Preview Official Thread - Round 1 - Melbourne v Brisbane Lions

[lionshine]

I can only hope that when Browny returns we continue to have a wide range of goal kickers. I hope more than anything that we don't go back to bombing it long to a triple teamed Brown and ignoring all of the open players inside the forward 50. This is something that the coaches have to work on with the players. I like the idea of keeping Merrett up forward when Brown comes back and only sending him back when we 100% need to. He didn't kick a bag of goals but he provided that lead up option on the 50 metre line and took some marks and dished off well to players running past! We need 2 of Big Sauce!

 

[Voss the boss]

I thought our ruck work was exceptional yesterday. In fact i cant recall a recent game where we were able to tap so many to advantage and win so many clearances. We ended up kicking 9 goals 8 from the stoppages. I thought leuey was outstanding and hudson is a bull at a gate - his second efforts - how good were they!

Our skill level has improved and the linking handball and run in numbers was fantastic. Yes it is only round 1 but you could not walk away from at game with out feeling some excitment about what we may be able to do over the next few years. Win or lose i am really looking forward to the ride.

 

[Grimreepah]

It was a completely different team to our pre-season form. You can't pick it.

 

[RU_]

Was out looking at houses yesterday, didnt get to see it. However verre' happy to have won.
Being im away from home I cant watch the recording, can someone tell me if we dominated all game?

 

[Mr Ripper]

It is amazing how much easier footy is when you are getting your hands on it first at the clearance. We were so organised with clear zones Hudson and Luey were hitting to, our players seemed to be constantly on the move at stoppages.

Looking forward to really having a crack at Carlton. Regardless of the result I just want to see our boys continuing to play as one unit.

You've had a win-win weekend so far, Nino.

 

[Balony_pony16]

I can only hope that when Browny returns we continue to have a wide range of goal kickers. I hope more than anything that we don't go back to bombing it long to a triple teamed Brown and ignoring all of the open players inside the forward 50. This is something that the coaches have to work on with the players. I like the idea of keeping Merrett up forward when Brown comes back and only sending him back when we 100% need to. He didn't kick a bag of goals but he provided that lead up option on the 50 metre line and took some marks and dished off well to players running past! We need 2 of Big Sauce!

Shouldnt be a problem...we still had a similar gameplan with Rocky as a target. Had brown been playing he would have convert for 6 goals.

As long as we continue taking the game on with link up plays through the middle then we should be fine

 

[POBT]

Was out looking at houses yesterday, didnt get to see it. However verre' happy to have won.
Being im away from home I cant watch the recording, can someone tell me if we dominated all game?

I thought it was an even first quarter (a double goal situation gave Melbourne the lead). However, we took the ascendancy in the 2nd quarter, dominated in the 3rd and eased off a bit in the 4th (without ever looking troubled).

As soon as we started hitting targets, we looked a significantly better side. I suspect that might replace contested footy stats as our most important KPI this year. I'm not discounting the importance of winning hard ball but the game is so much easier when you aren't making mistakes.

 

[Grimreepah]

Clearances:

Black - 9
Polkinghorne - 6
Hudson - 5
Beams - 5
Redden - 5

I'm liking those numbers. Probably our best stoppages performance since 2009.

 

[POBT]

I'd love to see how Rocky goes up forward against a 3rd/4th tall - eg a Laidler next week. It would be great to see him then run his opponent around, rather than relying purely on marking ability.

Of all the pluses out of yesterday (and there were many), I think Rockliff's form up forward was the one that gave me the most satisfaction.

A few other pluses that haven't been mentioned as much:

- Beams as a tagger: I didn't see it coming but it makes so much sense. Great engine, good at stoppages, understands footy and can hurt the opposition with ball in hand. It is probably unfair to call him a tagger - that was actually a James Kelly type performance. Doing a defensive job but giving plenty of attacking thrust too.

- Hudson at the stoppages: This is what we missed with Charmo's injury. He is absolutely blue collar at the stoppages. If he wasn't getting his hands on the footy, he was hitting bodies and putting pressure on the opposition. Can't wait for him to go up against Kreuzer who is a similar style. If Leuey has a niggle, I'm comfortable with the Beard as first ruck.

- McKeever: I don't have a lot of faith in him as a one on one defender but in a "group" defence, his athleticism allows him to get to a lot of contests. And that "group" defence has been the Lions way since Lethal came on board. A bit of DJ White in yesterday's performance.

- Leuey up forward: Just showing signs that he is starting to "get" playing forward. That mark and wheel around was Brown/Carey-esque (although I think he thought it was "play on"!) Presented well and often and then was great when thrown in the ruck.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Can't believe our forward pressure hasn't been mentioned yet. Can't remember the last time we created so many scoring opportunities from turnovers. Definitely an element Harvey has brought with him.

 

[raybees]

Very happy with the Lions performance. Last year while not ranking highly on the ladder we still were very competitive. Hudson has made a big difference - agree. What made the win even more sweet was that practically everyone had written the lions off. And this was not just a win, it was a domination that steadily grew from the first quarter onward. Good indications....

 

[pauldrc]

Clearances:

Black - 9
Polkinghorne - 6
Hudson - 5
Beams - 5
Redden - 5

I'm liking those numbers. Probably our best stoppages performance since 2009.

Still like to see Harwood in for either Sheldon or Bewick though....

 

[Ironmonger]

POBT, I agree with all your points except for Luey. Still looked lost down there for me.

We got a little lucky in the forwardline that the Demons were so clueless bringing the ball out from the back.

 

[Grimreepah]

Of all the pluses out of yesterday (and there were many), I think Rockliff's form up forward was the one that gave me the most satisfaction.

A coach's dream to have this kind of flexibility to give him some more options to come up with a winning formula each week.

 

[jackess]

Still like to see Harwood in for either Sheldon or Bewick though....

I think Beams has probably got Harwood's spot in the midfield. Beams has the option of going to the HFF and is probably ahead of Harwood ATM. Harwood will get his chance at some point this season and will hopefully take it.

 

[Grimreepah]

Can't believe our forward pressure hasn't been mentioned yet. Can't remember the last time we created so many scoring opportunities from turnovers. Definitely an element Harvey has brought with him.

Credit to the selection panel there probably. Having Brown out created an opportunity to make this a real strength.

 

[fortunatelygone]

Excellent win by the boys! Excited to see what the rest of the season will hold. Amazing that Mitch Clark was barely able to touch the ball. Good work!

 

[Happy_Neale]

Credit to the selection panel there probably. Having Brown out created an opportunity to make this a real strength.

This leads me to believe Brown will be played closer to goal, and have the mosquito fleet putting on the pressure around the 50 arc. A:

Beams Lester Sheldon/Bewick
Banfield Brown Karnezis

Forward line would put some good pressure on the opposition as well as have some good marking and leading targets.

 

[whatboutbob]

I can't recall having felt this good after a win for a very, very long time...particularly when contrasted against the bereft feeling after Rd 1 last year.

Before the game I couldn't see where the goals were going to come from (while acknowledging none of the ressies talls were likely to make a significant difference). I couldn't be happier to be wrong.

Loved the audible boos when Mitch got his first touch btw. Kudos to the Melb crew. I'm so rapt the boys finally put on a show for you down there.

Now if we can back it up against Carlton, Brown being out could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Welcome aboard to the couple of newbies who've joined in the celebrations on this thread too.

 

[Haso]

Rocky's flexibility up forward is massive. It should provide some further headahces for opposition coaches, too: "Shit, he can play foreard too".

The matchup confusion is mouthwatering.

 

[whatboutbob]

Rocky spent heaps of time up forward last year, for little return. Quite often I'd see him in better possie than Brown, and yet the ball would still head in the captain's direction. If nothing else, here's hoping Rocky's performance yesterday will give the team greater confidence in looking beyond Browny.

 

[LouisCK]

Yeah Rockliff was huge. When the game was there to be won in the second and third quarters, he was just a beast.

How it took Neeld that long to get Grimes off him (nothing against Grimes, but he shouldn't be playing at FB when we have Frawley/Garland/Rivers/MacDonald available) is beyond me as Rockliff was killing Grimes in the air.

Really thought Brisbane just played like a professional outfit, ran hard, hurt us on the counter attack and made us pay for our mistakes (most of the time).

Dees are obviously still getting used to the new gameplan, we looked woeful going forward and got hurt way too much going the other way. Long season ahead for us I reckon.

 

[chopperduck]

I liked how the forward line changed via the ruck set up. When Hudson was in the ruck, Bergs was forward with Merrett, when Hudson needed a break, he went to the bench, Bergs into the ruck an we went with a smaller forward line. I think this is where Rocky was playing as a marking target.

That kind of rotation is enough to keep the defenders honest and on their toes on match ups. Merrett was also smart enough to keep leading up the ground to be a target, but to also give space to Rocky who kept getting the one on one contests.

 

[Haso]

I liked how the forward line changed via the ruck set up. When Hudson was in the ruck, Bergs was forward with Merrett, when Hudson needed a break, he went to the bench, Bergs into the ruck an we went with a smaller forward line. I think this is where Rocky was playing as a marking target.

An encouraging aspect of this strategy was that it was tweaked as time went on and things weren't working. I think I saw Huddo resting in the forward line maybe twice, but he didn't make a huge impact in the contest, so from then on he went to the bench for a rest. It tells me that they have the insight and commitment to roll with the game and adapt.

Could it be the combination of Harvey in the box and Vossy on the bench?

 

[chopperduck]

Said earlier i thought Beams was quiet, i was wrong. Didn't notice while watching, but watching the replay he was really good. Kept and eye out for him, and he reads the stopages so well, just positions himself to be right where he is needed. Also all over his man making sure he didn't get the ball. Just has such a good feel for the game he knows when to stick close and when to push up and go for the ball.