Preview Round 3: Brisbane vs North Melbourne, Sat 2nd April, 7pm Brisbane time @ Gabba

[Clarkythelion]

**** has done a lot of media now, he is comfortable in front of the cameras. People who are good at media kinda have a 'helicopter' view of what is going on, they can see the interactions, see the questions coming, see how reported are setting up interview traps with questions. People good at media just seem relaxed and don't get flustered, done ummm and arrrr like most players, interviews just seem to flow.

**** is good, even great now, the media seem to love him for the character he has built. When **** bristles I think he is simply cutting a line of questioning off early before the next question or the one after it is the question he really doesn't want to answer. Being interviewed is a bit like chess, you need to be a few moves ahead when ever you can be.

 

[davemc_lions]

I do not mind Zorko back.. frees up some mid time for others like Clugga, Berry, Dev etc. which flows on to freeing up wing for Sharp/Prior etc
Problem is he had a bad foot for a few years now.. Slowed him down.
We have problem with coverage and speed in the backline. If Zorko ends up same paced like Birchall last year
Offensive weapon vs actual defending. is a balancing act.
Rich also seemed last week to lost a little speed, I assume carrying the problem from the port game.

 

[Mighty Lions]

**** has done a lot of media now, he is comfortable in front of the cameras. People who are good at media kinda have a 'helicopter' view of what is going on, they can see the interactions, see the questions coming, see how reported are setting up interview traps with questions. People good at media just seem relaxed and don't get flustered, done ummm and arrrr like most players, interviews just seem to flow.

**** is good, even great now, the media seem to love him for the character he has built. When **** bristles I think he is simply cutting a line of questioning off early before the next question or the one after it is the question he really doesn't want to answer. Being interviewed is a bit like chess, you need to be a few moves ahead when ever you can be.

True to some extent not not 100% true.

 

[scoman]

Not overly confident with our recent performances against North and the poor start by our midfield this year. Its a perfect opportunity for our midfield group to flex and put in a dominant display and restore some confidence though. I really hope that happens.

 

[Clarkythelion]

True to some extent not not 100% true.

I did media for many years myself, it's true.

 

[Mighty Lions]

I did media for many years myself, it's true.

Then you would know that providing the media want to portray a good story, that is what will be presented regardless of how nice or nasty the person in the story is. Fages is portrayed as this father figure and someone that butter would not melt in his mouth but that's simply not true. I'm not saying that in a bad way (i like the way Fagan goes about things) just saying the way he comes across in the media is not the way it is away from the camera.
The same old cliche......don't spoil a good story with the facts!

 

[lionraven]

There is 'injured' and then there is injured. I doubt any AFL player is ever uninjured after spending the best part of 3 hours fighting 22 physical fit athletic men for a piece of leather. Players playing with significant injuries like MCLs is not uncommon if the type of injury they are carrying is unlikely to worsen with play and the type of remedy required to fix the injury would result in a lost season for the player.

The question about a coach letting players play injured is not an insignificant one. Between the lines of that type of questioning is a jab at the professionalism, duty of care and ethics of the coach. Its basically asking if Fages and his coaching crew are risking Zorkos career for a game. I would bristle too if I was asked something like that.

 

[twhowler]

Reminds me of last game v north.

We were playing well, north had multiple injuries, playing in Queensland, north no chance, we’ll win by 12 goals.

So i hope we win by more than a point this time!

Don’t think we’ll be taking this for granted. Been 4 goals behind both games so far. Lions by plenty. Tbh i am looking forward to relaxing while watching the game and not being stressed for once.

And yes hubris but i don’t play or coach the lions so she’ll be right.

 

[Tom14]

Reminds me of last game v north.

We were playing well, north had multiple injuries, playing in Queensland, north no chance, we’ll win by 12 goals.

So i hope we win by more than a point this time!

Don’t think we’ll be taking this for granted. Been 4 goals behind both games so far. Lions by plenty. Tbh i am looking forward to relaxing while watching the game and not being stressed for once.

And yes hubris but i don’t play or coach the lions so she’ll be right.

That was 2020, not last year where we beat them by about 20 points in a pretty competitive game in the wet/wind in Tassie.

We actually haven't played them at the Gabba since the controversial Big O free kick game in 2019, which everyone remembers whilst also forgetting the absurd ruck free Ben Brown got that lead to a goal in the 4th quarter.

 

[twhowler]

That was 2020, not last year where we beat them by about 20 points in a pretty competitive game in the wet/wind in Tassie.

We actually haven't played them at the Gabba since the controversial Big O free kick game in 2019, which everyone remembers whilst also forgetting the absurd ruck free Ben Brown got that lead to a goal in the 4th quarter.

Ah right good point

2020 at gold coast i meant. 1 point from memory after a late goal from zurhar?

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

Want the team to show no mercy and smash the Roos.

I want to win but I also don't want to destroy David Noble.

 

[martinson]

I couldn't care less whether we win by a point as long as we win.

Good teams find a way to win ugly.

You learn far more about yourselves and the list in tough games.

Winning games by huge margins against inferior opposition or anyone really just inflates the egos of your players and under prepares yourself for real contests.

I'm hoping North come out firing and really serve it up to us. They're the sort of match conditions that harden your fitness and the group. The more times we face those sort of conditions the better prepared we will be for the serious action that you face in finals.

 

[Viceregal]

I want to win but I also don't want to destroy David Noble.

Well if Noble got destroyed as a coach he would still be available for a club admin role ... and with an even wider appreciation for all facets of club operations ...

 

[Dalions]

I want to win but I also don't want to destroy David Noble.

I reckon the second year is always the hardest for a Coach. A couple of big losses now will stand him in good stead for the future.

 

[Gadzorks]

I believe we have finished our preseason training close to the start of the season to help hit the right spot come finals. It's a known thing.

It does mean that we don't start as physically fresh as we could be, so the start of the season can be tougher than we'd like.

I started the week thinking, clinical demolition. But have changed my take - I think it will be tough, scrappy but we will prevail.

And we will come out of the bye in demolition mode, and get the demolition wind. That'll be fun.

 

[Nunez]

I believe we have finished our preseason training close to the start of the season to help hit the right spot come finals. It's a known thing.

It does mean that we don't start as physically fresh as we could be, so the start of the season can be tougher than we'd like.

I started the week thinking, clinical demolition. But have changed my take - I think it will be tough, scrappy but we will prevail.

And we will come out of the bye in demolition mode, and get the demolition wind. That'll be fun.

I've gone from clinical demolition to clinical demolition. Given their outs - 40+ points seems like a realistic win.

 

[Gadzorks]

I've gone from clinical demolition to clinical demolition. Given their outs - 40+ points seems like a realistic win.

Haha maybe I'm just a secret pessimist

 

[scoman]

Haha maybe I'm just a secret pessimist

I always fear the worst. You would think I would handle it better when the worst happens though.

 

[Dalions]

I always fear the worst. You would think I would handle it better when the worst happens though.

It won’t be this weekend.

 

[BangyBangy]

I've gone from clinical demolition to clinical demolition. Given their outs - 40+ points seems like a realistic win.

Agree. I know it's a tight comp & anyone can beat anyone on their day but hard to see how we're not a two goal better side per quarter.

 

[Nunez]

I think an average win will still be 30-40 points.

 

[luthor]

Our Round 1 game against Port would have been energy sapping despite its scrappy and unattractive nature .

It was a warm evening and we had to really put the big ones in , in the last quarter to get the win after trailing by 15 at the last break.

As disappointing as it was, the sluggish start to the Bombers game probably shouldn't have been a total shock, especially as the Bombers put in an insipid performance the week before and were always going to come out full of energy and enthusiasm. We may have been lucky that they failed to convert their opportunities in the first quarter. However, once we got rolling in quarters 2 and 3 and got a solid lead at 3/4 time, we weren't seriously threatened in the last quarter.

We actually looked like we went into energy conservation mode in the fourth.

I entirely get that. I think it's good resource management

So, no excuses for a poor start against North. I want to see us put them away early and cruise to the line after half time.

 

[TaylorMade]

I figure the Zorko move and new players will have changed our game enough that Nobel's inside knowledge won't be as powerful as previously.

And i reckon Fagan is not interested in losing to his old off-sider. He'll have the boys at focused fever pitch and it will be a start to end demolition.

At least I hope so

It's been a couple of years so you are probably right that his inside knowledge is nullified.

Let's hope the boys come out this week firing because the first halves so far have been painful to watch.

 

[davemc_lions]

we need a few 70-80+ wins come end of the season for ladder %
So need to put foot down if there is a opportunity
Although honestly North could come out and win it.. I do not think there are easy gimme games anymore.

 

[Gibbo_88]

Funny how a game can make you feel despite a good result. We're 2 wins ahead of where we were last year and only missing one best 22 player. I thought our performance against Port looked like a bit similar in energy to how we played against Sydney last year and then we played really well against the Cats in round 2 but didn't quite make it thanks to a dodgy non free kick. Haven't felt convinced we're a challenger based on the wins so far. The better teams tend to keep winning when they're not in form. Hopefully this week or next we get there.