The positives thread

[dlanod]

We win one more game and we equal our total winnings from the previous four years. Won't be able to say that next year!

2018 (5)
2017 (5)
2016 (3)
2015 (4)

God, the tosser below keeps selling us short! What's the "4-1" BS?

One more win and we've tied the wins for the last three years combined.

Go 4-1 and win our first final and we've tied the wins for the last four years combined.

I'm pretty sure I made a joking post about managing that earlier in the year. Silly me.

 

[paulige]

Love the idea of going from a 35k home crowd to a 60k+ away crowd and getting ready for finals, on top of playing 2 potential top 4 teams.

After playing Richmond next we won't be overawed by any crowd number come finals. Awesome tune up for us. End that hoodoo as well please Lions !

How many die hard lions fans will be in that crowd? I’m hoping to be one of many.

Judging by comments I’ve seen, we have about 95% of neutrals supporting us as their “second side”.

I think in terms of hostility the Port game ranks a clear 1st - and we handled that fairly well! Good signs.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

The continual good form of Noah Answerth.

He again played beyond his years against a hardened team in Geelong and not once looked overawed.

Great pick up by the recruiting team and really fills a need that we'd struggled with for a few years. I thought it would be Jaden McGrath some 4 years ago, but Noah plays like a seasoned pro.

Got to shake his hand in the rooms yesterday, and made sure he was aware of the high regard fans hold him and what he's brought to the team this year.

 

[Dylan12]

Got to shake his hand in the rooms yesterday, and made sure he was aware of the high regard fans hold him and what he's brought to the team this year.

On reflection, I'm even more stoked that I received his #43 jumper at the Lions post dinner draft night where five people scored the respective jumper numbers of our draftees (pretty tenuous being "Noah's" jumper given he hadn't actually worn that jumper).

 

[Tom14]

Now 7th in terms of points against. A pretty massive turnaround after the first 6 weeks in which we were (from memory) bottom 4 in that area.

 

[dlanod]

Now 7th in terms of points against. A pretty massive turnaround after the first 6 weeks in which we were (from memory) bottom 4 in that area.

#1 with a bullet in points for as well.

 

[Dalions]

Now 7th in terms of points against. A pretty massive turnaround after the first 6 weeks in which we were (from memory) bottom 4 in that area.

Would be interesting to see where we sit in relation to all teams since the Bye, as we have been so much better defensively since then!

 

[Nunez]

Would be interesting to see where we sit in relation to all teams since the Bye, as we have been so much better defensively since then!

We're #3 for points against from round 6.

 

[Tom14]

Would be interesting to see where we sit in relation to all teams since the Bye, as we have been so much better defensively since then!

We've conceded 80 points once (80 exactly v the dogs) since round 9. Pretty strong effort.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I still can't comprehend that we have finished top four, let alone possibly the minor premiership. Have booked my seat up in the God's for Sunday, no doubt amongst all the yellow and black. Actually don't feel stressed by the thought of losing, more about limiting the damage and securing a home final. No reason we can't win.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I still can't comprehend that we have finished top four, let alone possibly the minor premiership. Have booked my seat up in the God's for Sunday, no doubt amongst all the yellow and black. Actually don't feel stressed by the thought of losing, more about limiting the damage and securing a home final. No reason we can't win.

Amen, I just want a home final. We have never lost a home final and only one home game overall this year.

 

[Viceregal]

I watch us play and I see so many elements that are not what they could be ... whether it be Hipwood leading/marking, McStay converting, Rayner clicking, Berry's awareness, us kicking out on the full, us looking like we are getting outplayed a lot, a lot of our key players being so young ... then I remember that despite all of that and more we are top of the ladder and getting ready to give the finals a shake!

Can you imagine our team with a mentally fixed McStay, a fit and firing beast Rayner, our young guns with 2-3 more pre-seasons in them, a few more years of instilled confidence in Papa Fagan's Holistic Footy Plans and Processes!

It's like I don't think anyone on the team (except maybe Hodgey) is as good as they are going to get and our team as a whole is certainly not as good as it is going to get.

Oh and you know how people often talk about groups staying together when they believe that success will come together ... and while we may see the odd go home a la Des Headland we won't be seeing a go home five equivalent.

Build it strong and to stand the test of time ... I would love a four-peat another three-peat but I also don't want another fifteen years of agony

 

[luthor]

Love the idea of going from a 35k home crowd to a 60k+ away crowd and getting ready for finals, on top of playing 2 potential top 4 teams.

After playing Richmond next we won't be overawed by any crowd number come finals. Awesome tune up for us. End that hoodoo as well please Lions !

This team knows nothing of hoodoos.

It has buried every one of them this season. This Richmond game is just another one that is going to be put to bed.

Believe.

GO LIONS!!!!!

 

[M Malice]

I watch us play and I see so many elements that are not what they could be ... whether it be Hipwood leading/marking, McStay converting, Rayner clicking, Berry's awareness, us kicking out on the full, us looking like we are getting outplayed a lot, a lot of our key players being so young ... then I remember that despite all of that and more we are top of the ladder and getting ready to give the finals a shake!

Can you imagine our team with a mentally fixed McStay, a fit and firing beast Rayner, our young guns with 2-3 more pre-seasons in them, a few more years of instilled confidence in Papa Fagan's Holistic Footy Plans and Processes!

It's like I don't think anyone on the team (except maybe Hodgey) is as good as they are going to get and our team as a whole is certainly not as good as it is going to get.

Oh and you know how people often talk about groups staying together when they believe that success will come together ... and while we may see the odd go home a la Des Headland we won't be seeing a go home five equivalent.

Build it strong and to stand the test of time ... I would love a four-peat another three-peat but I also don't want another fifteen years of agony

Couldn't agree more, whatever we end up doing in September this year we will be a better side over the next 5+ years.

Retiring over the next 2-5 years-

Luke Hodge(35)- Has been sensational for our development but IMO from 2020 on we are fully capable of improving without him
Stefan Martin(32)- The Big O, Archie still a big ? for me. We may need to recruit another mature ruckman.
Dayne Zorko(30)- IMO still has 3 years minimum left in him, very durable and will be dangerous playing more time forward.
Mitch Robinson(30)- Gotta love Robbo, great for our on and off field vibe although eminently replaceable.
Daniel Rich(29)- Like Zorks has 3 years left IMO, I think we already have players on our list that could play his role eg. Witherden to take a more prominent role as he matures, Noah Answerth/Mitchell Hinge/Cedric Cox.

We do not have an obvious replacement for Stef unless O is able to play a 80/20 ruckman role. Zorko's x factor pace and energy will be hard to replace as well.

Buckle in Lions fans, the next 5-10 years are going to be one hell of a ride.

 

[mpal6]

Buckle in Lions fans, the next 5-10 years are going to be one hell of a ride.

For every successful season you have a sobering reality like demons. I'll be thankful for 2019 and I want us go all the way now, but I doubt there's is any gimmes in the upcoming seasons.. fingers crossed this crew proves me wrong again n again.

 

[M Malice]

For every successful season you have a sobering reality like demons. I'll be thankful for 2019 and I want us go all the way now, but I doubt there's is any gimmes in the upcoming seasons.. fingers crossed this crew proves me wrong again n again.

I'm confident enough to bet my left Dodongo that we will not drop of the cliff like the Melbourne Demons ie. 2018 > 2019.

 

[Fatcat08]

Couldn't agree more, whatever we end up doing in September this year we will be a better side over the next 5+ years.

Retiring over the next 2-5 years-

Luke Hodge(35)- Has been sensational for our development but IMO from 2020 on we are fully capable of improving without him
Stefan Martin(32)- The Big O, Archie still a big ? for me. We may need to recruit another mature ruckman.
Dayne Zorko(30)- IMO still has 3 years minimum left in him, very durable and will be dangerous playing more time forward.
Mitch Robinson(30)- Gotta love Robbo, great for our on and off field vibe although eminently replaceable.
Daniel Rich(29)- Like Zorks has 3 years left IMO, I think we already have players on our list that could play his role eg. Witherden to take a more prominent role as he matures, Noah Answerth/Mitchell Hinge/Cedric Cox.

We do not have an obvious replacement for Stef unless O is able to play a 80/20 ruckman role. Zorko's x factor pace and energy will be hard to replace as well.

Buckle in Lions fans, the next 5-10 years are going to be one hell of a ride.

If he can continue to build and stay injury free I think McCarthy can play that Zorko role. He's got power and pace and can do it on the outside and inside. I won't be surprised to see him and Zorko more evenly split the midfield time next season of he maintains the continuity in his body.

 

[DashinD]

Just wanted to share a recent experience with Auskick.
We are in Ipswich - league heartland by anyone’s measure. Ok so we’re not at the school that has Allan Langer Oval or Alfs Mum working at the tuck shop until recently, but still.
Last year there was about 15 kids participating in the school based Auskick program. This year there is 40+. LOTS of girls, and younger kids, grade 2 and under. Good increase.

 

[FLVanLandingham]

I'm confident enough to bet my left Dodongo that we will not drop of the cliff like the Melbourne Demons ie. 2018 > 2019.

If we fail spectacularly, or even win it all I'm sure you're right. No signs of Melbourne or the Doggies in our next year. I think Rayner and McCarthy will be 2 of the most dedicated in the off-season. Plus due to the low injury count there will be a bunch of NEAFL guys busting and cracking in to get everything they can out of themselves.

I admit I've also had daydreams of the boys winning, then when they next come together there standing in from of them is Brown, Leigh, Black and Voss. Give them one of the all time great speeches and rev them up for another 6 years of near perfect performance

 

[Nunez]

 

[haystark]

Oh, he's a beauty.

Edit: Ohhhh the context of that quote makes me sad. I'd be rapt if he would coach a Tasmanian team, but only after leading the Lions to another three-peat of course.

 

[Dalions]

View attachment 732173

Still my Man Crush!

 

[M Malice]

View attachment 732173

Just when you thought he couldn't get more lovable.

 

[Viceregal]

At the beginning of the year we, if optimistic, were hoping to be coming into this round a bit like Port ... "The Power will make finals if Hawthorn loses and Adelaide wins and the Power get a big enough win to leapfrog the Dogs and Crows on percentage. "

Instead we have ... If Brisbane wins the Lions will win the minor premiership and host a qualifying final - if Brisbane loses the Lions could finish as low as fourth depending on West Coast and Geelong's matches.

Shape of the eight: Where did your club finish?

The top eight and double chances are locked in after Richmond's win. Here's how it shapes up

www.afl.com.au

 

[MacMum]

Making the finals was not on many radars at the start of the year.....to have the year we've had has been mind blowing to say the least.

Wherever we finish is the biggest bonus imo.

I still shake my head in amazement and awe at what our boys have achieved.

Win, lose or draw on sunday, I am just so proud of each and every one of them.