Dispelling a misconception about Brisbane...

[TheBrownDog]

I have seen it mentioned many, many times about Brisbane having no choice but to draft a KPP this year with their first pick to fill the Leppitsch/Michael Void.

We certainly have enough to work with down back for another year. Daniel Merrett has shown some very positive signs at fullback, doing a great job on Barry Hall and Riewoldt in the last couple of rounds.

There is Jason Roe who did well under very trying conditions last year, and Wayde Mills who the Lions drafted in 2005 as a potential Leppitsch replacement.

Add in the fact that Pat Garner will be back from his knee reconstruction and will surely get a go down back and with Mitch Clark set to be ready to go from Round 1, he can combine with Brown and Brennan up forward as our talls, giving us the option to send Bradshaw down back, where he has always been more than handy.

So yeah, just wanted to demonstrate that we arent quite as thin down back as many perceive.

- BD

[Grimreepah]

We lack experience, not options. A lack of experience can not be resolved through the draft.

[Quigley]

I also think the Brisbane defense might surprise a few people next year. Anyone who watched Merrett on Reiwodlt and Hall would have to come away impressed. He is big strong and fast and having hands of stone and a kick as ugly as a smacked bum is not such a handicap down back.

I also liked what I saw of Mills this year and think he is a definate prospect imo. He was beaten sure but he was also an 18 yr old playing on some of the best forwards in the comp and he was not disgraced. Even when Reiwodlt kicked 4 or so on him I think one came from someone else's free and one from a slip. Roe also was solid all year and gives the defence some variety with good height although both he and Mills need some bulk.

That being said though Brisbane will definately take a least a couple of key positions in the draft as they do need some depth particularly down back. What I don't think though is that they will take a lower ranked player just because he is a key position. They have young talent already on board and at the positions they just now have to have the patience to let them develop. There will be some ugly matches but like I said they will surprise some teams as well.

[Tigerbob]

I have seen it mentioned many, many times about Brisbane having no choice but to draft a KPP this year with their first pick to fill the Leppitsch/Michael Void.

We certainly have enough to work with down back for another year. Daniel Merrett has shown some very positive signs at fullback, doing a great job on Barry Hall and Riewoldt in the last couple of rounds.

There is Jason Roe who did well under very trying conditions last year, and Wayde Mills who the Lions drafted in 2005 as a potential Leppitsch replacement.

Add in the fact that Pat Garner will be back from his knee reconstruction and will surely get a go down back and with Mitch Clark set to be ready to go from Round 1, he can combine with Brown and Brennan up forward as our talls, giving us the option to send Bradshaw down back, where he has always been more than handy.

So yeah, just wanted to demonstrate that we arent quite as thin down back as many perceive.

- BD



I tend to agree.

Thats why I think that Joel Selwood will be at the Brisbane Lions next year.

I think Jonathan Brown, Mitch Clark, Daniel Bradshaw and Jared Brennan forward line has the makings to be one of the best.

Jason Roe showed great signs, as did Daniel Merrett in the backline, you could always have Bradshaw to go back if Mitch Clark is able to fill that role as early as next season.

Adding someone like Joel Selwood to your midfield is more than just adding a very good player, he has leadership, courage and smarts to be the leader of the rest of the young brigade that is needed. He is the best choice.

[wazzabp]

I have seen it mentioned many, many times about Brisbane having no choice but to draft a KPP this year with their first pick to fill the Leppitsch/Michael Void.

We certainly have enough to work with down back for another year. Daniel Merrett has shown some very positive signs at fullback, doing a great job on Barry Hall and Riewoldt in the last couple of rounds.

There is Jason Roe who did well under very trying conditions last year, and Wayde Mills who the Lions drafted in 2005 as a potential Leppitsch replacement.

Add in the fact that Pat Garner will be back from his knee reconstruction and will surely get a go down back and with Mitch Clark set to be ready to go from Round 1, he can combine with Brown and Brennan up forward as our talls, giving us the option to send Bradshaw down back, where he has always been more than handy.

So yeah, just wanted to demonstrate that we arent quite as thin down back as many perceive.

- BD

Got a couple of handy "recruits" in Lappin and Hadley to come back into the midfield also.:)

[swans12]

I also think the Brisbane defense might surprise a few people next year. Anyone who watched Merrett on Reiwodlt and Hall would have to come away impressed. He is big strong and fast and having hands of stone and a kick as ugly as a smacked bum is not such a handicap down back.

I also liked what I saw of Mills this year and think he is a definate prospect imo. He was beaten sure but he was also an 18 yr old playing on some of the best forwards in the comp and he was not disgraced. Even when Reiwodlt kicked 4 or so on him I think one came from someone else's free and one from a slip. Roe also was solid all year and gives the defence some variety with good height although both he and Mills need some bulk.

That being said though Brisbane will definately take a least a couple of key positions in the draft as they do need some depth particularly down back. What I don't think though is that they will take a lower ranked player just because he is a key position. They have young talent already on board and at the positions they just now have to have the patience to let them develop. There will be some ugly matches but like I said they will surprise some teams as well.
Interesting one with Mills, Got Reiwoldt, Richardson, and a few other guns in the first 4 games holding down CHB and then they sent him to the QAFL for the rest of the year. Talk about thrown to the wolves.

Should have got some time off the bench at least in later matches, wasn't as if they were going to make the finals.

Badly handled imo

[Kildonan]

Is it a misconception? ...or is it that many of the posters here realise that this draft offers the opportunity to pick up one of a selection of the best key position players available in a draft. It is just a matter of Brisbane's recruiting policy: Do they recruit best available or do they recruit for need?

In a rebuilding phase, one would probably recruit best available - if this means grabbing a 200+ game key position player over a 200+ game midfielder then they would probably opt for the KPP. The midfielder would have to be pretty exceptional to be selected over the KPP.

[The Kipster]

We lack experience, not options. A lack of experience can not be resolved through the draft.

Unusual for you to look at the negatives Grim :D

[POBT]

Beggars can't be choosers and for the last two years we have finished outside the 8. That indicates that the whole list has problems in one form or another and strengthens the argument that we will go with the best available.

We have a forward line that looks great on paper but really hasn't played together yet. We have an on-ball division that got belted at times last season and has since lost 2 or 3 of its mainstays. We have a defensive line-up that lacks experience and is largely unproven. Finally, we have a ruck division that has consistently run at 50% capacity due to injury.

People look at our midfield and see that we have brought on Rischitelli, Sherman, Stiller and Selwood and believe that we have that area covered. As far as KPP defenders go, we have Merrett, Garner, Mills and Roe who are all of the same vintage as the on-ballers mentioned. Midfielders obviously develop quicker than KPPs and so it is not unreasonable to expect that the KPP options will develop in the next year or two, just as our younger midfielders have.

My point is that Brisbane won't say "We need a centre half back in 2007 so let's draft Hansen" and yet that is routinely suggested. I'd like to see in draft predictions, someone simply say "Brisbane always go for the best available and probably will this time too."

[Grimreepah]

Unusual for you to look at the negatives Grim :D

I just call it as I see it:cool:

Don't get me wrong. Merrett will be a gun.:D

[Porthos]

I think Brisbane's young talls are suspect, but agree that they're as likely to draft Selwood as any tall.

[lion_gooner]

the only way brisbane will get a tall with 4 is if essendon or north get selwood my pick would be hansen