Review Round 15, 2015 - Brisbane Lions vs Sydney

[POBT]

Given we've struggled to run out games, I was keeping a close eye on which players were flagging the most in the 4th quarter. The ones I identified were Rockliff, Hanley, Rich, Mayes, Bourke and Staker. Rocky and Hanley will get fitter with game time. Mayes is not a good runner at this stage and hasn't had senior footy continuity to develop it. Bourke is renowned for poor fitness and had to take a stint in the ruck at times. Staker copped a knock during the game and obviously is still working his way back. Rich is always a bit of a straggler when it comes to the up and back of modern footy and I've just come to accept that there will be moments when he is jogging behind play.

It is easy to say "our young blokes aren't running out games" but when 2 of your 3 best midfielders have barely played all year, it stands to reason you might struggle a bit as the game wears on.

 

[Elixuh]

Staker did a bit of a MRobbo at one stage. Looked like he had really hurt himself and was struggling to walk. Then one of our blokes kicked a goal and he sprinted towards them to give them a high five. Was obviously hurting but it did look funny.

Merretts hit early was a beauty. I also saw NRobbo as he was coming off get a big bump from Jack. A few meters away was another poor Syd player who was coming off and copped an even bigger bump from NRobbo in retaliation. Was beautiful to watch. The Syd player just crossed his head.

 

[Fatcat08]

I noticed this week that we're flattening out our kicks a lot more especially when moving the ball around our backline when switching the ball. Earlier in the year too many of the kicks were looping up in the air giving our opponents time to shut down the next option. While we're still far from perfect the ball has certainly moved around faster this game. Mid range kicks also had a bit more force on them rather than drifting to a target. I know we worked a lot on chipping the ball over the man pre season but we've used it too often this year. Think we're beginning to find a better balance between the two.

The kick we're lacking a bit is the weighted chip into space in the forward 50. We're just not confident enough yet to thread that needle so we're just not going for it causing a long bomb into the goalsquare.

As for robbo he just had one of those days where you're wading through quicksand. The harder you try the worse it gets until you just throw your hands up in the air and give up. Credit to him though he didn't give up and kept working hard right to the end even though he must have had times where he thought he should leave it to someone else to take the ball. The fact that he kept presenting is a bigger thing than the mistakes he made.

 

[jackess]

I'm not the biggest fan of Rich down back but it was excellent having him do the kick-ins. I think this is one area we have seen some improvement in this season.

 

[POBT]

I'm not the biggest fan of Rich down back.

I am. More and more convinced that this is where he will end up. It hides his weaknesses (to an extent) and plays to his strengths. We saw a couple of kicks last night that completely destroyed Sydney's zone.

Sydney were clearly worried about him. At one point, he was loose behind a stoppage and Goodes started screaming at the midfielders to get one of them to drop back.

Once he gets the depth back in his kicking, then he's going to be very dangerous.

 

[jackess]

I am. More and more convinced that this is where he will end up. It hides his weaknesses (to an extent) and plays to his strengths. We saw a couple of kicks last night that completely destroyed Sydney's zone.

Sydney were clearly worried about him. At one point, he was loose behind a stoppage and Goodes started screaming at the midfielders to get one of them to drop back.

Once he gets the depth back in his kicking, then he's going to be very dangerous.

It does help with his lack of fitness. If he was fitter and playing in the midfield he could work back and use his kicking to get through a zone.

 

[POBT]

It does help with his lack of fitness. If he was fitter and playing in the midfield he could work back and use his kicking to get through a zone.

I've come to accept that he will never have great fitness.

 

[piari]

Very evident live at the game that he was disappointed for forward options twice when run down. He provides creative run, spirit and backbone. I'd take that every time over somebody who just takes the conservative option. The kid will be a star and I'm quite happy to watch him evolve and cut some slack this early in his career.

Worth watching for his effort in showing Buddy who was "**** of the walk" with his little shove - cost a 50 but worth in to establish the pecking order.
I know who I would be backing long term and his number isn't 23!

 

[carnthemlions]

I noticed this week that we're flattening out our kicks a lot more especially when moving the ball around our backline when switching the ball. Earlier in the year too many of the kicks were looping up in the air giving our opponents time to shut down the next option. While we're still far from perfect the ball has certainly moved around faster this game. Mid range kicks also had a bit more force on them rather than drifting to a target. I know we worked a lot on chipping the ball over the man pre season but we've used it too often this year. Think we're beginning to find a better balance between the two.

The kick we're lacking a bit is the weighted chip into space in the forward 50. We're just not confident enough yet to thread that needle so we're just not going for it causing a long bomb into the goalsquare.

As for robbo he just had one of those days where you're wading through quicksand. The harder you try the worse it gets until you just throw your hands up in the air and give up. Credit to him though he didn't give up and kept working hard right to the end even though he must have had times where he thought he should leave it to someone else to take the ball. The fact that he kept presenting is a bigger thing than the mistakes he made.

Robertson's awareness has improved greatly this year. One bad game- "his awareness/disposal is terrible!!!!!!". The same goes for Paparone as well- apparently any progress can easily be undone by one or two off games "won't make it, back to the reserves etc".
sigh

 

[Ironmonger]

Robertson's awareness has improved greatly this year. One bad game- "his awareness/disposal is terrible!!!!!!". The same goes for Paparone as well- apparently any progress can easily be undone by one or two off games "won't make it, back to the reserves etc".
sigh

Both of those players have had issues with their awareness and disposal for some time.

 

[Lace Out]

Anyone spot Goodes in the last 90 secs run off a stoppage in the forward pocket to the goal square by himself and start waving his arms around..I lol

 

[matwt73]

I was dissapointed that we booed Adam goodes.

I know that booing him is the done thing, and i know that most of those doing it aren't racist or booing his aboriginality. But there are a very small number of people I suspect who don't like Goodes because he is an uppitty opinionated black man, and they can hide their racism in the boos of others.

When my daughter (15) booed him the first time (just joining in with the crowd as many would have been) I felt obliged to tell her, that no we don't boo Adam Goodes, I can find her 21 other Swans to boo if she wants but not Goodes.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I absolutely love the way Robertson plays the game. Soon enough it will all click for him and he will dominate. Sure he awareness let him down at times but it is often because he is void of any options around him. He works bloody hard out there and he will eventually be rewarded for it when his game comes together.

It was great to see Mayes get a full game. Such a classy player who IMO with more games will be an excellent player for us. Now if we could just get young Dan McStay to have the work rate of Nick Robertson that would be great. Bundy had his best game for the club and boy oh boy was it glorious when Sauce absolutely annihilated a swans players in front of the bench.

Super stoked with our effort and intensity. In the end class and the swans key forwards were the difference. Gee Kieran Jack is a star. **** the Swans I hate them.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

I was dissapointed that we booed Adam goodes.

I know that booing him is the done thing, and i know that most of those doing it aren't racist or booing his aboriginality. But there are a very small number of people I suspect who don't like Goodes because he is an uppitty opinionated black man, and they can hide their racism in the boos of others.

When my daughter (15) booed him the first time (just joining in with the crowd as many would have been) I felt obliged to tell her, that no we don't boo Adam Goodes, I can find her 21 other Swans to boo if she wants but not Goodes.

Maybe she was saying Boo-urns

 

[If it bleeds]

Some likes...
Nrobbo attitude and doing the " u me carpark now "to the Bondi millionaire. ( gave away fk but good to see anyway)

Sauces hit was text book, not high,at the body and ran back like nothing happened. NFL type hit!!!

Bundy and his matrix like hb to a running staker. ( looked like it went thru a wall of hands... Staker shimmied off balance unfortunately)

Zorks Fifa 15 audition ( I saw something man city was in town??)

Rocky reddo beama Hanley starting to look menacing as a group. Contested ball, tackles have shown last 3 weeks if they're up we r in it.

Richy kickouts playing on and getting that extra 20-30 metres.

Some dislikes....,
Kicking into fwd 50 delivery sitting on Fwds head. The loose defenders Lloyd etc killed us too many times.

Disposal at times, allowing all the good work to come undone.

Sydney ruck outplayed us unfortunately. Bourke cannot be long term ruck.

Dizzy shoulder (poor bloke) get it done properly and see u in 2016.

Feel sorry for papa being in the right position but buddy's dribbler takes a 10foot bounce.



The overall feeling of standing up and taking on top 4 opposition like that is heartening but reality hits when u don't get the 4 points.

Part of me wants the wins, yet the other part wants the no1 draft pick.

 

[carnthemlions]

Both of those players have had issues with their awareness and disposal for some time.

Yes, but both have made significant improvements in those areas this year and should continue to do so. One or two poor showings doesn't change that.

 

[POBT]

I was dissapointed that we booed Adam goodes.

I know that booing him is the done thing, and i know that most of those doing it aren't racist or booing his aboriginality. But there are a very small number of people I suspect who don't like Goodes because he is an uppitty opinionated black man, and they can hide their racism in the boos of others.

Yeah, I was very uncomfortable and slightly embarrassed. I do agree that many people did it just to join in. Goodes is very high profile and easily recognisable so he's an obvious target. But I can't say I've had too many times at the Gabba when a player has been roundly booed before they've actually done anything to us.

There will be people who say "I only did it because I don't like the way he plays for free kicks" but when you lend your voice to something like that, you run the risk of getting lumped in with the people who have less honourable intentions. Right now, this automatic booing of Goodes has gone beyond normal football barracking and I think it is a shit look for the game and for society.

 

[ColdWarWarrior]

There will be people who say "I only did it because I don't like the way he plays for free kicks" but when you lend your voice to something like that, you run the risk of getting lumped in with the people who have less honourable intentions. Right now, this automatic booing of Goodes has gone beyond normal football barracking and I think it is a shit look for the game and for society.

I don't like the booing either, regardless of who it is, but having said that Goodes does bring it on himself to a degree.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I didn't boo Goodes but I find it ridiculous that fans can't boo a member of the opposition if they don't like him. I reckon most people just boo because it seems to be the done thing. I really didn't expect Lions fans to boo him but they did.

 

[POBT]

I don't like the booing either, regardless of who it is, but having said that Goodes does bring it on himself to a degree.

How so?

 

[ColdWarWarrior]

How so?

His super sensitive ego to any criticism and his reaction to boofheads in the crowd, be it racist comments or not, he needs to get on with the game at hand, he is not the first and not the last player or umpire to cop some crowd abuse.

 

[POBT]

His super sensitive ego to any criticism and his reaction to boofheads in the crowd, be it racist comments or not, he needs to get on with the game at hand, he is not the first and not the last player or umpire to cop some crowd abuse.

So he shouldn't react to racial abuse in the crowd?

 

[Elixuh]

The booing of Goodes was cringeworthy to say the least. Gain a greater understanding of it seeing it live.

 

[POBT]

I didn't boo Goodes but I find it ridiculous that fans can't boo a member of the opposition if they don't like him.

No-one has said that people can't boo him. A boo ban would be very difficult to enforce!

 

[jackess]

I was saying Boo-rion.