Number of Leuenberger Marks

Sep 16, 2001
4,269
6,975
Behind the goals at the BSO
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Fitzroy, North
Being a long suffering Melbourne bases Brizzie supporter I, and my friends and family look laterally to make the cost of admittance to a Brissie Melbourne match worthwhile.

Your new one is a sweep: how many marks will Leuenberger take this match? I went for three, I am an optimist. My son Pete had to go for five, wildly improbable so he was allowed zero as well.

He took two.

If Leunenberger does not play as a ruckman I do not think he is worth a spot in the team. Martin has been our second best player so I cannot see a future for Leuenberger and so, if you agree with the above, should selection????

PS Against North we had a sweep on how much Brizzie would score in the next quarter.
 
Aug 31, 2011
3,489
3,930
Bris
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Brisbane Lions
I think Leuenberger is just lacking confidence with his hands marking wise.

TBH I would like the roles switched between Martin and Leuenberger for a couple of weeks. I think Lueneberger playing 80% ruck could help our midfield get first use of the ball and cleaner delivery. Martin is fantastic around the ground, but I don't think his tap work is as good as we need it to be. Add to that fact Martin is more capable up forward and I really wouldn't mind it.
 

John_Proctor

Club Legend
Apr 17, 2009
1,237
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Brisbane Lions
I would play leueie in the ruck to maximise his sale value in the free agency compo stakes.

We aren't playing for anything his season but high as possible draft picks and games into kids.

I also think martin would be a better forward target than leueie so worth a look.

Leueie had always been a horrible mark so I wouldn't say 'down on confidence' in marking. He's a ruckman let's let him ruck.
 

Milux

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 29, 2013
8,865
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If West can kick a few in the ressies for a few weeks then yeah lueys in trouble. I love the big fella and wouldnt mind him staying.
 
The issue with Leuey is that we've seen in the past that messing with Stef's position too much can ruin his form and it's not particularly easy for him to recapture, so I'd imagine there's a level of being careful with Stef not to do that. As a result, Leuey's in this weird position where he's good enough for senior footy without much doubt, but not in the position that he's playing.

If we didn't have Stef, there's every chance Leuey could have built up form throughout the season to be one of the better rucks in the comp, just like he was a few years ago.
 

bato

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 7, 2011
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We should try and make Stef a permanent forward for the reason of the season while Leuy regains some confidence as a sole ruckman. That's when he's at his best. I'm sure Stef wouldn't argue against increasing his goal tally this year either.
 

jackess

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Aug 10, 2005
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Has Stef been playing that well in the ruck? Hasn't been as good as last year around the ground. Is he that much better than Leuey?
 
Sep 14, 2012
14,715
15,183
Broadbeach
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Berger is serviceable as a first choice ruckman but his major let down when he was playing as the first ruck is his decision making was rubbish... IIRC a lot of handballs up in the air when confronted. Even now when he is thrown into the ruck he can't even win many hitouts vs a second string opposition ruckman. Has never shown an ability to take marks in his career, lacks aggression and physicality, and seems panic when he has the ball in his hands. Loss of confidence is a BS excuse as he has had these weaknesses for as long as I can remember. Hopefully Leigh Matthews is still trying to get him to toughen up like he was all those years ago.
 
Sep 14, 2012
14,715
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Broadbeach
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
If we didn't have Stef, there's every chance Leuey could have built up form throughout the season to be one of the better rucks in the comp, just like he was a few years ago.

I don't know about that. Obviously two years out is very disruptive, but he's had a hundred odd games and years in the system to develop some resilience. I remember in 2012 how dangerous his tapwork could be at stoppages and there's been no sign of anything like that this year, not even in glimpses.
 
I don't know about that. Obviously two years out is very disruptive, but he's had a hundred odd games and years in the system to develop some resilience. I remember in 2012 how dangerous his tapwork could be at stoppages and there's been no sign of anything like that this year, not even in glimpses.

I agree, but I think it'd be hard to get that kind of form up even remotely when you're playing so little time in the ruck. We've seen what a lack of continuity can do to effect Stef's game and I think it's fair to believe it may be having the same effect on Leuey. We'd only know if he got the number 1 ruck spot back and I can't see that happening in the near future.
 
Has Stef been playing that well in the ruck? Hasn't been as good as last year around the ground. Is he that much better than Leuey?

Yes.
 
I like the idea of having a sweep on certain stats for each game or quarter, I can imagine it helps keep things entertaining if the scoreboard looks bleak!

In regards to big Steffa and Luey, have we used the centre bounce setup of Leuy rucking and Martin as a big follower this year - or is that purely an end of season special?
 

lukiuslion

Cancelled
Feb 9, 2010
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Sorry but the notion of taking one of the AFL's best ruckman, a guy who is bordering on All Australian Selection and putting him up forward and out of the ruck position for 80% of the game, so a lesser ruckman, who is in terrible form MIGHT be able to perform better is IMO, non nonsensical. It's like robbing, bashing and killing Peter, to maybe pay Paul. There is at least 5 times every game I think "thank god for Steph", he is a shining light, his work rate is huge, he is there when it matters, I would hate to see his ongoing development to be be halted by playing him in a non functional forward line getting barley any entries.

Luey is struggling because he has no role ATM and he is too good around the ground to be a back up ruck, plus he can't take a mark up forward. He needs to find a new home, for his own career, he is reportedly on 500-600k which we cant carry given the structural issues. Trent west is a great mark and should come straight in, Luey should sit, wait out there year and go and find a new home where his talent can be put to great use - because when he is number 1, he is serviceable, still no steph though.
 

maroon and blue

Slayer of sheep
Oct 5, 2004
3,095
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Sorry but the notion of taking one of the AFL's best ruckman, a guy who is bordering on All Australian Selection and putting him up forward and out of the ruck position for 80% of the game, so a lesser ruckman, who is in terrible form MIGHT be able to perform better is IMO, non nonsensical. It's like robbing, bashing and killing Peter, to maybe pay Paul. There is at least 5 times every game I think "thank god for Steph", he is a shining light, his work rate is huge, he is there when it matters, I would hate to see his ongoing development to be be halted by playing him in a non functional forward line getting barley any entries.

Luey is struggling because he has no role ATM and he is too good around the ground to be a back up ruck, plus he can't take a mark up forward. He needs to find a new home, for his own career, he is reportedly on 500-600k which we cant carry given the structural issues. Trent west is a great mark and should come straight in, Luey should sit, wait out there year and go and find a new home where his talent can be put to great use - because when he is number 1, he is serviceable, still no steph though.
Excellent, well composed post.
 

jackess

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Aug 10, 2005
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Sorry but the notion of taking one of the AFL's best ruckman, a guy who is bordering on All Australian Selection and putting him up forward and out of the ruck position for 80% of the game, so a lesser ruckman, who is in terrible form MIGHT be able to perform better is IMO, non nonsensical. It's like robbing, bashing and killing Peter, to maybe pay Paul. There is at least 5 times every game I think "thank god for Steph", he is a shining light, his work rate is huge, he is there when it matters, I would hate to see his ongoing development to be be halted by playing him in a non functional forward line getting barley any entries.

Luey is struggling because he has no role ATM and he is too good around the ground to be a back up ruck, plus he can't take a mark up forward. He needs to find a new home, for his own career, he is reportedly on 500-600k which we cant carry given the structural issues. Trent west is a great mark and should come straight in, Luey should sit, wait out there year and go and find a new home where his talent can be put to great use - because when he is number 1, he is serviceable, still no steph though.

It's not because Leuey might be a better ruck it's because the team might be better off with Stef offering more as a forward and Leuey still rucking well even if he's not as good as Stef. Or setup like we did against Geelong in round 23 last year.

Also, I wouldn't rely on West doing much up forward especially this season and I'm not sure having a big, slow ruck really suits our gameplan of leaving space over the back Pagan's paddock style.
 
We should try and make Stef a permanent forward for the reason of the season while Leuy regains some confidence as a sole ruckman. That's when he's at his best. I'm sure Stef wouldn't argue against increasing his goal tally this year either.

...Sarcasm...?
 
Sep 16, 2001
4,269
6,975
Behind the goals at the BSO
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Fitzroy, North
I like the idea of having a sweep on certain stats for each game or quarter, I can imagine it helps keep things entertaining if the scoreboard looks bleak!

In regards to big Steffa and Luey, have we used the centre bounce setup of Leuy rucking and Martin as a big follower this year - or is that purely an end of season special?
Hawthorn do the same thing with Roughhead. he is often in the centre square but not contesting the tap
 

lukiuslion

Cancelled
Feb 9, 2010
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It's not because Leuey might be a better ruck it's because the team might be better off with Stef offering more as a forward and Leuey still rucking well even if he's not as good as Stef. Or setup like we did against Geelong in round 23 last year.

Also, I wouldn't rely on West doing much up forward especially this season and I'm not sure having a big, slow ruck really suits our gameplan of leaving space over the back Pagan's paddock style.

Yeah acknowledged. I understand that it was mainly in hope of getting Luey going 'ok' in the middle and Steph offering more up forward, I just personally feel, given our current state, Steph would struggle too. His game and his development has been based around his ability to move freely from contest to contest, he has never shown anything up forward, even when resting. It's just too risky, we have a Guy dominating in his role, leave him where he is.
 

jackess

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Yeah acknowledged. I understand that it was mainly in hope of getting Luey going 'ok' in the middle and Steph offering more up forward, I just personally feel, given our current state, Steph would struggle too. His game and his development has been based around his ability to move freely from contest to contest, he has never shown anything up forward, even when resting. It's just too risky, we have a Guy dominating in his role, leave him where he is.

Stef is our best pack mark though. I have dreams of him taking multiple marks a game inside forward 50 when he gets a run at a pack and marks it over the top.
 
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