Looking ahead to 2024

Section 5 · Nov 27, 2023

Very early days for best 22/23 but things are slow on BF.
Foxsports article on all teams best 23. I will just put up the team and leave the fox comments out.
Nothing surprising in the team named.
I have highlighted the players that need to hold their spot in my opinion even though they played well in 2023.

Swans’ trade raid fills clear void; will Cats’ draft surprise pay off early? AFL predicted Rd 1 teams

www.foxsports.com.au

BRISBANE LIONS

B: Brandon Starcevich, Jack Payne, Ryan Lester

HB: Conor McKenna, Harris Andrews, Keidean Coleman

C: Jarrod Berry, Hugh McCluggage, Jaspa Fletcher

HF: Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Zac Bailey

F: Charlie Cameron, Joe Daniher, Lincoln McCarthy

FOLL: Oscar McInerney, Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley

I/C: Callum Ah Chee, Darcy Wilmot, Dayne Zorko, Deven Robertson, Kai Lohmann (sub)
.............................
Guaranteed returns when declared fit: Ashcroft, Doedee.

Pushing the highlighted players, listed in games played order:
Lyons, Gardiner, Answerth, Prior, Madden, Sharp, Tunstill, Torrent
Injury replacements players; Fort, Joyce

Possible position change: Wilmott, Answerth, Sharp

Unknowns already on list: Michael, Brain, Lane, Smith plus all the new guys signed for next year.
.....................
The decision between Lester and Gardiner will be interesting.
Different type of players but i can see either getting a slot round 1 even if all the named players available.

mpal6 · Nov 27, 2023

Section 5 said:
Very early days for best 22/23 but things are slow on BF.
Foxsports article on all teams best 23. I will just put up the team and leave the fox comments out.
Nothing surprising in the team named.
I have highlighted the players that need to hold their spot in my opinion even though they played well in 2023.

Swans’ trade raid fills clear void; will Cats’ draft surprise pay off early? AFL predicted Rd 1 teams

Swans’ trade raid fills clear void; will Cats’ draft surprise pay off early? AFL predicted Rd 1 teams

www.foxsports.com.au

BRISBANE LIONS

B: Brandon Starcevich, Jack Payne, Ryan Lester

HB: Conor McKenna, Harris Andrews, Keidean Coleman

C: Jarrod Berry, Hugh McCluggage, Jaspa Fletcher

HF: Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Zac Bailey

F: Charlie Cameron, Joe Daniher, Lincoln McCarthy

FOLL: Oscar McInerney, Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley

I/C: Callum Ah Chee, Darcy Wilmot, Dayne Zorko, Deven Robertson, Kai Lohmann (sub)
.............................
Guaranteed returns when declared fit: Ashcroft, Doedee.

Pushing the highlighted players, listed in games played order:
Lyons, Gardiner, Answerth, Prior, Madden, Sharp, Tunstill, Torrent
Injury replacements players; Fort, Joyce

Possible position change: Wilmott, Answerth, Sharp

Unknowns already on list: Michael, Brain, Lane, Smith plus all the new guys signed for next year.
.....................
The decision between Lester and Gardiner will be interesting.
Different type of players but i can see either getting a slot round 1 even if all the named players available.

Zorko would be on that list too.
I think we need to plan for him taken out of middle and stay more permanently in forward line or sub.

Dalions · Nov 27, 2023

mpal6 said:
I think we need to plan for him taken out of middle and stay more permanently in forward line or sub.

Problem with that imo, is that I really don’t see Zorko as a permanent forward.
Would be happy for him to be a super sub, I actually think it is a role he could play really well as a short burst player wherever required.

Nathan Barley · Nov 27, 2023

Dalions said:
Problem with that imo, is that I really don’t see Zorko as a permanent forward.
Would be happy for him to be a super sub, I actually think it is a role he could play really well as a short burst player wherever required.

He's just a high half forward. Don't want to rely on him to win contested footy or anything that requires acceleration

Section 5 · Nov 27, 2023

mpal6 said:
Zorko would be on that list too.
I think we need to plan for him taken out of middle and stay more permanently in forward line or sub.

I think he played mostly forward last year but moving up the ground, more so than McCarthy and others.
He could do a Rich and have a big drop off on form, but if fit, i don't see a ready replacement in the VFL.
A new season so someone could and hopefully will step up as he is near the end of career.
His form for 2023 was pretty good when you consider he was not in the midfield a great deal of the time.

jfn · Nov 27, 2023

Section 5 said:
Very early days for best 22/23 but things are slow on BF.
Foxsports article on all teams best 23. I will just put up the team and leave the fox comments out.
Nothing surprising in the team named.
I have highlighted the players that need to hold their spot in my opinion even though they played well in 2023.

Swans’ trade raid fills clear void; will Cats’ draft surprise pay off early? AFL predicted Rd 1 teams

Swans’ trade raid fills clear void; will Cats’ draft surprise pay off early? AFL predicted Rd 1 teams

www.foxsports.com.au

BRISBANE LIONS

B: Brandon Starcevich, Jack Payne, Ryan Lester

HB: Conor McKenna, Harris Andrews, Keidean Coleman

C: Jarrod Berry, Hugh McCluggage, Jaspa Fletcher

HF: Cam Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Zac Bailey

F: Charlie Cameron, Joe Daniher, Lincoln McCarthy

FOLL: Oscar McInerney, Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley

I/C: Callum Ah Chee, Darcy Wilmot, Dayne Zorko, Deven Robertson, Kai Lohmann (sub)
.............................
Guaranteed returns when declared fit: Ashcroft, Doedee.

Pushing the highlighted players, listed in games played order:
Lyons, Gardiner, Answerth, Prior, Madden, Sharp, Tunstill, Torrent
Injury replacements players; Fort, Joyce

Possible position change: Wilmott, Answerth, Sharp

Unknowns already on list: Michael, Brain, Lane, Smith plus all the new guys signed for next year.
.....................
The decision between Lester and Gardiner will be interesting.
Different type of players but i can see either getting a slot round 1 even if all the named players available.

I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

brutus76 · Nov 27, 2023

I'm moving back to VIC next year

Really enjoyed my 10 years in QLD and 5 years of player sponsorship with the Lions

T.Berry, Z.Bailey, B. Starcevich, J.Berry and C.Rayner

Been a blast to see this team go from the bottom to almost the top of the tree

Gonna miss going to the Gabba - will hopefully get to one game before relocating (the Q clash in May)

hoping 2024 is their year as the Bombers will continue to be MEH

GO YOU ********** LIONS!

dlanod · Nov 27, 2023

brutus76 said:
I'm moving back to VIC next year

Really enjoyed my 10 years in QLD and 5 years of player sponsorship with the Lions

T.Berry, Z.Bailey, B. Starcevich, J.Berry and C.Rayner

Been a blast to see this team go from the bottom to almost the top of the tree

Gonna miss going to the Gabba - will hopefully get to one game before relocating (the Q clash in May)

hoping 2024 is their year as the Bombers will continue to be MEH

GO YOU ********** LIONS!

I'll miss your preview writing!

Warwick · Nov 27, 2023

jfn said:
I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

Berry definitely.

Needs a big preseason to keep his spot.

brutus76 · Nov 27, 2023

dlanod said:
I'll miss your preview writing!

All the player jumpers I've sponsored are hanging in Ollie's Cafe Bulimba (best coffee in Brisbane) if anyone wants to check em out or get a great coffee and breakfast as the proprietor is the wife of the guy I co-sponsor with (we work together)

Ollie’s Coffee | Brisbane QLD

Ollie’s Coffee, Bulimba. 880 likes · 4 talking about this · 303 were here. Coffee shop

www.facebook.com

3KZ is Football · Nov 27, 2023

jfn said:
I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

It is hard to know who the Fagan might have mentally put a line through. Of all of those you mention all five have been walk up starts for a game under Fagan. I don’t think any of that group have been dropped since 2019.

Dalions · Nov 27, 2023

3KZ is Football said:
It is hard to know who the Fagan might have mentally put a line through. Of all of those you mention all five have been walk up starts for a game under Fagan. I don’t think any of that group have been dropped since 2019.

I think ultimately it is about the quality of replacements in waiting.
Hopefully we can really start to see the pressure from underneath and it will help to push those players to a new level.

brutus76 · Nov 27, 2023

dropping Richy and Gunners were the right calls

Arguably they have more depth now than ever and there's Ashcroft Levi at the end of next year

Plenty of competition for spots..... Bez needs a big pre-season and to get his injury bugs squashed.. Robbo just needs a good run of games to solidify a spot

Kiddy and Bails i think can go up another gear... Zorks might have the Richy problem.. Callum i think finally believes he belongs

Section 5 · Nov 27, 2023

Dalions said:
I think ultimately it is about the quality of replacements in waiting.
Hopefully we can really start to see the pressure from underneath and it will help to push those players to a new level.

Hopefully that pressure intensifies but the thing is no one in our VFL side is playing well enough to demand a spot.
Sure, you get your high possession players, but you don't see " that guy belongs at AFL level".
We have quite a few good players that can fill a role and that has helped tremendously over the past few years.
Maybe it is not needed but it would be nice if a few fringe players improved out of sight and demanded to be picked.
Or a few in the bottom of the best 23 also improved out of sight.

We need to keep improving or we will find ourselves out of the top 4.

Lazza16 · Nov 27, 2023

Warwick said:
So what do people think re. arrivals and vacant numbers?

Doedee
Ryan
Morris
Lloyd
Zakostelski
Torrent
Reville

Available numbers: 10, 12, 13, 19, 21, 24, 36, 38, 42.

Torrent can have 19 and next yr when Zorks goes grab 15. In his yellow jumper and number 15 being strong in the contest in his highlights package....he reminds me of Luke Hodge..

scoman · Nov 27, 2023

Section 5 said:
I think he played mostly forward last year but moving up the ground, more so than McCarthy and others.
He could do a Rich and have a big drop off on form, but if fit, i don't see a ready replacement in the VFL.
A new season so someone could and hopefully will step up as he is near the end of career.
His form for 2023 was pretty good when you consider he was not in the midfield a great deal of the time.

View attachment 1861612

I'm surprised Zorko's stats were that good tbh. I thought he had very little impact apart from a couple of good games this year. Perhaps I judged him harshly against years gone by.

Still, I wonder if another hard running defensive minded player could actually be a net benefit to the team. We don't really lack for talent in our forward half, but we are still a little light on for defensive spread. Could someone like Answerth, Prior or Sharp playing ahead of Zorko (in a very specific role) actually improve us as a team, despite them not being 'as good' as an ageing Zorko?

dlanod · Nov 27, 2023

scoman said:
I'm surprised Zorko's stats were that good tbh. I thought he had very little impact apart from a couple of good games this year. Perhaps I judged him harshly against years gone by.

I think a lot of us have high expectations based off his own elite heights.

Now he's a role playing link up man across the half forward line, and you can see that in his numbers - handballs and tackles and clearances all down, but kicks are about the same and marks are way up. He's definitely not at the same level skill-wise, with some of the turnovers, but until one of the kids steps up he still has a role and isn't a net negative. Gunston got squeezed out by not being able to keep out Rayner or McCarthy or even Dev. Rich couldn't keep out McKenna, Coleman or Wilmot. So we'll see who comes for Zorko's spot and when.

The Flying Belgian · Nov 27, 2023

Flossie32 said:
I think Logan Morris is 13 and Tom Doedee is 12. According to their social media anyway

Big fan of someone stepping into the number 13

Section 5 · Nov 27, 2023

Brisbane Lions recruit Tom Doedee has revealed it was more than a premiership desire that lured him to Queensland, but rather the club’s ability to resurrect the careers of previously injury-prone prospects.

The former Adelaide Crow took his first steps onto Brighton Homes Arena to continue his rehabilitation from an ACL rupture which ended his 2023 campaign.

“Looking from afar I knew a lot of guys have come here and not just rehabbed well but actually then played their best footy after it, and talking to the docs and the staff during the interview process I knew that I was in the right hands if I was to sign here.
Link to full article below

MSN

Warwick · Nov 27, 2023

I think Zorko is being judged harshly tbh. I’m sure he’ll retire after this upcoming season, and will be phased out, but I feel he can still add a lot of value to the team. He’s in my 22 to start the year.

I thought he finished off 2023 strongly, to the extent he was probably in our top dozen players over the last 6 weeks. He was still able to win the ball and deliver it cleanly most of the time. In some of those big games he was the one to win a tough ball and get us rolling forward.

No doubt he was ordinary mid way through the year. And his silly free kicks and difficulty keeping a cool head, in particular, continued to wear thin. It might be asking a bit much for him to temper that white line fever but he needs to understand we can’t afford to carry him if those negatives begin to outweigh his strengths.

McIvor · Nov 27, 2023

3KZ is Football said:
It is hard to know who the Fagan might have mentally put a line through. Of all of those you mention all five have been walk up starts for a game under Fagan. I don’t think any of that group have been dropped since 2019.

I can confirm that none have ever been dropped since 2019 and under Fagan’s reign.

mpal6 · Nov 28, 2023

jfn said:
I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

McCarthy had an underrated season. He's still way ahead of our other smalls (apart from Charlie) in terms of chase, tackle, putting pressure and speed off the mark.

I don't think we have a small who can match his leap, that's including Charlie. Linc flys for marks like a key forward to me.

rye · Nov 28, 2023

the chances of bailey, rayner or starcevich being dropped is close to zero. the first two are genuine match winners who do not have players of their caliber challenging for their position in the magoos and starcevich is an important structural piece who lets our other small defenders play more aggressive in intercepting and rebounding. i also think many here exaggerated his weaknesses in disposal on occasion in 2023 whilst ignoring that he still did very well in his primary task of keeping the oppositions best small forward quiet most weeks. with the top teams placing a lot of emphasis on their small forwards starcevich will only grow in importance in the years to come

there is no obvious replacement for the role 2023 zorko played in the seconds. if anyone on the list currently has the skillset to do so it would be wilmot but he is already entrenched in the best 22 across half back and i would not seek to move him from a position he is currently developing very well in. if anything i would be looking to rest zorko throughout the season as much as possible - perhaps not even fly him out of queensland until the finals series. would give us looks as to which of the kids should be getting his spot when he retires and how the team might have to function differently without him.

mccarthy has a player challenging for his spot in lohmann but mccarthy is still clearly ahead of him for now. until he loses some of his pace i dont really see him dropping from the team. lohmann is more likely to force robertson or ah chee out before mccarthy and i would have him firmly behind those two, let alone mccarthy.

that leaves berry for the whipping boys. when the most recent game the team played was one of his poorest for the season it is understandable people think his position is in jeopardy. i do think his season was decent enough overall though and i think wing is a rather hard position to evaluate the players in over the TV. berry does a lot of defensive running and positioning that is an important part of his role that goes unheralded on this forum. i would be surprised if he is not lining up on the wing for us come round 1 (0?)

mpal6 · Nov 28, 2023

I am going to miss all the "Will he, Won't he" Gunners selection saga in 2024.

Section 5 · Nov 28, 2023

mpal6 said:
I am going to miss all the "Will he, Won't he" Gunners selection saga in 2024.

Someone else will take Gunners place.

Being BF this is the way

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