Preview Round 20 - Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns, Sat 27, 4:35PM; People First Stadium, Gold Coast

[Dalions]

Saints next week who are short, Giants the following week is an issue

Yeah true, no Max!

 

[Squizz89]

Riddle me this. Eric comes out and plays a blinder this week in defence/on King. The forward line functions well mobility wise with Joe and a bunch of smalls and mediums (Cam/Cal etc) at his feet.

Harris is back next week but we are still undersized a bit with only him and Lester available. Where does Eric line up then?

I think I’m at the stage where I’ve mentally got my head around that we probably drop this game, but seeing how Hipwood goes down there is a bit exciting, if for no other reason then it may give us another option in game moving forward.

 

[lionsrules]

Hipwood down back. Want to replace a body up forward? then go with Fort. Hipwoods speed would be better at covering down back not something fort is known for.

 

[Jim Stynes11]

Give Zee a crack.

I read this to the tune of Give Peace a Chance

 

[Nathan Barley]

Riddle me this. Eric comes out and plays a blinder this week in defence/on King. The forward line functions well mobility wise with Joe and a bunch of smalls and mediums (Cam/Cal etc) at his feet.

Harris is back next week but we are still undersized a bit with only him and Lester available. Where does Eric line up then?

I think I’m at the stage where I’ve mentally got my head around that we probably drop this game, but seeing how Hipwood goes down there is a bit exciting, if for no other reason then it may give us another option in game moving forward.

Goes forward. Too late in the season to tinker. Valuable anyway because we need a swingman

 

[Gadzorks]

I agree Hippy forward and Morris back is worth a try

Yeah, I'll edit that.

 

[mpal6]

We have to try them it's only for 3 weeks

why not fort? only 3 weeks.. 6/8 !!!

 

[dmac_55]

Hipwood plays a blinder at CHB
Then Andrews returns and becomes the dominant key forward in the comp.

 

[knaf]

Anyone have gps stats on Morris? My hunch is he doesn’t get around the ground heaps nor is overly quick. He just reads the play well, doesn’t get sucked in to the contest and is damaging. Not sure he’d make a good defender at all

This would have been my view until watching the VFL last week. That is ‘doesn’t get involved around the ground and isn’t quick”, but had did an incredible run off wing/half back with three involvements in the procession chain, ending in a goal.

However I’m not sure this qualifies him as a defender. My view is leave him to learn further forward craft as a forward.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Riddle me this. Eric comes out and plays a blinder this week in defence/on King. The forward line functions well mobility wise with Joe and a bunch of smalls and mediums (Cam/Cal etc) at his feet.

Harris is back next week but we are still undersized a bit with only him and Lester available. Where does Eric line up then?

If he plays a blinder? Backline. If we have someone good enough to shut down the opposition's #1 key forward, it leaves Harris free to roam and intercept once he's back. Payne isn't coming back for a while. Neither is Joyce.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I really don't get the Hipwood down back talk when on song he's our best forward Morris if wants back in the team should play back

But is he on song? I'm not saying he's been bad, but four goals and zero contested marks in the past four games isn't lighting the world on fire. Of course we'd rather him play forward but we have nobody tall and mobile down back, and he's tall and mobile.

 

[dlanod]

Hipwood will play CHB and win the Ashcroft Medal.

Why stop there - Hippy for the Norm Smith!

Saints next week who are short, Giants the following week is an issue

Giants are deceptively short in the forward line.

Hogan is obviously a real target, but Cadman is still developing and Riccardi doesn't use his height to any advantage - instead preferring to jump for the speccy (to the point where I just looked at his height and realised I thought he was a good couple of inches shorter than he actually is).

 

[M Malice]

 

[Sproj]

So impressive last week, looking forward to seeing him build on that, has taken his chance with both hands.

 

[knaf]

Must be almost a certain starter for the 22 , seeing he got the media gig.

 

[Dalions]

Must be almost a certain starter for the 22 , seeing he got the media gig.

Basically the face promoting the game so it would be pretty cruel by the club to then not name him in the team.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Basically the face promoting the game so it would be pretty cruel by the club to then not name him in the team.

Or they're sending him down there so the 23 that will be playing can concentrate on preparing for the game

 

[Dalions]

 

[Dalions]

Or they're sending him down there so the 23 that will be playing can concentrate on preparing for the game

Poor Noah!

 

[LionsOrDieTrion]

Hipwood down back, bring in Noah and Fort. Play 2 ruckmen keeping Joe forward permanently, resting ruckman down back.

 

[lionshine]

This would have been the perfect opportunity for Hardwick to bring Day or Casboult in to really stretch our 3rd tall e.g. Prior or Starce. We are fortunate they are injured as I could see Prior or Starce handling Walter much better at this stage.

 

[Perrip]

Alastair Lynch says Lions shouldn't put Hipwood in defense.

The depletion has led to speculation that 203cm giant Hipwood – a former under-18 All-Australian defender – could be shifted into Brisbane’s backline to nullify a Suns forward arsenal that includes Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

24

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

(202cm) as well as sizeable pair Jed Walter and Jack Lukosius

13

Jack Lukosius

Age

24

Ht

195cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.8

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.8

4star

MG

369.3

5star

D

14.8

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

3.3

2star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.8

3star

MG

369.3

5star

D

13.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

2.4

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

358.0

5star

.
However, Lynch said he would be reluctant to tinker with Brisbane’s forward framework to try to patch up the defence.
“I’d stay with the structure they have in place in the forwards,” the three-time premiership winner said.
“They should back themselves to restrict the ball from entering Gold Coast’s forward line.”
Lynch said the likes of Lester and Brandon Starcevich

37

Brandon Starcevich

Age

25

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.2

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.8

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

185.3

3star

D

9.5

2star

K

7.3

3star

HB

2.3

2star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

187.9

3star

D

8.6

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

1.4

2star

T

1.8

4star

MG

181.2

3star

would also need to “play bigger” in Brisbane’s backline in the absence of Andrews, Joyce and Payne.
....
Lynch said the Suns had “no margin for error” such was the pressure they had put on themselves this season with their poor away form.
“If they can win this game, it still gives them a chance of finishing in the top eight,” he said.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Basically the face promoting the game so it would be pretty cruel by the club to then not name him in the team.

Future captain
Book mark it.

 

[dmac_55]

Hipwood down back, bring in Noah and Fort. Play 2 ruckmen keeping Joe forward permanently, resting ruckman down back.

Did Noah play VFL on the weekend?

He might be a good addition, tough and accountable down back. Bit more physical than Mckenna.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Did Noah play VFL on the weekend?

He might be a good addition, tough and accountable down back. Bit more physical than Mckenna.

He did. Looked pretty rusty