Preview Semi Final v Bulldogs @ The Gabba, Saturday 4th September 2021, 7.20pm.

[Dalions]

The dogs fanbase can't travel - would be very hard to sell a game like this out.

I know, it’s just really weird the way that Ticketmaster has sold the tickets because there is something like 6 or 7 basically completely empty bays.

 

[M Malice]

Seriously? What mental demons could he possibly be having in a high stake QF final with preliminary final berth on the line?

Someone mentioned earlier in the week that the amazing finish to the Eagles game may have used up a lot of emotional energy and it resulted in us being a little flat v the Demons.

That was one of the most anxious and thrilling last 15 minutes to a game I can ever remember, I found it hard to get to sleep that night so assume the players would have been buzzing after the game for a while, those sort of games don't come around too often eg. miracle on grass, pandemonium at the Gabba, Carlton final 2009.

I'm sure we'll be motivated and the intensity and desire will be at a high level in front of a big Gabba crowd on Saturday night, just hope our carrying injured guys in Andrews and Darcy can be somewhere near their best.

 

[Dalions]

Someone mentioned earlier in the week that the amazing finish to the Eagles game may have used up a lot of emotional energy and it resulted in us being a little flat v the Demons.

It no excuse though.
Same could actually be said of Melbourne. With their comeback from 44 points down or whatever it was to win their game after the siren.
They went on like they had won the Grand Final as well.
Just like us and it would have taken them a while to come down from that as well.

 

[M Malice]

It no excuse though.
Same could actually be said of Melbourne. With their comeback from 44 points down or whatever it was to win their game after the siren.
They went on like they had won the Grand Final as well.
Just like us and it would have taken them a while to come down from that as well.

Definitely no excuses... and great point about the Demons finish v the Cats, I hadn't even thought about that, didn't spend a millisecond thinking about the Demons, shows how biased I am, Lions blinkers on.

 

[fugitive]

Someone mentioned earlier in the week that the amazing finish to the Eagles game may have used up a lot of emotional energy and it resulted in us being a little flat v the Demons.

Fages did mention in his press conference post Eagles game that he was getting a lot of text messages from players about how much they need to win by to steal top 4 so I get it was playing on their mind but that’s the ups and downs of playing professional sport. Don’t think that’s an excuse to suddenly go “flat” 5 days later.

 

[davemc_lions]

Especially when they haven’t played a competition game for 4 weeks .

Had a hitout against Southport on the weekend

VFL: Reinforcements Readied

A raft of emerging Lions are ready to step up if needed in this weekend's elimination Semi Final.

www.lions.com.au

Last time everyone piled onto Dad he had a great game.
Not been a good year for him.
Dizzy off as well
Structure wise I cannot see Ballenden smashing a pack and bring the ball down like McStay does not sure really like for like.
Maybe McFayden?

I know talk about going small although you need someone to contest the bomb and bring the ball to ground.
Daniher does not, not Charlie they both jump for it or get bodied out.

 

[mpal6]

I know, it’s just really weird the way that Ticketmaster has sold the tickets because there is something like 6 or 7 basically completely empty bays.

The only bays with lot of tickets appear to be on the verandah end.
Otherwise it looks pretty full to me. I suspect even these bays will fill up as we get close to Saturday.

 

[md20]

Might be a radical view(and it wont happen) but if Harris and Darcy are playing injured and it manifested in the way they played last week I'd be leaving them out and selecting fit players, which would result in total changes something like this >

Outs- Harris Andrews(inj), Darcy Gardiner(inj), Daniel McStay(conc), Tom Fullarton(omit), Nakia Cockatoo(managed), Grant Birchall(omit).

Ins- Jack Payne, Ryan Lester, Connor Ballenden, Callum Ah Chee, Dev Robertson, Tom Berry.

Ryan Lester, Jack Payne, Brandon Starcevich.
Daniel Rich, Marcus Adams, Keidean Coleman.

Oscar McInerney, Jarryd Lyons, Lachie Neale.
Hugh McCluggage, Zac Bailey, Dayne Zorko.

Charlie Cameron, Connor Ballenden, Lincoln McCarthy.
Tom Berry, Joe Daniher, Callum Ah Chee.

Jaxon Prior, Mitch Robinson, Dev Robertson, Jarrod Berry.

Quite a fan of this. Thats if Gardiner and Andrews are carrying injuries. Bit different if they were just down in form in which Id back them obviously.
Id rather play fully fit inexperienced players over compromised/injured experienced players.

Id take the loss better knowing that our team was fully fit and gave it their all instead of playing injured players being limited to how hard they could push themselves, and dwelling on the thought of what could have been if the 22 were fit.

 

[mpal6]

My wish is to play Madden and TBerry. Send TBerry to Dale/Daniel and Madden to the backline to add some zip. But knowing our approach all season, our coaching group will go with minimal changes (unless forced due to injury) and keep backing our players in. It is what it is.

 

[Mighty Lions]

Quite a fan of this. Thats if Gardiner and Andrews are carrying injuries. Bit different if they were just down in form in which Id back them obviously.
Id rather play fully fit inexperienced players over compromised/injured experienced players.

Id take the loss better knowing that our team was fully fit and gave it their all instead of playing injured players being limited to how hard they could push themselves, and dwelling on the thought of what could have been if the 22 were fit.

Take Harris & Dizzy out of our 22 and kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced. An 80% fit Harris is far better than anyone we have as a replacement. Harris always gives his all despite some making comments about him looking like he doesn't want to be there.
It's been a shitty year injury wise for us but the challenges we have faced (including this one coming up) do have positives come from it that we can learn from.

 

[On the quiet]

Down and out in Melbourne checking out the Ticketmaster site and seeing all the great seats I could get - whacking them into my cart and then deleting them when reality sets in. Good luck to all you fabo supporters who get to go - wish it was me. Hope we bring in Payne as I think he brings some size and can use his body strength and experience more than Ballenden. Everyone says finals football has a different feel and goes up several notches -so having less experience for a major role is tricky if we choose him I think. Will be watching and cheering and wishing and hoping. Go lions!

Hang in there 'Lockie', hopefully some gradual easing of restrictions soon down in Melbourne. Enjoy watching the Lions wins

 

[LongLion]

Plus the price increase for finals rules out a lot of the casual fans - they're usually made up for by the travellers.

And the Broncos are playing Sat arvo

 

[M Malice]

Take Harris & Dizzy out of our 22 and kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced. An 80% fit Harris is far better than anyone we have as a replacement. Harris always gives his all despite some making comments about him looking like he doesn't want to be there.
It's been a shitty year injury wise for us but the challenges we have faced (including this one coming up) do have positives come from it that we can learn from.

Regarding the bolded, IMO if Darcy and Harris play as they did against the Dees.... > ditto.

Both looked well below 80% to my eye, if just form related ie. a down game + supposed injury has shown some improvement I would 100% want both in the side though.

 

[On the quiet]

Take Harris & Dizzy out of our 22 and kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced. An 80% fit Harris is far better than anyone we have as a replacement. Harris always gives his all despite some making comments about him looking like he doesn't want to be there.
It's been a shitty year injury wise for us but the challenges we have faced (including this one coming up) do have positives come from it that we can learn from.

Harris will play, Gardiner not so sure about. I have faith who ever comes in for an injured Gardiner will be a better option. Obvious that Dizzy is playing injured.
I won't kiss the game goodbye, if both were missing (but confident Andrews plays). I said when Bruce did his ACL that might throw the Dogs forward structure out, and their not as potent with the one main tall target (who is a good player). Starc will take care of Weightman.

I am keen for Oscar to play as much ruck time as possible and likely then English will have to spend more time in the ruck rather then going forward as the extra tall. As with all games it is up to the mids to compete and hopefully dominate.

 

[md20]

Take Harris & Dizzy out of our 22 and kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced. An 80% fit Harris is far better than anyone we have as a replacement. Harris always gives his all despite some making comments about him looking like he doesn't want to be there.
It's been a shitty year injury wise for us but the challenges we have faced (including this one coming up) do have positives come from it that we can learn from.

And kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced if they produce the same performance as last week due to carrying injuries.

Chances are the stress of this game is causing me to think irrationally as my thoughts swing rapidly between 'leave the team be/minimal changes', and 'try something different/**** shit up'

 

[Mighty Lions]

And kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced if they produce the same performance as last week due to carrying injuries.

Chances are the stress of this game is causing me to think irrationally as my thoughts swing rapidly between 'leave the team be/minimal changes', and 'try something different/fu** sh*t up'

They are forced to do something different 100% with Dan now out and with Cal & Froggy available that also changes the dynamic quite a bit. The selections for this game will be interesting to say the least....and there will be melts.
Like I said in my previous post, our injuries this season have been like no other for 3-4 years so the club will learn from this situation for sure.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Still don't understand why people think we are going to change everything in a final. Will be minimal changes.

My guess:
Out - McStay, Prior
In - Ballenden, Ah Chee

 

[Fagenslions36]

Ballandeen looks like Tarzan plays like Jane as does his mate Fullerton. Both not up to it

 

[martinson]

Take Harris & Dizzy out of our 22 and kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced. An 80% fit Harris is far better than anyone we have as a replacement. Harris always gives his all despite some making comments about him looking like he doesn't want to be there.
It's been a shitty year injury wise for us but the challenges we have faced (including this one coming up) do have positives come from it that we can learn from.

Mighty Lions he looked nowhere near 80% last week and Dizz was really poor. Do you have reason to believe they'll both be better physically this week. Of course everyone wants them in the side. If they can compete at a reasonable enough level.

 

[jackess]

Ballandeen looks like Tarzan plays like Jane as does his mate Fullerton. Both not up to it

Those Janes in our womens team attack the footy pretty hard

 

[martinson]

Those Janes in our womens team attack the footy pretty hard

I think Ballenden gets a bad wrap and is a slow maturer.

I've been looking forward to getting him in the side, obviously not in these circumstances.

 

[MacMum]

Have just heard Tim Watson (ex Ess) and Gary Lyon talking about defenders, wasn't listening too much about the why's though but pricked my ears when Tim said he remembered years ago when Mitch Robinson

5

Mitch Robinson

Age

35

Ht

184cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

8.7

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.7

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

15.8

4star

K

11.3

4star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.9

3star

CL

1.8

4star

D

13.2

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.6

5star

was at Carlton he was put on to Dustin Fletcher

Dustin Fletcher

Age

49

Ht

198cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.0

4star

K

12.3

5star

HB

3.7

3star

M

4.7

4star

T

1.2

3star

MG

301.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

14.2

4star

K

11.4

4star

HB

2.8

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.4

4star

(Ess) and totally shut him down..

My mind did a light bulb moment! Why not try Mitch, could he be our fill-in?

If Tim Watson remembered and mentioned it after all this time, Mitchy must've done a very good job of it.

 

[mpal6]

Take Harris & Dizzy out of our 22 and kiss the game goodbye before the ball is bounced. An 80% fit Harris is far better than anyone we have as a replacement. Harris always gives his all despite some making comments about him looking like he doesn't want to be there.
It's been a shitty year injury wise for us but the challenges we have faced (including this one coming up) do have positives come from it that we can learn from.

While I largely agree with this sentiment, we did take Harris out for tight hamstring against Eagles and Adams came in to do a decent job. Dizzy was down on that game as well but with the rest playing ok we managed to cover. If both Harris and Dizzy are struggling in terms of fitness, its hard to carry both.

No one is questioning Harris commitment to the cause. I believe the point is more around how many underdone players suddenly becomes too many in our backline.

 

[Mighty Lions]

Mighty Lions he looked nowhere near 80% last week and Dizz was really poor. Do you have reason to believe they'll both be better physically this week. Of course everyone wants them in the side. If they can compete at a reasonable enough level.

There are expert medical staff & football people involved that I have trust in to make the best call. I dont think they play if the club believes they are not capable of doing the job assigned to them. I've seen several players last week (and many times throughout the years past) who were not injured who played well below 50%.

 

[jackess]

Fitness pending I think we’ll do;

Ballenden for McStay, Ah Chee for Cockatoo and Lester for Prior

No positional changes just playing an extra back