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

[ZoBlitz]

Nah can’t be bothered. Fagan has zero credibility. What has Gunston done to earn his place? Nothing. If Fagan wants to make himself a laughingstock, that’s up to him. I said this weeks ago. We will play a two tall forward set up until and only until Fagan wants to gift Gunston senior selection and then HEY PRESTO, the game plan changes to accommodate Gunston. Fagan is putting one player above the team. This should be Fagan’s last season.

Calling other people laughing stocks considering your gimmick is a good bit.

 

[buttermuffs]

Well it does…. If lever/may is against Linc/Ah Chee or Gunston/hipwood/ Joey… who’s more likely to at least half the contest and get it to ground? It doesn’t allow them to zone off as freely and they have to be accountable. It’s easy to say ‘lower your eyes’ but at the top level I dare say this is an option 20/30% of the time. You just don’t have the time. Especially against the contenders

I was a fan of going with Fort as a third tall and backup ruck for Melbourne. If helps negate Gawn & Grundy and also provides another tall for May & Lever. It settles two problems with one player and I was imagining a straight swap for Ah Chee at that point.

Not sure if we do four talls next week and bring in Fort? Or let Daniher go up against those two?

 

[p4p1]

Zorko and Lyons sure makes sense.

Madden is a bit eyebrow raising. Not sure about that, adding another back who is quick but has nothing else is weird

Gunston is a big step back.

As I said above, the swap doesn’t make a heap of sense to me unless Lyons has worked hard and massively improved on his defensive game. If it was Neale out, I would understand the swap a bit more.

 

[BuntonRules]

Yes. We have. We dropped Lyons at the end of the year and he's now merely a depth player. We've dropped Rich. We've dropped Gunston (who, despite melts would have you believe, has earned his spot back). Ah Chee has had to earn his place. Lohmann was not gifted games despite being a risk of leaving. Dev had to fight tooth and nail for a spot which he now has.

Outside of the top tier, nobody is safe and I promise you the players no longer take their spots for granted.



Criticize all you want. I wouldn't have selected the players that were brought in, but I can see the logic as to why they were brought in.

It is not self evident Gunston would be a complete liability against a top team and that is a half cocked opinion painted as fact. Gunston when fit is absolutely a weapon and would add to our forward line. We saw what he can do last year and in the pre season this year. He could not play through his back injury this year, was dropped on form and has absolutely worked his ass off to get back to the AFL. There is zero chance he gets the nod without putting in the bed of work he has to play again. If he doesn't deliver, he will not hold his spot.

Gobsmacked. Just gobsmacked. Gunston has not played a game worthy of selection for us. He weakens the team. A witches hat in the modern game is exploited. He must have photos of Fagan.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Nah can’t be bothered. Fagan has zero credibility. What has Gunston done to earn his place? Nothing. If Fagan wants to make himself a laughingstock, that’s up to him. I said this weeks ago. We will play a two tall forward set up until and only until Fagan wants to gift Gunston senior selection and then HEY PRESTO, the game plan changes to accommodate Gunston. Fagan is putting one player above the team. This should be Fagan’s last season.

Who’s the fastest out of the 3 though:

Daniel Rich / Jack Gunston / Alex Witherden

 

[Nunez]

Last year is gone, its form means nothing. Pre season form means nothing.

If he was carrying an injury he should not have been played, but he was and he did not deliver. I can only comment on what I have seen and he has not been a positive in this years team.

If pre season form means nothing, then surely form before Jack did a 4 week training block means nothing either?

Wait, that doesn't fit the narrative.

He. Earned. His. Selection.

 

[M Malice]

Gobsmacked. Just gobsmacked. Gunston has not played a game worthy of selection for us. He weakens the team. A witches hat in the modern game is exploited. He must have photos of Fagan.

Not worth anything any longer, they were released today.

 

[Gadzorks]

If pre season form means nothing, then surely form before Jack did a 4 week training block means nothing either?

Wait, that doesn't fit the narrative.

He. Earned. His. Selection.

You obviously know the inside working of the club.

I'll just defer to your opinion.

 

[Hollow Knight]

While I am far from convinced on the selection of Gunston, I simply must say that people threatening to boycott is one of the most laughably pathetic things I've seen on this forum in nearly 20 years.

Just cringeworthy beyond belief.

 

[buttermuffs]

While I am far from convinced on the selection of Gunston, I simply must say that people threatening to boycott is one of the most laughably pathetic things I've seen on this forum in nearly 20 years.

Just cringeworthy beyond belief.

To be fair to them voting with your wallet is technically more effective than an angry email.

On the other hand, it’s historically bad West Coast on a Saturday afternoon it’s not like it hasn’t crossed half the fan’s minds that it may be a game you can skip. Following up again Geelong in a fortnight would mean something though.

 

[p4p1]

Well it does…. If lever/may is against Linc/Ah Chee or Gunston/hipwood/ Joey… who’s more likely to at least half the contest and get it to ground? It doesn’t allow them to zone off as freely and they have to be accountable. It’s easy to say ‘lower your eyes’ but at the top level I dare say this is an option 20/30% of the time. You just don’t have the time. Especially against the contenders

Yes, defenders can’t zone off Gunston and he always halfs the contest. If anything that is exactly what he taught me this season.

 

[BuntonRules]

If pre season form means nothing, then surely form before Jack did a 4 week training block means nothing either?

Wait, that doesn't fit the narrative.

He. Earned. His. Selection.

No. He. Has. Not.

 

[Toffee Lion]

While I am far from convinced on the selection of Gunston, I simply must say that people threatening to boycott is one of the most laughably pathetic things I've seen on this forum in nearly 20 years.

Just cringeworthy beyond belief.

Is it not a persons own money and time to decide based on a factor? Even if said factor is juvenile such as a particular player being selected? In the same way someone may decide to boycott a game due to previous performances.

This kind of comment is incredibly belittling and a highlight of what this board has become, where every comment is scrutinised and blasted unless it appeals to the masses.

Everything is a “melt” or “cringe” unless it’s a safe post that upsets no one. Not every post has to be highlighted or referred to. Laugh react or thumbs down and move on, in my opinion.

 

[KissKiss]

As I said above, the swap doesn’t make a heap of sense to me unless Lyons has worked hard and massively improved on his defensive game. If it was Neale out, I would understand the swap a bit more.

I dont disagree on the defensive game being the biggest problem for Lyons. But I've said all year that Lyons should only come in for Neale or Dunkley as he can only play that pure inside role. Id probably have preferred Dev to get the more mid time as I think he puts the defensive effort in more often. But at least it's mostly like for like, and I see them swapping straight back when Dunkley is fit.

To me its the third worst of the selection decisions this week. Two much more head scratching decisions have been made

 

[Squizz89]

If pre season form means nothing, then surely form before Jack did a 4 week training block means nothing either?

Wait, that doesn't fit the narrative.

He. Earned. His. Selection.

The only argument to that I would have is what type of msg is that sending to the likes of the Dev’s, AhChee’s etc of the team, who have literally busted their arse for years in the reserves to earn their chance back in the seniors and then have been cut again pretty quickly previously after a bad game.

We can all call it whatever we like but at the end of the day Jack was dropped. I do worry about how some of the young guys feel having him come straight back in after a “training block” without having to prove himself in the reserves. I don’t think it’s the greatest look from a team perspective, otherwise if I’m Dev etc, next time I’m dropped I’m asking for a “training block” to prove myself worthy of coming back in.

 

[twhowler]

If pre season form means nothing, then surely form before Jack did a 4 week training block means nothing either?

Wait, that doesn't fit the narrative.

He. Earned. His. Selection.

Seems odd to be potting others for their hot takes and then be so emphatic that he has earned his selection from a training block behind the scenes.

The club owes Gunston nothing and he was in such horrid form he should have come back through the 2s. This makes a mockery of earning a spot - why would Lohmann work extra hard in the 2s now with this precedent set?

Fagan admitted in his SEN interview he is too loyal. Someone needs to remind him of that.

 

[martinson]

Hypothetically, what if Gunston has produced one of the most determined, passionate, dedicated training blocks over the last month, and proven to everybody at the club how desperately keen and ready he is to return to his best form?

There are a number of ways you can earn your place in a team. Performance on match-day is only one of them.

I'm not necessarily suggesting any of this has happened. I'm also not suggesting I'm a fan of the decision (I'm not). But I do think Chris Fagan still has enough credits in the bank to ride this one out and see what happens. Anybody who doubts that has a severely short memory.

He coughed it up 11 games straight.

End of story.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Middle to late aged men ? Acting like 4 year olds ??

It's just a blog with opinions .

You got something against them ? Then add yours.

I know a few women who agree.

I agree somewhat to be honest. About Gunston, that is. The difference is i'm able to keep some sense of proportion.

And I've been around these forums long enough to know that males outnumber females 100 to 1.

 

[Viceregal]

If pre season form means nothing, then surely form before Jack did a 4 week training block means nothing either?

Wait, that doesn't fit the narrative.

He. Earned. His. Selection.

Seems odd to be potting others for their hot takes and then be so emphatic that he has earned his selection from a training block behind the scenes.

The club owes Gunston nothing and he was in such horrid form he should have come back through the 2s. This makes a mockery of earning a spot - why would Lohmann work extra hard in the 2s now with this precedent set?

Fagan admitted in his SEN interview he is too loyal. Someone needs to remind him of that.

I actually read Nunez's comments as being facaetious ...

 

[martinson]

Yes. We have. We dropped Lyons at the end of the year and he's now merely a depth player. We've dropped Rich. We've dropped Gunston (who, despite melts would have you believe, has earned his spot back). Ah Chee has had to earn his place. Lohmann was not gifted games despite being a risk of leaving. Dev had to fight tooth and nail for a spot which he now has.

Outside of the top tier, nobody is safe and I promise you the players no longer take their spots for granted.



Criticize all you want. I wouldn't have selected the players that were brought in, but I can see the logic as to why they were brought in.

It is not self evident Gunston would be a complete liability against a top team and that is a half cocked opinion painted as fact. Gunston when fit is absolutely a weapon and would add to our forward line. We saw what he can do last year and in the pre season this year. He could not play through his back injury this year, was dropped on form and has absolutely worked his ass off to get back to the AFL. There is zero chance he gets the nod without putting in the bed of work he has to play again. If he doesn't deliver, he will not hold his spot.

Nunez half cocked opinion painted as fact is actually backed up by performance on the field for weeks on end which I'm sure you and everyone else saw.

If he's had a crook back or whatever other ailment he might get let's see him earn his spot back which is surely the best way to go.

Fwiiw the people I respect who support other clubs are telling me the one way Brisbane stuffs up this year is holding on to players into the finals who are past it.

It's not as if we don't have players who have shown they offer more.

This is just dumb by Fagan . Giving Gunston a free ride back into the Seniors after he couldn't chase or run for weeks so he can look half reasonable.

Very disappointed after the step forward we made of recent weeks.

 

[martinson]

I agree somewhat to be honest. About Gunston, that is. The difference is i'm able to keep some sense of proportion.

And I've been around these forums long enough to know that males outnumber females 100 to 1.

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

 

[p4p1]

I dont disagree on the defensive game being the biggest problem for Lyons. But I've said all year that Lyons should only come in for Neale or Dunkley as he can only play that pure inside role. Id probably have preferred Dev to get the more mid time as I think he puts the defensive effort in more often. But at least it's mostly like for like, and I see them swapping straight back when Dunkley is fit.

To me its the third worst of the selection decisions this week. Two much more head scratching decisions have been made

I don’t see how it is like for like though. Dunkley’s defensive side of his game is arguably his most impressive aspect.
I would be surprised if Lyons doesn’t look great against WCE. The issue is though what happens next week?

 

[rye]

this thread is peak bigfooty

 

[FeastOrFamine]

this thread is peak bigfooty

it's a real dog eat dog at the moment

 

[dlanod]

Hypothetically, what if Gunston has produced one of the most determined, passionate, dedicated training blocks over the last month, and proven to everybody at the club how desperately keen and ready he is to return to his best form?

There are a number of ways you can earn your place in a team. Performance on match-day is only one of them.

I'm not necessarily suggesting any of this has happened. I'm also not suggesting I'm a fan of the decision (I'm not). But I do think Chris Fagan still has enough credits in the bank to ride this one out and see what happens. Anybody who doubts that has a severely short memory.

You obviously don't understand that Fagan is perpetually and irrevocably incorrect.