Preview Round 17 - Brisbane Lions v West Coast Eagles - Saturday 8 July 2023 1:45 PM @ The Gabba

[BrisVegasDru]

The one thing I did note from last week is that WCE played with a lot more cohesion than they have in many weeks at times and seemed to be running into a little form.

I wouldn't think they have any hope at the Gabba but I reckon they'll keep improving to year end and it won't be the 100+ point drubbing that we were hoping for.

The line has been set at 81.5 points, i wont be betting on the game but if forced reckon we beat them by less than 82 points given our outs.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Grasshopper17 and Toffee Lion
This was another great win against Collingwood, possibly the best. Round 17, 2007 - the famous Jarryd Brennan Game. I was at Victoria Park, Rd. 1 1979 when we beat them by 80 points and this game is just about equal to that. If 1979 was Fitzroy’s most crushing domination of Collingwood, this is Brisbane’s biggest non final dismantling of Collingwood.
TRIGGER WARNING: VIDEO DOES NOT CONTAIN MCG HOODOO.



Brownlow Votes:
3 Brennan
2 Adcock
1 Brown

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

I don’t think Nunez said people couldn’t criticise selection.

Maybe there’s a balance to be had where people try to get a bit less melty if possible.

I like melted cheese on my vegetables.

More melts for me.

Spices things up

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

If I'm wrong that anyone so far offering a negative viewpoint to the selection is female... well I'd be very surprised. I could be wrong, but I'd doubt it - I was a mod around here for a fraction of a second, so I probably have a better idea than most. Regardless of gender, the biggest thing that gets my goat more than anything on a place like this is people who act like they have all the answers who are really just guessing. A close second is overly emotional responses.

In any case, for the purpose of debate, I'll make the following points (which I'll confirm as opinion only, although I obviously feel they're correct):

1. Fagan is not the only one who picks the team. A selection panel picks them made up of other coaches. The player leadership also have their say (confirmed by Lachie on AFL360 this week). While I'm sure Fagan would make a captain's call and ultimately the buck stops with him, it's insulting to lay any criticism/insults/threats at his feet solely.
2. The selection panel have demonstrated that once they get an ideal setup in their minds in terms of team structure, they'll stick with it. I give the example of selecting Harry Sharp and Tunstill on a wing probably before they were ready. I think they feel that a smaller third tall option is more suitable than the second ruck or hybrid forward (eg Fort or Rayner). Perhaps they stick with their convictions a little too long, but it's arguably as good a policy than constantly chopping and changing.
3. Very few here would be able to assess how Gunston has been travelling at training. Nunez sounds like he's heard some things. In the absence of any opposing evidence, his information shouldn't be discounted just because it doesn't suit someone previously stated beliefs.
4. I'd argue there were some game earlier in the season where Gunston wasn't all that bad. Has he impacted the scoreboard as much as we'd hoped? Definitely not, but some other previous criticism on him was over the top.

It is not insulting to lay criticism at Fagans feet if there is an obvious reason for the criticism. Eleven poor games from Gorn-ston, and an improvement when he is dropped, surely evidence that everyone can see that the coach has a blind spot.

Nunez provides no indication that he has any inside evidence so why should his post be regarded than anything but wishful thinking and even if there is some training target that Gorn-ston has met does anyone on this site not think that reserves performance is the best way to see if Gorn-ston can be a player.

Lastly when we played the Dogs our forward line was terrible and Gorn-ston has one good quarter but hardly had a kick for the rest of the match. The real point is that he has been terrible in several games and it is his poorer performances that worry me.

 

[Elixuh]

Petition to rename thread - Jack Gunston

19

Jack Gunston

Age

33

Ht

193cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.5

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

5.7

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

3star

v West Coast Eagles

 

[Nunez]

Petition to rename thread - Jack Gunston v West Coast Eagles

Alright I've slept on it and have considered the situation.

Gunston to kick 30.

 

[KissKiss]

If we are determined to go back to a third tall then we really should have given Fort the full game. It has worked in the past with him and Oscar rotating but 2 badly organised sub games where Fort played a quarter doesnt show much.

If we aren't going to play a full game of Fort and Fullerton is injured, then I would have preferred to see what Smith or Lane could do. Give them a taste against a slightly better competition. They are coming to the age they either need to start playing or be cut. And West Coast is the sort of game you can afford to give them that taste

Gunston should be playing VFL before he returns to show he can defend. Comparisons to Lester don't make sense. Lester has spent multiple years showing how hard he would work in the twos. He showed he was still doing all the hard yards and was still physically fit. Gunston (from the outside) hasn't done that

 

[M Malice]

I'm declaring myself as a female to make it 50/1.

What is a female?

 

[Nathan Barley]

Don't agree with this at all. Having a third tall forward means one of them is required to play on him.

The only way Lever and May etc would be able to "float off" and impact the contest in that situation is if his positioning was so poor that it became obvious he wouldn't get the ball. Now, Gunston has been criticised of a lot of things this year, and rightly so, but having a poor footy brain ain't one of them.

Didn’t work in round 2. Lever was their best and that was with May missing and our midfield dominant

I don’t think any opponent is going to give Any respect to Gunston when he can't win the footy and can't kick straight

 

[3KZ is Football]

IF …​

it was a difficult and emotionally wrenching decision for Chris Fagan to leave Daniel Rich

10

Daniel Rich

Age

34

Ht

183cm

Wt

95kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.2

5star

MG

430.3

5star

D

14.9

4star

K

13.1

5star

HB

1.8

1star

M

3.8

4star

T

1.0

2star

MG

384.3

5star

D

16.2

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

5.8

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

5.2

5star

and Jack Gunston

19

Jack Gunston

Age

33

Ht

193cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.5

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

5.7

5star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.9

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

8.0

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

4.3

4star

T

1.7

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

11.2

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.6

3star

out of his Lions' team three weeks ago ...

THEN ...​

it was also clearly the right one. Their omissions were big reality checks for both players and the entire club. Gunston back for Saturday's Gabba match against the Eagles. Another reality check for Rich, though, when he runs out for a VFL match on a muddy Preston City Oval.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Grasshopper17 and Toffee Lion
This was another great win against Collingwood, possibly the best. Round 17, 2007 - the famous Jarryd Brennan Game. I was at Victoria Park, Rd. 1 1979 when we beat them by 80 points and this game is just about equal to that. If 1979 was Fitzroy’s most crushing domination of Collingwood, this is Brisbane’s biggest non final dismantling of Collingwood.
TRIGGER WARNING: VIDEO DOES NOT CONTAIN MCG HOODOO.



Brownlow Votes:
3 Brennan
2 Adcock
1 Brown

How good is that intro though, shame they don't make em' like that anymore. Absolute classic. The game was amazing too.

 

[M Malice]

What I'm far more interested in though is not what he offers in an attacking sense, but in a defensive sense. How does he chase, harass, pressure, smother and tackle when we don't have the ball? If he still looks like a glacier as he did in his most recent handful of games for us, this will be far more damning than any attacking output, or lack thereof.

Spot on G17, IMO it is almost certain Gunston will kick goals tomorrow.

However if he kicks 3-4 goals but his direct opponent runs off him and gets involved in multiple goal scoring chains that will be the main take out of the game for me... he simply must improve defensively or it will hurt us big time against the better sides.

Same goes for Richy if he gets another shot before finals.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Didn’t work in round 2. Lever was their best and that was with May missing and our midfield dominant

8 marks, compared to Broad 10, Vlastuin 8 and Balta 7 last Thursday night. A drop in the ocean by comparison. Probably why I don't remember Lever being particularly impactful in that game. Rather I remember him being a deer in headlights at times, caught in the beam of our forward line pressure and out of position at inside 50 stoppages.

More of that next Friday please.

 

[Grasshopper17]

How good is that intro though, shame they don't make em' like that anymore. Absolute classic. The game was amazing too.

Yeah that guy is a pommy too!

 

[Viceregal]

disclaimer - not a fan of the Gunston return and think he should have played a ressies game first.


IF the plan all along was to have a three tall forward line and the only reason we went two and a half (Raynor) and small was because Gunston, Fullerton etc were all unavailable (ie it would have been a straight swap G for F) then the return to 'fitness' of one of them coming in would automatically trigger a return to preferred setup.

If Kai was to be upset if would not be because he didn't keep the Gunston spot (not comparative players) but because Linc (or Charlie) is not playing and he isn't getting that spot (comparative player) ... how the magnets are going to shape up we don't know (Madden as a defensive forward?). For us to melt due to Jack over Kai is really a melt over three talls over two talls which is more of a strategic call made by far more than the coach.

I have loved the last two weeks with the adjusted setup and the faster/hungrier players and it just seemed more likely to click and sadly we are unlikely to learn a lot from this week (unless Gunston gets zero touches, zero tackles, and his opposition gets top disposals for the Eagles of course!)

 

[3KZ is Football]

How good is that intro though, shame they don't make em' like that anymore. Absolute classic. The game was amazing too.

How good was the call of the game with no Brian Taylor! Imagine if he was calling that game. Late in the third quarter with Brisbane up by more than 10 goals, Taylor would be screaming that Collingwood only need the next couple to be a big chance of winning the game, because he expects them to come home with a wet sail in the last.

 

[McIvor]

Spot on G17, IMO it is almost certain Gunston will kick goals tomorrow.

However if he kicks 3-4 goals but his direct opponent runs off him and gets involved in multiple goal scoring chains that will be the main take out of the game for me... he simply must improve defensively or it will hurt us big time against the better sides.

Same goes for Richy if he gets another shot before finals.

That’s it for me too. Not how many goals he kicks rather his defensive efforts.

Fages just announced Rich is playing VFL. So a club legend has to go through there but not Fages pet who gets preferential treatment

 

[Squizz89]

Dan didn’t show good enough “form” in his training block??

 

[irel]

Late to the party as some of us have to work to support the dole bludgers and welfare cheats and give them time and resources to melt on selection night. So I see Gunners has been selected. What’s been the consensus, good or bad thing?

I note Henry is an emergency. Any chance he could be a late replacement for Gunners?

 

[Elixuh]

Late to the party as some of us have to work to support the dole bludgers and welfare cheats and give them time and resources to melt on selection night. So I see Gunners has been selected. What’s been the consensus, good or bad thing?

I note Henry is an emergency. Any chance he could be a late replacement for Gunners?

An excellent selection by grandpa fages

 

[irel]

An excellent selection by grandpa fages

So no point going back and reading through the thread. Nothing to see here but praise for "dedo" Fages.

 

[Squizz89]

Doesn’t sound great on Dunkley getting up for next week. Fingers crossed though!

 

[Elixuh]

So no point going back and reading through the thread. Nothing to see here but praise for "dedo" Fages.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Doesn’t sound great on Dunkley getting up for next week. Fingers crossed though!

Fages does have some jokes

Looking forward to Ah Chee coming in for Gunston next week then

 

[mpal6]

Fages does have some jokes

Looking forward to Ah Chee coming in for Gunston next week then