Preview Round 2, 2019 - North Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions

[3KZ is Football]

Higgins will be the most important player on the field again this week. He's the guy who can really unlock us. He missed the return game where we probably should have beaten them.

North have stacked themselves with average ball users, and surprise surprise got repeatedly stung by the Dockers on turnovers. Putting pressure on Pittard, Tyson, McMillan and Cunnington and forcing them to take aggressive options with their disposal would go a big way to us winning the game.

This is where we will win it. First hands on the ball in the middle and forcing North to cough it up through pressure around the ground. This hasn’t been mentioned much, but our ‘zone’ was amazing against WC and we should expect the same again. WC were forced to kick long time and again because of the defensive pressure we applied when they had a kick out after a behind or possession in their back half.

 

[Tom14]

Higgins will be the most important player on the field again this week. He's the guy who can really unlock us. He missed the return game where we probably should have beaten them.

North have stacked themselves with average ball users, and surprise surprise got repeatedly stung by the Dockers on turnovers. Putting pressure on Pittard, Tyson, McMillan and Cunnington and forcing them to take aggressive options with their disposal would go a big way to us winning the game.

Think Higgins demands a dedicated run with role from someone. Maybe Matho although don't know if he could keep up with Higgins' running? I wouldn't be shocked if we put Basti on the same wing as Polec and had him run with him and expose him in transition as he won't be able to resist seagulling.

I wonder whether North will put someone on Hugh as opposed to Neale or Zorks - Hugh killed them last year and I think he might be tied with Zorks for our most damaging player. Very interesting matchup in the middle - if we breakeven there I feel very very confident about our chances.

 

[Dalions]

Possibly controversial opinion: I'd start Big O in the ruck this week and have stef on the bench. North got off to a flyer with Goldstein dominating stef in the first 10 minutes in round 20 last year and I think Big O is the better tap ruck in the square tbh. That game changed when we switched Oscar in and I think that was kinda true against West Coast too.

I'd still have Stef play a majority of the minutes in the ruck as he will wear goldstein out around the ground but we can't get off to a bad start.

If we use O’Mac at Centre bounce and Stef around the ground where he can use his strength this would be perfect.
Probably makes it a little hard with rotations though!
But I loved what they did with the rucks on the weekend as it really opened up the game for us with the smaller forward line after quarter time.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see O’Mac used a bit more in the forward line this week with Norths defence not as tall (good) as West Coasts!

 

[jackess]

Think Higgins demands a dedicated run with role from someone. Maybe Matho although don't know if he could keep up with Higgins' running? I wouldn't be shocked if we put Basti on the same wing as Polec and had him run with him and expose him in transition as he won't be able to resist seagulling.

I wonder whether North will put someone on Hugh as opposed to Neale or Zorks - Hugh killed them last year and I think he might be tied with Zorks for our most damaging player. Very interesting matchup in the middle - if we breakeven there I feel very very confident about our chances.

It looked like Lyons was playing a defensive role on Shuey at times on the weekend.

 

[lionsrules]

I watched the eagles game twice now after saturday night. The more I watch it the more i scratch my head at our performance after last year. A win this saturday will bring a good crowd for the Port clash and going down by 5 points last year away without Beams gives me more belief.

 

[James North]

I watched the eagles game twice now after saturday night. The more I watch it the more i scratch my head at our performance after last year. A win this saturday will bring a good crowd for the Port clash and going down by 5 points last year away without Beams gives me more belief.

I honestly don't think the win on the weekend was some kind of quantum leap from last year or anything. We pushed some great sides and only really capitulated twice. It was emphatic, but it just follows the curve since Fages came along.

As he keeps saying though - snakes and ladders.

 

[Ironmonger]

I honestly don't think the win on the weekend was some kind of quantum leap from last year or anything. We pushed some great sides and only really capitulated twice. It was emphatic, but it just follows the curve since Fages came along.

As he keeps saying though - snakes and ladders.

I think it's a pretty substantial spike on a gradual upward curve.

It's very exciting to think about where it might go next.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Any spike was largely due to our new additions Neale McCarthy Lyons and Charlie (almost a new addition as he missed most of 2018)

 

[Tom14]

Any spike was largely due to our new additions Neale McCarthy Lyons and Charlie (almost a new addition as he missed most of 2018)

It's not just that though - those definitely help a lot (McCarthy vs Jake Barrett in the forward line is a giant upgrade) but there has been a lot of improvement since Rd 1 last year.

Easy examples are Dizzy, Matho, Walker as well as young players continuing their improvement. Hugh went to another level last year and he has started this year on this new base (Berry too). We did make big strides at the end of last year, but now that the players are fresh and the young guys have had a pre-season hopefully the output can be more consistently at that level.

 

[James North]

I think it's a pretty substantial spike on a gradual upward curve.

It's very exciting to think about where it might go next.

Almost beat Collingwood last year ... I think it was definitely a great performance, but not completely without precedent.

I didn't say the curve would keep going.

 

[Tom14]

Marc McGowan on the AFL website has tipped North by 18 and Big Ben Brown to kick 6 goals. He'll learn

 

[WA Lion]

Marc McGowan on the AFL website has tipped North by 18 and Big Ben Brown to kick 6 goals. He'll learn

Like your positivity - oddly I'm less confident this week than last week!

 

[Dylan12]

 

[Benj7]

Building a really good culture one of your boys gave my brother a signed jumper of all the players so I'm pretty happy about that. growing up in a house with two brothers that supported the mighty lions was hard as a little fella getting smashed in the early 2000's.
Good luck again will be a very interesting game.

 

[Dylan12]

In the mix: Who's pushing for selection in round two?

Brisbane Lions

No rush to get anyone in after a 44-point win over the reigning premier, but Lewy Taylor and Allen Christensen both impressed in a NEAFL practice match to keep pressure on the 22.

No one is under any pressure. Ryan Bastinac justified his inclusion with 14 disposals, nine marks and a goal.

And there are no problems on the medical front either with both AFL and NEAFL teams getting through unscathed. Marcus Adams is nearing a return, most likely through the NEAFL.

North Melbourne

Defender Scott Thompson is certain to return from suspension, while Paul Ahern was a surprise round one omission and is a strong contender to play after North's Perth horror show. Top-10 draftee Tarryn Thomas and Tom Murphy – an excellent kick – are others with selection claims after impressive VFL performances. Nick Larkey and Nathan Hrovat are the obvious other options. Is Taylor Garner ready to go?

The whole team, bar NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Bailey Scott and recruit Jared Polec, Jy Simpkin, Luke McDonald and Mason Wood are among the Roos who seem most under pressure.

Hard-luck backman Ed Vickers-Willis' season is almost certainly over due to rupturing the ACL in his left knee against Fremantle. Senior regulars Jed Anderson (hamstring), Ben Jacobs (sinusitis) and Sam Wright (quad) remain without a timetable to return.

 

[brizrider]

Great respect for North tbh. They put a mature, hard-nosed, well-coached footy team on the park pretty much every week of every season. I've been watching footy since 1978 and in those 41 years they've had just 8 seasons where they've won less than 10 games and they haven't been at Brisbane levels since one season in 1984. They're coming back from a shocker trip to Perth so are about as ripe as we'll ever get for a win. If we do win then the lid is off.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

In the mix: Who's pushing for selection in round two?

No mention of Cutler and yet most of the highlights from the weekend seemed to feature him. Maybe if his name was Butler?

 

[BRAB]

North always seem to smoke us so I wouldn't be surprised if we lost. Will be interesting to see how the new midfield stacks up against North's this year given how much it has changed.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Great respect for North tbh. They put a mature, hard-nosed, well-coached footy team on the park pretty much every week of every season. I've been watching footy since 1978 and in those 41 years they've had just 8 seasons where they've won less than 10 games and they haven't been at Brisbane levels since one season in 1984. They're coming back from a shocker trip to Perth so are about as ripe as we'll ever get for a win. If we do win then the lid is off.

Not if you've followed their board this year and for a fair part of last year. A lot of their posters have been arguing for Brad's removal for some time.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Almost beat Collingwood last year ... I think it was definitely a great performance, but not completely without precedent.

I didn't say the curve would keep going.

I think it will.
BRISBANE LIONS - Lid’s Off Lift Off

 

[a mayes ing]

Actually more nervous about this game than about WC. We always seem to play bad against NM (barring last game). Would have been so much more confident if Cunnington had of missed. They are coming back from Perth so that is a bonus but they are playing at home. Praying for no injuries, the ground sucks and pretty sure last year we lost 3 guys against them.

 

[snooplions]

Actually more nervous about this game than about WC. We always seem to play bad against NM (barring last game). Would have been so much more confident if Cunnington had of missed. They are coming back from Perth so that is a bonus but they are playing at home. Praying for no injuries, the ground sucks and pretty sure last year we lost 3 guys against them.

My thoughts exactly. A win on Sunday would be bigger than our win against the Eagles imo.

 

[3KZ is Football]

My thoughts exactly. A win on Sunday would be bigger than our win against the Eagles imo.

It would be big for the club and would be VERY BIG for Melbourne based members and supporters.

 

[FFB1]

Actually more nervous about this game than about WC. We always seem to play bad against NM (barring last game). Would have been so much more confident if Cunnington had of missed. They are coming back from Perth so that is a bonus but they are playing at home. Praying for no injuries, the ground sucks and pretty sure last year we lost 3 guys against them.

It definitely used to back in the day but I don’t think the old ‘coming back from Perth’ is all that relevant anymore.

 

[Snake_Baker]

The interest from the tactical perspective in this match is whether the Lions can take the excellent tactical structures which combated the Eagles kicking game out of defence, and transfer that to a North side that overwhelmingly prefers to run the ball out of the back half.