Review Round 9, 2020 - Brisbane Lions vs. Essendon

[SXT15]

Great win. We should all be grateful, yet again, for the dominant performance the boys put on. Awesome for MRobbo #200.

I was watching Zorko really closely tonight, as I firmly believed he could get off the chain (with CEY & Berry playing more mid minutes). His foot is really affecting him. I reckon he’s @ 75% capacity max currently. There’s no affect on his one-pace running I.e running long, however, there is a definite & noticeable inability for him to sprint and hunt anywhere near his best. His zip & pressure is the hallmark of his game, and that was off,

On The Lions Roar, he admitted himself it was an injury that could only be resolved with an extended rest, by the start of next year. I love Zorko, in fact he would be in my top three of all time.

Given we are likely to contend in 2020, what are everyone’s thoughts regarding the risk v reward of playing DZ week in // week out? I‘m no medical expert, but IMO we’re basically saying another kid like Coleman or Cox @ 100% or Zorks @ 70%,

 

[Monkey Daniel]

His Bomber opponent was entitled to be standing beside him marking up was the issue, slack bombers to leave him unmarked was the issue I saw.

Correct, at first the commentators were perplexed as to how he could get a handball and the shot at goal, when they don’t understand the rules (which is quite often) they make shit up.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Ballenden is a much bettter option at Full Forward than McStay. Loved his strength in the air and enjoyed watching the players get around him when he marked strongly directly in front and then gave the goal to Charlie. On the down side, just rewatched the game and Hipwood was terrible. He is completely out of form. Also interesting to see Fagan giving him what appeared to be a bit of a “bake” in the third quarter. Based on last night a Ballenden / Skinner combination offers more than a McStay / Hipwood combo. Really looking forward to seeing how they go next week.
Answerth was great all night and Witherden played a very solid game. Oscar was sensational again and I loved his work around the ground. Charlie Cameron was deadly in attack, but how good was his run down tackle in the last quarter! Cam Rayner has also turned the corner and he looks comfortable and dangerous on the field. Lyons, Neale and Zorko were bulls all game and CEY has to be a lock for the rest of the year. Berry was strong and Bailey was solid. That was our best win this year.

 

[Viceregal]

Well that was fun and actually relaxing after a certain point through the third quarter.

One thing that confused me - twice the commentators (once for each side) made the comment that player x had kicked the ball but player y had cut it off. Now in both cases player y was just standing still and the ball went straight to him. I always thought that to cut it off you needed to move from where you were to intercept the line the ball was on and if the other guy just kicked it straight to you it was just a shank or a bad kick.

Not sure why people were going on about the commentators and AMT ... I mean there were at *least* three occasions when he got within three metres of the ball and they didn't mention him!

Grats for Mitch on 200, Connor on 1 and Skinner for getting through 2 without damaging anything - speaking of damaging someone like others have mentioned CEY's thou-shall-not-pass was great.

Also really good to see Noah and Alex come back in and show they belonged.

Flip side it was like Cutler had never left us - I mean sure he was wearing a different skin but his heart and skill seemed to have maintained their standard ... potential...

One good thing about biased commentary is that if you get distracted and they are going nuts you know Essendon did something / anything and if you start to hear a kind of a clinical bland just-reporting-the-facts tone that the Lions were doing something good.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Skinner's 10 disposals, 7 marks and 1 goal is about what we've been getting from Hipwood and McStay this season.

Very well said. What we also know is that Skinner is going to improve.

 

[M Malice]

Ballenden is a much bettter option at Full Forward than McStay. Loved his strength in the air and enjoyed watching the players get around him when he marked strongly directly in front and then gave the goal to Charlie. On the down side, just rewatched the game and Hipwood was terrible. He is completely out of form. Also interesting to see Fagan giving him what appeared to be a bit of a “bake” in the third quarter. Based on last night a Ballenden / Skinner combination offers more than a McStay / Hipwood combo. Really looking forward to seeing how they go next week.
Answerth was great all night and Witherden played a very solid game. Oscar was sensational again and I loved his work around the ground. Charlie Cameron was deadly in attack, but how good was his run down tackle in the last quarter. Cam Rayner has also turned the corner and he looks comfortable and dangerous on the field. Lyons, Neale and Zorko were bulls all game and CEY has to be a lock for the rest of the year. Berry was strong and Bailey was solid. That was our best win this year.

I liked Connor's game as well but he is not a like for like replacement for McStay, he is not an aggressive player and definitely not a pack crasher and bring ball to ground player, Skinner is the "potential" McStay type. I agree on Hippy, he is out of form, I don't think Fages would drop as yet though.

 

[3KZ is Football]

I liked Connor's game as well but he is not a like for like replacement for McStay, he is not an aggressive player and definitely not a pack crasher and bring ball to ground player, Skinner is the "potential" McStay type. I agree on Hippy, he is out of form, I don't think Fages would drop as yet though.

That was Ballenden’s first game mind you. I don’t think we want a “like for like” replacement for McStay. We want a full forward.

 

[T Rick]

Who comes in for Birchall?
also I think Robbo may be out for Tuesday

Agreed - Robbo looked absolutely stuffed on a number of occasions - surely, he will struggle to come up by Tuesday.

 

[M Malice]

Agreed - Robbo looked absolutely stuffed on a number of occasions - surely, he will struggle to come up by Tuesday.

Robbo looks absolutely stuffed after every game, gives everything he has every game he plays.

 

[Macca225]

Ballenden is a much bettter option at Full Forward than McStay. Loved his strength in the air and enjoyed watching the players get around him when he marked strongly directly in front and then gave the goal to Charlie. On the down side, just rewatched the game and Hipwood was terrible. He is completely out of form. Also interesting to see Fagan giving him what appeared to be a bit of a “bake” in the third quarter. Based on last night a Ballenden / Skinner combination offers more than a McStay / Hipwood combo. Really looking forward to seeing how they go next week.
Answerth was great all night and Witherden played a very solid game. Oscar was sensational again and I loved his work around the ground. Charlie Cameron was deadly in attack, but how good was his run down tackle in the last quarter! Cam Rayner has also turned the corner and he looks comfortable and dangerous on the field. Lyons, Neale and Zorko were bulls all game and CEY has to be a lock for the rest of the year. Berry was strong and Bailey was solid. That was our best win this year.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing either Ballenden or Skinner play with McStay.

 

[mpal6]

Ballenden is a much bettter option at Full Forward than McStay. Loved his strength in the air and enjoyed watching the players get around him when he marked strongly directly in front and then gave the goal to Charlie. On the down side, just rewatched the game and Hipwood was terrible. He is completely out of form. Also interesting to see Fagan giving him what appeared to be a bit of a “bake” in the third quarter. Based on last night a Ballenden / Skinner combination offers more than a McStay / Hipwood combo. Really looking forward to seeing how they go next week.
Answerth was great all night and Witherden played a very solid game. Oscar was sensational again and I loved his work around the ground. Charlie Cameron was deadly in attack, but how good was his run down tackle in the last quarter! Cam Rayner has also turned the corner and he looks comfortable and dangerous on the field. Lyons, Neale and Zorko were bulls all game and CEY has to be a lock for the rest of the year. Berry was strong and Bailey was solid. That was our best win this year.

Ballenden / Skinner were able to play their role in forward line but on top of that free up Oscar's time on ruck. Usually it'll be McStay / Hipwood as forwards and then Martin / Oscar as ruck. Looks like we can add another small or medium player to the game due to Ballenden / Skinner sharing ruck cover. Early days but I like what I see.

 

[luthor]

="Viceregal, post: 66138369, member: 29202"

One good thing about biased commentary is that if you get distracted and they are going nuts you know Essendon did something / anything and if you start to hear a kind of a clinical bland just-reporting-the-facts tone that the Lions were doing something good.

Bruce was goddamn unbearable. Basically barracking for Essendon.

Thank God MTW did jack Sh!t all night,

I couldn't have stood one of Bruce's orgasmic "OOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"'s

 

[Macca225]

His Bomber opponent was entitled to be standing beside him marking up was the issue, slack bombers to leave him unmarked was the issue I saw.

Normally you have to come from behind, if Hipwood wrapped around the back it would of been all good

 

[Sanchez365]

Did anyone else hear (Carey I think) get asked a question about Brisbanes form and he said "oh well I haven't seen them every week".

Are commentators seriously not watching the bookies flag favourite every week? Surely that's a requirement of your job? How these guys keep their job completely baffles me sometimes.

 

[trikster]

So this is what having depth on your list looks like

Balleneden and Skinner will be better for the game though I liked what Ballenden gave us at FF later in the game, Witho and Answerth played great games. Answerth gave tippa an absolute bath! Hopefully O Mac was just sore after the game when he was limping around

 

[Macca225]

Answerth completely dominated Tipungwuti in the 1st half kept win touchless, on that performance it was hard to see how he was left out of the side for so long.

 

[Macca225]

Did anyone else hear (Carey I think) get asked a question about Brisbanes form and he said "oh well I haven't seen them every week".

Are commentators seriously not watching the bookies flag favourite every week? Surely that's a requirement of your job? How these guys keep their job completely baffles me sometimes.

 

[luthor]

And the top two articles on fox sports is how Essendon were robbed by the umpires

Well, for the umpires to have influenced the game by 10 and a half goals, it must have been a bigger heist than the Great Train Robbery.

 

[Sunstar]

More depth than a black hole

View attachment 924285

Just thought I would say whoever found Oscar deserves a raise, best value for money player in the league

 

[X AE A12]

Good performance by the Lions but a pretty average one by the bombers. I'm going to need a bigger sample size to draw any conclusions about Ballenden and Skinner, but a good debut/return. Just bought a ticket for tigers game on Ticketek and cant wait for that match

 

[royboys4eva]

Who comes in for Birchall?
also I think Robbo may be out for Tuesday

Is the answer Claye Beams?

 

[JasRulz63]

An alternate perspective - he was playing Oscar's role for more of the game in the end, giving him more time around the contest (and hence chances to get his hands on it) than McSwood usually get.

I agree with that. It was more in response to the post(s) disappointed with Skinner's performance. Though with 7 marks for 10 disposals, most of his possessions were off marks.

While they didn't take any big marks, I thought the big men (Skinner/Ballenden/Hipwood/Oscar) did well to make a contest when we went long down the line and inside 50 and brought the ball the ground, even though they weren't clunking them. I can't remember many instances where Essendon were able to take a contested mark defensively and propel their counter (neither Hurley or Ridley took a contested mark). Ridley, who's having a very good season, didn't have much of an impact.

 

[Macca225]

Robbo

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Given we are likely to contend in 2020, what are everyone’s thoughts regarding the risk v reward of playing DZ week in // week out? I‘m no medical expert, but IMO we’re basically saying another kid like Coleman or Cox @ 100% or Zorks @ 70%,

I think he'd be better with a few games off. Wouldn't rest him against Richmond, but definitely against North, great opportunity for Cox or Coleman to get some game time in that matchup.

 

[mpal6]

Answerth completely dominated Tipungwuti in the 1st half kept win touchless, on that performance it was hard to see how he was left out of the side for so long.

Credit to Answerth and Witherden for taking the opportunity and showing they belong. Competition for spots will be pretty hot now. I was so happy to see all these emergency listed players come in and giving a good account in their roles. Good problem for Fages now .