Review Round 6, 2023 - GWS vs. Brisbane Lions

[lioninthesand]

I thought it was a great win. They can play. We were superior all day and they never really challenged. Felt more like a 40 point win. No complaints from me.

 

[rye]

i dont care if neale goes dead fish in a tackle to play for a free if he doesnt put himself in danger. our mids need to get with the times and realise you can do whatever you want. just start throwing the ball like footscray.

 

[jjami15]

I am aware that the season is long. I honestly thought that overall GWS played better than the Lions and the difference was we had more class in our 22. It looked like we just went through the motions at times. If it was a better team then we would have lost. Then again maybe we would have played better if it was a better team. Chicken or the Egg? Some players are really not playing to their potential but the season is long. I have major concerns with Rich in the side. The game has changed and he has never been fast but as a defender he is now a liability IMO. It is time to move him on and would rather see Prior come back as at least he will put his body on the line. I would also add Lyons to that list. They are both no longer best 22 and do not fit the modern game style. They should be used as depth to cover for injuries. A win is a win but there are some concerns defensively as a team. The Giants moved the ball far too easily at times and the majority of the Lions mids didn’t work hard enough. There are definite things to work on and hopefully as the season progresses these are rectified. There is a lot of room for improvement as a team and also for some individuals.

 

[Mr Ripper]

It was more an observation of how horrific the umpiring has been generally over the past few years.

And the umpires are not fully responsible. The number of rule changes and modifications every year has turned the game into a total mess. It must be a nightmare to adjudicate. You shouldn’t have to wait after a whistle is blown to see which way the free is given (and for what..)

Aye.

They've been beholden to a succession of idiots at HQ going back to the days when David Levens was in charge.

The game still has some magnificent highlights, but the lolly scramble you get for the other 95 minutes does little to enthuse (me). Umpires (and their superiors) have had the power within the rules to do something about it, but have sat on their hands.

 

[M Malice]

I know a large part of it is game plan related, but I wonder much concern there is with our coaching staff in respect to the weight uncontested disposals we tend to concede. Apart from the game against North (+31), we've lost every other uncontested concession count for a total of -312 for the other 5 games.

It puts a lot of pressure on our defenders because opponents are able to move the ball down the field to get the ball deeper into our defensive 50. GWS were able to string some uncontested chains together which led to goals in quick succession during the game.

Luckily, Andrews and Payne are both having good seasons with some solid help from Joyce and co.

If our pressure around the ground falls off we are very vulnerable on transition as apart from a few individuals we are not a quick side overall.

 

[Ad Astra]

I thought it was a great win. They can play. We were superior all day and they never really challenged. Felt more like a 40 point win. No complaints from me.

This. I was bemused, reading some of the early commenters. I thought it was a terrific game of football and that we played a well rounded game with significant contributions from most players, Charlie starring.
I haven’t watched the replay yet but what I loved first time around was some of the scrapping, getting a hand in, smothers, chasing etc.
Coleman is a super intelligent player. He had only one recorded tackle but he times his interventions really well. He’s got great touch. Watch Dunkley when he’s under a pack. He fights so hard to manoeuvre the ball into an advantageous spot for his teammates.
Contrary to what some here thought, Rich looked really good to me. His defence is underrated. He takes heat and contests well against taller opponents. It was the first game where I could see the Rich, Coleman, McKenna trio as a potentially deadly unit. You’ve got three attacking players off half-back, two of them lethal by foot (McKenna ain’t bad either) and the other fast, daring and creative.
The midfield effort had an even feel to it. Despite a couple of clangers, Hughie looked dangerous and occasionally sublime. (Also SIX tackles I think. ?) Kelly is an absolute gun of the competition. Best on ground for mine . We broke even because everyone had a go . We didn’t need Lachie to dominate.
Jack Payne’s aerial skill can’t be questioned now. What I really liked was his delivery and decision making. His kicking is technically good but was prone to awful turnovers. Now he’s looking much sharper and quite creative at times. Joyce will make one or two blues per game but he’s really tough, can mark and you always get an honest effort. He’s filled what looked like an awful hole much better than what most expected.
Hippy was well held by Buckley, who’s a good emerging player, but he got on the board and laid off some excellent handballs in tight.
If you can stop Toby green from being dominant you’ve done well so hats off to Starce. It’s comforting to know that we’ve got a bloke who will never be whipped. And he’s usually on the most dangerous player in any opposition forward line. That negates a key weapon of any team. His importance can’t be overestimated.
I’m loving Joe’s consistency. Much like last year pre-injury.
And then there’s the one and only Charles Cameron. Best small forward ever for mine.
Altogether a really good performance, away from home, against a highly skilled team studded with talent. We didn’t just play out the last q either. 2.7 and some easy shots missed. Looked like a 30-40 point win to me.

 

[M Malice]

What do we think... was the Charles Cameron Ronaldo goal a fluke or did he mean it?

 

[pulpdriver]

Breakout game for Payne. Thought he was fantastic. On the flip side Joyce at times looked a bit more like the player I was expecting after performing pretty well for a month.

 

[Tom14]

Our whole gameplan yesterday was shutting down GWS momentum? We'd get a good lead, they'd try peg it back and never manage more than a few goals in succession. The only real difference is that we had 9 shots in the fourth and didn't convert to our usual standards. Even if one third of those behinds converted we win by 35+.

For me, it was a win built on shutting down momentum.

GWS out scored their expected score by 2 goals yesterday, we were a point behind our expected score. Was about a 5 goal win on expected scores, just as last week it was a 100 point win but for north not missing a shot in the first half.

Most frustrating part was dominating territory in the back half of the third quarter and then them getting some easy transition goals to reel the margin back in.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

What do we think... was the Charles Cameron Ronaldo goal a fluke or did he mean it?

He definitely meant it but he got super lucky with the bounce. Bit of both really. Great goal in any case. It was the sort of thing that induces despair in the opposition that that kind of action pays off.

 

[martinson]

He definitely meant it but he got super lucky with the bounce. Bit of both really. Great goal in any case. It was the sort of thing that induces despair in the opposition that that kind of action pays off.

I'm not convinced he meant it at all but the commentators were falling over themselves to say he meant it as a great talking point.

 

[Quested]

I'm not convinced he meant it at all but the commentators were falling over themselves to say he meant it as a great talking point.

I'm going to back him on this, the way he looked over his shoulder immediately after the connection, that was intentional. I can imagine some time spent practicing various volleys and soccer shots for such chaos balls. It's still 1 in 1,000 to come off, but that's Charlie!

 

[M Malice]

He definitely meant it but he got super lucky with the bounce. Bit of both really. Great goal in any case. It was the sort of thing that induces despair in the opposition that that kind of action pays off.

I'm not convinced he meant it at all but the commentators were falling over themselves to say he meant it as a great talking point.

I'm going to back him on this, the way he looked over his shoulder immediately after the connection, that was intentional. I can imagine some time spent practicing various volleys and soccer shots for such chaos balls. It's still 1 in 1,000 to come off, but that's Charlie!

Whatever it was it was better than the Matthew Lloyd back heel that got goal of the year in 2007.

 

[martinson]

I'm going to back him on this, the way he looked over his shoulder immediately after the connection, that was intentional. I can imagine some time spent practicing various volleys and soccer shots for such chaos balls. It's still 1 in 1,000 to come off, but that's Charlie!

Yeah hard to know. I had the opposite feeling . He sort of looked half heartedly because that's where it went , didn't celebrate like he'd just conquered Everest , and pointed towards his ankle. It was my impression it was a fluke but happy to go with the narrative that he meant it and add to the legend.

 

[pOleK]

Neale went limp. If I was being honest from a neutral point. I'd say he knew exactly what he was doing.

Agree. It happened a few times last week across the league. Same as players leading with the head for high contact, they are incredibly smart at drawing frees - it’s my opinion some players (not everytime) are starting to go limp when tackled to increase chance they fall directly to the ground with momentum.

I watched the replay of the Neale tackle and he didn’t flex or fight at all, I think it was in part a technique to draw a free that will become part of the game going forth amidst this dangerous tackle crackdown.

GWS player still responsible and will likely get a week, there are other ways to tackle.

I don't think Neale intentionally played for the free. 1, because it's not in his DNA to stage, and 2, if you watch it in real-time (link here), Lachie gathers the ball, sells the dummy to McCluggage which isn't bought by Ward and then gets caught. By the looks of it, he's resigned to the fact that he's going to get pinged for HTB and surrenders in the tackle. After the point of resignation, Ward swings him around and pins the arm that Lachie would use to brace as well as traps his legs forcing Neale into the ground which results in the slinging action. I don't think there was any malice in it but with the ongoing commentary about protecting the head and duty of care when a player is vulnerable, I think Ward is going to cop a 1-week ban. It is a shame though because they've got the derby next week but it's a tackling style the AFL wants to stamp out.

And personally, having been concussed twice by sling tackles (once in League, once in Aussie Rules), the sickening feeling you have afterwards is not something you want to forcefully recreate.

 

[Haso]

I'm going to back him on this, the way he looked over his shoulder immediately after the connection, that was intentional. I can imagine some time spent practicing various volleys and soccer shots for such chaos balls. It's still 1 in 1,000 to come off, but that's Charlie!

I think he did mean it, but that it was a massive speculation and a slim to zero chance of actually landing. Meant it, long shot, got it, boith luck and intention onvolved I think.

 

[Haso]

I feel like it was a good game and a good win? One win behind us prior to yesterday, and they haven't lost a match by more than 20 points yet this season? 91.6 is a pretty good percentage for a team sitting on 2-4.

Some of youse guys can't see beyond the nose that you've cutt off of your own faces I reckon. Let the guys settle into the season and enjoy a win or two for frigs sake. Good lordt.

 

[Ad Astra]

I'm going to back him on this, the way he looked over his shoulder immediately after the connection, that was intentional. I can imagine some time spent practicing various volleys and soccer shots for such chaos balls. It's still 1 in 1,000 to come off, but that's Charlie!

If he’d wanted to collect the ball, he wouldn’t have jumped like that. That’s just millisecond instinct. He might not even know if he ‘meant’ it. His body just reacted. It’s limbic. With Charlie it’s the fight, flight or kick goal of the year response.

 

[pOleK]

Rich was reasonably good today. Got into some tough spots and soaked up a bit of punishment.

I also thought his disposal was fine and we started a chain from his kick ins 3 or 4 times.

I gave him a vote.

He's definitely showing signs of age, Richy was never lightning fast and he's probably lost a little bit more pace but he normally makes up for it with his positioning in defence. Sometimes on kick-ins, he resorts to the long bomb down the line, but when he plays smart and aggressively like he did yesterday he works to get that short 1-2 to clear the opposition's defensive press or picks out a difficult 30-40m kick that leads to us opening the corridor. Still in the Best 22 for mine.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

I feel like it was a good game and a good win? One win behind us prior to yesterday, and they haven't lost a match by more than 20 points yet this season? 91.6 is a pretty good percentage for a team sitting on 2-4.

Some of youse guys can't see beyond the nose that you've cutt off of your own faces I reckon. Let the guys settle into the season and enjoy a win or two for frigs sake. Good lordt.

Settle and enjoy? Agree that this is sage advice for the fans, health wise. However self-proclaimed hunters don't settle and enjoy. Hunters take scalps, hunters go in for the kill when the opportunity arises. Maybe we are not hunters after all. Will throw in obligatory emoji thingo to indicate the half serious nature of this post.

 

[Nathan Barley]

I don't think Neale intentionally played for the free. 1, because it's not in his DNA to stage, and 2, if you watch it in real-time (link here), Lachie gathers the ball, sells the dummy to McCluggage which isn't bought by Ward and then gets caught. By the looks of it, he's resigned to the fact that he's going to get pinged for HTB and surrenders in the tackle. After the point of resignation, Ward swings him around and pins the arm that Lachie would use to brace as well as traps his legs forcing Neale into the ground which results in the slinging action. I don't think there was any malice in it but with the ongoing commentary about protecting the head and duty of care when a player is vulnerable, I think Ward is going to cop a 1-week ban. It is a shame though because they've got the derby next week but it's a tackling style the AFL wants to stamp out.

And personally, having been concussed twice by sling tackles (once in League, once in Aussie Rules), the sickening feeling you have afterwards is not something you want to forcefully recreate.

Tom Berry did the same thing when Joel Selwood tackled him a couple of years ago

 

[pOleK]

Tom Berry did the same thing when Joel Selwood tackled him a couple of years ago

If this is the tackle you're referring to, I think it's just a case of Tom hearing the umpire's call and halting play and Selwood just not registering it.

 

[Nunez]

I feel like it was a good game and a good win? One win behind us prior to yesterday, and they haven't lost a match by more than 20 points yet this season? 91.6 is a pretty good percentage for a team sitting on 2-4.

Some of youse guys can't see beyond the nose that you've cutt off of your own faces I reckon. Let the guys settle into the season and enjoy a win or two for frigs sake. Good lordt.

How dare you be the voice of reason - that's BRAB s job.

 

[Haso]

Settle and enjoy? Agree that this is sage advice for the fans, health wise. However self-proclaimed hunters don't settle and enjoy. Hunters take scalps, hunters go in for the kill when the opportunity arises. Maybe we are not hunters after all. Will throw in obligatory emoji thingo to indicate the half serious nature of this post.

Well I mean, we'd like to think our team are hunters. And they were and did. They won. I'm sure that we could probably stand to settle down and enjoy that.

 

[Haso]

How dare you be the voice of reason - that's BRAB s job.

I had a shortfall to make up after my preview

I'd hate to have hurt BRAB's feelings. Are you ok over there big dog?