Review Round 19, 2024 - Brisbane Lions vs. Sydney

[Nunez]

Please no to that, Hipwood is one of our dumbest footballers and would get destroyed down back

You realise it's easier to be a good defender than it is to be a good forward, right?

He'd be more than capable as a full time back. Won't be perfect if he plays back this week (nor would Joe), but they won't be completely clueless in the role.

 

[Royboy1961]

You realise it's easier to be a good defender than it is to be a good forward, right?

He'd be more than capable as a full time back. Won't be perfect if he plays back this week (nor would Joe), but they won't be completely clueless in the role.

I totally agree with you Nunez when you play as a defender you need to first beat your opponent then if you get the ball dispose of it effectively. Two jobs this makes being a defender easier but to be a good one it is an art form. To me Morris comes into the team and we play our three tall forwards together as usual in the first quarter, but if things go pear shaped we move Hipwood into defence to negate their tall forwards. I am sure the Suns will try to exploit our small defence so it will be up to the midfield to provide defensive pressure when the Suns go forward. Unfortunately we do not have any other tall defenders that are AFL ready to replace Andrews.

 

[Brett C]

You realise it's easier to be a good defender than it is to be a good forward, right?

He'd be more than capable as a full time back. Won't be perfect if he plays back this week (nor would Joe), but they won't be completely clueless in the role.

You’ve watched him try and defend in the forward half and he has no idea.

Gets lost as a forward so I have no faith in him as a defender.

Would get moved off the ball with ease

 

[Cockliff38]

Honestly if Lobb can reinvent himself as a fullback I think anyone can.

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

At some point Fagan needs to come on Bigfooty and take our advice. Many of us have been singing the praises of Brain and Morris. I think this week he will start both. As a coach he is a little bit behind us but as long as he gets there in the end that’s ok.

 

[Nathan Barley]

At some point Fagan needs to come on Bigfooty and take our advice. Many of us have been singing the praises of Brain and Morris. I think this week he will start both. As a coach he is a little bit behind us but as long as he gets there in the end that’s ok.

He also persisted with Rayner, Berry and Hipwood when many on here were calling for them to be dropped

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

He also persisted with Rayner, Berry and Hipwood when many on here were calling for them to be dropped

Don’t forget Lester

 

[Nathan Barley]

Don’t forget Lester

I think Lester got lucky with injuries

 

[Gadzorks]

I think Lester got lucky with injuries

Yep. Their injuries made him a better player.

No, wait.

He was ignored by a coaching panel that didn't rate him and he proved them wrong. Like, really wrong.


I get it, without the injuries he'd never got the opportunity to prove they were wrong.

But it does show the coaches don't know everything. Keays is another example - he is awesome and we could have found a home for him and seen that awesomeness develop here if the coaches had rated him.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Yep. Their injuries made him a better player.

No, wait.

He was ignored by a coaching panel that didn't rate him and he proved them wrong. Like, really wrong.


I get it, without the injuries he'd never got the opportunity to prove they were wrong.

But it does show the coaches don't know everything. Keays is another example - he is awesome and we could have found a home for him and seen that awesomeness develop here if the coaches had rated him.

Well he probably isn't best 22 still. Last year he got games when Dizzy and Payne were injured. IIRC Joyce was preferred at the start of the season. Was likely dropped when Doedee came back

Solid depth but has done well to be depth in the area we get the most injuries

 

[Gadzorks]

Well he probably isn't best 22 still. Last year he got games when Dizzy and Payne were injured. IIRC Joyce was preferred at the start of the season. Was likely dropped when Doedee came back

Solid depth but has done well to be depth in the area we get the most injuries

Lester is always going to divide opinion. I think he is top 22. Love his ability to negate when playing on taller players and when he is outnumbered. Think it's underrated as a smart footy skill.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Lester is always going to divide opinion. I think he is top 22. Love his ability to negate when playing on taller players and when he is outnumbered. Think it's underrated as a smart footy skill.

So you'd play him with Andrews, Payne, Doedee and Dizzy available?

Also, do you think he would get selected?

 

[McIvor]

So you'd play him with Andrews, Payne, Doedee and Dizzy available?

Also, do you think he would get selected?

I’d still have Lester ahead of Gardiner and Doedee as the third tall behind Andrews and Payne every day of the week.

Remains to be seen whether Gardiner and Doedee will get anywhere close to even playing consistently, particularly Doedee let alone move past Lester who hasn’t missed a game in a year and a half.

 

[Dalions]

So you'd play him with Andrews, Payne, Doedee and Dizzy available?

Also, do you think he would get selected?

He was selected above Gardiner all of last year.
It was an injury to Payne that finally gave Gardiner a chance in the Prelim.

 

[Nathan Barley]

I’d still have Lester ahead of Gardiner and Doedee as the third tall behind Andrews and Payne every day of the week.

Remains to be seen whether Gardiner and Doedee will get anywhere close to even playing consistently, particularly Doedee let alone move past Lester who hasn’t missed a game in a year and a half.

I don't think that works because it doesn't free up Andrews each week. Dizzy can take a Curnow or Fogarty or Treacy unlike Lester and allow Andrews to play on a much weaker opponent. Or Doedee if fit can intercept as well as Andrews so whichever of the two has a favourable matchup can play off.

Lester is average defensively and has an average intercept game which seems to have regressed this season. Great to have an average bloke as a backup but not the optimal balance when we need to find him a weak opponent as well

 

[Nathan Barley]

He was selected above Gardiner all of last year.
It was an injury to Payne that finally gave Gardiner a chance in the Prelim.

Dizzy was injured but did get ahead of him for one game

 

[Dalions]

Dizzy was injured but did get ahead of him for one game

Lester was also injured for that start of last year.
Which is why Joyce started the year.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Am I in the minority here thinking Lester is 100% solid on field. Behind Harris he's our next best defender. Guaranteed selection each week even with a full squad.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Am I in the minority here thinking Lester is 100% solid on field. Behind Harris he's our next best defender. Guaranteed selection each week even with a full squad.

Well he tends to play on the weaker forwards and then when he has to play on the stronger ones like Treacy, Walker, Fogarty, Waterman, etc he struggles

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Well he tends to play on the weaker forwards and then when he has to play on the stronger ones like Treacy, Walker, Fogarty, Waterman, etc he struggles

And Gardiner and Doedee would do any better ?

 

[Nathan Barley]

And Gardiner and Doedee would do any better ?

Yes. Gardiner shut down Curnow last year. He's has many quality defensive jobs on key forwards

 

[M Malice]

Yep, I wouldn't be confident with Froggy on the number 1 or 2 key forward in the opposition.

Ideally a fully fit and firing Gardiner and Doedee would be better for our back 7 balance than Lester.

Froggy a very good 3rd tall/medium defender.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

With Jack Payne in the team, you play Lester.

 

[Denno]

He was selected above Gardiner all of last year.
It was an injury to Payne that finally gave Gardiner a chance in the Prelim.

No he wasn't. Got dropped after the Adelaide game, whilst Gardiner stayed in (Haw game the week after?)

 

[Nathan Barley]

No he wasn't. Got dropped after the Adelaide game, whilst Gardiner stayed in (Haw game the week after?)

Yeah then Gardiner was injured and returned through the 2s afterwards and Lester finished the year strongly