have seemingly been intertwined for a couple of years now in terms of their respective rebuilds. Both sides brought in new coaches and new systems in similar timeframes and both built through the draft. However, the Lions have rocketed up the ladder, while the Blues continues to struggle.

This had led many to point to Brisbane and ask why Carlton isn’t performing at a similar level. Did the Lions just do it better and go past Brendon Bolton and Stephen Silvagni’s side? This might ultimately prove the case, but suggesting that now is folly because the Lions are a full year ahead of the Blues.

If you break down Brisbane’s 26-man squad for Round 4, they have spent an average of 6.84 years in an AFL system. Meanwhile, Carlton’s 26-man squad for Round 4 sits at 5.76 years in the system. It’s almost exactly a full year behind the Lions. The kicker is, of those squads, Brisbane has nine players who have had five years in an AFL system or less, whereas Carlton currently has an enormous 17.

Those two numbers alone show just how different both teams are in terms of where they’re at. Carlton is a full year behind and is playing almost double the amount of youngsters. Both teams are reasonably similar when it comes to the experience of key position players.

Brisbane’s core of Daniel McStay, Eric Hipwood, Oscar McInerney, Darcy Gardiner, Harris Andrews and Josh Walker have an average time in the system of 5.33 years. Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Mitch McGovern, Liam Jones, Jacob Weitering and Caleb Marchbank sit at 5.5 years. Liam Jones’ 11 years are a bit of an outlier in the data, with the rest all either fourth or fifth year players.

It’s the midfield where we see the most difference. Of Brisbane’s side this week, their 10 midfielders have spent 6.4 years in an AFL environment. Carlton on the other hand chose to build their midfield after establishing their key position players, meaning their core is essentially first to fourth year players, which the data reflects.

Their midfield sits at a stunningly low 4.36 years in the system – and that includes 14-year veteran Marc Murphy and Ed Curnow, who has been around for nine. Neither are really playing on-ball for the Blues in 2019, but obviously still must be counted. Those numbers are made up of 11 midfielders compiled from their 26-man squad given their final team hasn’t been named yet.

While it’s easy to lump these teams together on a first glance, it can’t be clearer that Carlton is 12 months behind the Lions. Brisbane in 2018 won five games and finished with a percentage of 89.1. Consider that the accurate measurement of where Carlton should be this year. A pass mark for the Blues in 2019 is not measured in wins and losses, but simply remaining competitive in every game and pinching a few when everything clicks. This is likely the final year where Carlton can get away with that, though.

I personally don't think that Carlton are necessarily 12 months behind Brisbane and if they are, it is because we've recruited a lot more strategically by bringing in guys that have been in the system longer i.e. Hodge, Cameron, McCarthy, Neale, Lyons etc. compared to Carlton that has continuously gone after GWS players that obviously haven't been in the system longer which then makes it an easy argument that they're 12 months behind us to sell hope / justify it as much to their supporters.

 

[mpal6]

THE STATS THAT PROVE YOU CAN'T COMPARE BRISBANE AND CARLTON (NIC NEGREPONTIS)


I personally don't think that Carlton are necessarily 12 months behind Brisbane and if they are, it is because we've recruited a lot more strategically by bringing in guys that have been in the system longer i.e. Hodge, Cameron, McCarthy, Neale, Lyons etc. compared to Carlton that has continuously gone after GWS players that obviously haven't been in the system longer which then makes it an easy argument that they're 12 months behind us to sell hope / justify it as much to their supporters.

For us, this year (even though its still a small sampleset) is a good example. Neale just wouldn't let go off a win and seems to just find another gear in last quarter when the game is on the line. Learning off that type of leadership and game sense is crucial for the next gen compared to what Carlton are going through with their midfield. Cripps is great but they need another mature head to guide their young mids. Recruiting GWS cast offs may not do it.