The positives thread

[a mayes ing]

The best replays this year have been ones where Darcy is being thrown around like a rag doll with his arms out sideways.

You then see the umpire sprinting in pointing his arm out for a free kick.

I loved the Essendon one with Carlisle, a free and a 50.
NM one with Grant was good as well.

 

[POBT]

I can't remember being so confident that a group of youngsters have what it takes to make it at senior level.

When assessing youngsters, I tend to look for signs or glimpses of AFL standard play. My reasoning is that those glimpses demonstrate a player's potential capability. It is then up to him to turn those glimpses into consistent performances.

But so far, it feels like we're getting more than just glimpses of high performance. These guys are sustaining senior standard levels for large parts of games. Maybe not every week and maybe not even every quarter. But it is more than just promise - through the opportunities afforded to them, they have exceeded all my expectations in terms of performance. I couldn't be more rapt in our 1-50 game group.

If not for the scars left by the go home 5, I would be incredibly bullish about our future. As it is, I am highly hopeful that 2015-16 will see significant improvement in our club's fortunes.

Thank god for our recruiters because, if this group comes through, it could get our club out of a massive hole.

 

[a mayes ing]

Funny to think Taylor still hasn't had a proper pre-season and he has been in all our games and just keeps performing. Imagine what he would be like when he has 1 or 2 complete pre-seasons into him.

 

[CarterS]

Can see the boys growing in confidence every week, exciting to see, we will have to be going close to favourites against WC.

 

[a mayes ing]

Can see the boys growing in confidence every week, exciting to see, we will have to be going close to favourites against WC.

I know this is a 'positives thread' but we are't going to beat West Coast.
While our midfield will be very good in a few years, it isn't good atm. West coast's forwards are much better and , currently, their midfield is better.
Our defence is better tho

 

[Old Den]

I can't remember being so confident that a group of youngsters have what it takes to make it at senior level.

When assessing youngsters, I tend to look for signs or glimpses of AFL standard play. My reasoning is that those glimpses demonstrate a player's potential capability. It is then up to him to turn those glimpses into consistent performances.

But so far, it feels like we're getting more than just glimpses of high performance. These guys are sustaining senior standard levels for large parts of games. Maybe not every week and maybe not even every quarter. But it is more than just promise - through the opportunities afforded to them, they have exceeded all my expectations in terms of performance. I couldn't be more rapt in our 1-50 game group.

If not for the scars left by the go home 5, I would be incredibly bullish about our future. As it is, I am highly hopeful that 2015-16 will see significant improvement in our club's fortunes.

Thank god for our recruiters because, if this group comes through, it could get our club out of a massive hole.

I agree POBT and the only scar I am feeling now is regarding Polec...we are seeing stuff regularly that exceeds what I ever expected from him if he had stayed with the Lions...I think we finished up with McStay and West from that transaction.

The player that I was really cut up about losing was Yeo...after a lot of haggling at the trade table we received what I thought was poor recompense with Pick 28 that produced Lewy Taylor...so now it is all's well that ends well with that one.

As for Docherty,Karnezis and Longer, the way things are I am content with Cutler and Robertson plus the form that previous recruit Martin is showing.

And the bonus or the cherry on top of the pie is that when the dust cleared,our second round draft pick had been upgraded from 29 to 22 and along came Gardiner...according to popular opinion at the time,the best tall defender in the Draft...and living up to it so far.

I echo your praise for what the recruiters achieved from the mess that was dumped upon us.

 

[Old Den]

I know this is a 'positives thread' but we are't going to beat West Coast.
While our midfield will be very good in a few years, it isn't good atm. West coast's forwards are much better and , currently, their midfield is better.
Our defence is better tho

That is what most said about North Melbourne.

 

[a mayes ing]

I am liking the upward trajectory of Green's development.
In 2012, he got 15 goals
In 2013, he got 24 goals
This year, he has 20 goals still with 7 games left. Could get to 30-35 goals.

 

[POBT]

Just to clarify, I'm not concerned as much about what we lost but rather than history may repeat.

 

[CarterS]

I know this is a 'positives thread' but we are't going to beat West Coast.
While our midfield will be very good in a few years, it isn't good atm. West coast's forwards are much better and , currently, their midfield is better.
Our defence is better tho

West coast aren't a good team at all look at who their wins have been against. North are a much better team and we beat them.

 

[BuntonRules]

Just to clarify, I'm not concerned as much about what we lost but rather than history may repeat.

IMO, the sooks left as a group. Their replacements came as a group, began as a group, all debuted in their first year as a group, and will remain to grow into a successful Lions team as a group. All this "chicken little" talk of Aish leaving - the biggest influence on him staying is that of his being part of this group - the new family he has acquired.

Just on your & old den's assessment I totally agree. With young players, you just look for those little moments of class that make you think,'jeez - this boy can play a bit'. Every week this year I have seen that multiple times,& yesterday every last one of them did something that made me sit up.

Belt in for the ride kiddies, cos we are going places.

 

[a mayes ing]

West coast aren't a good team at all look at who their wins have been against. North are a much better team and we beat them.

Yeah, they beat all the lower teams, which is exactly where we are.

 

[Caiphus]

We seem to be able to get the ball out of the back half now, and the off the ball movement is getting instinctive through the middle. Hopefully we can use that as the platform to get the same way in the forward 50. Once the entire team is on the same page we can just focus on executing our skills and the basics.

When we are up and running our style of play is really good to watch, and seems nicely balanced all over the park. Seems that it shouldn't be a slave to trends and should be able to produce results without being outdated by rule changes.

I'm happy with how it is all progressing.

 

[Tairy Greene]

Michael Close is a sharp shooter, hasn't missed a setshot all year

 

[Skoob]

Okay, bit of a numpty question for those who have played;
Should the ball be kicked to a lead, or lead to a kick?
That is, should a forward run to space in hope, or does the kicker put the ball to a spot that can be run onto?

I suspect a bit from column A and B. When I watch Close, he is constantly running around his opponent with an eye on the ball carrier, trying to maintain a position where he can get separation in space. Very often he doesn't get eye contact and there is, therefore, no understanding that he is waiting for the ball. This is more often the case when the ball is closer to the forward 50 and the space is more congested. I have noticed after a forward 50 entry a number of times that he has signalled to the kicker to lower the eyes.

I understand that in the case of the ball coming in longer, forwards need to present as a target and he probably needs to be better at this, but I also think that the ball carriers need to get better at looking for him closer in. He works bloody hard to get in positions which are often ignored. Anyone thinking he doesn't work hard enough are kidding themselves.

 

[Voss the boss]

i watch Clarke pretty closely yesterday, that boy does not stop running and trying his guts out. He is often left as the last playuer between the ball and the goals. For someone so young really, he has been amazing. So different at the game than watching on the tv. Leppa is asking alot from his 3 young backmen and imo they are delivering more than we could have thought at such a young stage in their careers. Darcy could be anything and McStay really impressed me.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Hope Longer is having fun at the Saints, karma is a bitch.

 

[LIONS08]

Looks like West coast will be without Kennedy next week!! High hit on Zac Jones in the first quarter and has been subbed with concussion.

 

[Kevvo]

I suspect a bit from column A and B. When I watch Close, he is constantly running around his opponent with an eye on the ball carrier, trying to maintain a position where he can get separation in space. Very often he doesn't get eye contact and there is, therefore, no understanding that he is waiting for the ball. This is more often the case when the ball is closer to the forward 50 and the space is more congested. I have noticed after a forward 50 entry a number of times that he has signalled to the kicker to lower the eyes.

I noticed this exact thing on the weekend. I was chuffed that he was confident enough in his role to give it to whoever it was had bombed long. It reminded me of Gardiner giving it to Merrett in one of his first few games over defensive structure issues. It's a really good sign if these guys are comfortable to call the shots at this early stage.

 

[John]

Gem from 6.30 tonight.

 

[chopperduck]

Will take awhile for our mids to get use to Close. Just need to make sure he is running the right patterns and doing what he should be doing structural. The mids will learn where to look for him in time after playing with him and getting to know him on field a bit more. Once mids and Close are following structures more they will probably link up more.

I think once we are in range of putting the ball to the top of the square or pocket, that is where we are structured to kick the ball. Close is usually further up the field, so it is probably the kick before that would go to him, depending how the defence is set up. He does seem to be playing a more true CHF role, getting up the field and out of the F50 creating space behind.

 

[brizrider]

Okay, bit of a numpty question for those who have played;
Should the ball be kicked to a lead, or lead to a kick?
That is, should a forward run to space in hope, or does the kicker put the ball to a spot that can be run onto?

I suspect a bit from column A and B. When I watch Close, he is constantly running around his opponent with an eye on the ball carrier, trying to maintain a position where he can get separation in space. Very often he doesn't get eye contact and there is, therefore, no understanding that he is waiting for the ball. This is more often the case when the ball is closer to the forward 50 and the space is more congested. I have noticed after a forward 50 entry a number of times that he has signalled to the kicker to lower the eyes.

I understand that in the case of the ball coming in longer, forwards need to present as a target and he probably needs to be better at this, but I also think that the ball carriers need to get better at looking for him closer in. He works bloody hard to get in positions which are often ignored. Anyone thinking he doesn't work hard enough are kidding themselves.

Yeah I think you're right and it's something that they will need to work on as a team because he's not going to do it without good delivery and they need to get used to his style and be able to predict his movements to be able to provide that delivery.

 

[The Golfing Lion]

We have Hope.

It is what makes me wake up and get on big footy, scramble through the web for news on the Lions.

Through the last 5 years we have had little to hang our hats on. 2009 collapsed around us all and Vossy our legend of our club. The struggle back was hard as we bottomed out when the compromised drafts set in. Then the gems we took and I think they are all good to great players, pissed off back home. The rumors of unrest served to make our board jump at shadows and the bumbling Roos disaster cost Vossy a dignified exit he deserved.
The new chairman welll I feel his days are numbered.

However, we have Leigh now on our board, a champion as our coach who has the players respect, the PaddlePop is being replaced by the jumper that unites our histories and the greatest draft group probably in our history.

The draftees ... I love them all. Robbo's manic determination, Aish is all class, Gards so competitive, Taylor a future captain, Cutler skillful and composed and McStay backing up so impressively after last weeks kick out near devastation. Archie's time will come and West and Martin have improved us.

Mayes will be elite and Clarke, Close and Papps all long term players it seems. Beams has come back without missing a beat, Green, Zorks, progress is fantastic ..

2008 delivered so much but 2013 will be our greatest draft. From possible disaster to the foundation of a future that I can't wait to see unfold.

Just need a couple of signatures, a bold CEO choice and a big key forward and I will have a very exciting pre season.

 

[Betty Noir]

Feasibly could be in 12th position on the ladder after next week. Lions and WCE is the only game with bottom half teams. All the other games are top 8 v bottom 8... so, on the balance of probability, the top teams will all win (substantially), leaving the mighty Lions the only team in the bottom half (excluding WCE), that will be victorious, (and by quite a large margin). I think if we have a net turn around of about 30%, we'll be in 12th. Now, that's a positive...

 

[luthor]

Feasibly could be in 12th position on the ladder after next week. Lions and WCE is the only game with bottom half teams. All the other games are top 8 v bottom 8... so, on the balance of probability, the top teams will all win (substantially), leaving the mighty Lions the only team in the bottom half (excluding WCE), that will be victorious, (and by quite a large margin). I think if we have a net turn around of about 30%, we'll be in 12th. Now, that's a positive...

Bloody oath.

We'll win by 180 and the other crap sides will all lose by 250.

Easy!