Review Round 15, 2020 - Brisbane Lions vs. Collingwood

[Ralphy2017]

Twitter reporting Birchall just said on the radio he has triggered a new deal for next year.
He needs to have a good think about whether it's time to hang the boots up.
You can't keep giving him games on past glory.

I mentioned this earlier in the year that don't be surprised if Birchall wants to play on, I was against it then and against it now. IF he was playing like Hodge was for us, then yes, but i feel he is stopping a young player from getting a chance to develop. Birchall has a role to play in the finals, and I would be resting him for the next two games.
It takes time for young players to develop after Starc's first six or seven games, some thought he wouldn't make it, tonight he was one of the best. Hippy still learning. Andrews got bags kicked on him a few times in the first couple of years (admittedly defence under pressure constantly). Birchall taking up a list spot when list sizes could be slightly reduced is inhibiting the development of one of the kids on our list. I reckon Witho even though contracted until 2022 will explore options.

 

[Ralphy2017]

With all due respect to Steph, I think we have our new #1 ruck.

Agree and wonder if it is worth keeping Stef, another off season to build up and pump some games into Tom F and Ballendeen

 

[pulpdriver]

Agree and wonder if it is worth keeping Stef, another off season to build up and pump some games into Tom F and Ballendeen

Unless we're trading in someone then yes. What would we do presently if O went down with a 4 week injury?

 

[Dylan12]

I’d love to hear their explanation mate. Right in front of the umpire and clear as day. Can’t get my head around it.

And as has been stated earlier, you can't tell me Pendlebury doesn't get a free if Robinson did the exact same thing to him.

And I also will never buy that umps aren't bias; ever.

 

[Dylan12]

The free against Charlie late in the last which resulted in the 50m was also an out and out shocker.

How Collingwood wound up with such an advanatge in the free kick count was astounding, not to mention the ones we didn't get i.e. Robbo not getting a free after being bowled over and the umps never paying us HTB despite continuous incorrect disposal or the likes of Pendlebury being spun around over 360 degree late in the last in our forward line was pathetic. Again, if it was Robbo, guaranteed free.

 

[Billy Lokan]

You probably would not know this person but Starc looks like Franky Bizzotto from the old Fitzroy days IMO

Yes, I remember Bizzotto however can't help but see the Serafini likeness.

 

[Clarkythelion]

Being there, sitting up above the interchange was interesting, so much confusion in the second half with our guys running to the bench and being sent away. Lester was totally lost when they swung McStay into the backs. Neal was on one leg, he was visibly struggling. So desperate in that last half, someone in the pre-game thread said we had to go into the last Qtr 3 goals up, maybe Dylan and we did and fought it out. Sitting near the bench is a bit distracting but you see so much more than our usual seats over the other side.

Berry looked massive, future captain of the club, brilliant.
Oscar was brilliant, when Tom Fulllerton went down we all knew the Pies had an advantage with 2 ruckman and as the Pies supporters call him the $7 million man was advantage already but Oscar won the points, played like two men and covered.
Robbo playing on the edge again, what a life and for the road his pressure acts lifts the volume every time.
Charlie - so much trouble when a tall defender can reach over him, needs to run and jump or our guys just have to kick it a mile away from him so he gets separation and uses his speed. A couple of games now with low involvement.
Neale - my god he looks sore
Gardnier - my unsung hero award - no maybe that was Starc - Answerth oh hell they all fought their guts out.
Lyons - hope you go as well against the Suns and Zorko hates them just as much to lift to your level this week.

Payne needs his chance against the Suns, and without 'Dad' there to be going over top of him it's our chance to see what he has. I know Harris was protecting him against Richmond but I'd like to see if he can stand alone and win his battles. With Fullerton gone I'm happy for McStay to ruck in the forward line and help Oscar out when needed against Wicks. Linc will come back in so Colman can hold his place. The Swans match we will make changes.

Wont be surprised if Neale gets a rest on Wednesday.

 

[Clarkythelion]

I mentioned in the game day thread at 3/4 time that I thought we had spent a lot of petrol tickets and that we needed to hang tough in the last quarter. I don't know what it looked like on TV but at the ground,we looked pretty cooked at the last break.

And hang tough we did.

The backline was sensational especially with our tallest and best defender down and with Froggy having to stand the Yank. Well done to him too because a few times the mismatch looked like it could be our undoing.

Really good win and anyone who's critical of that last quarter just doesn't get how manfully we resisted with not one but two talls down.

I would like to see us romp away with comfortable 4+ goal wins every week as much as anyone but what's more important is that this team just wills itself not to capitulate and get over the line week after week, often in the face of what I call "momentum" umpiring.

Do we have a problem with our last quarters?

Not as long as we are still in front when the final siren sounds we don't.

Bloody good effort tonight and a guts win.

Proud of the team.

GO LIONS!!!

Sitting up above the bench I didn't think we looked spent, i though we were just confused with rotations and changes. something went wrong we had players running over for a change and being sent away.

 

[iBeng]

Sitting up above the bench I didn't think we looked spent, i though we were just confused with rotations and changes. something went wrong we had players running over for a change and being sent away.

We were two players down so rotations suffered a lot.

 

[Dylan12]

Sitting up above the bench I didn't think we looked spent

That is really worrying given we've just come off a bye and we have another two games within 8 days.

It will be interesting as we head into the finals whether we try rotating our players (unlikely) or we'll go out in the next 3 days, pray we don't get anymore soft tissue injuries and rest up in that bye before the finals. Obviously, we weren't interested in resting anyone during that run of games when we had the opportunity to against Richmond, so I dare say it will be the latter.

 

[brutus76]

Big O was IMMENSE
Lyons having a cracker of a year
Berry #7 really taking strides
Suitcase's hands and vision very Jobe Watson-esque but Hugh is a better field kick (Jobe a better kick for goal)
Starc was a beast - overhead skills and a tough nut
Berry #13 to play next week please so Lions can be BERRY BERRY GOOD!

Maynard is a soft**** and one of the Suns blokes should give him a receipt in 10 days

See you WEDNESDAY! Go LIONS!

 

[Nunez]

Haven't read the thread but if the unanimous consensus isn't absolute pride, then I don't know what game I was watching.

What a gutsy, gritty backs-against-the-wall performance. The loss of Harris had the potential to scuttle the whole thing but the rally by both players and coach was fantastic.

The fourth quarter defensive adjustment was crucial. Neutralise Collingwood trying to steal a win they didn't deserve by neutralising their talls with whatever talls we had left which also relied on our smalls killing the ground ball contest in our defensive 50. Rich was heroic and committed.

Oscar was a warrior. Absolutely busting a gut in the ruck and then working hard to get to each wing to offer that bailout option again and again. He must be absolutely wrecked after that.

Starcevich... far ******* out he is developing into a star before our eyes at a rapid rate.

Berry's best game in ages. Phenomenal.

Coleman showed incredibly exciting potential on debut. His desire to involve himself as much in the play was fantastic.

Hippy's goals were handy but that desperate sprint and perfectly timed fist to neutralise that marking contest on the wing was massive.

What a gutsy win that required all hands on deck giving absolutely everything.

As an aside, Mason Cox is pure, concentrated flog. Who the fu** does this 211 centimetres of absolute mediocrity think he is with his little shush to the crowd? Go back to Pat McAfee's show and try to deceive some more naive Americans into thinking you are even semi-relevant in our competition. Tosser.

Yeah the boys! Not a match that will have much of a highlight reel but one of our more significant wins in recent times.

Pray for Harro.

Well put man. The guts shown by our group was inspiring and the ability to change tactics in the fourth is a massive sign of maturity. I doubt he 2019 Lions would have pulled this off. Huge.

 

[Mumfus]

Enjoyed our ability to change and adapt as the game went on, expected a defensive 4th quarter and it was delivered and executed well.

Ah Chee is an absolute weapon, he can be anything, just watch him get better and better each game he plays.

 

[kylegee28]

Some of Cam Rayners pick ups at pace last night were astonishing. On his way to becoming that explosive player we want him to be.

 

[Back2Back2Back]

The free against Charlie late in the last which resulted in the 50m was also an out and out shocker.

How Collingwood wound up with such an advanatge in the free kick count was astounding, not to mention the ones we didn't get i.e. Robbo not getting a free after being bowled over and the umps never paying us HTB despite continuous incorrect disposal or the likes of Pendlebury being spun around over 360 degree late in the last in our forward line was pathetic. Again, if it was Robbo, guaranteed free.

The 50 was technically there in that the whistle had blown and Charlie played on, but earlier in the game in pretty much the same spot of the ground a free was called for us, the Collingwood player played on and nothing was done. Just another example of some very inconsistent and baffling umpiring decisions that favoured one club in particular.

 

[Clarkythelion]

We were two players down so rotations suffered a lot.

Agreed, totally. Just looked disorganised. I haven't watched the replay but look at when the changed McStay to the backline. Lester realises we have an extra beckman and runs to the bench. They wave him back on so he heads to the backline but still realising there is an extra yells back at the bench then he runs off to the forward line. Yes we were down in available players and a bit of confusion was expected I guess but something didn't seem to be working as well.

 

[Back2Back2Back]

Agreed, totally. Just looked disorganised. I haven't watched the replay but look at when the changed McStay to the backline. Lester realises we have an extra beckman and runs to the bench. They wave him back on so he heads to the backline but still realising there is an extra yells back at the bench then he runs off to the forward line. Yes we were down in available players and a bit of confusion was expected I guess but something didn't seem to be working as well.

Our structure had to modify on the fly, and the runner can't get out to every single player and tell them the long play by play during the game time. It's going to look messy if players are used to a specific rotation policy and that gets thrown out the window. But that's not just a Lions problem, you'd get that with any team with half a bench injured during the game.

 

[Gibbo_88]

Really developing a reputation of having a desperate defence that holds up under pressure this season. I don’t feel confident we will make the final but if we do and the games close, our lads should be confident they can hold on to a lead.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Really developing a reputation of having a desperate defence that holds up under pressure this season. I don’t feel confident we will make the final but if we do and the games close, our lads should be confident they can hold on to a lead.

Agree with this whole heartedly and Fages mentioned that we hung on to win a big pressure match which we would not have been able to do last year.

I've just re-watched the last quarter and gee we are a tough side. Our pressure was continuous which made us difficult to score against. Apart from the Ever Bigger O all my votes went down back for last night's game.


Even without the all Australian full back we didn't concede anything easy

 

[dlanod]

he seems to be on the end of high looping handballs or similar low result looseballs with all he inevitably gets tackled but to his credit he's actually very good with the handball in those scenarios. There's bundles of times he's taken a ball which I've been frustrated with, because I feel he should just smack it on or do enough to create a ball up, but he takes and usually gets a handball away at the last minute.

I noticed this two or three times, and it was fantastic because Collingwood had gathered up around the contest both times and Ah Chee's handball released the receiver down the field unmarked, gaining us plenty of territory.

 

[royboys4eva]

Was hoping we would smash those campaigners but in the end we did well to win with two less rotations and Neale was clearly struggling from 3/4 onwards.

We are not a great side but we give ourselves every chance by playing to our strengths and structures and the players will go to the line for each other and Fages.. You can't ask for much more as a fan.

That said a few blokes still could improve on there efforts last night. McStay and Ah Chee were average until last qtr, where to their credit they both lifted.

Coleman was fun to watch. One of those players who has a bit of X factor about him and looked like he enjoyed being out there. Hope they keep him in the side. Berry needs to stay in the middle. Been our best last two weeks. Zorko struggling to get into games. Might be worth playing him forward more.

Starcevich played his best game for the club last night. Was super. He likes going for his marks but he needs to be careful he doesn't get out marked when he should be spoiling. Looks like being a really good player..

Big O super again. The best thing about Oscar is opposition supporters think he is no good or a no name so expect there ruck to dominate him. He is one of the most underrated players in the game but we all know how good the big fella is.

Hippy has gone up a level with his marking in the last month which is great to see. Kicking for still needs a lot of work. Rayner getting better with every game and makes good decisions with ball in hand.

Thank god we never drafted Stephenson. Might have been brilliant last season but I haven't seen many softer players in the game. Refuses contact. Grundy either injured or buggered but he is half the player right now.

Finally the non free kick to Robbo up there in the worst 5 decisions this year. Maynard who had been limping for 30 mins suddenly sprinted from 20 away to bash him over and start a melee and the ump just stands there and swallows his whistle.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Was hoping we would smash those campaigners but in the end we did well to win with two less rotations and Neale was clearly struggling from 3/4 onwards.

We are not a great side but we give ourselves every chance by playing to our strengths and structures and the players will go to the line for each other and Fages.. You can't ask for much more as a fan.

That said a few blokes still could improve on there efforts last night. McStay and Ah Chee were average until last qtr, where to their credit they both lifted.

Coleman was fun to watch. One of those players who has a bit of X factor about him and looked like he enjoyed being out there. Hope they keep him in the side. Berry needs to stay in the middle. Been our best last two weeks. Zorko struggling to get into games. Might be worth playing him forward more.

Starcevich played his best game for the club last night. Was super. He likes going for his marks but he needs to be careful he doesn't get out marked when he should be spoiling. Looks like being a really good player..

Big O super again. The best thing about Oscar is opposition supporters think he is no good or a no name so expect there ruck to dominate him. He is one of the most underrated players in the game but we all know how good the big fella is.

Hippy has gone up a level with his marking in the last month which is great to see. Kicking for still needs a lot of work. Rayner getting better with every game and makes good decisions with ball in hand.

Thank god we never drafted Stephenson. Might have been brilliant last season but I haven't seen many softer players in the game. Refuses contact. Grundy either injured or buggered but he is half the player right now.

Finally the non free kick to Robbo up there in the worst 5 decisions this year. Maynard who had been limping for 30 mins suddenly sprinted from 20 away to bash him over and start a melee and the ump just stands there and swallows his whistle.

To make matters worse, we all remember the extra shot and goal that GWS got in the first quarter of our final last year.

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

What we are seeing is the emergence of our younger players setting the tone. When the going gets tough these younger players are really stepping up.

Special mention to Hippy. He isn’t doing the buddy franklin type freak things like we initially thought he might. In my opinion he is doing so much more. He does so much chasing, gut running to contests, halving contests to bring the ball to ground, getting a hand in to disrupt their plays and tackle pressure. Our forward pressure is critical to our game plan and Hippy is crucial to that. When he starts to kick straight more consistently he will be the best tall forward in competition.

 

[zorkoooooooooo]

Noticing that Rayner is starting to have those ‘moments’ more often each week. Clean pickup and explode away from the pack. Stuff that gets me excited in my downstairs department!

Seems to be building in confidence and is starting to have more of a general impact across entire games.

maybe he will explode just at the perfect time

 

[mpal6]

It was fantastic watching Keidean go deep in the defensive pocket / wing to provide an option and compete. The number of times he bobbed up in defensive half to relieve pressure or put pressure in Q3/4 was amazing. This may sound overblowing things but I felt a LOT more comfortable when Keidean had the footy compared to Ah Chee last night. We got a brilliant one here, so exciting. Gritty win.

Going by the pressers, it felt like the players/coaches/inner sanctum rate Collingwood and Richmond as our biggest challenges. We pumped ourselves up last year for Easter thursday and lost, Richmond is still ongoing. I believe this win against the Pies (without Harris on field) is going to instill some big belief amongst the group.