Review NAB Challenge Game 2 - Brisbane Lions def. Sydney Swans

[a mayes ing]

A bit strange to see Rocky go a match without registering a single tackle.

Thats hell good then (not that he didn't tackle) considering we beat them in tackles iirc.

 

[AFLQLD]

A bit strange to see Rocky go a match without registering a single tackle.

I thought Rocky had a very smart game. Just like some of the big name Sydney midfielders, he did what he had to do without really busting himself. He was always getting into the right positions. His lack of tackles probably had more to do with us taking control out of the middle and being first to the ball and Rocky just doing what had to be done. I reckon he is going to be primed for a big season with the extra help he now has in the middle.

Jack Redden still has some rust to brush off but he was equal top tackler I think and just adds one of those elements we missed last season - a bit more force and toughness out of the middle. Redden out there being strong defensively gives Rocky the chance to use his game sense to get into good positions instead of death riding the opposition inside players quite so much.

 

[whatboutbob]

Reddo was also credited with 7 clearances - 2 more than any other Lion (and equal to Kennedy, the Swans' best in that regard).

Does the dirty stuff, does Reddo. Not like that, Haso. Don't even start.

 

[Haso]

Hokay, I had to miss the game due to work stuff - can somebody give me a highlights list?

 

[whatboutbob]

Hokay, I had to miss the game due to work stuff - can somebody give me a highlights list?

Just watch the 6 min highlights clip you lazy bastard.

 

[Haso]

Just watch the 6 min highlights clip you lazy bastard.

 

[James North]

No it's the one on the Lions' homepage.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

Sorry to be that guy but don't get too carried away with nab challenge performance. You will probably get a better idea against the suns with them having played equal games and readying for the start of the season. Our outs wouldn't have made a huge difference tonight as your boys deserved their win but in perspective when I watched the Lions last week live they looked like a team who hadn't had a proper hit out (still won of course) So for my own comfort I would like to suggest the Swans were rusty. Anyway well done, being in Brisbane I obviously take an interest in the lions and would probably follow them had there been a Brisbane team when I started following footy. Well played and enough to get excited about as a Lions supporter.

 

[a mayes ing]

Sorry to be that guy but don't get too carried away with nab challenge performance. You will probably get a better idea against the suns with them having played equal games and readying for the start of the season. Our outs wouldn't have made a huge difference tonight as your boys deserved their win but in perspective when I watched the Lions last week live they looked like a team who hadn't had a proper hit out (still won of course) So for my own comfort I would like to suggest the Swans were rusty. Anyway well done, being in Brisbane I obviously take an interest in the lions and would probably follow them had there been a Brisbane team when I started following footy. Well played and enough to get excited about as a Lions supporter.

Hmm wonder why

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Good game.

Merrett, Dawson and Aish were good. Don't know why rocky didn't get given a tackle, saw at least 3

 

[Hollow Knight]

Sorry to be that guy but don't get too carried away with nab challenge performance.

We know. Which is why the discussion is more about individuals and structures rather than "OMG WE BEAT THE SWANS HOLY s**t".

Anyway, saw your post on the Swans board, sounds like a rough night for you in your household. Just a NAB Challenge game... don't get too carried away.

 

[SizeMatters]

Still holding out hopes for Lester. Gets into the right positions and can run forward of the ball when required (as evident last season a few times) but really needs to improve his disposals... even though they get registered as an effective disposal they are far from it especially his handballs are at the feet of our players.

Paps was a surprise for mine. Really liked his don't argue and his attack on the ball and player has been a pleasant surprise. What I really enjoyed the most though was his defensive running... has a bit of speed to him and watching him sprint defensively 30cm behind his opponent nagging and puling them made me smile. In the round 1 team for mine.

Aish looks like he has improved and no second year blues hopefully. Adds class and hopefully will re-sign very soon.

Zorko had a mixed game... gets in and wins contested possession, spreads well and generally picks the correct option but really needs to work on his disposals. Far too often Zorko turns the ball over by foot and it's starting to become a liability when we counter attack. Needs to slow down for the last 2 or 3 steps before disposing of the ball.

Green a good game. Needs to add a bit more defensive pressure and more tackles to his game. Very unlucky a few times and got smashed by the umps a few times. Could have ended up with 5 goals.

Merrett belongs down back. Best game for a year from him and looks very comfortable giving commands and organising the back 6. Didn't try to overdo his kicking which is what we want.

D. Beams has added another dimension to our midfield. So much time with the ball in hands and doesn't waste a possession. Cannot wait to see Hanley team up with him and create havoc all over the field.

Dawson looks good. Floated in and out of the game a bit but looks like an exciting player for the future.

Martin started a bit slow but worked his way into the game late when Berger was rested a bit more. Looks like last season wasn't a one off. Berger good again as a ruck specialist and will hold my judgements on other parts of his game for now until he gets some game time under his belt, but I did note he was getting into packs and trying to get his hands on the ball which was pleasing.

Cutler, Staker, Mayes and McGrath had quite games.

 

[Haso]

Sorry to be that guy but don't get too carried away with nab challenge performance.

We know mate.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

We know. Which is why the discussion is more about individuals and structures rather than "OMG WE BEAT THE SWANS HOLY s**t".

Anyway, saw your post on the Swans board, sounds like a rough night for you in your household. Just a NAB Challenge game... don't get too carried away.

Ha ha fair call, always the way with Dad and I. I just need to convince myself that the Hawthorn game wasn't the norm. Brisbane didn't help. My dad mentioned that Brisbane are the longest pre season premiers. I want to say wait until the main season but I'm not exactly in confidence mode now. Like I said well done, some nice inclusions for the Lions this year will be interesting to see if they are enough to be 5-8, apologies if anyone has higher expectation than that, just my view.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

Hmm wonder why

I'm making excuses, I don't shy away from that. Anyway enough of my rot enjoy the win.

 

[Toffee Lion]

My dad mentioned that Brisbane are the longest pre season premiers.

Reigning NAB cup premiers forever until the end of time.

 

[carnthemlions]

Reigning NAB cup premiers forever until the end of time.

#neva4get

 

[John]

It's just his second preseason game. Will improve with more game time.

Based on scratch match performance I see a very short career.

Whist I agree Size Matters over uses the ball a little..... Poor form Jed. He is a regular contributor and a mad Lions fan...... And that's good enough for me.

I have to disagree. It is a tough world out there so based on first couple of years performance I see little to work with going forward. Capper type. Lots of potential but suspect in the long term prefers charisma over ability.

 

[jjami15]

The pleasing thing was that there was an Improvement from last weeks game and hopefully this trend will continue so when we get to the proper stuff we are at the top of our game. I do have to admit it but D Beams does add a touch of class to our midfield that's something we were lacking, his decision making in close and his ability to get his hands on it is above for what we had previously. Excited to see what Christensen will add as well but will look for him to take awhile to show what he can do. We do look better down back bringing it out with C Beams and Rich there. Hopefully those who have been quiet over the last few weeks will be able to step up a bit more.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Hokay, I had to miss the game due to work stuff - can somebody give me a highlights list?

• Got home late from work after a long, hard week, just in time for the pre-game
• Started promisingly, wife had prepared dinner
• Took a turn for the worse when suggested I might take dog for walk as game is getting underway - deflected that one
• Matters didn't improve when discovered no wine/beer in fridge
• Further deteriorated to hear Matthew Campbell was covering the game
• Only heard mention of the "Lions forward line without J Brown" issue about six times which was nice
• Felt like a time warp - Merrett played in defence and Leuenberg seemed to play an entire match without sustaining an injury
• Dog got a walk after the match, by which time it was, of course, raining. She said it was nothing less than I deserved
• Oh, and we won, convincingly. Yes, the Swans were rusty, but we won when we were rusty too.
• And Dawson was more impressive than that fellow Heeney (first AFL player from Newcastle or somewhere you know, just ask Matthew)

 

[acuguy]

Very interesting game last night.

Our ability to get hand on the ball at the clearance was impressive and we would all agree looks like a strength of ours in 2015. Our mozzie group with Bundy is going to cause all sorts of problems. We need to continue to embrace the break neck speed game. It is our X factor over the rest of the competition.

There were a few question marks

1. Rich out of the backline is not going to work. Defensively he was caught between play a lot and was pretty loose. I love Richy in the middle, I think his ability to kick goals and drive the ball into the forward line is far too important for him to be down back. He also gives us class by foot in the middle, we do lack this.

2. Liam Dawson has a lot of Jeremy Howe about him, he will be demanding selection after his performance, we have got an absolute jet in Dawson. Will be one of the top 10 from that draft.

3.I fear for Luey, Martin is on the verge of being a genuine elite ruckmen, doubt we can play both We want Stefan playing 80% on the ball and Close or Staker fit are better forward/2nd ruck options

4.Mayes must play forward, we are now in a position to embrace his natural football instincts as a 3rd forward/mid type. I see him as a 30-50 goal type, not a dashing half back mid.

5.Beams, Green and Bewick might just be the barometer of our improvement. If these 3 players can push on to become genuine B grade footballers we begin to bat very deep.

6.Where to for Jack Redden? In my team I would have Redden as our tagger. I think he is at a mini cross road in his career. I rate him very highly but we can't be satisfied with him rocking around the fringes pick up 20 touches, laying some tackles etc. I want to see him take responsibility for Pendlebury, Fyfe, Mitchell, Griffen, Selwood and co.

Overall I think we are in for a very competitive season.

 

[Bobby Beecroft]

Along with Close, I want to shake them and tell them to stop being softc**** and just play on instinct, rather than over-think the situation they're in.

I'd rather them get angry and smack a bloke into next week and cop 6 weeks if it meant we get their careers going; instead of the vanilla ice-cream they've been dishing up thus far.

Completely disagree with this.

Not all key forwards can have an immediate Carey/Brereton impact. Expectations on some of these guys that we hope will reconstruct our forward half the likes Close 14 games, McStay 9 games & even Freeman 4 games seriously needs to be tempered. I was happy last night to see Close especially in the 2nd half jumping at the ball, into & over packs. Unfortunately they didn't stick but the signs were good - even the commentators picked up on it. He is far from the Lisle type of player to which your reaction would be applicable.

Gives these guys some time to develop FFS. At what point did Hawkins/Cameron smack someone & cop 6 weeks in order to develop - ridiculous thought.

I would be more concerned about the position of Staker & McGuane. Yes, I am contradicting myself as these guys also need time, but at this point the young guys who are being singled out look far more likely than some of the senior blokes who are getting none of it.

 

[dlanod]

After some more thought:

- Dawson didn't look like a first year player out there. Nice size, good awareness. Loved his work when he popped up on the TV.
- Adcock laying crunching tackles in the midfield was a highlight. Our tackling can often be a bit too easily shrugged, which has been an issue albeit probably due to the kids we had to play last year with our best tackler out in Redden. I think a role as a defensive mid/tagger would be well within Adcock's abilities, assuming we have enough real defensive smalls down back.
- Rocky's still one of the cleanest link-up men out there. Makes bad disposals look good and rarely makes a mistake.
- Merrett's been covered. Clarke looked good too.
- Lester seemed to be most prone to breaking down our handball chains, which was disappointing.
- Forcing the ball into space and then backing our speed to get there first was an interesting tactic. Curious to see whether that'll be kept up or if it was a reaction to the Coffs weather - looked very humid and slippery out there.

 

[jackess]

Dawson vs Mayes - who will end up the better footballer?

 

[dlanod]

Dawson vs Mayes - who will end up the better footballer?

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