dlanod
Moderator
- Sep 14, 2006
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- #1
Date: Thurday April 17
Time: 7:50 PM
Venue: Gabba
Weather: 27° Possible shower
Preview by POBT
Rd 5 Brisbane Lions v Richmond @ the Gabba - Easter Thursday
Things that are slightly more fun than writing this preview:
- Drinking paint
- Drinking XXXX Gold
- Drinking Little Creatures with acuguy
- Listening to a conversation between Chris Judd and his wife
- Listening to a conversation between Chris Judd and Marc Murphy
- Listening to a monologue by Chris Judd
- Lions board match day threads
- Lions board match review threads
- Wondering who that bloke is in my avatar
Anyway, having taken one for the team and watched replays of both the Lions and Tigers games, it is time to get on with the job.
Other than ordinary form, the one thing these clubs currently share is a mutual appreciation for the Carlton Footy Club. Without Mick, Marc and their Merry Men, the spotlight in Melbourne would be well and truly on the boys from Punt Rd. Meanwhile, up in God’s country, the spotlight never wavers from the Brisbane Broncos which allows the Lions to escape relatively unscathed, despite two desperately poor performances and what appears to be a long road to recovery.
Both sides can be justified in shaking their fists furiously at the heavens, having had an ordinary run with injuries thus far in 2014. Maric and Leuenberger are top 10 ruckmen in the league and neither will play. Deledio and Rich would be their respective side’s most penetrative midfielder – Deledio is listed as a test and Rich is out. Both fullbacks are out (one with injury, the other with a case of stupidity). Both sides have 10 players listed as injured or requiring a test. Most are best 22 on close to it. And I suspect neither side has the depth to counter those sort of absences.
Despite being completely uncompetitive last week (the scoreboard actually did the Tigers a favour IMO because they looked deplorable for most of the game), Richmond actually won the contested footy stats against the Pies. However, for whatever reason (fitness, confidence, wherewithal), they did not seem capable of running into space and providing options. They were described as “lethargic” and that fits perfectly. Richmond at its best wins the footy and then spreads hard. All year, they’ve done OK in contested footy and are actually one of the most effective clearance sides in the comp. Yet, having done the hard work inside, they seem incapable of capitalising on the outside. Their ball movement is stilted and they don’t create overlap run, allowing the opposition time to work back and cover options.
If this sounds familiar, it is because it mirrors the Lions’ performances in the first 2 rounds, where a competitive effort inside the contest was undone by run and ball movement or a lack thereof. Even last week, while the Lions copped a shellacking in just about every area of play, they actually only lost clearances 35-32 a stat which stands out like the proverbial dog’s balls considering the dominance of Port in every facet of play.
I believe Richmond’s issues are probably just a combination of no confidence and a lack of work rate. That is far more easily remedied that the Lions’ issues which are more to do with a complete lack of understanding of gameplan, immaturity, structural issues up forward and a base line level of skill across the 22 which is not at senior standard. Until the Lions can get some senior experience back in the side (who’d have thought that Luke McGuane would be seen as somewhat a saviour!), then we’ll struggle to beat time with a stick.
Notwithstanding these problems, plus the fact that the Lions travelled interstate and play after a 5 day break, I’m not completely discounting an upset. Based on the last two weeks, the thought of a Lions upset seems ridiculous. But the hole Richmond is in will take some time to climb out of. Given this match is at the Gabba, there is a tiny bit of hope that something out of the box could happen. Certainly, the bookies think so with Richmond ($1.30) not favoured as heavily as I thought they would given the Lions’ struggles and lack of personnel.
If the Lions are going to win, it will come down to (a) enthusiasm returning to rd 1-2 levels and (b) substantially better ball movement. If nothing else, the Lions under Leppitsch have started games well. If we can get a couple of goals on the board early, the fragile Richmond psyche might come into play.
However, it is near impossible to tip the Lions in any sort of informed way. In reality, most Lions supporters will simply be satisfied with a competitive performance and more signs from the kids who, after all, have been thrown in at the deep end.
Richmond by 6 goals.
Time: 7:50 PM
Venue: Gabba
Weather: 27° Possible shower
Preview by POBT
Rd 5 Brisbane Lions v Richmond @ the Gabba - Easter Thursday
Things that are slightly more fun than writing this preview:
- Drinking paint
- Drinking XXXX Gold
- Drinking Little Creatures with acuguy
- Listening to a conversation between Chris Judd and his wife
- Listening to a conversation between Chris Judd and Marc Murphy
- Listening to a monologue by Chris Judd
- Lions board match day threads
- Lions board match review threads
- Wondering who that bloke is in my avatar
Anyway, having taken one for the team and watched replays of both the Lions and Tigers games, it is time to get on with the job.
Other than ordinary form, the one thing these clubs currently share is a mutual appreciation for the Carlton Footy Club. Without Mick, Marc and their Merry Men, the spotlight in Melbourne would be well and truly on the boys from Punt Rd. Meanwhile, up in God’s country, the spotlight never wavers from the Brisbane Broncos which allows the Lions to escape relatively unscathed, despite two desperately poor performances and what appears to be a long road to recovery.
Both sides can be justified in shaking their fists furiously at the heavens, having had an ordinary run with injuries thus far in 2014. Maric and Leuenberger are top 10 ruckmen in the league and neither will play. Deledio and Rich would be their respective side’s most penetrative midfielder – Deledio is listed as a test and Rich is out. Both fullbacks are out (one with injury, the other with a case of stupidity). Both sides have 10 players listed as injured or requiring a test. Most are best 22 on close to it. And I suspect neither side has the depth to counter those sort of absences.
Despite being completely uncompetitive last week (the scoreboard actually did the Tigers a favour IMO because they looked deplorable for most of the game), Richmond actually won the contested footy stats against the Pies. However, for whatever reason (fitness, confidence, wherewithal), they did not seem capable of running into space and providing options. They were described as “lethargic” and that fits perfectly. Richmond at its best wins the footy and then spreads hard. All year, they’ve done OK in contested footy and are actually one of the most effective clearance sides in the comp. Yet, having done the hard work inside, they seem incapable of capitalising on the outside. Their ball movement is stilted and they don’t create overlap run, allowing the opposition time to work back and cover options.
If this sounds familiar, it is because it mirrors the Lions’ performances in the first 2 rounds, where a competitive effort inside the contest was undone by run and ball movement or a lack thereof. Even last week, while the Lions copped a shellacking in just about every area of play, they actually only lost clearances 35-32 a stat which stands out like the proverbial dog’s balls considering the dominance of Port in every facet of play.
I believe Richmond’s issues are probably just a combination of no confidence and a lack of work rate. That is far more easily remedied that the Lions’ issues which are more to do with a complete lack of understanding of gameplan, immaturity, structural issues up forward and a base line level of skill across the 22 which is not at senior standard. Until the Lions can get some senior experience back in the side (who’d have thought that Luke McGuane would be seen as somewhat a saviour!), then we’ll struggle to beat time with a stick.
Notwithstanding these problems, plus the fact that the Lions travelled interstate and play after a 5 day break, I’m not completely discounting an upset. Based on the last two weeks, the thought of a Lions upset seems ridiculous. But the hole Richmond is in will take some time to climb out of. Given this match is at the Gabba, there is a tiny bit of hope that something out of the box could happen. Certainly, the bookies think so with Richmond ($1.30) not favoured as heavily as I thought they would given the Lions’ struggles and lack of personnel.
If the Lions are going to win, it will come down to (a) enthusiasm returning to rd 1-2 levels and (b) substantially better ball movement. If nothing else, the Lions under Leppitsch have started games well. If we can get a couple of goals on the board early, the fragile Richmond psyche might come into play.
However, it is near impossible to tip the Lions in any sort of informed way. In reality, most Lions supporters will simply be satisfied with a competitive performance and more signs from the kids who, after all, have been thrown in at the deep end.
Richmond by 6 goals.
