Review Round 2, 2019 - North Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions

[luthor]

I wish to salute Brisbane's never-say-die spirit but I think that 'surge' amounts to their fitness - Brisbane trains in humid conditions traditionally and so with a relatively young side Brisbane will last the distance and perhaps steal wins throughout the season against more skilled sides - just so long as we don't let them overwhelm us in the first half (and particularly the first quarter).

Here's a breakdown of our net score per quarter for the first two Rounds-

WCE Q1 (-27) Q2 (+34) Q3(+22) Q4 (+15)

NM Q1 (-14) Q2 (+2) Q3(+14) Q4 (+18)

Despite a fit of pique and gloomy sulkiness at half time yesterday, I did comment to the others in the TV room that if somehow we could be there or thereabouts at three quarter time, that I would be confident that we would run over them in the last quarter.

This wasn't just based on how well we ran out the match the previous week.

Pre-Christmas break, I managed to get myself down to 4 or 5 Monday morn/ Wed arvo training sessions at Yeronga, all conducted in stifling heat and humidity.

I was thoroughly impressed with how the players, to a man all looked so fit and in good condition and shape at that early pre-season time. Also at how they conducted themselves at those sessions. No sagging,wilting,grumbling or even the occasional hands on hips( which I believe the players themselves banned). Lots of gut busting running in that horrid heat and good humour and camaraderie on display at all times.

Barring in game injuries or complete form loss, I think we can expect these guys to run out games with spirit and commitment on a regular basis

 

[Back2Back2Back]

Pretty sure I remember reading a lot of the youth started training well before the official pre-season sessions started too, to make sure that they were fit for the proper pre-season instead of just more strength and conditioning when they met as a group. Hodge is on record saying that he has never played as much match sim in a pre-season ever as he has in this one just gone by.

That tells you something right there.

 

[Sausages]

Not sure how many of you listen to podcasts, but this week's Footyology (with Rohan Connolly) features LIONS match review at 29:00, LACHIE NEALE analysis at 45:00 and the LIONS in an end of show "Rant" at 57:00 (although Connolly has a swipe at Carlton and Essendon during that segment).

If you're starved of footy things, could be worth a listen (Or, if you are like me, sitting at your computer doing other things )

https://player.whooshkaa.com/episode?id=351897

 

[SonnyBoy1]

Am I the only one that is a little concerned that Michael Christian may cite Harris Andrews for his hit which resulted in the 50m penalty?

I was right infront of it, shouldn't of been a 50 at all just ben brown doing his usually flops and dives.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

We had 23 more inside 50s which is alot for a team being out played Bradddddd.

Going on what Brad said about the 666 rule.
I do remember time after time in previous years where we got scored on with quick back to back goals coming from center bounces.
More opportunity now but its not a new thing Brad.

 

[SonnyBoy1]

Such a good effort to pull the game back after going down in the last quarter. Busy September coming up?

Fagan deserves a lot of credit for this match

 

[dlanod]

Here's a breakdown of our net score per quarter for the first two Rounds-

WCE Q1 (-27) Q2 (+34) Q3(+22) Q4 (+15)

NM Q1 (-14) Q2 (+2) Q4(+14) Q4 (+18)

The real metric - 6 quarters won out of 8. Who cares how many games we've won when we're only running at 75% of quarters???

 

[Snake_Baker]

A far more precise method of ball movement was the deciding factor in the victory.

Not looking forward to the round 18 return leg and I reckon you're going to upset a few sides this year.

Pick up another 3-4 wins away from home and you're off to the finals.

 

[luthor]

The real metric - 6 quarters won out of 8. Who cares how many games we've won when we're only running at 75% of quarters???

Remember the "good" (bad) old days when Maccas were offering a free burger if the Lions won a quarter?

 

[Gadzorks]

Remember the "good" (bad) old days when Maccas were offering a free burger if the Lions won a quarter?

Remember when you'd walk out of the Gabba on Saturday night and get handed a free copy of the Sunday mail?

 

[Nunez]

Remember the "good" (bad) old days when Maccas were offering a free burger if the Lions won a quarter?

I remember the excitement of the crowd in 2014 when we finally won a quarter which was several rounds in against the Tigers (who went on to smash us). Boy I don't miss those days.

 

[luthor]

Just viewed the match highlights again in the context of Brad Scott's comments(grumblings) about the centre square clearances.

Just take a look sometime at the two centre clearances by Lachie Neale near the death in the last quarter; the first to Zorko with 3.09 left and the second to Lyon with 2.19 left. Both of them are absolutely sublime.

Lachie's a gun and worth whatever picks we gave up to get him.

EDIT: We won the centre clearances 20-10. I would think it would be hard to win any match with that stat against you irrespective of 6-6-6 or any other structure. Brad would be better off reflecting on how that happened and also have a think about how we thrashed his side 66-43 on Inside 50's. His post match comments are poor from a psychological standpoint and more likely to give his players a "we wuz robbed" mentality than to assist them address real deficiencies in their set up.

 

[Tom14]

The real metric - 6 quarters won out of 8. Who cares how many games we've won when we're only running at 75% of quarters???

And the two lost quarters were largely due to inefficiently (either kicking at goal or kicking into 50)!

 

[Snake_Baker]

By the way, I reckon Robinson quelling Hall in the 2nd half, Neale of course, and Rich becoming a potent attacking factor when Witherden & Bailey were relatively well held were the major contributors in the Lions win.

 

[Gadzorks]

By the way, I reckon Robinson quelling Hall in the 2nd half, Neale of course, and Rich becoming a potent attacking factor when Witherden & Bailey were relatively well held were the major contributors in the Lions win.

We have a mitch watch thread - please feel free to drop a compliment there.

 

[Nunez]

Rich was sublime. Close to BOG before Neale turned it on and won us the game.

I think McCarthy needs a bit more credit too. His work around the guts later in the game was a big factor in the win. He won a few centre clearances and provided good pressure while blocking. He does all the team things while being a weapon at the same time. Hard balance.

 

[Ironmonger]

By the way, I reckon Robinson quelling Hall in the 2nd half, Neale of course, and Rich becoming a potent attacking factor when Witherden & Bailey were relatively well held were the major contributors in the Lions win.

It was really exciting to see us break down what looked like a very solid North Melbourne defensive structure up until halfway through the third term. Obviously McInerney briefly turning into Wayne Carey was a part of that, but I agree that it was Rich who was most consistently shaking up North's defensive set up.

Hall was super effective getting in behind our midfielders up to half time. He wasn't shaking us up so much as exploiting every time we didn't run back quite hard enough, but it amounts to the same thing. I agree that if he'd kept doing as he liked the Roos would have won.

But honestly I think more than anything this was about the teams the two sides were able to put out there. Polec, Hall, Brown, Ziebell and Cunnington all had great games. Davies-Uniacke and some of the defenders get a pass. But Simpkin, Atley, Thomas, Turner, McKay, Campbell, Pittard, McDonald, Scott and the eternal passenger Tyson barely had an impact. Our worst player was probably Bastinac but everyone else arguably contributed more than the aforementioned Roos.

I know Scott cops a lot of whacks, but frankly I just don't think North have the cattle at the moment.

 

[Brett C]

Shinboner spirit died when they picked up both Polec and Hall. Both were very good today but my god did they shirk some contests.

Both great players if all an AFL player needed to do was run one way. Soft as hell when the heat is on and 2 of the least accountable players on defence I have ever seen.

 

[Hollow Knight]

There is a bit of Josh Jenkins to Schache.

Decent package but there is always an asterisk over a lot of his goals.

Anyway, he’s happy and we got Bailey.

We’re ok.

 

[Brett C]

He's also a very reliable kick at goal has been since he joined. He's clearly not going to be a star player at this point but he does a job

So true!!

We don't need 22 superstars, guys like Bastinac, Matho, Robinson, Walker along with handful of others just need to do their roles very well and be our 15th to 22nd best players and we will win more than a few games. Even the 3 peat team had a group of guys who weren't superstars but did the little things right and the team could rely on them time and again.

 

[iBeng]

Jeez our recruitment over the last 1-2 seasons has been 100% spot on so far.

Jarryd Lyons is going under the radar a bit with Lachie and McCarthy both proving huge impacters for us. And Charlie, what more can you say about the bloke? Single handedly leading our forward line!

 

[Brett C]

I think the forward line might be the last aspect of our game to click into place and I also don’t think that is entirely unusual for a team at our stage of development. The back half and midfield have been the major areas of focus in Fagan’s first few years and I would suspect that this year and next there will be a much greater focus on what happens when the ball is forward.

I feel our forward pressure is better this year and our fast entries have been reasonable. When the ball comes in a little slower is when we seem to have more problems. The best teams do a great job at knowing who goes where when the ball cones in a bit slower.

Ultimately I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hipwood playing higher up the ground where he is most likely to either get the ball out in front of him or be able to turn his opponent in a race for the ball, a race he will win more often than not. Oscar is the best pack mark when the ball is landing on their heads, McStay is better when he can crash a pack from behind. We just need to play the isolation game on each of their opponents. Awareness of each other’s space is what the talls really need to develop. It is a very subtle thing for forward lines to build and I think it takes time and a lot of tweaking to get right.

This year Charlie, Lincoln and Rayner are a big element of extra danger but I think the talls will just take longer to get right.

The major issue from yesterday was the lack of a leading forward, we can't have Hipwood, McStay and Cameron just leading back expecting the mids to kick it 60 metres over the top everytime. Big O showed what happens when you lead for the ball.

Definitely something the coaches need to work on in getting the structure and running patterns right.

 

[luthor]

The major issue from yesterday was the lack of a leading forward, we can't have Hipwood, McStay and Cameron just leading back expecting the mids to kick it 60 metres over the top everytime. Big O showed what happens when you lead for the ball.

Definitely something the coaches need to work on in getting the structure and running patterns right.

The kicking down the guts and straight to North's Centre Half Back, mainly in the first quarter, had me tearing my hair out. I was blaming the midfield delivery at the time but it' was probably a combination of poor execution and the forwards either being static or just leading to the wrong places.

Whatever, you are spot on.....it needs fixing.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Agree wholeheartedly. Even if beams excels in other areas I feel like Neale is a way better fit for our style of play. Gets those quick hands out that kick starts our launchpad game style. Beams used to run backwards and hold it heaps.

Very astute observation. As a generalisation, Beams would often be looking for someone to deliver the ball to by foot and be back peddling about until he had a target. Neale runs and breaks lines. Neale is a much more attacking player.

 

[LongLion]

I think we need to acknowledge Stephs centre taps to Neale in that last quarter. It was the reason I put him in my top 5.