Review Round 7, 2021 - Brisbane Lions vs. Port Adelaide

Who were your five best players against Port Adelaide?


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May 5, 2013
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I thought the pressure level was less than I would've expected early but once we amped it up they couldn't or wouldn't keep up.

Let's face it the last quarter of footy was like a stroll in the park . No pressure at all.

It's really hard to judge to what extent we were good and they were poor .Not only was their tackling pressure ordinary ,their forward entries were generally not over threatening and their execution when they did get it poor. But then again we didn't make too many mistakes in and from our back half.

Overall we did what we needed to in this game and everyone contributed. Not really worried about what sort of a test it was ,we got the four points and a little percentage kicker.
Me either.
The big thing for mind was we went in hard to win the contest , and almost most importantly what we did with the ball when we had it.
I think we have stepped up as a team in playing to space and kicking to advantage in this game, special mention to Clugga.
He was great in kicking to a spot that had the players running on to it and he wasn't alone.
Real smart footy and if we can play more footy like that , leading into space and then having the skill to kick to that players advantage we can start dominating with ease where we don't have to keep going to contests all over the park to win.
To me that's why it seemed like a less bruising game .
Can't wait for next week's game.
 
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drapes11

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Mar 31, 2010
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I reckon Payne might leave at the end of this season, IF when fit he is not getting an opportunity. I don't think Payne would want to be stuck behind Lester and Adams. According to a recent media report 'Dogs' made a bid for him at the end of last year, and they seem a bit shallow on KPD, especially one, that like most young guys just needs a good run of games to build confidence and consistency.

Birchal won’t be there next year
 

Quigley

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Sep 23, 2006
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On a couple of the new boys:

Prior - playing on the outside for a Fagan coached team is a tough ask at the moment as we do not really use run or width. Accordingly if you are not good in the contest you really do not get a heap of the ball. Still Prior has done pretty well in two of his three games so far getting forward to hit the scoreboard. There were a couple of quality kicks that really encouraged me on the weekend and makes me think that as he becomes more confident we might have a really damaging player on our hands. For that reason I am thinking he plays behind the ball long term in a Birchall or Rich type role. He was strong in the body on body as well in this game which also is a good sign going forward.

Madden - as mentioned above we are not a running side and so Madden did not really get a chance to show off his running skills. Defensively though I thought he was very good and really strengthened the unit with the pressure his pace provided and the ability to quickly recover from any mistakes made. Port have one of the best small forward units and Starcevich and Madden were largely responsible for shutting them down. Fantasia was shut out completely and Rozee was a nonfactor up forward. Even when the Port forwards go the ball the footsteps coming for them made them rush. With the ball in hand he was rushed a bit and made a few turnovers but most of these were in contested situations. When he had a bit of space he was fine with the ball in hand and made a few nice plays. Overall a very good game defensively and a solid enough display offensively.
 

Quigley

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Sep 23, 2006
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Birchal won’t be there next year

Payne is not going to slot into that role though.

Personally if the call is marginal I play Payne as he is the future. Adams is an injury prone 28 year old who cannot be relied to stay on the park and has generally been pretty inconsistent historically.

Adams was better this week but he still made a couple of bad turnovers which Payne would have been roasted for on here. Defensively though he did a really nice job and put a lot of body pressure on the Port forwards which caused a few mistakes from them. I thought it was clearly his best game of the year and I would not drop him after that performance. If he turned it over like he did the previous couple of weeks I would have no trouble doing so though.
 

jjami15

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 16, 2011
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Payne is not going to slot into that role though.

Personally if the call is marginal I play Payne as he is the future. Adams is an injury prone 28 year old who cannot be relied to stay on the park and has generally been pretty inconsistent historically.

Adams was better this week but he still made a couple of bad turnovers which Payne would have been roasted for on here. Defensively though he did a really nice job and put a lot of body pressure on the Port forwards which caused a few mistakes from them. I thought it was clearly his best game of the year and I would not drop him after that performance. If he turned it over like he did the previous couple of weeks I would have no trouble doing so though.
Since you brought up Adams disposal prior I watched more closely. His disposal is, for want of a better word, deplorable for an AFL level footballer. However, he brings other strengths to the team which cannot be denied.
 
Since you brought up Adams disposal prior I watched more closely. His disposal is, for want of a better word, deplorable for an AFL level footballer. However, he brings other strengths to the team which cannot be denied.
Deplorable, Sheesh🙄
 
I reckon Payne might leave at the end of this season, IF when fit he is not getting an opportunity. I don't think Payne would want to be stuck behind Lester and Adams. According to a recent media report 'Dogs' made a bid for him at the end of last year, and they seem a bit shallow on KPD, especially one, that like most young guys just needs a good run of games to build confidence and consistency.

The Bulldogs will definitely go after Payne again if he isn't in Best 22 contention at the end of the season, as I remember hearing somewhere that when Stefan Martin was playing for us, the Bulldogs would always ask the question about his services for the club every trade period since Leppitsch was the coach at the Lions due to the lack of ruck depth the club had then before he left last year. North Melbourne would be another club I reckon who will have a look at Payne and possibly other fringe players around our club (Mathieson/E.Smith) also this trade period, given the link of Noble at the club and the amount of salary cap space they currently have in their disposal.

The other thing to consider is that Birchall is "most likely" retiring this year meaning there will be a spot open in the defence, meaning maybe Lester play's Birchall's role while Payne slots in for Lester's position in the D50 as a result in the future.
 

Milux

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Sep 29, 2013
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For me over the past few seasons what has been the most pleasing thing is being able to compete at a high level while maintaining some youth on our list. Few years ago we added players like Mcluggage and Berry then a few years after Bailey and Starc. Now we have Prior and Robertson staking their claim they are best 22. This is a massive endorsement in where the club we all love is going. Sure we cant read the future. But with the emphasis on playing kids in a winning team is really pleasing. The fact the kids are making huge impacts on the game is a massive positive.

On to Matho i thought he played well. Considering his lack of senior exposure over the past seasons. I have always been a massive fan and personally would like to see him remain in the team for all of Neales absence barring some major form dip or lack of impact. Give him an oppurtunity to earn that spot on our list. I feel he wants it more then ever.

The rest of the squad played their roles to perfection. Just an all out team performance.
 
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This is a massive indictment in where the club we all love is going.
I really hope and suspect you mean something like "endorsement", because indictment is "a thing that serves to illustrate that a system or situation is bad and deserves to be condemned".
 

Nuggo

Club Legend
Aug 24, 2009
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Port didn't look switched on right from the beginning and it just got worse from there for them. Perhaps the mind games of them being our Bunnies was too much coming into this match.
 

jackess

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Aug 10, 2005
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Port didn't look switched on right from the beginning and it just got worse from there for them. Perhaps the mind games of them being our Bunnies was too much coming into this match.

Their midfield started well and they were on top in the first. Finished with more inside 50s just kept kicking it to Harris in the first and never got their ball movement going. Lacked class and run. We had more running bounces which never happens
 

The Dougster

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Dec 12, 2020
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Clugga is clearly Simon Black 2.0. It’s like time slows down when he has possession of the ball, just artwork.

I love seeing Joe up the field, it gives Charlie Dixon Cameron so much space to do what he loves to do, getting into a foot chase under the ball drop.

Harris doing Harris things again is also awesome to see.

And from the bits I saw, it looked like Beast really focused on team footy when he was going for the hard ball get instead of shrugging his shoulder and playing for a high contact free.

Love it. My old manager is a Port fan and suggested a $20 supercheap gift card wager on the outcome. Glad I said yes now, but he hasn’t responded to any of my messages yet. :)
McCluggage is my favourite player to watch at the moment. Moves a bit like Jarman
 

Ralphy2017

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Jul 16, 2017
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On a couple of the new boys:

Prior - playing on the outside for a Fagan coached team is a tough ask at the moment as we do not really use run or width. Accordingly if you are not good in the contest you really do not get a heap of the ball. Still Prior has done pretty well in two of his three games so far getting forward to hit the scoreboard. There were a couple of quality kicks that really encouraged me on the weekend and makes me think that as he becomes more confident we might have a really damaging player on our hands. For that reason I am thinking he plays behind the ball long term in a Birchall or Rich type role. He was strong in the body on body as well in this game which also is a good sign going forward.

Madden - as mentioned above we are not a running side and so Madden did not really get a chance to show off his running skills. Defensively though I thought he was very good and really strengthened the unit with the pressure his pace provided and the ability to quickly recover from any mistakes made. Port have one of the best small forward units and Starcevich and Madden were largely responsible for shutting them down. Fantasia was shut out completely and Rozee was a nonfactor up forward. Even when the Port forwards go the ball the footsteps coming for them made them rush. With the ball in hand he was rushed a bit and made a few turnovers but most of these were in contested situations. When he had a bit of space he was fine with the ball in hand and made a few nice plays. Overall a very good game defensively and a solid enough display offensively.
Agree and why I thought Madden would debut last week.
 

AFLQLD

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Jul 15, 2012
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Five players who I thought looked more impressive after watching the replay (with commentary turned well down) than I noticed live:

Hipwood did a solid amount of team-first work that probably got him no stats but was a sign of his increasing maturity. He got involved at ground level, put on a few shepherds rather than just going for the ball, added pressure at some important moments. He probably didn’t do the kms that Joe did but still showing that he is building more facets to his game.

McCarthy looks like a player we can throw into most roles and he will do the job. I think he was especially good with his pressure and tackling. One of his best games and he seems the type that could have a few good years left because he still has relatively low mileage after being injured so much at Geelong. I’m sure he would want to play for while yet - five more years doesn’t seem out of the question at all.

Starcevich seems so mature now that it is sometimes easy to forget he is still pretty young. His confidence has increased as his strength has increased. Within the next couple of years he is going to be a very strong experienced well rounded defender - something like a Vlaustin.

Adams is improving rapidly now he has more confidence and fitness. I am surprised how fast he actually is. Better than I thought he would be at ground level. Another one whose extended injury run might actually make a longer career for him. I would love to see him have a couple of seasons injury free and see how far he can go.

Matho didn’t set the world on fire but it seemed more mature of him as well - playing his role of often shutting down or redirecting the quick release handballs that Port love and getting to the ball and scrapping for possession. It slowed Port down and they missed their fluency out of stoppages. A few selfless acts that show he gets what he needs to do - be a cog in the machine rather than be the whole machine himself.
 
Watching Joe each week, I never realised how athletic he is. He can really run and run - I thought Hipwood was good athletically, but Daniher is at least his equal.
 

M Malice

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I love Mitch Robinsons hardness, dedication, desire but I’ve never known a bloke to turnover the ball by foot so much. Often he has all the time in the world only to throw it on the boot and kick it straight to the opposition.
IMO he has had less tendency to do that this year, his disposal has been at a pretty good level.
 
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