Review Round 23, 2022 - Brisbane Lions vs. Melbourne

[martinson]

I declared the game over after that first bounce and their first goal - said they will demolish us. Clear we had frozen over again, mids literally stood there and watched them. Got told I was a panic merchant by neutral supporters in the room, they were all fully agreeable after about 15 minutes.

That was the most surprising feature tonight. I thought we'd come out full of purpose and breathing fire.

Something's not right somewhere.

 

[briztoon]

I think he's clearly frustrated with the way we've been going and in his own way is trying to lift us.

OK so it backfires sometimes.

He hasn’t looked to really change the team once this year.

Tinkered around the edges with the fringe half forwards and young wings, but never looked to address the problems we have in all three areas of the ground.

 

[3KZ is Football]

The first thing we need to do is take down the boxing gloves that hang above the entry to the players race. The ritual of touching them on the way onto the ground before the game has become a sad parody.

 

[MacMum]

It appeared at three quarter time that Fages was having a blue with one of the physio, clearly about Berry. Followed him around for a good three minutes with arms outstretched and next minute the sub was made. It looked ordinary.

Interesting....wonder if Fages wanted Bezz to play on and physio didn't or was it the other way around. Guess we'll probably never know.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

He hasn’t looked to really change the team once this year.

Tinkered around the edges with the fringe half forwards and young wings, but never looked to address the problems we have in all three areas of the ground.

It's always the wingers fault

 

[Thomasno]

How can we have won so many stat catagories yet get flogged ? It’s weird

Because whenever we got the ball we just bombed it long and hoped for the best.

I know we’re bad about that at the best of times, but it was quite literally all we did tonight

 

[pulpdriver]

View attachment 1483762

Damning. That's the kind of stats that do need addressing.

 

[davemc_lions]

you not going to see Fagan rip the players in a presser

Although I think it gone past time he should do more in selection.
We play the Tigers in two weeks at the Gabba and be it
Maybe we win that one.. Cannot see us going further
We cannot win big games just not up to it
Time and time again we failed the big game
We cannot win at the G.
Do not worry we learn from this the stats say we had more inside 50's
etc etc.
reality we just not good enough.
Demons, Cats and Tigers had us the last few years
Pies, Swans and Blues will go past us next.
I know doom and gloom out of all the top 8 sides we prob the most likely to miss in 2023.
Say we go backwards next year. Lyons, Zorko and Rich will play on and loose more pace.

 

[lioninthesand]

That was the most surprising feature tonight. I thought we'd come out full of purpose and breathing fire.

Something's not right somewhere.

That first bounce scenario was astounding.

 

[pulpdriver]

He hasn’t looked to really change the team once this year.

Tinkered around the edges with the fringe half forwards and young wings, but never looked to address the problems we have in all three areas of the ground.

Will have to next year. Will be out of contract at the end of 2023 and it's clear the current 22 isn't going to take us to a flag so changes have to be made otherwise it will be another wasted year and he will lose his job.

 

[FLVanLandingham]

Anyone still waiting for us to click at the right time?

Flags arnt won in August etc?

took the words right out of my mouth

keep hope alive my friend

 

[martinson]

Because whenever we got the ball we just bombed it long and hoped for the best.

I know we’re bad about that at the best of times, but it was quite literally all we did tonight

Even a casual AFL follower knew what would happen if we did this before the game.

Can the players not carry out instructions or are they not told ? Or both.

Melbourne annihilated us twice before this the same way. This time we overdosed on it.

 

[3KZ is Football]

I stayed out of the game day thread once the game got under way, so this has no doubt been mentioned, but how hopeless was the centre square restart when McStay simply didn’t compete and Gawn cleared it and Melbourne kicked a goal?

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Damning. That's the kind of stats that do need addressing.

Half our team can't even sprint so might be misleading.

 

[briztoon]

That was the most surprising feature tonight. I thought we'd come out full of purpose and breathing fire.

Something's not right somewhere.

I’ve been saying that since the loss to Geelong.

 

[McIvor]

Very much hope whatever the Petty incident was isn't covered up/ignored. Depending on what it was, we should be considering giving Zorko a club suspension and him missing the elimination final.

I've never liked Zorko and often thought he was a really poor representative of the club as captain. His antics have always annoyed many I've known for a long time, and being undisciplined for a captain and many of his actions do more to motivate the opposition and being detrimental to us with the 50's , suspensions and now this. The guy is a grub and would be happy if he never played a game for the club. Definitely in the Rockliff , Beams camp as players of the club I was happy to see the back of. Astonishingly all were captains.

 

[lioninthesand]

I stayed out of the game day thread once the game got under way, so this has no doubt been mentioned, but how hopeless was the centre square restart when McStay simply didn’t compete and Gawn cleared it and Melbourne kicked a goal?

Hahaha that was one of my top 5 moments of tonight.

 

[martinson]

I’ve been saying that since the loss to Geelong.

Yeah you're probably right. We were happy to pick fights but didn't show any hardness for the ball.

 

[martinson]

Hahaha that was one of my top 5 moments of tonight.

Yeah . I just laughed . Gawn grabs it from a straight ball up with no one within 5 yards of him. You could see Gawn laughing afterwards.

 

[scoman]

Unfortunately the bathwater has been drunk

I think it really is time for Fages to step aside. He has done wonders for us and will always be a legend of our club but we are not progressing under him.
Playing in finals but knowing we are not going to be winning any of them can only be a thing for so long. Who do we bring in instead? Dunno but it needs to be someone who can get our team to play A LOT harder and better than they do bcos we are s**t.

Its unlikely we sack Fagan regardless of the results over the next couple of weeks. The Clarkson thing didn't martialize unfortunately and it is unlikely the club would move him on without a target in mind. What we can do though, is appoint some fresh and highly rated assistants. I would imagine our assistant coaching lineup is close to the worst in the league. There isn't a future AFL coach in waiting, there isn't a former AFL coach. There are a few guys who have been at the club for at least ten years. Our most highly rated assistant Danny Daley has moved to management. You look at the other clubs in the top 8 and they all have former AFL coaches and/ or assistants who are often mentioned as being 'the next in line.'

Geelong - N Lappin
Melbourne - A Richardson, A Yze, M Williams
Collingwood - J Leppitch, B Bolton
Sydney - Don Pyke
Freo - J Graham
Richmond - Kingsley
Carlton - A Hanson, L Power

 

[briztoon]

Yeah you're probably right. We were happy to pick fights but didn't show any hardness for the ball.

I believe the players have started to tune Fagan out.

 

[martinson]

Regardless we get another chance in 2 weeks .

Surely this will bring about a do or die effort.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Was I seeing things tonight or did I see a confrontation between Fagan and McStay ?

 

[martinson]

I believe the players have started to tune Fagan out.

Some of the supporters have started tuning Fagan out after his post match presser in the first Melbourne match which he seems to have doubled down on since so it's possible some players have as well.

 

[PTizzle]

Regardless we get another chance in 2 weeks .

Surely this will bring about a do or die effort.

Very interested to see how we respond. Almost feels like season over after tonight, I have to remind myself we need to back up and play a final.