News Practice Game v Suns - Feb 23

[Balony_pony16]

So how did Joyce go?

 

[Brizzys Squizzy]

If there’s one thing that stood out to me is Andrews isn’t a forward. Getting leppa vibes from this preseason. Harris is an All Australian KPD and our most important cog in defence. I hope Fagan doesn’t continue with the experiment that is clearly going to fail.

Leppa vibes seriously there's been nothing but positive article after article written about the club this pre season my recollection of leppa days was players unhappy from day dot maybe try being positive for once wait until the real stuff starts

 

[Footballator]

The loss part was of no concern to me. What was, was watching the game and here are a few observations.

You could hear GC talking all game - bugger all from us but a lot of finger pointing to a team mate and then the Peter Pointers guy gets the ball. Saw that a few times.
No continuity. We looked unpolished and reactive in the contest.
There seemed to be no fixed pattern of how we play the game.
Hospital handballs - a sign from the dark years.
Poor forward structuring and a complete lack of solid strong leading to space.
Greasy tackles that didn't stick a bit.
No young standout where GC had a few of their new players that had it on string and running / playing with purpose and poise.
Lack of sheparding and blocking for better positioned team mates.

We just looked poor in general play and no real sign of us straightening up either. You could be forgiven for thinking we have been reading our own press and predicted improvement. We displayed the opposite. I felt a bit dissapointed from what I expected to see and left the ground flat. We will see what happens this weekend. Hopefully some guys get a chewing review during the week. Fages was not impressed.

 

[carnthemlions]

Not sure why anyone would care about the result. It was a practice match. Which is why we had Harris up forward with zero regard for the score

The positive takeaway's from this match are our new recruits showing some serious promise - specifically Tom Joyce Tom Berry and E.Smith

The thing that concerns me is Mike Whiting and Hammo seeming pretty sure we're committed to the Andrews forward experiment.

Hipwood does get to a lot of contests but doesnt complete marks enough just yet. I think he will be used as a roaming type as he matures to take advantage of his pace on the ball

Also lacks the footy smarts to use his athleticism to his advantage a lot of the time.

Cant play Andrews and OMc in the same forwardline IMO.

Reminds me a bit of GWS using Cameron, Patton and Lobb together- except Hipwood's a lot taller than Cameron. I think it's fair to say the results that setup produced were mixed. West Coast just won a premiership with Kennedy-Darling-Vardy, but Vardy was more of a backup ruckman and the other two are shorter, more intelligent, more mobile, and higher possession players than any of our forwards.

 

[scoman]

Older and more established players traditionally don't get out of first gear during early pre season games. If they were avilable guys like Hodge, Rich, Martin and Zorko would most likely have taken it pretty easy. It's normally the younger lads and those on the fringe who attack pre season games in an effort to impress the coaching staff.
With that in mind perhaps this attitude spread to just about everyone. With quite a few of our younger types so confident of their position in the team they may have played with the urgency of 200 game veterans returning from a premiership tilt . Gold coast on the other hand seem to have played like young men possessed. Their younger brigade was definitely switched on from the outset.
I'd be pretty disappointed (understatement) if we have gotten ahead of ourselves already. Surely with the experience of Fagan and Hodge, we will get our heads in the game come round one. Hoping for a better effort next up.

 

[Bjorn Again]

No point Harris playing forward if the midfield cannot get the ball to him.
Currently our midfield sucks so the ball stays in our defence. We are much better of with him where the ball is than where it is not.
No question he should stay in defence until there is proof our midfield has improved.

 

[scoman]

No point Harris playing forward if the midfield cannot get the ball to him.
Currently our midfield sucks so the ball stays in our defence. We are much better of with him where the ball is than where it is not.
No question he should stay in defence until there is proof our midfield has improved.

I just don't see that we are devoid of options up forward. Hipwood is doing everything you might expect of him short of being Buddy Franklin. McInerney is pretty good for a goal or two a game while relieving In the ruck and McStay looks just about ready to put it all together. I'd be pretty shocked if we decided to give up on McStay after putting all this work into him.

On top of that there is some hope in the three younger lads Fuller, Wooller and Ballenden.

Surely this is just a ploy to put some doubt in the minds of opposition coaches when planning each week. I can't see us doing any more than swinging him forward every now and then if the game situation requires it.

 

[Dylan12]

McStay looks just about ready to put it all together. I'd be pretty shocked if we decided to give up on McStay after putting all this work into him.

That's my concern too. Watching late last year, I was of the view that McStay isn't that far off and a break out year was imminent.

I'd personally be disappointed if Harris is selected in the forward line from early in the season over Dan, not only for reasons mentioned, but because Harris is by and far our best KPD and we'd be weakening that area of the ground.

I honestly believe Dan could net 40+ goals if let up forward for the year; injuries aside.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

That's my concern too. Watching late last year, I was of the view that McStay isn't that far off and a break out year was imminent.

Dan, for mine, is the ultimate tease. There's just some guys who don't possess the ability to put a full game together. I think of it as the Cam Wood syndrome. Guys that can play blistering footy for 10 minutes that is just so far above everyone else that you're convinced they're just about to turn the corner. Then they just go missing. It took Jarrad Waite 10 years and a change of club to deliver on his promise (and even then he wasn't as dominant as he could be game to game).

Full forward is not an easy position to play, particularly if the ball isn't coming out of the middle great, but I've thought the same of his when playing in defence. Sadly I'm not sure sure he will ever reach the heights he might have hoped. In two years time, if he's still on the list, I foresee people still saying he's about to put it all together.

As always, I desperately hope I'm wrong - we could use his type so badly and from all reports he's a hell of a nice guy.

 

[T Rick]

Not sure why anyone would care about the result. It was a practice match. Which is why we had Harris up forward with zero regard for the score

The positive takeaway's from this match are our new recruits showing some serious promise - specifically Tom Joyce Tom Berry and E.Smith

I am pretty sure Tom Fullarton is #47 and he took a great contested mark in the goalsquare and kicked a goal - very promising glimpse of his potential.

 

[T Rick]

Dan, for mine, is the ultimate tease. There's just some guys who don't possess the ability to put a full game together. I think of it as the Cam Wood syndrome. Guys that can play blistering footy for 10 minutes that is just so far above everyone else that you're convinced they're just about to turn the corner. Then they just go missing. It took Jarrad Waite 10 years and a change of club to deliver on his promise (and even then he wasn't as dominant as he could be game to game).

Full forward is not an easy position to play, particularly if the ball isn't coming out of the middle great, but I've thought the same of his when playing in defence. Sadly I'm not sure sure he will ever reach the heights he might have hoped. In two years time, if he's still on the list, I foresee people still saying he's about to put it all together.

As always, I desperately hope I'm wrong - we could use his type so badly and from all reports he's a hell of a nice guy.

Dan is now a big boy with plenty of size about him. For some reason he reminds me a bit of Bradshaw in his early years and I reckon he could be a very good key backman/key forward swingman in years to come - he certainly has the capacity to play both ends and is a big unit.

 

[carnaroys08]

Thanks for doing the updates The Bear. Sounds like they're tinkering a lot, which is to be expected. Hope we start drifting in the betting for the top 8

 

[BangyBangy]

Thanks for doing the updates The Bear. Sounds like they're tinkering a lot, which is to be expected. Hope we start drifting in the betting for the top 8

Yeah agree with this post. Thanks for everyone that posted the updates, very much appreciated.

Just a quick point that is worth noting. Take off your Lions hat for a second and have a think about what things would be like in the Suns camp. Over the last 12 months the club has been hit from pillar to post, Lynch gone, May gone, Martin gone, all the doom & gloom about the future of the place, talk everywhere about how they will finish stone motherless last, the worst list in the league, zero chance of retaining the young recruits etc etc. As much as it was only a practice hit out, this was the first chance the club has really had after all of that to come out & respond on the field.

A practice match doesn't really mean much to most clubs, but if you were in their shoes perhaps it does. Just a little context to consider.

 

[Jirik13]

Yeah agree with this post. Thanks for everyone that posted the updates, very much appreciated.

Just a quick point that is worth noting. Take off your Lions hat for a second and have a think about what things would be like in the Suns camp. Over the last 12 months the club has been hit from pillar to post, Lynch gone, May gone, Martin gone, all the doom & gloom about the future of the place, talk everywhere about how they will finish stone motherless last, the worst list in the league, zero chance of retaining the young recruits etc etc. As much as it was only a practice hit out, this was the first chance the club has really had after all of that to come out & respond on the field.

A practice match doesn't really mean much to most clubs, but if you were in their shoes perhaps it does. Just a little context to consider.

Hey, Martin is still there Not sure for Lions, but this practice match was quite possible the only opportunity for a lot of players to make their case for round 1 (Rankine, Lukosius, Powell, Ballard, Burgess, Collins, GHS, ...) Most grabbed their chance.

 

[BangyBangy]

Hey, Martin is still there

Lol, sorry. Confused him with Hall

 

[Jirik13]

Lol, sorry. Confused him with Hall

He may actually leave next off season

 

[a mayes ing]

Hey, Martin is still there Not sure for Lions, but this practice match was quite possible the only opportunity for a lot of players to make their case for round 1 (Rankine, Lukosius, Powell, Ballard, Burgess, Collins, GHS, ...) Most grabbed their chance.

Wat about JLT? Rankine, Lucosious, Burgess, Collins, GHS etc would all be in there

 

[SizeMatters]

Thought we'd improve on our standards once the usual suspects were packed off/ I'w concerned

 

[MarcLocksCrustySock]

Yeah agree with this post. Thanks for everyone that posted the updates, very much appreciated.

Just a quick point that is worth noting. Take off your Lions hat for a second and have a think about what things would be like in the Suns camp. Over the last 12 months the club has been hit from pillar to post, Lynch gone, May gone, Martin gone, all the doom & gloom about the future of the place, talk everywhere about how they will finish stone motherless last, the worst list in the league, zero chance of retaining the young recruits etc etc. As much as it was only a practice hit out, this was the first chance the club has really had after all of that to come out & respond on the field.

A practice match doesn't really mean much to most clubs, but if you were in their shoes perhaps it does. Just a little context to consider.

No one ever steps on a field and gives less than 95%. Going half arsed against opposition going full tilt almost is a sure fire way to get collision injuries.

On Pixel 2 XL using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Gadzorks]

There's a very clear message out of the club that best 22 spots are up for grabs. I thought players up for those spots would put on a show but that's not coming through in the posts by those of you at the game. That should have been enough motivation to overcome any misplaced overconfidence from hype.

I assume Rich hodge and Zorko were out and they are so important. The jlt games will be far better guide of where we're at, but even then it's only in season games that actually count.

Having said that however, the slow start remains a point of concern for me. 40 + point deficit is significant.

 

[M Malice]

Yer as much as I was against the Suns coming into the competition in the first place I would like to see them do well (not as well as us of course). I'd certainly like to see them do better than any of the interstate teams, I can't get worked up about the Qclash just yet, that may change if we both move up the ladder and into finals contention though.

 

[Jirik13]

Wat about JLT? Rankine, Lucosious, Burgess, Collins, GHS etc would all be in there

Swallow, Miller, Witts, Martin, Harbrow, Weller, Hanley, Joyce all coming back and only 26 allowed for JLT 1. I would expect only Rankine and Lukosius will play if healthy. There is also King (ill this Sat), Young, etc.

 

[StevoJenkins]

We need to curb our expectations for this coming season if we don’t do well during JLT. Being down by as much as we were is not acceptable given the growth and new additions we’ve had.

You’d think the coaches would’ve tried to address us not being up to par for the first half of games/the first half of seasons.

 

[snooplions]

I remember in Fagan's first year, GoldCoast accounted for us rather easily in a JLT game. Fast forward a couple of weeks later, we get them again in round one at Metricon and kick the first 7 goals of the game. The real home and away season is a different beast, our players subconsciously might not have been going full tilt and the Suns had more to prove.

 

[Jirik13]

On unrelated note, Herald (Hamilton) reports that Lions are planning another intra club practice match after JLT2 ( bye week) to get a game into Gardiner, Martin, Adams.