Preview Round 19 - Brisbane v Sydney @ The Gabba (Sunday 1:10pm AEST)

[JasRulz63]

 

[M Malice]

Get. Henry. In.

Not a fan of bringing Henry Smith in for this game(unless the Big O is a late out), the Swans are an elite running side, he would be caught out on transition, we need all the run we can get.

 

[braddsey]

3 games clear at the top, you're in position to rest players and get them Cherry Ripe for finals.

We aren't in that position.

I'll take the win regardless of who the opposition put on the field - we need to keep winning.
Perhaps feels a little similar to the Collingwood game at Marvel round-23 last year. I hope it's a similar result!

 

[On the quiet]

View attachment 2051461
“Cameron gets off. I tipped that. Absolutely nothing in it.”

i am glad he is playing and Bedford, but apparently both are not playing because their tackles were technically correct, they are (according to media reports) playing based on an error of law or the lack of mentioned and consideration of a subclause when Tribunal made their findings. There will just have to be changes next year, because some other player will likely be caught up in this farce.

Anyway good for Charlie and go Lions.

 

[braddsey]

i am glad he is playing and Bedford, but apparently both are not playing because their tackles were technically correct, they are (according to media reports) playing based on an error of law or the lack of mentioned and consideration of a subclause when Tribunal made their findings. There will just have to be changes next year, because some other player will likely be caught up in this farce.

Anyway good for Charlie and go Lions.

Absolutely, and there is some frustration that they got off on a technicality, but ultimately the same thing could happen again this weekend. The silence from the AFL about whether the tackles were correct or not is typical. They won't come out and admit an error, but they also won't come out against the tidal wave of opinion from the footballing community that this is a step too far and that initial tribunal decision was incorrect.

I'm sure the MRP guidelines and matrix will change over the off-season. The legal wording will be strengthened, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a change in the MRO classifiable offense table, that allows for a 1-week suspension for this kind of thing.
"in the event a player is concussed via an accidental incident, the instigator of the contact is subject to a 1-match suspension".
This provides the incentive to take all reasonable precautions without being hit with a sledgehammer of a 3-match ban. 1-week is still a penalty, but not enough to worry about contesting. Hopefully they also change the "Intentional-low-body" sanction to a week instead of a fine.

 

[M Malice]

 

[Dalions]

View attachment 2051931

Can’t wait!
For the sold out, 32,000!

 

[Berrygood]

I'd given up on the Charlie situation. Thought the suspension was happening. I look up this morning, low and behold Charlie is good to play. Don't care about the machinations behind it, just glad he's in.

That means the only change needed is Starce in for Brain. The debate will continue about McKenna and questions will be asked about Morris' need for a rest. But that's the only change I'm making v Swans. I'd like to see Ashcroft play less wing and somehow get Reville in the 22.

I hope we have the plans to combat some of Sydney's strengths. The coaching staff have been pretty good with that recently, may it continue. I hope we have our running boots on. Running, tackling, pressing up on them will need to be at its best.

Swans have their motivation, they've been the bench mark, they should be favourites. But I like that we're at the Gabba, I like that we're underdogs and I like that we have some good form behind us. Capable of an upset here if things click. I think that gap between our best and worst is narrowing and we're becoming more consistent. Patchy at times sure but we're turning momentum and fighting back when needed. Ya never know.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Will be interesting to see if we do anything different with Morris. They could send Rampe or Blakey to him so he's in for a tough game

 

[Timetoroarlike44]

I'll take the win regardless of who the opposition put on the field - we need to keep winning.
Perhaps feels a little similar to the Collingwood game at Marvel round-23 last year. I hope it's a similar result!

Yeah i can see that parallel. I thought we were going better last year before the pies game but looking it up we went LWLWW. And the 2 wins leading in to it were by 3 points and six points.

Pies had heaps of outs though. Daicos, hill, moore, de goey. Although it is at the gabba vs away at docklands.

With us close to full strength (2024 version) and swans some outs, it does feel like a must win on our home deck. If we lose all the talk will be (rightly) that we have beaten nobody.

I do think the swans will be pretty keen to knock us off, whereas the pies didn’t seem to care too much about the docklands game - almost kept their powder dry for the finals.

 

[braddsey]

That means the only change needed is Starce in for Brain. The debate will continue about McKenna and questions will be asked about Morris' need for a rest. But that's the only change I'm making v Swans. I'd like to see Ashcroft play less wing and somehow get Reville in the 22.

The Morris situation is an interesting one. He's probably so important structurally that even if he's down on his initial output (which was pretty amazing for a first-year player thrown in the deep end), what's the alternative? If they can carry him through, he gets a pre-finals rest, along with everyone else. The only change if is he becomes a liability, rather than having a lower output.

 

[McIvor]

I’d personally like Dev to come in.

Swans have so many attacking mids and half backers that I think coupled with Dev’s defensive capacity and experience he’d be a better option than a few of the boys for this particular game.

 

[twhowler]

The Morris situation is an interesting one. He's probably so important structurally that even if he's down on his initial output (which was pretty amazing for a first-year player thrown in the deep end), what's the alternative? If they can carry him through, he gets a pre-finals rest, along with everyone else. The only change if is he becomes a liability, rather than having a lower output.

I think he has been a really good addition. Not sure i would quite call it structure, but he just seems to get to good spaces - i'd need to see it live but i feel like he holds his position and doesn't get sucked in to the contest much. which might explain low possessions but high impact? he is such a good and instinctive kick either at goal or to someone inside 50.

I think if he is struggling to have an impact a week off then a 2s match would be okay. he might come back he might not. i am reasonably comfortable with the 2 talls plus rayner and ah chee who play relatively tall. Lohman is a leaper and marker as well. he is not big but has a leap AND reads the ball really well.

 

[Denno]

Absolutely, and there is some frustration that they got off on a technicality, but ultimately the same thing could happen again this weekend. The silence from the AFL about whether the tackles were correct or not is typical. They won't come out and admit an error, but they also won't come out against the tidal wave of opinion from the footballing community that this is a step too far and that initial tribunal decision was incorrect.

I'm sure the MRP guidelines and matrix will change over the off-season. The legal wording will be strengthened, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's a change in the MRO classifiable offense table, that allows for a 1-week suspension for this kind of thing.
"in the event a player is concussed via an accidental incident, the instigator of the contact is subject to a 1-match suspension".
This provides the incentive to take all reasonable precautions without being hit with a sledgehammer of a 3-match ban. 1-week is still a penalty, but not enough to worry about contesting. Hopefully they also change the "Intentional-low-body" sanction to a week instead of a fine.

How does the bolded "fix" anything though? (BTW, not having a crack at you!)

Would you also propose that any incident be subject to the suspension? (eg, accidental head-clash, knee in a marking contest, knee to the head of a player on the ground - eg, McPharlin on Brown). It's even more of a slippery slope.........

Even if Cameron had've got 1 week initially, I would've wanted us to challenge, purely on principle.

When there aren't any realistic alternatives under the circumstances (this goes for Bedford too), anything that happens after that is incidental. Reading the transcripts of the tribunal, and the "alternatives" offered up, just goes to show how out of touch the AFL is (or more to the point, the impact of getting lawyers involved).

Do we really want to see players think twice about tackling? (which both Dunkley and Fagan alluded to this week). Granted there is some nuance in this, but I felt the two tackles being reportable offences this week "crossed a line" for me.

You simply can't de-risk the game completely. There needs to be a level of acceptance of risk (read, incidental injury) that goes with the game.

 

[McIvor]

Mind you Joey is wrong that we’ve had 17 players play every game; it’s only 12 so no idea who is feeding him that information.

 

[Tom14]

Mind you Joey is wrong that we’ve had 17 players play every game; it’s only 12 so no idea who is feeding him that information.

Was it not since like round 10 or something? Didn't think it was the whole season.

 

[twhowler]

Lions Outs (best 23) Payne, Gardiner, McCarthy, Coleman
Swans Outs (best 23) McInerney, Mills, Rowbottom

You would rather their outs i think, but our midfield is intact. Really going back and forth here. Need a pros and cons list

LIONS PROS

Won 6 in a row
Close to full strength for 2024
Playing at the gabba
Day game should help our kick mark game v the swans
Must win game so should throw everything at them
sell-out gabba

LIONS CONS

Coming back from Perth (although looking at teams after perth games they have gone fairly well the past few weeks)
Not winning convincingly
Backline vulnerable without Payne
Not great at the gabba this year and might feel the pressure

SWANS PROS

Best team in it this year
Play with no pressure on them to win
Have they had their slump and ready to turn it on?
Fresh off an 8 day break and no perth trip

SWANS CONS

They don't have to win so in theory not as desperate
Not in great form having lost 2 in a row then waking up against north
All 3 outs are from their midfield

Incidentally i went searching for genuine DAY games at the gabba.

None this year

2023 we were convincing
dockers -won by 48
Played WCE who were hopeless - won by 81

2022 not so much
Beat giants by 14 points
Lost to essendon by 10 points in the infamous covid game

Looking at some of the highlights it's noticeable they are cleaner games in terms of skill and handling.

I think this helps us with our kick mark game. But will also allow the swans to slice us up on transition if they are allowed to...

 

[McIvor]

Was it not since like round 10 or something? Didn't think it was the whole season.

I obviously heard incorrectly

 

[Grasshopper17]

Huge if true

 

[Nathan Barley]

Huge if true
View attachment 2052214

Haha. I thought they'd fixed this issue with scheduled articles and videos

Guess we're going tall and slow

 

[Nathan Barley]

Video doesn't reveal anything

 

[Nathan Barley]

I guess he could be the sub

 

[M Malice]

Huge if true
View attachment 2052214

I like Henry as a long term ruck prospect but I am dead set against playing 2 rucks against the Swans.

I am far less hopeful of a win with a slower team out there, why would we do this against the best gut running side in the competition who can cut you to ribbons with quick play on and handball receives? ... It has me flummoxed.

Note- I would love Henry to prove me wrong and play a blinder in a Lions win.

 

[Robbojack]

On the roar deal, they very briefly mentioned Oscar was sore. Might suggest he’s not playing w Smith to debut.

 

[Tom14]