3KZ is Football
🏆 🦍 RZSS Curator of Sticks and Stuff.
- Jun 17, 2008
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Brisbane Lions v Essendon
Saturday 24th August 7.25pm.
The Gabba
In the Rearview Mirror
I really don’t know where to start. The last two weeks have been so deflating and, maybe it’s just me, but this week it is hard to get excited about this game. In the last two weeks we have basically thrown away a Top 4 finish, most probably blown a serious shot at a Premiership and in the process, confirmed our reputation as a team that fails to rise to the moment in make-or-break games. Too harsh? Leaving the MCG on Saturday night, you could see the disappointment in the faces of every Lions fan. We had done our bit. There were 60,000+ people at the game and the turn out from Lions fans was the best I had ever seen for a ‘home and away’ game in Melbourne. Deep in the last quarter, the Lions fans were willing the team home. The Lions chant went up. We were there for our team, but it was all to no avail. It was a carbon copy of the previous week. Once again, we threw away a dominant first quarter lead, Once again, we missed the simplest of set shots. Once again, we cracked under pressure. We were beaten by a team that was really only playing for pride and in the process, in that moment, it was hard to feel much pride ourselves.
I’m sorry, but post-game comments about “learnings” just don’t cut it anymore.
This Week
So, this week we front up at home against Essendon, in a game that we really should win. Our record against Essendon in our last five game is 4 wins and 1 Loss. We haven’t played them since May 2023, but on that occasion, we won by 42 points. Daniher kicked 6, Bailey 2, with singles from McInerney, Hipwood, McCarthy and Rayner.
Brisbane Lions 12.15.87 defeated Essendon 6.9.45
From the Vault
As far as previews go, I’ve even managed to depress myself with this one. Time for some comfort viewing.
Selection Questions
I am thinking that Berry will be rested this week, which means that we will be making some changes. Based on what I saw at the game against Collingwood, I would like to think we line up something like this.
B: Starcevich, Andrews, Joyce
HB: Zorko, Lester, Wilmott
C: Bailey, McCluggage, Fletcher
HF: Ah Chee, Daniher, Rayner
F: Morris, Hipwood, Cameron
Foll: McInerney, Dunkley, Neale
I/C: Lohmann, Robertson, Prior, Ashcroft
SUB: Brain
On paper, that looks like the right mix. Certainly, you would expect that anything that Essendon could put on the park wouldn’t trouble this side.
It would be nice to see the boys kick straight this week and just as importantly, to play unselfish team-oriented football, particularly in the forward line.
Getting a semblance of momentum going before the finals is going to be important, especially now that we are looking at a Home Elimination Final and then three AWAY finals, if we are going to win the Flag.
Lions by 10+ Goals
Saturday 24th August 7.25pm.
The Gabba
In the Rearview Mirror
I really don’t know where to start. The last two weeks have been so deflating and, maybe it’s just me, but this week it is hard to get excited about this game. In the last two weeks we have basically thrown away a Top 4 finish, most probably blown a serious shot at a Premiership and in the process, confirmed our reputation as a team that fails to rise to the moment in make-or-break games. Too harsh? Leaving the MCG on Saturday night, you could see the disappointment in the faces of every Lions fan. We had done our bit. There were 60,000+ people at the game and the turn out from Lions fans was the best I had ever seen for a ‘home and away’ game in Melbourne. Deep in the last quarter, the Lions fans were willing the team home. The Lions chant went up. We were there for our team, but it was all to no avail. It was a carbon copy of the previous week. Once again, we threw away a dominant first quarter lead, Once again, we missed the simplest of set shots. Once again, we cracked under pressure. We were beaten by a team that was really only playing for pride and in the process, in that moment, it was hard to feel much pride ourselves.
I’m sorry, but post-game comments about “learnings” just don’t cut it anymore.
This Week
So, this week we front up at home against Essendon, in a game that we really should win. Our record against Essendon in our last five game is 4 wins and 1 Loss. We haven’t played them since May 2023, but on that occasion, we won by 42 points. Daniher kicked 6, Bailey 2, with singles from McInerney, Hipwood, McCarthy and Rayner.
Brisbane Lions 12.15.87 defeated Essendon 6.9.45
From the Vault
As far as previews go, I’ve even managed to depress myself with this one. Time for some comfort viewing.
Selection Questions
I am thinking that Berry will be rested this week, which means that we will be making some changes. Based on what I saw at the game against Collingwood, I would like to think we line up something like this.
B: Starcevich, Andrews, Joyce
HB: Zorko, Lester, Wilmott
C: Bailey, McCluggage, Fletcher
HF: Ah Chee, Daniher, Rayner
F: Morris, Hipwood, Cameron
Foll: McInerney, Dunkley, Neale
I/C: Lohmann, Robertson, Prior, Ashcroft
SUB: Brain
On paper, that looks like the right mix. Certainly, you would expect that anything that Essendon could put on the park wouldn’t trouble this side.
It would be nice to see the boys kick straight this week and just as importantly, to play unselfish team-oriented football, particularly in the forward line.
Getting a semblance of momentum going before the finals is going to be important, especially now that we are looking at a Home Elimination Final and then three AWAY finals, if we are going to win the Flag.
Lions by 10+ Goals
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It's almost (but not quite) false advertising.
