Prediction Our side round 1, 2020...?

gcsunsfc

Cancelled
Oct 24, 2012
7,619
7,901
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
Milwaukee Bucks
You mean the young guys who will be in the team within 2-3 years as our older players start to drop out and retire? I think they'll pass on those speaking engagements.
Perhaps Cedric Cox for instance doesn't want to wait until the 6th year of his career to get a consistent game.
I don't know when some of these guys are out of contract but maybe at the end of their contract they'd be willing to move for higher salary - just like Ah Chee did, and in addition higher chance of regular senior action.
I'm sure the Lions will want to hold onto them all - but maybe it's the player that decides to move.

I mean your key position players
Hipwood, Mcstay, Andrews, Gardner, Mcinerny, Adams - the oldest is what 26? Most around 22-24

Mcfadyen, Ballenden will have to improve to the point of overtaking them to get a game (can definitely see this happening) - unless they want to wait 4-5 years till they retire.


Take your pick from the guys who have been delisted.
Walker would be alright as back up for the defence if Thompson gets injured again or Collins takes a while to come back from the stress fracture.
We've had a discussion on our board about Keays - some in favour - most not.
Bastinac pretty much no.
 
Walker would be alright as back up for the defence if Thompson gets injured again or Collins takes a while to come back from the stress fracture.
We've had a discussion on our board about Keays - some in favour - most not.
Bastinac pretty much no.
All this sounds about right.
 
Jan 9, 2009
15,031
16,472
Queensland
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
If Hipwood, Berry and Rayner can all elevate their games next year and start to play some of their best footy on a more consistent basis, I think that could be enough to propel us into the same tier as West Coast and Richmond. We already have the following AA level players- Zorko, Neale, Andrews, Cameron, Rich, McCluggage. Adding Hipwood, Berry and Rayner to that group would see us finish top 4 again I reckon. Hipwood should be aiming for 50+ goals, Rayner 30+ and more midfield time and Berry to become an elite mid alongside Zorko, Neale and Clug. I can see Hipwood and Berry getting there. Rayner might be another year off, although with his talent level second to probably only McCluggage on our list, and seeing how much Clugga improved in his 3rd season, I feel like Rayner will be ready to hit bigger heights next year. I rate McCluggage and Rayner as the two most talented guys on our list.
 

StevoJenkins

The Weekend Worker
Sep 4, 2018
851
1,163
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
AFL
Perhaps Cedric Cox for instance doesn't want to wait until the 6th year of his career to get a consistent game.
I don't know when some of these guys are out of contract but maybe at the end of their contract they'd be willing to move for higher salary - just like Ah Chee did, and in addition higher chance of regular senior action.
I'm sure the Lions will want to hold onto them all - but maybe it's the player that decides to move.

I mean your key position players
Hipwood, Mcstay, Andrews, Gardner, Mcinerny, Adams - the oldest is what 26? Most around 22-24

Mcfadyen, Ballenden will have to improve to the point of overtaking them to get a game (can definitely see this happening) - unless they want to wait 4-5 years till they retire.



Walker would be alright as back up for the defence if Thompson gets injured again or Collins takes a while to come back from the stress fracture.
We've had a discussion on our board about Keays - some in favour - most not.
Bastinac pretty much no.

Was making a reference to Robinson, Martin, Zorko and Birchall. Throw in Christensen and Lester depending on matchups, with Rayner, Bailey and McCarthy spending more time in the midfield, then combine this with the fact that our team is overdue for a long injury run and you’ll have multiple of those young players coming in and cementing their spot or coming in and out due to competition for spots.
 

Bjorn Again

Senior List
Jun 30, 2017
175
443
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
If Birchall plays more than 3 games for us this year I will take that as a win.
He won't be sitting in the NEAFL. He'll be sitting in the stands watching the games, injured.
 
Strong round 1 team from BRISBANE.
I hope we are speaking to some of your young guys who will remain on the outside looking in.

Hope you'd be speaking to luko first to be honest matey
 

Doc Wieldon

Debutant
Mar 7, 2006
139
85
Melbourne
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Other Teams
Chelsea, Canucks
If Birchall plays more than 3 games for us this year I will take that as a win.
He won't be sitting in the NEAFL. He'll be sitting in the stands watching the games, injured.
Birchall missed all of about 10 games up until the end of 2016 (including 4 flags). 2 years of serious knee injuries and personal issues, and now he's 31, in a new environment which managed to turn around the injury fortunes of McCarthy, Adams, Christensen and Cameron this year. Glad you're easily pleased with a ceiling of 3 games, but your negative junk post is a waste of good typing space
 

CatRiot

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 3, 2014
8,092
10,611
AFL Club
Geelong
Just reading your best 22... Not a bad team indeed. You had a good run with injuries last year.

However, what is your depth like outside Best 22?

More specifically across the core parts of the ground, defence, midfield, forward?

Do you think you will draft any ready-made kids or mature players with your draft picks to add to depth?
 
More specifically across the core parts of the ground, defence, midfield, forward?

What other parts of the ground are there lmao
 

CatRiot

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 3, 2014
8,092
10,611
AFL Club
Geelong
Well what I meant is what parts of the ground is there depth lacking in 2020? and what do you aim to target at the draft?
 
Sep 19, 2013
9,692
11,144
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Well what I meant is what parts of the ground is there depth lacking in 2020? and what do you aim to target at the draft?

We cleared out a fair chunk of our experienced depth this year in order to give the younger guys a run when injury/ form requires. As a result there are only a handful of guys with exposed form, outside the best 22. This may hurt if injuries strike, but we are pretty bullish that we have some talent at the club that hasn't had much of a chance yet. Guys like Starcevich and Cox on the flanks, Ely Smith, Corey Lyons and Tom Berry through the middle and Payne, Ballenden and Fullerton in key positions. All these guys would likely have played multiple games had they been drafted to the club between 2012 and 2016.
 

CatRiot

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 3, 2014
8,092
10,611
AFL Club
Geelong
We cleared out a fair chunk of our experienced depth this year in order to give the younger guys a run when injury/ form requires. As a result there are only a handful of guys with exposed form, outside the best 22. This may hurt if injuries strike, but we are pretty bullish that we have some talent at the club that hasn't had much of a chance yet. Guys like Starcevich and Cox on the flanks, Ely Smith, Corey Lyons and Tom Berry through the middle and Payne, Ballenden and Fullerton in key positions. All these guys would likely have played multiple games had they been drafted to the club between 2012 and 2016.
Yeah, I thought your depth was a bit limited looking at your list, but I don't know much about your younger brigade.

Just curious on some of your delisted players.
Ben Keays and Archie Smith - their NEAFL form looks decent, for a medium forward and a ruck. But then again, its NEAFL.
Are they being rookied again? Or you think they aren't AFL grade?
 
Sep 19, 2013
9,692
11,144
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Yeah, I thought your depth was a bit limited looking at your list, but I don't know much about your younger brigade.

Just curious on some of your delisted players.
Ben Keays and Archie Smith - their NEAFL form looks decent, for a medium forward and a ruck. But then again, its NEAFL.
Are they being rookied again? Or you think they aren't AFL grade?

Smith has been told he will be added to the list again if he isn't offered a gig elsewhere. Keays will not be. Plenty of us hurting over the Keays delisting as we felt he really improved this year as a hard tackling small forward in the NEAFL. The reality is though he has never really shown enough at AFL level and the improvement just came too late.
 

Quigley

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 23, 2006
8,700
10,315
Bangalla
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Yeah, I thought your depth was a bit limited looking at your list, but I don't know much about your younger brigade.

Just curious on some of your delisted players.
Ben Keays and Archie Smith - their NEAFL form looks decent, for a medium forward and a ruck. But then again, its NEAFL.
Are they being rookied again? Or you think they aren't AFL grade?

Our depth is the best it has been in a long time. Even though it was only the NEAFL we did go through the season undefeated and there are 3 other AFL teams playing in that competition.

We lost a few of the experienced depth guys but we got a few come in as well in the trade period. We also have the opportunity to take Coleman who has had a year with the side and I felt was comfortably would have been picked in the AFL side early in the year (when he was playing forward) if he had been eligible.

We did have a very good run with injuries this year but it did mean that it allowed us to get a full year into our youngsters and many of them showed a fair bit. Our back depth is as good as any in the competition. Midfield there are some young guys who showed a bit and will get an opportunity this year. Ruck is solid if Smith comes back. Up forward I like our smalls depth. If Hipwood went down we would struggle but there are a few midsized targets who would change the dynamic. All up I think our depth is pretty good.
 

CatRiot

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 3, 2014
8,092
10,611
AFL Club
Geelong
Our depth is the best it has been in a long time. Even though it was only the NEAFL we did go through the season undefeated and there are 3 other AFL teams playing in that competition.

We lost a few of the experienced depth guys but we got a few come in as well in the trade period. We also have the opportunity to take Coleman who has had a year with the side and I felt was comfortably would have been picked in the AFL side early in the year (when he was playing forward) if he had been eligible.

We did have a very good run with injuries this year but it did mean that it allowed us to get a full year into our youngsters and many of them showed a fair bit. Our back depth is as good as any in the competition. Midfield there are some young guys who showed a bit and will get an opportunity this year. Ruck is solid if Smith comes back. Up forward I like our smalls depth. If Hipwood went down we would struggle but there are a few midsized targets who would change the dynamic. All up I think our depth is pretty good.
Yeah, I think your team is decent, and should win most if not all home games next season. I just don't know a lot about your depth.

Your team last year reminded me a lot of the Cats 2004 and 2005 seasons. We were up there, up and coming, but fell short when the finals came on. Probably just through pressure experience in finals. Then we had a bad year in 2006, which forced a review in early 2007, and that's when the golden era started for our club.

You have certainly made the right appointments with Hodge, Fagan and now Birchall - both playing and off-field.

I'll be interested to see if you have a dip, or you can improve. Injuries will be a factor, like with most teams ofc.
 

jackess

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts
Aug 10, 2005
46,545
42,486
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
I wonder if Birchall might take Adams spot and Ah Chee replaces Hodge.
 
I wonder if Birchall might take Adams spot and Ah Chee replaces Hodge.
If he is going to get squeezed out of the backline, I wouldn't mind seeing them try Adams forward of centre, at least in the pre-season. In WA he was known to like a goal.
 

Lazza16

The Lions Women...roaring into 2023
Jul 7, 2017
3,995
4,056
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Ah Chee says he is free of any injury concerns for the start of pre-season and has already been doing some fitness work so he should be cherry-ripe and if his body holds up he would be a certainty to make the round 1 team. Very surprised if CEY and Birch aren't in the same boat. You don't trade for depth.
I dont know much about Ah Chee but if he is a consistent line breaker and with the Birch recruited to provide that experience in the back line. If we have a similar injury-free season I could see Witho playing some NEAFL games. I like what Bailey promises with his foot speed off half back and I believe the coach does as well.
 
Does anyone find it bizarre to think that Grant Birchall is actually a Lion? It's kinda weird to think, at least for me. This is a high profile player, that has admittedly missed a lot of games in recent years, but is still a big name regardless. And yet him joining the Lions the reactions has been kinda like, "yeah, cool". I guess it's in the wake of some high profile recruits in the last two years, as well as playing finals for the first time in a decade and he came as a UFA so there was no suspense but still very little hype for a player of his calibre. Despite being 32 at the start of next season I'm expecting we'll really appreciate his presence next year.
 
Apr 4, 2015
11,059
19,507
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Does anyone find it bizarre to think that Grant Birchall is actually a Lion? It's kinda weird to think, at least for me. This is a high profile player, that has admittedly missed a lot of games in recent years, but is still a big name regardless. And yet him joining the Lions the reactions has been kinda like, "yeah, cool". I guess it's in the wake of some high profile recruits in the last two years, as well as playing finals for the first time in a decade and he came as a UFA so there was no suspense but still very little hype for a player of his calibre. Despite being 32 at the start of next season I'm expecting we'll really appreciate his presence next year.
He's always had a very low profile for a quality player hasn't he . And being injured the last 2 years at his age he'd basically been written off. The Hawks weren't standing in his way so overall he's not seen publicly as of any huge value.
 
He might turn into a Michael Tuck type and play til he's forty, but I think the club would be thinking two years. Will give more run than Hodgey but almost certainly not the same level of leadership.
 
Back