Preview Rd 5, 2014 - Brisbane Lions v Richmond

[James North]

Sauce doesn't deserve another pay check until he stops bashing blokes.

I heard he spends it all on his shoe collection anyway.

 

[Caiphus]

I still think Leppa is picking the side that he believes will give him the best possible chance of a win. In no way do I think he sees a deliberate loss as beneficial to the players or the club. Considering how many of us come up with a different "Best 22", it's conceivable to think that Leppa is picking a side of the best 22 players available to him, and unfortunately a few of our experienced players just aren't cutting it. I would prefer to see Raines and Maguire in at least, because in my opinion they haven't shown sustained poor form in the seniors over the last couple of years. Polkinghorne I like when he is doing well, but he has never been able to consistently impact a run of games and I don't believe Crisp has shown enough in any of his senior games (just my opinion) and I am unclear whether he will ever be anything more than a mediocre utility at AFL level.

When we are already on the wrong side of the experience ledger, are those left out really enough to push us over the edge? We won't find out this week in any case.

I am planning on going along and screaming my head off from first bounce to final siren to support the boys and show my appreciation for a player that has given me so much to be excited about over the years, and to support a bunch that I think will give me plenty more in the future. This club and its roots from its merged history revelled in its underdog status, and we rose above it to become the greatest team ever. We have suffered from hurt ever since, and it is returning us to our roots and I for one believe it will be worth it when we turn it around and triumph over adversity again.

There are many things wrong with our club at the moment, and we need to sort them out - but when these boys pull on the jumper and run out on the field I am behind them 100%. Whether or not the club has been in the wrong by putting another favourite son in the firing line, I am not going to throw him under the bus either.

I just want to hear the Liiiioooooonnnns chant reverberating around the Gabba tonight and to show a national audience that we haven't given up and that we perform best when we are written off as irrellevant.

 

[acuguy]

It is an interesting debate around the play the kids, I am all for giving young talent a run- see my Albert Proud years of posts! haa

I just don't think you do any good when you play so many at once. Say what you want about Goose Maguire, Raines and Polkinghorne. What selecting at least 2 of them it puts some more senior bodies around the football. It also should lead to a little more onfield direction. The problem when you play too many young blokes is when things get difficult the talk stops, the direction stops and they become spectators.

What concerns me is that there actually is a role for these guys to play tonight

Maguire-Could have been used as the spare man in the backline, this would allow him to be the 3rd up at the contest and generally he marks the ball well and can use it long

Polkinghorne- His best work for us has been as a lead up forward, we need another lead up target, something he does well

Raines- can tag

Just concerned we are exposing too many kids, kids who don't tough the ball heaps and get hammered on the scoreboard and physically tend to develop at a slower rate in opinion!

 

[Fatcat08]

I am up in Brisbane although I did forget to bring my fliers.

And Tairy and I are already ahead of you about the second part.

going to stop by the german club before the game? Let me know if you are.

 

[Skoob]

Just flew in!
Excited for tonight's game at the Gabba.
!!

Be sure to come & say "Hi". I'll be the one in the Lions Guernsey

 

[wabaa]

Leppa has been open in saying winning isn't his first priority. IMO that isn't tanking but it's a fine line between playing for the future and tanking.

If that's his statement then he shouldn't be a coach. You're playing a profesisonal sport. Your first priority has to be to win. Those of us who spend our hard earned supporting the club and travelling to follow them should expect nothing less.

 

[LIONS08]

My only concern about tonight's game is after we win, are we going to have enough players in the circle available to shower the first time winners with Gatorade!!!

 

[wabaa]

I still think Leppa is picking the side that he believes will give him the best possible chance of a win. In no way do I think he sees a deliberate loss as beneficial to the players or the club.

That's all I ask

 

[Hollow Knight]

It is an interesting debate around the play the kids, I am all for giving young talent a run- see my Albert Proud years of posts! haa

I just don't think you do any good when you play so many at once. Say what you want about Goose Maguire, Raines and Polkinghorne. What selecting at least 2 of them it puts some more senior bodies around the football. It also should lead to a little more onfield direction. The problem when you play too many young blokes is when things get difficult the talk stops, the direction stops and they become spectators.

Yeah, this is a debate worth having instead of this whole tanking silliness.

Definitely share your concerns and feels to me that injecting Gardiner is a bridge too far being a young KPP. Will be mildly critical of Leppa if we show the lack of balance, mobility and run that I suspect might be the case with this team.

 

[Hollow Knight]

If that's his statement then he shouldn't be a coach. You're playing a profesisonal sport. Your first priority has to be to win.

To be fair, I think that Leppa has been unfairly robbed of context there. When he said "my focus isn't on winning" he wasn't saying he doesn't want to win, he was saying his job as coach is developing, educating and getting the players to execute and do the right thing from moment to moment. The same way that Malthouse says that as a coach he doesn't focus on the result, he focuses on the process. The wins are the outcome, not the process itself.

To use an analogy, it is basically like saying "I'm not even thinking about the final cake at the moment, I am just focused on getting all the ingredients and preparation right". Doesn't mean you are trying to get the cake to fail at the end, in fact, quite the opposite.

 

[Fatcat08]

My only concern about tonight's game is after we win, are we going to have enough players in the circle available to shower the first time winners with Gatorade!!!

Especially without Angus there to bulk out the numbers.

 

[lionshine]

It is game day and is it just me, or does it feel like ages since the Geelong game at the Gabba? I can't wait to get back to the Gabba tonight for some Lions footy. I look forward to watching the boy's have a real crack.

Lions by 10 points.

GO LIONS!!!!

 

[wabaa]

To be fair, I think that Leppa has been unfairly robbed of context there. When he said "my focus isn't on winning" he wasn't saying he doesn't want to win, he was saying his job as coach is developing, educating and getting the players to execute and do the right thing from moment to moment. The same way that Malthouse says that as a coach he doesn't focus on the result, he focuses on the process. The wins are the outcome, not the process itself.

That's fair enough. My first word was 'if'. I hadn't seen the quote so couldn't comment on its context.

 

[matwt73]

I'll be there tonight. I will admit though that i am struggling at the moment to find something to enjoy about watching Lions games.
I'd love to be able to sit back and enjoy the development of the kids, or watch one young player and embrace what they are doing but I have real trouble doing that.
If anyone thinks they would be interested in meeting for a beer duringt he game give me a PM, I suspect the on field actionmay get ugly and I will need a reason to get away.

 

[jackess]

My only concern about tonight's game is after we win, are we going to have enough players in the circle available to shower the first time winners with Gatorade!!!

Well we have at least 8. Throw Leppa and Schwab in the middle as well to make it interesting.

 

[Haso]

That's fair enough. My first word was 'if'. I hadn't seen the quote so couldn't comment on its context.

As an aside, it's awesome to see you posting again wabaa

 

[jjami15]

Just flew in!
Excited for tonight's game at the Gabba.
Never been before.
Little insight into hopefully what we can expect to see tonight, Nick called me to tell me he was playing and he said "Dad, I'm going in differently this week, I was nervous and second guessing myself a bit but this week I'm just going to do it"
Like some have posted, especially after Tockys comments last night, the thing I love is that it seems like the boys after 4 heavy losses aren't falling over on their own swords but digging in!!
If I can see that tonight, I'll be rapt!!
C'mon boys give ya best tonight.
Congrats to an out and out champion tonight! Browny your a once in a generation champion player of the toughest position on the ground!!

Hell yeah! That's what I'm talking about. Just been reading prior posts about tankig and loads of other garbage. Can't say how lucky we are to have you come and give us a bit of an insight. Your boy is a fav of mine partly from seeing him play in the national champs as an underager and he stood out back then. Would have said enjoy the weather but being over to Perth I know how nice it is there too. Just hope you didn't come over on the midnight express. What a killer that is.

Let's go Boys! Absolutely love ya Brownie and I'm sure the lads will play with the same intent that you have for our mighty club for a win.

See that, it's called positivity!!

 

[acuguy]

10 players in our team who have played under 25 games- unrealistic to think this team could beat any team in the AFL at the moment.

 

[Haso]

 

[dlanod]

10 players in our team who have played under 25 games- unrealistic to think this team could beat any team in the AFL at the moment.

Unrealistic to think this team couldn't beat some teams in the AFL at the moment. Maybe not consistently, but I'd give us decent chances (above 40% chance) against GWS (missing all of their defence and their ruckman), Carlton (crap) and Richmond (injuries) at a minimum.

 

[Ironmonger]

Unrealistic to think this team couldn't beat some teams in the AFL at the moment. Maybe not consistently, but I'd give us decent chances (above 40% chance) against GWS (missing all of their defence and their ruckman), Carlton (crap) and Richmond (injuries) at a minimum.

Unfortunately, I disagree.

Maybe Melbourne at the Gabba.

 

[GingerGreatness]

You get to see the name "ROBERTSON" above the number this week too Robbo44

Hope you enjoy the night.

 

[Haso]

Am I in the minority here when I think that McGuane could actually make a bit of a difference tonight?

 

[Hollow Knight]

You get to see the name "ROBERTSON" above the number this week too Robbo44

As well as his stylish video introduction. Make sure you're in your seat when the team runs out!

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

If our senior guys stand up (Adcock, Patfull, Brown, Rocky, Moloney, Redden, McGuane, Zorko and Golby) and guys with experience like West, Lisle, Bewick and Lester contribute, then the young guys are certainly capable of contributing enough to give us a chance, especially Robbo, Taylor, Mayes, Aish and Paparone. I think we are probably a senior player or two short but we shouldn't be the least but intimidated by this Tigers outfit. Three players who usually worry us - Deledio, Vickery and King - are all missing. I'm looking forward to them having a real crack.