Autopsy Lions prevail by 10

[cats_09]

NOTE - Do Not Engage With Trolls

Welcome to this the time of year when Geelong is knocked out of premiership contention - with our refusal to bottom out, when we get knocked out of finals it brings joy to opposition fans

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Let's get back on track, discuss the game and even the season at hand for those who wish - though we'll try to get a season autopsy thread up in time

 

[Chinacats]

Fagan all class in his presser.

“This is not Geelong's fault, but if you look at their last game of the season against West Coast, they were 100 points in front at half-time. It was a low-pressure, low-contested game. Then they have the week off, and then they play Port in a final where it was a similar sort of game, low-pressure, low-contest game. Then they have another week off," Fagan said.

"I just felt like, it's good to have the time off, but you need the games that you play to be really hard, tough games, and maybe at the end that showed. Our harder preparation enabled us to run the game out, and I would have thought that would have been a real challenge."

More wording for next week, but somewhat true that we had two training runs in a month. Before that saints sped things up in the 2nd half and dominated cats. Scott couldn’t deal with it again weeks later….Ross the boss exposed us with speed on the ball and Fagan learned the lesson.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Can't help but feel we squandered a golden chance

Exactly my thoughts on this one.

 

[joe444]

====

Nah, I just checked with myself and can reconfirm that it's not hurting as much as 2004, when we seemed doomed to never have anything go our way.

There's a certain type of supporter, though, who seems to secretly enjoy losing because it allows them to rant and fume and enter Terry Wallace "spew up" mode.

We came from 12th, making things up as we went along, with a lot of players still finding their way at the level and gave it good shake ... and when it all seemed over, and we were seriously compromised by injury, we kept coming back.

 

[numbwombat]

Considering Stengles form tonight, if we had the options on the field I probably would have subbed him and sat Danger in the forwardline if we had decent midfield depth.

Sure but Stengle has been our best or second-best forward all year. Danger doesn’t displace any of Cameron, Neale, O Henry, Miers, Stengle, Mannagh or Close. We tried him forward a few years ago and after he dominated that one game (vs Hawks?) he had no impact. Can play as mid a couple more years possibly but no chance to take a forward spot IMO.

Rohan’s strength was his chasing and Danger doesn’t have the hammies

 

[And_ROOS]

Will sting, always does. But that goes hand in hand with having your team play in meaningful games every year. Make no mistake about it, Brisbane were elite tonight. They have high end talent, and that talent was elite. Some of our less experienced went missing for periods, and some of more experienced were poor. Felt the umps gifted the lions some momentum swingers tonight, including goals assists.
The positives? This is a different team, with a lot of inexperience. When you had the ‘got to have it’ plays tonight, the Lions just did it better. Our younger guys will be so much better for it. SDK, Conway, Clark, Knevitt, Guthrie in the wings, we have a lot to be excited about. Add Bailey Smith and whoever else, and the future is bright. Bloody great performance by the club this year. Good luck Lions in the GF.

Brisbane were hardly elite, they played 2 good quarters and 2 average quarters, we played 2 very poor quarters, 1 good quarter and 1 excellent quarter.

Sydney are going to shit it in next week.

Theres reason to think we will be there abouts next season but towards the end of 2022 it was obvious our midfield was an issue, we did little to rectify it in 2023 and so you have to hope this offseason is dedicated to that.

The forwardline is still very very potent and top 3 in the league, and the defence shows there is still quality but that midfield is a killer. It was horrendous during that 7 game stretch and it was what decided the match tonight.

Smith is a good start, but still 1 maybe 2 short. Especially since Danger is a year older, can't rely on Guthrie, Bruhn and Holmes are still developing, and Atkins/Bowes should be occasional rotations.

 

[Pooks]

I am a longtime lurker and first time poster - finally decided to make an account after tonights' game. Whilst gutted we should be damn proud of our boys.. our club is going through generational change with some big retirements - not many other teams can do a rebuild on the run like we have an still get to a prelim. We were clearly struggling but Brisbane didn't have an easy win..
This experience hurts but I bet it puts the fire in the belly of the younger blokes.
Love the club and the young talent coming through - Love the support in the thread

 

[Overhang]

Sorry if this has been commented on but do you think Scott put a bit of a rocket up Holmes? I could be wrong but it felt like Holmes was worrying about making a niggle worst for next week and Scott had to point out there may not be a next week to preserve yourself for

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

Exactly this, can’t be mad.
Lions are hungry like we were hungry in 2022.

Sometimes it happens, we’ve been blessed to support this club.

Onwards and upwards 2025

Was a great game to be at, atmosphere was electric, credit to the Lions fanbase, they made themselves heard tonight.

 

[Overhang]

Brisbane were hardly elite, they played 2 good quarters and 2 average quarters, we played 2 very poor quarters, 1 good quarter and 1 excellent quarter.

Think that's been harsh. I thought their pressure was fantastic all night, like us they had passages that lacked polish but that's what happens in high pressure finals, they took the game on and overall executed their skills better than us

 

[StackedHunch]

Did Ginni fly to Sydney last night?

Hawks social media very quiet all week, funny that.

A team whose season has finished steps down its social media posts. Remarkable observation.

 

[Vdubs]

Surely Danger cannot be suspended for that.

First round management won’t hurt him as much as it hurts us

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

First round management won’t hurt him as much as it hurts us

Im not concerned on him missing games, I just cannot for the life of me see how he will get rubbed out for that.

 

[strauchnyy]

the key moments / decisions that cost us:

1. Duncan sub: terrible decision at the time (not just hindsight) and set him up to fail. Duncan is a slow distributed, terrible choice for fresh legs, spark and run when the game is on.

2. The missed chances in the first 10 mins: we completely dominated the game, territory and found ourselves 0.4 and a goal down. As we know you just cannot miss easy chances in front of goal. This was a real opportunity to stamp our authority on the game like how we did vs port. The missed opps allowed lions into the game and we lost confidence

3. The disgusting umpiring in the third. There’s a few examples and can’t be bothered noting each one but the out of bounds where they ran up and kicked a goal after the easy Mannagh miss was soul crushing and changed momentum.

4. Holmes injury. He is our guy. Our key midfielder snd spark. We lost when Holmes went down and we would not have won next week without Holmes if we fell over the line tonight. It is CRITICAL we add elite midfield talent to our mid next year and as good as Smith is, we need more.

5. 1 game in a month with playing Eagles in the final round and a non competitive port softened us. That pre finals bye rule needs to change.

We over achieved expectations this year considering we are essentially rebuilding. But we had a rare opportunity to pinch one so this one stings.

We need Bailey smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

and another gun mid in their prime to really improve next year.

 

[And_ROOS]

Sure but Stengle has been our best or second-best forward all year. Danger doesn’t displace any of Cameron, Neale, O Henry, Miers, Stengle, Mannagh or Close. We tried him forward a few years ago and after he dominated that one game (vs Hawks?) he had no impact. Can play as mid a couple more years possibly but no chance to take a forward spot IMO.

Rohan’s strength was his chasing and Danger doesn’t have the hammies

They aren't really static positions though, Danger out towards the HFF where he still has pace and long delivers to good spots (did this quite a few times against Port) are where his value is.

That Danger 5 goal game was in 2017 when he was still very much a midfielder and a completely different player to how he is now. We haven't tried using Danger as a full time forward in years. Different mentality and capabilities.
If Danger doesn't have the hammies to play deep forward he doesn't have it for midfield.

What I think might happen is he plays games in Vic, probably doesn't travel too often, and he spends a lot of time forward.
When Cameron roams up the field, which he hopefully isn't doing next season, we need someone who demands a good defender based on reputation and Danger does that.
ATM opponents run off OHenry and Neale, not going to happen with Dangerfield.

 

[And_ROOS]

A team whose season has finished steps down its social media posts. Remarkable observation.

Team who has spent the whole season chatting mad shit doesn't have the cahones to stick around. Remarkable.

 

[cat_shack]

I am a longtime lurker and first time poster - finally decided to make an account after tonights' game. Whilst gutted we should be damn proud of our boys.. our club is going through generational change with some big retirements - not many other teams can do a rebuild on the run like we have an still get to a prelim. We were clearly struggling but Brisbane didn't have an easy win..
This experience hurts but I bet it puts the fire in the belly of the younger blokes.
Love the club and the young talent coming through - Love the support in the thread

Agreed mate, lots to be excited about. Have an exciting core coming through, with more to add (Bailey Smith). thought Holmes looked like a top 10 player of the comp tonignt before the injury. Prelim final is a great result, club should be proud.

 

[TEDDY24INC]

The fact that we had them on the ropes in the 2nd qurter and couldnt finish them off is the thing that disappoints me the most.

Missing a Selwood today to steady the ship. The lack of composure and wise heads to slow the game down a bit when Brisbane had a run on in the 3rd was telling.

We let this one slip....

Missing a Selwood.. in perspective that is missing an all time great

 

[giggler99]

Yeah the more I think about the game it hurts more, feels like 2013 again, but we did look cooked. Would have been smashed next week.

I think Lions will win.

Just hope we bounce back with more consistency in 2025.

When the Lions get on a run they pretty much look unstoppable, Watching first hand at the game today there really wasn't much we could have done other than to try and slow the game down which we kinda did and got the upper hand early in the last but we just couldn't convert. We hit the front with 3mins remaining and than Brisbane hit another gear and went bang bang in a minute! and it was all she wrote.

I'm sure we'll be there about next year but even if we miss I wont be to concerned we are developing a good crop of youngsters for a new era so I'm more looking forward in watching this team grow. Dempsey, Humphries, Bowes all arrived this season and Miers and Holmes went to an elite level. These are our future now.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

One fanbase next week is going to be bloody shattered.

Will the Swans lose 4 consecutive GF’s? Or will the Lions lose back to back GF’s? Huge game.

 

[Finknottle]

Its a choke in the sense that we had a week off against a non rested interstate team at a ground they really struggle at. We will never get a better chance to make a GF. So in that sense while i think we arent flag worthy its a massive choke.
And brisbane are no chance sydney will smash them.

I agree with that. We had a lot in our favour and couldn't take advantage of it. The Brisbane players seemed more match hardened and were able to run out the game. Geelong didn't handle the step up in intensity that a prelim requires. One other observation was the Scott zone failed and there was no plan B. That has happened before with the same result.

 

[Footy Smarts]

That feels like a golden opportunity missed.

But realistically you look at the names we had on paper and we shouldn't have been close this year. So few in their prime. We also had an off night and were 2 minutes away from a grand final. There's no reason this group can't be significantly better in 2-3 years given the talent we have coming through.

 

[Vdubs]

votes

5 Max Holmes
4 Patrick Dangerfield
3- Jeremy Cameron
2 - Gryan Miers
1 - Tom Stewart

5. Humphries
4. Ollie henry
3. Zac Guthrie
2. Mannagh
1. Holmes

 

[dangerwood]

As a neutral who was going for you think you are being a bit too generous to Tom Stewart. Worst game I’ve seen him play. His man got off the chain, he constantly had the ball handballed over his head as he misread the play. He just wasn’t very good today

Midfield was beaten but had to be expected. It wasn’t as bad as the stats suggest. Geelong simply moved the ball with longer kicks and therefore less disposals

On the other hand the forward line played Henry and Miers played the best games of eaches career. Neale was very good (not his fault his good play was ruined by his teammates) and your forwards simply took the opportunities they had. Unfortunately I don’t think the midfield did enough to get them cleaner ball

Not much to worry about. Another 5 years ahead of this team to win one

It must have looked different on tv. Stewart was definitely in my best.

 

[Zouz Kitty]

Could we please be respectful to Brisbane Lions’ win?

Acknowledge our stupendous record!

I’m so shattered, in addition to chomping Crisps + chugging . . .

 

[strauchnyy]

Mullin will be fine long term but playing him tonight wasnt great selection.
If we leave either him or bews out for knevitt, leave duncan out and put clohesy as sub and pick sdk over stanley we probably win that. Small margins sometimes.

You have to be kidding. Mullin was decent and was great on neale. Your obsession with knevitt being a good player (one who would certainly crumble under finals pressure) is bizarre (and imo loses you credibility). Clohesy as sub is the only thing I agree with, just as Duncan was a terrible sub option.