Review Qualifying Final 1, 2021 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions

[davemc_lions]

What about Harris or Adams up front and Payne in down back

 

[On the quiet]

Coleman is going to be a massive player for us. Got plenty of guts too.

Feel very sorry for Darcy. He shouldn’t be playing. Give him a full preseason and he will come back strong.

I like Gardiner, but don't feel sorry for him if he declared himself fit when it appears he is still carrying an injury. I would feel sorry for him if he was told to play. Obviously a completely different standard with passing a fitness test at training to playing a game. Hs past two games he has been really poor and I know he has had 12 or so weeks out, but Payne also had about 12 weeks out and came back and played reasonably well first few games back. I Assume Payne is good to go as named as an emergency, so perhaps Darcy/coaches/medical staff need to do the team thing and declare him not fit for next weeks game.

I am just so disappointed, thought we would win in a close contest. Agree with a full preseason Darcy will come back strong.

 

[luthor]

The loss of McStay early was a massive blow to our chances.

Our structure suffered both ways because we had to take Bez out of the midfield and play him forward as the next closest thing to playing the role of McStay.

Then, of course our midfield got that much weaker. It's no wonder Melbourne's guns in Oliver and Petracca ran riot. Berry no doubt would have had a defensive assignment on one or both of those but instead spent the game trying to be a de-facto tall.

The total bloodbath in the second quarter to some extent reflected that. People can talk about the mythical plan "B" as much as they like. Covering for the loss of such a structurally critical player as McStay and on the run in a big final, presents a whole host of problems. Rattling on about "adaptability" and Plan "B" is a lot easier from the comfort of your lounge chair than dealing with it in real life.

I'm pretty disgusted at some of the vitriol and criticism directed towards Berry.

He's primarily a midfielder and would have gone into the game with a mindset to perform a certain role as part of the midfield group.

Instead , within 5 or 10 minutes he has to be McStay and Matho has to be Berry.

It's hard to work out which was the bigger downgrade but Berry did his best in an unfamiliar role and as I think we all appreciate, Matho is always going to struggle against quality opposition playing the only role he can.....as an inside mid.

The loss was disappointing but I thought our boys really knuckled down after half time and almost became some sort of silly chance halfway through the last quarter

They could have easily have thought it was all too hard and turned their toes up at half time

The fact that they didn't and fought it out to the end is a credit to the Coaching group and the undoubted pride that this group has in their performance.

 

[briztoon]

Fagan basically just said Lester is an absolute certainty to be back next week.

 

[Cold Sober]

??? Please explain.

He told me to tell you, stop whinging, you got done by a better side on the night.
He also told me to tell you that as bad as you think your team played they got within 20points late in the game.
He probably said double chance means double chance.
I said to him it will end being a Brisbane Melbourne GF.

 

[pulpdriver]

Fagan basically just said Lester is an absolute certainty to be back next week.

Gardiner soreness or something. I think we took a chance that he'd be able to come back from injury acceptably close enough to his best but just hasn't worked out. Put him on ice, get him ready for next year and Lester in.

 

[jackess]

Fagan basically just said Lester is an absolute certainty to be back next week.

Be interesting to see who makes way. We were worried it would be Kiddy but surely can’t happen after tonight.

Gardiner might be the option

 

[deeco]

Sorry to intrude but I ******* love your coach. What an amazing man Fagan is, to not sit there and bitch and moan (*cough Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

47

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

*) but to commend another team for playing well. Would love to see that man holding a premiership cup one day, genuinely hope to see him achieve that. Fingers crossed your list is in better shape over the next few years and you get a genuine crack at it.

Best of luck next week!

 

[Elixuh]

He told me to tell you, stop whinging, you got done by a better side on the night.
He also told me to tell you that as bad as you think your team played they got within 20points late in the game.
He probably said double chance means double chance.
I said to him it will end being a Brisbane Melbourne GF.

Thank you kind stranger.

 

[briztoon]

We simply don’t have a plan B if going down the line isn’t working for us.

We don’t have the handball skills, or enough run and carry players, to execute genuine run and carry, so I don’t know what the answer is.

 

[martinson]

I've been surprised as to why we have run with Matho as the sub for a while - I think he offers the least versatility out of all our options. I had presumed it was because Lachie may not have gotten through full games but he seems fine now.

We looked like a beaten up team right now - guys woefully underdone and others carrying pretty substantial injuries.

I assume Birch was injured and his season is done.

Going to have to swing the magnets a bit.

That's it exactly.

We look beaten up and when you go into finals with those players in you generally get belted.

We did a fair job to get as close considering the number of fit players who were also down.

Thanks to the supreme efforts of 5 or 6.

 

[pulpdriver]

We simply don’t have a plan B if going down the line isn’t working for us.

We don’t have the handball skills, or enough run and carry players, to execute genuine run and carry, so I don’t know what the answer is.

I don't think it takes a massive restructuring to implement some run and carry and defensive running to impede fast breaks from half back or midfield. Just takes some re-jigging. It's amazing how much faster and how much more outside pressure and running a team can look with just two or three player changes. We might already have it on our list. 2 or 3 first round picks this year to add won't hurt.

 

[martinson]

We simply don’t have a plan B if going down the line isn’t working for us.

We don’t have the handball skills, or enough run and carry players, to execute genuine run and carry, so I don’t know what the answer is.

That's very true.

Maybe we just try and get the best 22 fully fit players in that we can and assess when our season ends how we can get better next year. But right now we don't have the cattle to modify our gameplan.

 

[briztoon]

briztoon

Does Ashcroft run both ways?

He will after 12 months playing reserves.

 

[The Zork]

Emotionally gassed as a supporter and I don’t want to bash players cause I inevitably want to take it back after.. but damn Jarrod Berry

7

Jarrod Berry

Age

26

Ht

192cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.4

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

8.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

4.2

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

17.0

4star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

5.1

5star

CL

2.9

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

6.2

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.8

5star

CL

0.8

3star

is in deadset no mans land at the moment.

We all want him to be this important cog for the next 10 years but he’s just lost as a footballer.
Not an accumulator, not quick or impactful enough for a quick burst impact player, not super skilled, shaky down forward.
Unsure he’s a lockdown backman.

Unless he’s given a pure lockdown role I’m just not sure where he’s at. Injury issues taken into account and all.

It’s the exact position we can’t really afford passengers in and right now he’s riding shotgun.

 

[martinson]

I don't think it takes a massive restructuring to implement some run and carry and defensive running to impede fast breaks from half back or midfield. Just takes some re-jigging. It's amazing how much faster and how much more outside pressure and running a team can look with just two or three player changes. We might already have it on our list. 2 or 3 first round picks this year to add won't hurt.

A big factor were some non competitive players tonight with what looked like fitness/injury. We weren't beaten all that far when you look at how many players were poor.

 

[Ceebee]

There is nothing more certain on this Earth than reading the comments section on an AFL post involving Lachie Neale having a monster game and seeing a nuffy middle aged absolute loser with a profile picture with a “go tiges” frame saying - cheap disposals, done nothing with them.

Neales game was one of his absolute best. Any football follower with any idea would appreciate how clean he was under pressure.

He was absolutely brilliant , tried his heart out , needed a few more Ike him .

 

[Elixuh]

That's it exactly.

We look beaten up and when you go into finals with those players in you generally get belted.

We did a fair job to get as close considering the number of fit players who were also down.

Thanks to the supreme efforts of 5 or 6.

It is the same as where we got to during the H&A where we were carrying too much inexperience, its just this time its underdone/injured players.

 

[T Rick]

Where do you find Fages post match presser?

 

[Ceebee]

Emotionally gassed as a supporter and I don’t want to bash players cause I inevitably want to take it back after.. but damn Jarrod Berry is in deadset no mans land at the moment.

We all want him to be this important cog for the next 10 years but he’s just lost as a footballer.
Not an accumulator, not quick or impactful enough for a quick burst impact player, not super skilled, shaky down forward.
Unsure he’s a lockdown backman.

Unless he’s given a pure lockdown role I’m just not sure where he’s at. Injury issues taken into account and all.

It’s the exact position we can’t really afford passengers in and right now he’s riding shotgun.

Bit harsh , had to completely change.position after Dan went off .

 

[pulpdriver]

Emotionally gassed as a supporter and I don’t want to bash players cause I inevitably want to take it back after.. but damn Jarrod Berry is in deadset no mans land at the moment.

We all want him to be this important cog for the next 10 years but he’s just lost as a footballer.
Not an accumulator, not quick or impactful enough for a quick burst impact player, not super skilled, shaky down forward.
Unsure he’s a lockdown backman.

Unless he’s given a pure lockdown role I’m just not sure where he’s at. Injury issues taken into account and all.

It’s the exact position we can’t really afford passengers in and right now he’s riding shotgun.

He's best as a defensive midfielder than can also win the ball, lay it off, block, then use his immense running ability to create linking between the forward line or run to space to provide a marking option. He has some weaknesses, he's not a one touch player and he often can't identify the best option quickly to the point where he gets run down but I think his positives outweigh his issues. We saw it last year when he had some massive games. Perhaps not statistically but in terms of impact he was immense and occasionally clear BOG. And then as he'd get a run on he'd get injured. He has barely been able to get on the park this year. His body is the issue and he needs an injury free run and a chance to build some consistency but I don't think we're at the point where we need to be writing him off, particularly off this year or tonight.

 

[Elixuh]

We all want him to be this important cog for the next 10 years but he’s just lost as a footballer.
Not an accumulator, not quick or impactful enough for a quick burst impact player, not super skilled, shaky down forward.
Unsure he’s a lockdown backman.

Unless he’s given a pure lockdown role I’m just not sure where he’s at. Injury issues taken into account and all.

It’s the exact position we can’t really afford passengers in and right now he’s riding shotgun.

I'm in the Berry fan club, he needs a pre-season and uninterrupted patch of games. I would wait until next season to pass such fierce judgement.

 

[On the quiet]

Fagan basically just said Lester is an absolute certainty to be back next week.

so who for Gardiner?

 

[luthor]

Is McStay out next week a given?

There was a lot of blood and (maybe) a broken nose but sitting on the bench , he looked reasonably alert.

Commentators were pontificating about "concussion protocols" but if it's just a whack across the snout, does he really have to automatically sit out for 12 days?

Maybe I'm just living in hope but surely he should at least be afforded the testing before being ruled out?

 

[martinson]

so who for Gardiner?

Ah Chee , Ballenden ,Payne, Lester.

Lots of options.