Review Round 1, 2025 - Sydney vs. Brisbane Lions

[buttermuffs]

It was shut down for most of last year too. Just came good when we were dancing on thin ice

Good example on the Swans game plan compared to the grand final and how it affected our playing style. Our options would have been limited to long down the line, a running hand pass game or some precision mid range kicks with the extra space Sydney would have given up defending so wide and up close.

Unfortunately for us our disposal was absolutely horrendous which made the second and third options much less effective, put us under pressure until all we good do is bomb it long and play a territory game. Sydney executed their defensive plan brilliantly and we didn’t have the disposal skills to win in a more fluent way.

Didn’t help that we lost Cameron and Lohmann who are more potent in the air compared to McKenna and Bailey so going long was a big advantage to them.

 

[snooplions]

Stoked with the result. Feels like resilience is quickly becoming this team's trademark.

 

[Denno]

Yeah I don’t know where I sit on this one. The vision leaves it open for the MRO to say McInerney chose to bump off the ball and caused a concussion to Starce. Whether I agree with that interpretation, I don’t know. I thought it was just two players going at it and accidents happen.

Didn't stop Matt Maguire getting rubbed out for incidental contact with Jude Bolton back in 2010.

Still angry about it!

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Missed the game but have now watched the first half.

Hipwood was virtually unsighted up to this point and I wonder if he has recovered from his injury. Some players never recover from osteitis pubis. With Daniher gone we need a key forward.

 

[Dalions]

Not sure I agree with that one but I haven't watched it back. Looked like incidental contact at the time?

Ran past the ball and high always opens yourself up.

 

[buttermuffs]

Missed the game but have now watched the first half.

Hipwood was virtually unsighted up to this point and I wonder if he has recovered from his injury. Some players never recover from osteitis pubis. With Daniher gone we need a key forward.

I’d say he’s recovered but he was still rehabbing by the time match sims were on and only came back against Adelaide. Sitting out a preseason means he’ll be a bit off the mark.

Don’t think it’s a surprise that those who sat out a lot of preseason had wonky games while those who didn’t seemed fine.

 

[Elixuh]

Missed the game but have now watched the first half.

Hipwood was virtually unsighted up to this point and I wonder if he has recovered from his injury. Some players never recover from osteitis pubis. With Daniher gone we need a key forward.

I suspect he was a race to round 1 type recovery, so expecting he will build into the season rather than coming out of the blocks firing.

 

[Nunez]

The flexibility of our midfield is going to give Cam Bruce and Chris Fagan some serious flexibility.

Neale being tagged, so we opted to use McCluggage as our #1 mid (and he did a great job) along with Dunks. Neale was third banana (rare for him), while we rotated Ashcroft on far less than expected. Will attended just 14 CBA and Rayner 4. When Will went into the centre, he very clearly had a pressure and inside role. He had 8 clearances, but also negated a heap of contests in tight, allowing our wings to come in and bully the Swans around stoppages. Because of this, our big bodied wings got to work.

Next week we could go back to Neale. Or we could use Will as our main man. Or Hugh again. Or we could give Rayner more time (didn't he look good in the first half!). Levi is ready for in ball time too.

There is a flexibility here that teams can't plan for and will have to be damn good at reacting to changes mid game if they want to beat this midfield. Not only are they a group of A graders, but they play for each other. Champion team mindset.

All of the above and I haven't mentioned Dunkley too, whose defensive role so important and is a big reason why the others have the flexibility they do.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

I suspect he was a race to round 1 type recovery, so expecting he will build into the season rather than coming out of the blocks firing.

He certainly didn't fire

 

[Nunez]

I suspect he was a race to round 1 type recovery, so expecting he will build into the season rather than coming out of the blocks firing.

100%. It is amazing he's already playing tbh.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

The flexibility of our midfield is going to give Cam Bruce and Chris Fagan some serious flexibility.

Neale being tagged, so we opted to use McCluggage as our #1 mid (and he did a great job) along with Dunks. Neale was third banana (rare for him), while we rotated Ashcroft on far less than expected. Will attended just 14 CBA and Rayner 4. When Will went into the centre, he very clearly had a pressure and inside role. He had 8 clearances, but also negated a heap of contests in tight, allowing our wings to come in and bully the Swans around stoppages. Because of this, our big bodied wings got to work.

Next week we could go back to Neale. Or we could use Will as our main man. Or Hugh again. Or we could give Rayner more time (didn't he look good in the first half!). Levi is ready for in ball time too.

There is a flexibility here that teams can't plan for and will have to be damn good at reacting to changes mid game if they want to beat this midfield. Not only are they a group of A graders, but they play for each other. Champion team mindset.

All of the above and I haven't mentioned Dunkley too, whose defensive role so important and is a big reason why the others have the flexibility they do.

Where we looked poor was up forward where several times AhChee was the tall target at centre half forward.
It was a scrappy game though which can make it hard for forwards.
Answerth used the ball very well and it's about time people started to move on from his earlier games where he kicked up and over all the time.

 

[The Zork]

Some commentators and media like to prey on the downfall of teams. Got the feeling yesterday that Jordan Lewis doesn’t want us to be a successful team

 

[Nunez]

Where we looked poor was up forward where several times AhChee was the tall target at centre half forward.
It was a scrappy game though which can make it hard for forwards.
Answerth used the ball very well and it's about time people started to move on from his earlier games where he kicked up and over all the time.

Pretty impressive we still scored on over 50% of entries. Spent the whole pre season planning with Day, Charlie and Lohmann, only for all three to be out before and early in the game. No Joe too.

You can see Dunks and Noah have really worked on their kicking. Both much improved.

 

[martinson]

The flexibility of our midfield is going to give Cam Bruce and Chris Fagan some serious flexibility.

Neale being tagged, so we opted to use McCluggage as our #1 mid (and he did a great job) along with Dunks. Neale was third banana (rare for him), while we rotated Ashcroft on far less than expected. Will attended just 14 CBA and Rayner 4. When Will went into the centre, he very clearly had a pressure and inside role. He had 8 clearances, but also negated a heap of contests in tight, allowing our wings to come in and bully the Swans around stoppages. Because of this, our big bodied wings got to work.

Next week we could go back to Neale. Or we could use Will as our main man. Or Hugh again. Or we could give Rayner more time (didn't he look good in the first half!). Levi is ready for in ball time too.

There is a flexibility here that teams can't plan for and will have to be damn good at reacting to changes mid game if they want to beat this midfield. Not only are they a group of A graders, but they play for each other. Champion team mindset.

All of the above and I haven't mentioned Dunkley too, whose defensive role so important and is a big reason why the others have the flexibility they do.

There were many things to be pleased about yesterday's win not the least that Andrews and Neale had very average games by their lofty standards.

I still thought Neale wasn't unhappy about playing a lesser role as you say and he did have some impact.

 

[martinson]

Some commentators and media like to prey on the downfall of teams. Got the feeling yesterday that Jordan Lewis doesn’t want us to be a successful team

His thinly veiled swipes stunk.

 

[Tom14]

Some commentators and media like to prey on the downfall of teams. Got the feeling yesterday that Jordan Lewis doesn’t want us to be a successful team

He's just a miserable bastard. That plus still being close with a bunch of the dees players, remember him being very smug pre the 2022 semi-final.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Justin McInerney with 2 fines and a 3 week suspension

 

[Elixuh]

The flexibility of our midfield is going to give Cam Bruce and Chris Fagan some serious flexibility.

Neale being tagged, so we opted to use McCluggage as our #1 mid (and he did a great job) along with Dunks. Neale was third banana (rare for him), while we rotated Ashcroft on far less than expected. Will attended just 14 CBA and Rayner 4. When Will went into the centre, he very clearly had a pressure and inside role. He had 8 clearances, but also negated a heap of contests in tight, allowing our wings to come in and bully the Swans around stoppages. Because of this, our big bodied wings got to work.

Next week we could go back to Neale. Or we could use Will as our main man. Or Hugh again. Or we could give Rayner more time (didn't he look good in the first half!). Levi is ready for in ball time too.

There is a flexibility here that teams can't plan for and will have to be damn good at reacting to changes mid game if they want to beat this midfield. Not only are they a group of A graders, but they play for each other. Champion team mindset.

All of the above and I haven't mentioned Dunkley too, whose defensive role so important and is a big reason why the others have the flexibility they do.

We need to manage Neale better. We have had to flog him the last few years. Need to give him some breaks during the years where his workload isn't so high.

 

[Nunez]

We need to manage Neale better. We have had to flog him the last few years. Need to give him some breaks during the years where his workload isn't so high.

Tbh surprised we didn't play him behind the ball more.

 

[martinson]

We need to manage Neale better. We have had to flog him the last few years. Need to give him some breaks during the years where his workload isn't so high.

I don't think anyone disagrees with that and it's been raised here a few times this year. The irony is he played the last few games last year when he could hardly walk and had 35 or something in the GF.

He's just one of those guys who isn't happy unless he's flogging himself. But at least we have the depth now to modify his role if we so choose.

 

[Gadzorks]

Ageless

Wonder what the stats are for concussion injuries in late age recruits.

Probably no link but brains are still developing into the earlier 20s. Wonder if reducing the big hits that come with the professional league early is protective.


And yes, I know there is the state league that the younger players stay in and can still get injured. Really just interested if they're is even a superficial link.

 

[Gadzorks]

Pretty impressive we still scored on over 50% of entries. Spent the whole pre season planning with Day, Charlie and Lohmann, only for all three to be out before and early in the game. No Joe too.

You can see Dunks and Noah have really worked on their kicking. Both much improved.

In his podcast Dunks said scoring is what he will be working on this year. As well as maintain and improving what he already does.

Weapon.

 

[PertRoosOsborne]

Bailey looks over whatever he was carrying last year. His looked powerful and had that explosive pace back.

Looks like McLuggage will need to build into the season as he recovers from his achilles surgery.

 

[LionsOrDieTrion]

Some commentators and media like to prey on the downfall of teams. Got the feeling yesterday that Jordan Lewis doesn’t want us to be a successful team

Never noticed to be honest.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Missed the game but have now watched the first half.

Hipwood was virtually unsighted up to this point and I wonder if he has recovered from his injury. Some players never recover from osteitis pubis. With Daniher gone we need a key forward.

Gunna have to hold on for a year. Big O and Fort did well clunking a few down forward, I don't see hipwood doing that throughout the year.