Review Round 12, 2021 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions

[Nuggo]

Our midfield is often too small and/or slow to stop the handball chains, and overlap run.

It is why we need to get our hands on the footy first at stoppages and secondly missed tackles kill us - as once they slip past they are gone. Maybe it was just me but we seemed to let a lot of tackles slip in the second half.

 

[jackess]

It is why we need to get our hands on the footy first at stoppages and secondly missed tackles kill us - as once they slip past they are gone. Maybe it was just me but we seemed to let a lot of tackles slip in the second half.

It's actually a strength of ours. We don't tend to get first hands on it as much as our opponents but win it at the next contest.

 

[Nuggo]

It's actually a strength of ours. We don't tend to get first hands on it as much as our opponents but win it at the next contest.

Could be why it breaks down for the quick handball and quick spread teams.

 

[jackess]

Could be why it breaks down for the quick handball and quick spread teams.

If it completely falls apart like on the weekend it gets ugly.

 

[dlanod]

It's actually a strength of ours. We don't tend to get first hands on it as much as our opponents but win it at the next contest.

It was a glaring and repeated problem on the weekend where Melbourne would have an unmanned player in a set position for a handball receive just off the contest. Usually Mitch plays a role to shut that down and cut it off himself - I find myself wondering if he was on the bench or moved around, so whoever was meant to move into that role (Prior? honestly couldn't tell because most of the time there was no Lion in frame) just didn't.

 

[jackess]

It was a glaring and repeated problem on the weekend where Melbourne would have an unmanned player in a set position for a handball receive just off the contest. Usually Mitch plays a role to shut that down and cut it off himself - I find myself wondering if he was on the bench or moved around, so whoever was meant to move into that role (Prior? honestly couldn't tell because most of the time there was no Lion in frame) just didn't.

Plus their ruck acted as an extra midfielder

 

[mpal6]

Dev Robertson isn’t really a big bodied mid.

He’s more a Joel Selwood type of hard at it mid, just slightly taller, but he’s a much better runner. Doesn’t have that explosive burst of power or outright speed, but he’s fast and can keep running to get from contest to contest.

Bailey and Rayner are our attacking mids, with that ability to burst from congestion, and Rayner has a big body. Hopefully Cockatoo can get healthy and still has his power and speed, to join them.

I wasn't referring to Dangerfield type with explosive burst though. I was thinking of CEY (189cm/90kg), someone whom we clearly profiled and recruited for our side. Big body, win contested ball in the middle and complement the smaller players. Explosive pace on top like Rayner/Bailey would be nice too.

My hope is Deven becomes a Cunnington (186cm/86kg) mould player who can win the footy and give first use to our team. Deven can mature to become that player in my view.

 

[martinson]

When your system breaks down a bit and the opposition executes very well things can look a lot worse than what they are.

 

[Nuggo]

It's actually a strength of ours. We don't tend to get first hands on it as much as our opponents but win it at the next contest.

Is it a strength or just trying to deal with hand we have been dealt in terms of our Ruck situation. I would have thought as a midfielder you would like your ruck to get first hands on the footy

 

[Gadzorks]

Is it a strength or just trying to deal with hand we have been dealt in terms of our Ruck situation. I would have thought as a midfielder you would like your ruck to get first hands on the footy

Compensating for your weaknesses is always a strength.

Perfection is an illusion.

We can beat the dees if we are on for a whole game, especially now as we know what they did to turn the game around. I think a lot of our guys were gassed. Geelong game will be interesting.

 

[briztoon]

It's actually a strength of ours. We don't tend to get first hands on it as much as our opponents but win it at the next contest.

Against both the Bulldogs ,and Melbourne in the second half, there was no next contest.

They won the ball, outnumbered us around the contest, quick hand balled out of trouble, keeping hands and ball high and breaking tackles, then spread and ran the ball from the defensive 50 to forward 50, created overlap drawing defenders away from space, opening lanes for spare runners to receive the ball and run in to kick goals.

Two things that annoy me.

First we haven’t found a defensive scheme in the past two and a half seasons to stop opposition teams doing this to us.

Secondly, we rarely employ this type of offence ourselves. Preferring to bang it on the boot down the line to gain meterage from the defensive 50.

Melbourne killed us every time we tried this in the last quarter. Outnumbering us at the drop of the ball, or taking the mark, retaining possession and getting the ball back in to our defensive 50.

 

[jackess]

Is it a strength or just trying to deal with hand we have been dealt in terms of our Ruck situation. I would have thought as a midfielder you would like your ruck to get first hands on the footy

I agree but it works a lot of the time

 

[briztoon]

I wasn't referring to Dangerfield type with explosive burst though. I was thinking of CEY (189cm/90kg), someone whom we clearly profiled and recruited for our side. Big body, win contested ball in the middle and complement the smaller players. Explosive pace on top like Rayner/Bailey would be nice too.

My hope is Deven becomes a Cunnington (186cm/86kg) mould player who can win the footy and give first use to our team. Deven can mature to become that player in my view.

CEY was a very poor recruitment strategy, because we’re putting 3 slow ball winners around the ball, two (CEY and Lyons) who can’t run contest to contest or run defensively.

As for Dev, win the ball and give good first use to our team is exactly the type of player he already is. As for who he plays similar to, that’s not so important in such a discussion.

 

[Lionheart182]

A game of 2 halves, one each way. The way you guys were all over us in the first was the best any side has played against us this year. That sort of footy will have you guys going deep in the finals. We got the win but I wouldn’t have us ahead of you guys. Good to see Lachie Neale back, Zach Bailey is going to be a star. Best of luck for the rest of the year.

Very nice sentiment mate, just made a small edit to your post

 

[twhowler]

Against both the Bulldogs ,and Melbourne in the second half, there was no next contest.

They won the ball, outnumbered us around the contest, quick hand balled out of trouble, keeping hands and ball high and breaking tackles, then spread and ran the ball from the defensive 50 to forward 50, created overlap drawing defenders away from space, opening lanes for spare runners to receive the ball and run in to kick goals.

Two things that annoy me.

First we haven’t found a defensive scheme in the past two and a half seasons to stop opposition teams doing this to us.

Secondly, we rarely employ this type of offence ourselves. Preferring to bang it on the boot down the line to gain meterage from the defensive 50.

Melbourne killed us every time we tried this in the last quarter. Outnumbering us at the drop of the ball, or taking the mark, retaining possession and getting the ball back in to our defensive 50.

It's the 'first' that troubles me the most. Geelong last year (twice). Sydney Round 1 (not withstanding big run on we got we never stopped them scoring). Bulldogs round 4. Richmond plenty of times. It actually looked to me like we tried to slow it down in the third when they were getting on top by playing more possession, but that only slightly slowed their scoring. We need a strategy when THEY have the ball. Then once we were behind, we never dared to win. Those kick ins just going to the pocket in the last quarter, not once did we just bang it as quickly as we could down the middle. Surely worth a shot, as much as it's a simplistic tactic.

 

[martinson]

Every team has deficiencies and like us get exposed when we don't execute our game plan effectively and someone is good enough to exploit it.

I was wondering what people thought Melbourne's achilles heel is ?

 

[Nuggo]

Every team has deficiencies and like us get exposed when we don't execute our game plan effectively and someone is good enough to exploit it.

I was wondering what people thought Melbourne's achilles heel is ?

Perhaps there achilles heel might not be exposed until final time occurs - contested marking in their forward line. Their midfield and defense will hold up quite well.

 

[briztoon]

It's the 'first' that troubles me the most. Geelong last year (twice). Sydney Round 1 (not withstanding big run on we got we never stopped them scoring). Bulldogs round 4. Richmond plenty of times. It actually looked to me like we tried to slow it down in the third when they were getting on top by playing more possession, but that only slightly slowed their scoring. We need a strategy when THEY have the ball. Then once we were behind, we never dared to win. Those kick ins just going to the pocket in the last quarter, not once did we just bang it as quickly as we could down the middle. Surely worth a shot, as much as it's a simplistic tactic.

Yup, I actually yelled at the tv at one point, “kick to the top of the square, not the pocket you ******* ******”.

 

[briztoon]

Every team has deficiencies and like us get exposed when we don't execute our game plan effectively and someone is good enough to exploit it.

I was wondering what people thought Melbourne's achilles heel is ?

Their forward line.

If we actually watched the delivery into their forward line, rather than watching and playing the forwards from behind, we should have cut off more of ball coming in.

 

[davemc_lions]

Yup, I actually yelled at the tv at one point, “kick to the top of the square, not the pocket you ******* ******”.

when you have Rich and Birchall in the side for their weapon by foot.
Then you short pass it to the pocket then kick down the line. Which most players can do.
Do we then need both of them. Rich a lot better defensively then Birchall.. Hence do we use Madden as a point of difference.
We slow in the mids need more speed of HB to help
Ah Chee might be able to run all day he not a speedster. Nor Rich or Birchall.
Starc playing defensive.. So there is no run.

They where setup down the line well.. as we always kick there
Like forward we either start bombing it 50 out.. or kick to a contest hoping for a ball in near the line.
Gawn was on top and their mids.. No idea thinking we get a 50-50 contest.
As they where winning those 70-30.. So all your doing bombing is to start another Demons attack.

I really think we need to work out a plan be to either carry it around or open up our forward 50 for someone like Charlie or Joe to have space.

May got on top after Hippy had a great first half where he clunked marks he normally be 50-50 on.

 

[Section 5]

One positive from the game it rated very well
.......
Meanwhile, the Round 12 match between Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions played at the SCG on Friday night attracted an average television audience of 1.14 million, becoming the largest Friday night audience in Queensland this season and the second-largest Friday night Victorian television audience for the season.

Round 11 saw the highest rating Friday night match of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season with the top of the table clash between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne attracting an average television audience of 1.14 million viewers nationally.

Full article

Huge ratings for 2021 Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round

The Dreamtime in Perth match was a ratings bonanza

www.afl.com.au

 

[martinson]

Yup, I actually yelled at the tv at one point, “kick to the top of the square, not the pocket you ******* ******”.

It's obviously an instruction to slow it down and chip it around in the backline when a team gets a run on.

Tbh we never looked like getting it out of there from the kick in even though they missed quite a few shots.

We needed to get a McStay or Hipwood or somebody to present further up the ground , the issue being if they didn't mark it Melbourne were just sweeping it away once the ball hit the deck.

I don't think there's an easy answer but what we did do didn't work, that's self evident.

 

[briztoon]

when you have Rich and Birchall in the side for their weapon by foot.
Then you short pass it to the pocket then kick down the line. Which most players can do.
Do we then need both of them. Rich a lot better defensively then Birchall.. Hence do we use Madden as a point of difference.
We slow in the mids need more speed of HB to help
Ah Chee might be able to run all day he not a speedster. Nor Rich or Birchall.
Starc playing defensive.. So there is no run.

They where setup down the line well.. as we always kick there
Like forward we either start bombing it 50 out.. or kick to a contest hoping for a ball in near the line.
Gawn was on top and their mids.. No idea thinking we get a 50-50 contest.
As they where winning those 70-30.. So all your doing bombing is to start another Demons attack.

I really think we need to work out a plan be to either carry it around or open up our forward 50 for someone like Charlie or Joe to have space.

May got on top after Hippy had a great first half where he clunked marks he normally be 50-50 on.

I was talking about when we were kicking in to our forward 50, in that last quarter.

 

[martinson]

I was talking about when we were kicking in to our forward 50, in that last quarter.

Oh yeah .

Well that too.

Both ends.

 

[mpal6]

Every team has deficiencies and like us get exposed when we don't execute our game plan effectively and someone is good enough to exploit it.

I was wondering what people thought Melbourne's achilles heel is ?

Forward line is still a mixed bag to me, we have shown (at least for a half) they can be stopped.