Preview Round O - Brisbane Lions v Carlton Gabba Friday 8 March 6.40pm

[Nathan Barley]

Aren’t the first 3-4 rounds usually quite high scoring usually then everybody gets their hopes up that the games will go back to being fun to watch?

 

[Grasshopper17]

Aren’t the first 3-4 rounds usually quite high scoring usually then everybody gets their hopes up that the games will go back to being fun to watch?

They are, yes. And usually pre-season is higher still, as was the case last year.

But this year's preseason was, on average, lower scoring than every single individual week of football last year except the semi finals and the preliminary finals. It's not a good prognosis.

 

[Section 5]

It isn’t any wonder they aren’t selling some of those tickets though with the price they are trying to get for them.

Yes, some a fair bit more than they are when we play the Suns. As of checking today anyhow.

Carlton Game: Section 407 row DD $225
Suns Game ...: section 407 row DD $67 which is about right as i would not like sitting in that area myself.

9 in the Premiership Lounge section 318 mid-tier @ $550 each includes food and drink.
For the Suns game that price @ today is $450

Edit Just checked the Pies game
407 row DD $250
318 lounge $550

 

[Grasshopper17]

Yes, some a fair bit more than they are when we play the Suns. As of checking today anyhow.

Carlton Game: Section 407 row DD $225
Suns Game ...: section 407 row DD $67 which is about right as i would not like sitting in that area myself.

9 in the Premiership Lounge section 318 mid-tier @ $550 each includes food and drink.
For the Suns game that price @ today is $450

Yeah I have a few friends who are keen to go to a Lions game this year who are not regular attendees. I've suggested avoiding Carlton and Collingwood and pencilled in the Geelong game. Tickets actually look reasonably priced for that one.

We need a bigger stadium! (While we are winning at least )

 

[Dalions]

Yes, some a fair bit more than they are when we play the Suns. As of checking today anyhow.

Carlton Game: Section 407 row DD $225
Suns Game ...: section 407 row DD $67 which is about right as i would not like sitting in that area myself.

9 in the Premiership Lounge section 318 mid-tier @ $550 each includes food and drink.
For the Suns game that price @ today is $450

Edit Just checked the Pies game
407 row DD $250
318 lounge $550

Madness!

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Shows the value of a membership really

 

[Dalions]

They are, yes. And usually pre-season is higher still, as was the case last year.

But this year's preseason was, on average, lower scoring than every single individual week of football last year except the semi finals and the preliminary finals. It's not a good prognosis.

I will put it down to, more teams trying to take the game on a bit more but the skills not lining up with what they want to do.
Early season skills and shorter pre-seasons adding to this.

 

[Grasshopper17]

I will put it down to, more teams trying to take the game on a bit more but the skills not lining up with what they want to do.
Early season skills and shorter pre-seasons adding to this.

I really hope you are right. I was really looking forward to the Collingwood v Richmond and Carlton v Melbourne games last week, but after the first 10 minutes of the first game I found the rest of both of them vaguely disinteresting.

If the rest of the season is like that I won't miss my Kayo subscription at all!

 

[Clarkythelion]

View attachment 1919493

View attachment 1919496

The Prelim
I remember sort of laughing at the lead up to this game and the stories of the invasion of the Gabba by the Carlton faithful all week. As we all headed into the Gabba though, I think we realised that something was different about this particular final, even compared to some of the big games against other big Victorian clubs throughout the years.

Carlton had taken over the Gabba, and for 30 horrible minutes, it looked like that had taken away the game. The Carlton faithful got louder and louder as the mighty blues looked unstoppable. Carlton fans were looking up flights and accomodation at quarter time, convinced that the Blues would finally make it back to the big dance against the old enemy.

And then, like a small primary school in the not too distant future, they collapsed.

We headed out, overran them over the three remaining quarters and never really looked in too much trouble. The club's wedded together since the days at the bottom in 2015-2017 diverged yet again, and we were off to a Grand Final.


Heartbreak and learnings
The last time we played a game of football that mattered, we were one kick away from a premiership. That is one that will sting forever I think, and it is something that will drive the narrative of this season. Expectations are high, and the only way to heal might just be to put all that work in, get back to the big dance and go one better.

It's something that the coach and club have spoken to frequently and something we are uniquely qualified to deal with, having slowly improved each year after our rise in 2019.

The challenge now will be to take it one week at a time, and it starts with opening round, which does not sound like a real thing.

The Preseason
View attachment 1919521

A few key stories have emerged over the intraclubs and practise matches. This list is not copied from 2023.

1. Cam Rayner: Is he a midfielder
2. Key Forwards: 2 or 3?
3. Zorko: In the backline?

While this feels a bit groundhog day, we again ask ourselves if this is the season God King Cameron Rayner rises up and starts making an impact in the middle. Driven by the heartbreak of the grand final loss with a game he'd love to forget, Cameron Rayner has arrived looking fitter than he ever has and ready to make an impact on the competition. This could be the year he finally breaks out.

I have always argued that Darcy Gardiner is a gun forward, and have been constantly shouted down. It is something that has persisted long into the preseason and something that could potentially emerge in the middle of a game, but I doubt Darcy plays there very long. It does indicate a shift back to the three tall forward structure and reignites the fierce debate between bigfooty experts on what our best lineup looks like. I still like 2 talls, but I also thought we'd defeat Collingwood, so I can never trust myself again.

Zorko looked really good and impactful for the first quarter in the game against the Swans. If he could somehow pull out one more vintage Zorko season it would be very helpful.

The Match
View attachment 1919525
This opening round could potentially be one of the scrappiest starts to a season yet, with teams still blowing out the cobwebs after shortened preseasons for many of the teams involved. Except for Richmond, who are now s**t.

One massive bonus for us is the absence of the person we overlooked for Joshua Shache, such is the talent of Weitering that any game without becomes significantly easier to win.

There are also some other significant Blues outs, including Walsh, Martin, Marchbank and Motlop.

I am terrified of how we start seasons, having been traumatised by the performances against Port Adelaide in 2023 and Sydney in 2021. Honestly even 2022 was a bit scary as well, also against Port. We tend to start seasons a bit slow and it will be interesting to see how we go in the opening round. We would have both Port 2023 and Carlton PF in our minds heading into this game and I do hope we are switched on from the beginning.

I don't really know what else to talk about. McKay missed a sitter on the weekend which was funny.

One Week at a Time

It's almost a bit freeing to be heading up to the Gabba to watch a regular season match after the high stakes game that was the Grand Final. This season will hopefully allow us to have a bit of perspective and enjoy the journey on the road to what is hopefully another strong finals campaign. There were so many peaks and troughs in 2023 and ultimately, we ended up in the big dance, so my stretch goal for this year is to not worry so much about the minutia of the game and just enjoy the fact that we are a strong team, with a great list and season ahead.

I'm sure that will last until 60 seconds into the first quarter.

I am so ready to have my heart broken again this season.

Lions by 11

Great write up - except this - "One massive bonus for us is the absence of the person we overlooked for Joshua Shache". We had Withering right up to the end of the season, he trained with us and we were destined to get the wooden spoon and him as first pick, alas it wasn't to be, a late season win and he went pick 1 to the Blues and I'd argue we got left with Shache. We needed a key in that draft and got Schache as a KPF and someone he supposedly knew Skinner as a KPB. Bugger, the best laid plans often turn to ........

 

[dlanod]

Great write up - except this - "One massive bonus for us is the absence of the person we overlooked for Joshua Shache". We had Withering right up to the end of the season, he trained with us and we were destined to get the wooden spoon and him as first pick, alas it wasn't to be, a late season win and he went pick 1 to the Blues and I'd argue we got left with Shache. We needed a key in that draft and got Schache as a KPF and someone he supposedly knew Skinner as a KPB. Bugger, the best laid plans often turn to ........

According to the team at the draft night that year, we would've taken Schache at pick 1. The debate internally ended up being between Schache and Oliver, and Schache won out by virtue of being a KPF.

 

[briztoon]

According to the team at the draft night that year, we would've taken Schache at pick 1. The debate internally ended up being between Schache and Oliver, and Schache won out by virtue of being a KPF.

lose lose situation that one.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Club has ruled Conor out.

My preference would be for Ah Chee to be our seventh defender, Zorko a distant second.

 

[Section 5]

Medical room: The full AFL injury list, OR

Who's struggling, who's a test, check out the players from your list who are a little sore

www.afl.com.au

​

PLAYER	INJURY	ESTIMATED RETURN
Will Ashcroft	Knee	TBC
Tom Doedee	Knee	2-3 weeks
Conor McKenna	Hamstring	1 week
Carter Michael	Quad	2 weeks
Zane Zakostelsky	Groin	TBC
Updated: March 5, 2024

Early prognosis​

Good news on the horizon for the Lions with McKenna running laps at training on Tuesday and expected to be available for the club’s second match of the season against Fremantle on March 17. Doedee is also progressing well and could return as early as the Easter Thursday Grand Final rematch against Collingwood at the Gabba. - Michael Whiting

PLAYER	INJURY	ESTIMATED RETURN
Matt Carroll	Groin	Indefinite
Caleb Marchbank	Illness	Indefinite
Jack Martin	Knee	2-3 weeks
Jesse Motlop	Toe	1-2 weeks
Jack Silvagni	Knee	Season
Sam Walsh	Back	Indefinite
Jacob Weitering	Calf	Indefinite
Updated: March 5, 2024

Early prognosis​

The Blues will be without Marchbank, Walsh and Weitering until at least the round two bye, with a timeframe for their respective returns to arrive during that 15-day break. Motlop will miss at least Opening Round, while Martin likely won't return until after the bye. - Riley Beveridge

 

[Berrygood]

Players goal songs updated today. Bit concerned with Dunkley n Sharp picking Taylor Swift songs. Bit soft boys, 10ply soft. ZZ, picked a ZZTop song, rightly so. And Darcy Gardiner

27

Darcy Gardiner

Age

28

Ht

192cm

Wt

91kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.6

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

2.1

4star

MG

196.1

3star

D

10.7

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

3.7

4star

T

2.1

3star

MG

196.1

3star

D

10.2

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.8

4star

, Rock the Casbah, the Clash. Finally someone with taste.

 

[McIvor]

Players goal songs updated today. Bit concerned with Dunkley n Sharp picking Taylor Swift songs. Bit soft boys, 10ply soft. ZZ, picked a ZZTop song, rightly so. And Darcy Gardiner, Rock the Casbah, the Clash. Finally someone with taste.

Yeah, it is seriously questionable the lack of music taste that some of the boys have. I mean Taylor Swift!

 

[irel]

No ABBA? No taste. Me no listen. Thank god for country boy like John Denver.

 

[Sproj]

Taylor Swift? Never heard of him, doesn’t he play for Collingwood?

 

[Grasshopper17]

Taylor Swift? Never heard of him, doesn’t he play for Collingwood?

 

[dlanod]

Taylor Swift? Never heard of him, doesn’t he play for Collingwood?

Nah, West Coast.

Best U14s player Vossy ever saw.

 

[Clarkythelion]

According to the team at the draft night that year, we would've taken Schache at pick 1. The debate internally ended up being between Schache and Oliver, and Schache won out by virtue of being a KPF.

Hmmm kinda, we did have Withering up here training, he was the more flexible of the 2 and I can see our team saying Schache was our pick anyway, every team says that of their first round picks, "oh we would have picked you anyway" thats just encouragement. The only support the team could have had was Schache's father played here and I recall somewhere in Skinner's social media there was a photo of him and Schache playing monopoly or something. They could argue Schache was our pick also because we liked his mate (aka McCluggage/Berry).

I don't really believe the Brisbane team got it so wrong, Schache from day 1 when he arrived didn't like contact, playing with boys he was an enormous kid in juniors but against men, he just sat out too much. Our recruiting team had the best look at both of them training with men. But as I said, I can see why, after the fact, they would say Schache was our pick anyway.

 

[briztoon]

Hmmm kinda, we did have Withering up here training, he was the more flexible of the 2 and I can see our team saying Schache was our pick anyway, every team says that of their first round picks, "oh we would have picked you anyway" thats just encouragement. The only support the team could have had was Schache's father played here and I recall somewhere in Skinner's social media there was a photo of him and Schache playing monopoly or something. They could argue Schache was our pick also because we liked his mate (aka McCluggage/Berry).

I don't really believe the Brisbane team got it so wrong, Schache from day 1 when he arrived didn't like contact, playing with boys he was an enormous kid in juniors but against men, he just sat out too much. Our recruiting team had the best look at both of them training with men. But as I said, I can see why, after the fact, they would say Schache was our pick anyway.

Conversations at draft night events don’t go like that.

At the event I attended, we were told who our preferred player was at each pick, before the draft started, for the first round that night.

Of course the draft team have their list, if the player they hope for is gone before our pick.

 

[dlanod]

Hmmm kinda, we did have Withering up here training, he was the more flexible of the 2 and I can see our team saying Schache was our pick anyway, every team says that of their first round picks, "oh we would have picked you anyway" thats just encouragement. The only support the team could have had was Schache's father played here and I recall somewhere in Skinner's social media there was a photo of him and Schache playing monopoly or something. They could argue Schache was our pick also because we liked his mate (aka McCluggage/Berry).

Doubling down on what briztoon said which has been my experience too, part of that came several years later by which time we had a different set of head honchos in charge and no reason to cover their previous arses (especially since they were very disparaging of the previous decision makers for taking Schache in the first place).

I don't really believe the Brisbane team got it so wrong, Schache from day 1 when he arrived didn't like contact, playing with boys he was an enormous kid in juniors but against men, he just sat out too much.

Funnily enough, this is exactly what was said about Schache in the second lot of discussions.

The club ****ed it. They wanted a KPF and they were getting the best KPF who looked good enough if you didn't scratch the surface deeply enough.

 

[McIvor]

Hmmm kinda, we did have Withering up here training, he was the more flexible of the 2 and I can see our team saying Schache was our pick anyway, every team says that of their first round picks, "oh we would have picked you anyway" thats just encouragement. The only support the team could have had was Schache's father played here and I recall somewhere in Skinner's social media there was a photo of him and Schache playing monopoly or something. They could argue Schache was our pick also because we liked his mate (aka McCluggage/Berry).

I don't really believe the Brisbane team got it so wrong, Schache from day 1 when he arrived didn't like contact, playing with boys he was an enormous kid in juniors but against men, he just sat out too much. Our recruiting team had the best look at both of them training with men. But as I said, I can see why, after the fact, they would say Schache was our pick anyway.

I actually thought Schack looked pretty good in the Dees last practice match. Maybe the pennys dropped.

 

[Dalions]

The Gabba looks in pretty good nick for this time of the year.

 

[martinson]

Doubling down on what briztoon said which has been my experience too, part of that came several years later by which time we had a different set of head honchos in charge and no reason to cover their previous arses (especially since they were very disparaging of the previous decision makers for taking Schache in the first place).


Funnily enough, this is exactly what was said about Schache in the second lot of discussions.

The club ****ed it. They wanted a KPF and they were getting the best KPF who looked good enough if you didn't scratch the surface deeply enough.

The mind does funny things over time.

At the time everyone I knew was overwhelmingly in favour of getting Josh and we were worried if we didn't get Pick 1. But the word was ( i.e. how rumor and excitement becomes fact ) that he was a potential superstar.

I remember looking at his vision and was tbh fairly underwhelmed and loved the look of Weitering but went along with the narrative and was happy we got him. Because everyone seemed to think he was so good. And apparently he wanted to come to us because of his dad whatever , and the injustice of it all if Carlton got him.

I reckon if we had picked Weitering given a choice between the two the kickback on the club would've been off the charts here.