Fatcat08
Cool and Footbally
Veteran
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Brisbane Lions - Mitch Robinson Player Sponsor 2016
Brisbane Lions - 2013 Elliot Yeo Player Sponsor
Brisbane Lions - 2013 Daniel Rich Player Sponsor
Brisbane Lions - Callum Bartlett 2012 Player Sponsor
Brisbane Lions - Ryan Harwood 2011 Player Sponsor
Brisbane Lions - Todd Banfield 2010 Player Sponsor
Its that time of year again, when I pick up my typewriter and begin work on what is routinely at this time of year, a preview bereft of hope, with only a thin veil holding back the tears and pain of another wasted year of football. The fact that I'm usually 4 beers and a whiskey (ok 2 whiskeys) in certainly raises the mood, but this one is a little different. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the components are there;
Sitting in last - check
A good chance at grabbing the spoon - check
some godawful gabba spankings where only the german club beers numbed the pain - check
my half assed modding reaching new depths of mediocrity - why change a good thing
the beers and whiskey - definite check
but then things start to get a little weird
players holding off and not re-signing - no
stories of some redheaded coach beating players - ummm
a general wave on unease emanating from the gabba- heck no
the most undefined and shambolic gameplan in vfl/afl history - s**t we even seem to have a plan b!
general optimism from the clubs supporters, even the most ardent naysayers (ruse doesn't count) - WTF?
Richmond in the top 4 - now you're just showing off
Melbourne in the top 8 and finals hunt - go home 2017 you're drunk
Which segways nice and seamlessly into this weeks preview (see what i did there) which sees us come up against a possible finals contender and a team on the rise who's name is somehow called Melbourne. Even Melbourne supporters seem unsure of how this is happening, and any that i've talked to are one step away from crossing the line back to the doldrums all the while shaking their heads with big i told you so's. After being horrible for so long I can understand their sentiment, and the pessimism.
Whats most surprising is that they're actually playing reasonably consistent football with genuine effort. Their backline is very competitive and has some real dashers providing a lot of run and carry in Hunt, Salem and Hibberd, helping them to sit first in intercepts and 4th in Metres gained in the comp. The midfield is a contested footy winning machine, sitting 4th in clearances, 5th in centre clearances and 2nd in contested footy, while their forward line is doing just enough to win them games without being the finishing force you'd hope for.
Meanwhile, after a pretty tough start to the year the lions are humming away since the break with some good wins sitting alongside some near misses and respectable losses for the most part. The backline has improved immensely with a good core group beginning to emerge, led by the incredible Harris Andrews. Honestly its simply beyond belief how much this guy has had to endure in his first 3 years of AFL football, constantly taking the best and biggest KPF most weeks, geez he must be sore after each and every game. Despite a flood of inside 50's (111 more than the next worse) they've managed to improve immensely over the course of the year. The midfield has been solid, although our contested work certainly needs improvement and the forward line has been immense.
Currently we sit dead last on the table for inside 50's and marks inside 50, yet somehow we manage to sit in 11th for goals scored. Thats a pretty impressive conversion rate for a team without an established KPP, or noted small forward.
Overall you can't help note that statistically we are behind the demons in most of the important areas (bar turnovers) which doesn't bode well for a great day out. However on recent form we're certainly a lot closer than those stats would suggest and despite not having beaten the demons since 2013 (Moloney 36, Rocky 34, Brown Leuenberger and Zorko each 3 goals) I can't help but get a little optimistic about this game even if it is in melbourne.
Overall the MCG and whats at stake for the Demons may prove a hurdle too high, but the opportunity to ruin someones finals aspirations is always hard to turn down
Lions by 13
Sitting in last - check
A good chance at grabbing the spoon - check
some godawful gabba spankings where only the german club beers numbed the pain - check
my half assed modding reaching new depths of mediocrity - why change a good thing
the beers and whiskey - definite check
but then things start to get a little weird
players holding off and not re-signing - no
stories of some redheaded coach beating players - ummm
a general wave on unease emanating from the gabba- heck no
the most undefined and shambolic gameplan in vfl/afl history - s**t we even seem to have a plan b!
general optimism from the clubs supporters, even the most ardent naysayers (ruse doesn't count) - WTF?
Richmond in the top 4 - now you're just showing off
Melbourne in the top 8 and finals hunt - go home 2017 you're drunk
Which segways nice and seamlessly into this weeks preview (see what i did there) which sees us come up against a possible finals contender and a team on the rise who's name is somehow called Melbourne. Even Melbourne supporters seem unsure of how this is happening, and any that i've talked to are one step away from crossing the line back to the doldrums all the while shaking their heads with big i told you so's. After being horrible for so long I can understand their sentiment, and the pessimism.
Whats most surprising is that they're actually playing reasonably consistent football with genuine effort. Their backline is very competitive and has some real dashers providing a lot of run and carry in Hunt, Salem and Hibberd, helping them to sit first in intercepts and 4th in Metres gained in the comp. The midfield is a contested footy winning machine, sitting 4th in clearances, 5th in centre clearances and 2nd in contested footy, while their forward line is doing just enough to win them games without being the finishing force you'd hope for.
Meanwhile, after a pretty tough start to the year the lions are humming away since the break with some good wins sitting alongside some near misses and respectable losses for the most part. The backline has improved immensely with a good core group beginning to emerge, led by the incredible Harris Andrews. Honestly its simply beyond belief how much this guy has had to endure in his first 3 years of AFL football, constantly taking the best and biggest KPF most weeks, geez he must be sore after each and every game. Despite a flood of inside 50's (111 more than the next worse) they've managed to improve immensely over the course of the year. The midfield has been solid, although our contested work certainly needs improvement and the forward line has been immense.
Currently we sit dead last on the table for inside 50's and marks inside 50, yet somehow we manage to sit in 11th for goals scored. Thats a pretty impressive conversion rate for a team without an established KPP, or noted small forward.
Overall you can't help note that statistically we are behind the demons in most of the important areas (bar turnovers) which doesn't bode well for a great day out. However on recent form we're certainly a lot closer than those stats would suggest and despite not having beaten the demons since 2013 (Moloney 36, Rocky 34, Brown Leuenberger and Zorko each 3 goals) I can't help but get a little optimistic about this game even if it is in melbourne.
Overall the MCG and whats at stake for the Demons may prove a hurdle too high, but the opportunity to ruin someones finals aspirations is always hard to turn down
Lions by 13