Traded Matthew Leuenberger (2006-2015)

Remove this Banner Ad

ZoBlitz said:
Well if you're going to try it out anytime, the NAB Cup is the time to do it.

Unless this is reference to the season proper? Hard to tell without a solid quote.
Click to expand...

The quote I've seen elsewhere implied it would be as a solution to Brown's absence.
 
No big surprise there really. We will take 2 rucks into the game because we want to use 2 rucks in the real thing. Whilst Brown is out it makes it easier to just rest one of them forward. Bergs/Hudson is the current duo, Hudson doesn't offer a lot around the ground or up forward (he isn't useless, but is no Bergs) so it will be a challenge to use both effectively. Bergs does need to add forward time to build his game up. As a mobile ruckman, he needs to have the ability to push forward, expose his opponent and be able to kick a goal a game. Playing him as a key forward, whilst short term is ugly, will help out his development a great deal, and it is something we should persist with. I don't think Bergs is that bad up forward, he just needs solid game time up there to get a feel for the ball coming in. He has only played limited time up forward, but he can present well and does make a contest, even if he can't take a mark. A guy his size will always draw a decent defender as well.
 
whatboutbob said:
While playing forward would be a great string to add to his bow, he hasn't shown a great deal of aptitude for it to date.
Click to expand...

I think he's shown a few of the component parts to be a decent forward. He is as quick as most forwards off the mark and, because of his height and reach, he is very difficult to spoil on the lead. When he does lead, he leads hard. He sometimes struggles to hold marks when on the lead but he gets himself space and seems to lead to the right spot.

When the ball is dropped on his head, his contested marking is improving - he'd probably be our best marking option in that context.

However, his disposal by foot, including goal kicking, is very much below par. There was a game last year (St Kilda), if he'd kicked well, he'd have probably have had a few goals and a couple of assists. He kicked 0-4 that night. IIRC, there might have been a couple where his kicks didn't get on goal at all (seem to remember a kick into the man on the mark!). But the fact was that he got scoring opportunities that night - but his kicking was so poor that he couldn't take advantage of them. I do wonder if he'd been a more confident forward option if he'd turned that 0-4 into 3-1.

I don't think he is a lost cause as a forward option though. And I think with Brown out and the presence of Hudson, it may actually be a decent option for us, even if it means Leuenberger isn't able to impact the contest as much as he can as a ruckman.

I reckon Voss was going to send Leuey forward a bit anyway. He might be doubling that 5 minute stint to 10 mins.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Id love to see Berger given more time at FF. Playing the ruckman at FF I believe is extremely underrated in the AFL. You put a 204cm, big bodied player in the goal square, against a FB which is more than likely going to be smaller, you can bet the opposition coach will be worried.

Yeh he's not the greatest kick, but my plan would be for him to stay inside 30 anyway, if he can't kick them from there then it's probably best he move along.
 
Lets Roar like '44 said:
Id love to see Berger given more time at FF. Playing the ruckman at FF I believe is extremely underrated in the AFL. You put a 204cm, big bodied player in the goal square, against a FB which is more than likely going to be smaller, you can bet the opposition coach will be worried.
Click to expand...

Agreed. if we are going with a two ruckman approach, we have to utilise every advanatge that goes with it, including rotating them through the forward line to keep the opposition guessing and not allowing their backline structures to settle.

On his set shots, yeah they are ordinary but we fixed Mitch's technique, with some time and experience up forward, Leuey could improve considerably.
 
TheBrownDog said:
On his set shots, yeah they are ordinary but we fixed Mitch's technique, with some time and experience up forward, Leuey could improve considerably.
Click to expand...

Exactly and people underrate the achievement that was improvement in Mitch's kicking for goal so anything is possible.
 
Yet Bergs can slot a goal on the run from 60m. It's a funny world. Even though he wasn't that great playing forward last year, as pointed out by others, he did show a bit of natural talent for it. He certainly wasn't all at sea in the forward line. If he could add goal kicking to his skill set, he would become a very damaging ruck. Even after Hudson is gone and it's a Bergs/Longer combo, both need to spend time up forward. It's a great way to give them a rest, but stretch the defense and keep them on their toes. He is 204cm and use to body contact. Even if he doesnt' take a grab, his rucking skills might let him direct a few crumbs.
 
chopperduck said:
Yet Bergs can slot a goal on the run from 60m. It's a funny world.
Click to expand...

I think you'll find a lot of players now are better shots running as the can angle their body across when they kick it. It's not as pronounced to the viewers as when they are lining up for a set shot and everyone can see they are leaving the line.

On the running bit though, in my footy days I wasn't the greatest set shot, so my coach told me when it came to it, to go back an extra 10 metres and run in like it was normal play. Worked quite a treat, extra distance and for some reason I had better accuracy.
 
Wonder if it's a bit of Mark Harvey influence, he liked playing Sandilands forward which caused a lot of headaches for opposition teams.
 
Will Brodie

Incumbent: Matthew Leuenberger. The 2006 pick four finally escaped injury to play every game in the past two seasons, living up to the rave reviews of his junior days. He ranked second in the league for hit-outs and averaged over 15 possessions per game in a standout 2011, consolidating his ranking as one of the top big men in the competition.

Prediction: Leuenberger will play the overwhelming majority of minutes, with minimal relief from Hudson. Youngster Longer should play a handful of games after impressing in pre-season.

6975466865_0a3b7d3b9f.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Best and fairest tip

You could throw a blanket over the Lions' candidates and would expect last year's top three of Tom Rockliff, Simon Black and Jack Redden to all go close again. Watch for Merrett to poll strongly with a full season under his belt, but big ruckman Matthew Leuenberger could swoop the field as he continues to rise towards the competition's elite.

6865056262_a143bc7b54.jpg
Click to expand...
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Brisbane Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger overcomes achilles injury for round 1 AFL clash against Melbourne
  • Greg Davis
  • From: The Courier-Mail
  • March 29, 2012 12:00AM
Leuenberger was nursed through Brisbane's pre-season program after suffering from achilles soreness but trained with the main group yesterday when the Lions held their first session of the year on the Gabba.
Apart from captain Jonathan Brown and veteran midfielder Simon Black, nobody is more important to Brisbane's cause than Leuenberger, who was in career-best form in the latter stages of last season.
"He'll be fine," Lions football operations manager Dean Warren said of Leuenberger.
"He had some soreness in his achilles so we modified his training load for a few weeks but he is good to go now."

7023991379_5ece8e9b95.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I must admit though, achilles tendonitis tallies with what I've seen of Leuie's subdued performances over pre-season. He has just been lacking that spring. If he is suffering from it then there's every chance he may need to have a significant rest at some point to get over it. Fingers crossed.
 
Video: Leuey's Master Class

Leuey: "Hassy, what's some of the most important areas of your body in regards to trying to get strong"

Matt Hass: "Probably the most important area is the lower body - quads, glutes... building a nice stable base for the players and specifically for you being a jumping athlete, making sure you've got that explosive strength to be able to dominate the opposition ruckman and get up nice and high."

"Leuey's got 60kgs on the bar there for the sake of the demonstration, but he's one of the biggest squatters at the club. I think he's got an equal record with Jed Adcock for 190kgs for three reps, so nice and impressive for the big fella".

7030446977_3bb8b27457.jpg
Click to expand...
 
NAB Cup wins means nil: Leuenberger
By Michael Whiting
4:25 PM Mon 02 Apr, 2012

leuey200.jpg


"It was good to be up forward and watching the centre bounces and seeing 'Huddo' compete the way he was and giving our midfielders a good chance," he said.

"It gives you a bit of a lift. It's good to try and partner up and make a formidable partnership with the likes of him and Billy Longer when he gets his chance.

"I think they (the coaches) wanted a taller option down forward so I took that responsibility and that's the depth we have in the ruck now, it allows Huddo to play there and me to play forward and relieve him."
Click to expand...
 
Lions ruckman Matthew Leuenberger laughs off injury claims
  • Damien Stannard
  • From: The Courier-Mail
  • April 03, 2012 12:00AM
Leuenberger is mystified about suggestions his positional change is to spare an inflamed achilles from the explosive demands of the ruck.
"I've done all the training. I've done all the pre-season games and played 85 per cent of the game on the weekend," he said.
"There's no problem."
Leuenberger does not yet feel comfortable at full-forward, a position he has not filled since his junior days. While he is happy to sacrifice his positional preference for the team, he cannot wait to be unleashed in ruck tandem with teen Billy Longer or Ben Hudson, whose form was a revelation against the Demons on Saturday.

matthewleuenberger.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I think if there is "no problem" then we at least need to get our story straight in-house.

Browny was on 3AW before the game on Saturday and admitted that Leuy had had an achilles problem and was on limited training for a few weeks, but that he had trained normally for the last two weeks.

Going off what I saw during the pre-season and on Saturday that seems accurate. Leuy looked a lot better than he did in the earlier games.
 
Last of the Roys said:
I think if there is "no problem" then we at least need to get our story straight in-house.

Browny was on 3AW before the game on Saturday and admitted that Leuy had had an achilles problem and was on limited training for a few weeks, but that he had trained normally for the last two weeks.
Click to expand...

That doesn't seem to conflict with anything that came out of the club LOTR?

Hammo was just weeks behind on his scoop and tried to dress it up as a breaking story. As Voss said, Leuey was never in doubt this week whatsoever.
 
Only people who have made a comment from the club about his injury have said he had a small one, they changed his training to suit and he was back to normal. Voss didn't mention this, he just knocked back the rumour that Bergs was in doubt. He didn't confirm or deny the injury, just the selection part of the rumour going around.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top