Review Round 1, 2023 - Port Adelaide vs. Brisbane Lions

[Cubs2Lions]

You don’t think there would be honest and tough conversations going on at the club this week?

Better damn hope there would have been, cause we are never gonna win a game this season if we put up a putrid performance like last week showed us, utterly complete disagree I must say

 

[Gadzorks]

I've been thinking about Lachie.

Wonder if he's thought it's no longer 'me pushing for Brownlow', I'm captain and I'm going to take it as seriously as I took my brownlow tilt.

I've got to split my focus on my team mates. And I can do that because we got Dunkley and Ashcroft so I will have to room to adapt to captain.

 

[Quigley]

Disgraceful game from us. We could not take a mark, could not make a tackle, kept getting sucked into the contests and could not run with the opponents. We were outworked and looked second rate. Our experienced mids cheated all night and got burnt and we played our kids on the outside when they are more naturally inside players and they were lost. Our midfield structure has been terrible since Bruce took over and we look to have taken another step backwards in this game. We are exceptionally slow to react when the ball is won by the opposition. I would really like them to go back to one of the Matthews teachings that when the opposition you bust your arse for 20m or so to tackle or get into the position you should be quickly.

On some of the players:

Neale - should be ashamed of his game. Effort just not there and just kept getting run past time and again. Made not effort to shut down opponents and was content to jog along behind.

McCluggage - for one of our best runners he is exceptionally poor at getting back. Cheats and gets ahead of the ball and then does not put in the effort to get back.

Starcevich - no-one on here seems to have caught up on the fact that Starcevich has regressed and is now just a very ordinary defender. Since midway through last year he has dropped back into the pack and is now very average player who is regularly beaten. That was certainly the case on the weekend. To add to a pretty poor defensive game he only managed 4 disposals and so it is fair to say he offered nothing offensively. We have a lot of half backs and on form his spot should not be safe albeit he has some credits in the bank remaining (although we all know that he is a Fagan favourite and those guys don't get dropped).

McKenna - much better game than his preseason games. Provided some nice run from the back and was generally solid.

Payne - was solid all day and was quite good in the limited time he was on Dixon. What I would really like to see is him going to the number 1 target to free up Andrews to play a looser role. If Payne can hold that role the team will be much better off.

Dunkley - disposals are less than I thought but this is the type of game you should expect. He is an accumulator and not a high impact player. He will get the ball and shuffle out but he will not break games open with his skills or incisive passes.

Ashcroft - expectations were very high and he certainly came up short but he did show flashes and there were positives. He is another who needs to put in that burst of effort when the ball is won by the opposition. At the moment he recovers too slowly and his opponent gets space too easily.

Rayner - had a mixed game. Did some nice things but found out a bit to. There was enough there though I think to persist with the experiment until Gardiner gets back or Lester demands a spot.

Robertson and Tunstill - just could not get near the ball. Only got 6 and 7 disposals each playing exclusively through the midfield. Robertson got a chance onball in the last and but was unable to impact the game. Both are inside players being forced to play outside and both showed a lack of feel for the position and where to run. Both would be extremely lucky to hold their spots.

Wilmot - effort was there and I thought his positioning was better than Robertson and Tunstill but there was still nothing to write home about on this performance. Skills were pretty poor which you don't like to see from your outside players.

 

[martinson]

Disgraceful game from us. We could not take a mark, could not make a tackle, kept getting sucked into the contests and could not run with the opponents. We were outworked and looked second rate. Our experienced mids cheated all night and got burnt and we played our kids on the outside when they are more naturally inside players and they were lost. Our midfield structure has been terrible since Bruce took over and we look to have taken another step backwards in this game. We are exceptionally slow to react when the ball is won by the opposition. I would really like them to go back to one of the Matthews teachings that when the opposition you bust your arse for 20m or so to tackle or get into the position you should be quickly.

On some of the players:

Neale - should be ashamed of his game. Effort just not there and just kept getting run past time and again. Made not effort to shut down opponents and was content to jog along behind.

McCluggage - for one of our best runners he is exceptionally poor at getting back. Cheats and gets ahead of the ball and then does not put in the effort to get back.

Starcevich - no-one on here seems to have caught up on the fact that Starcevich has regressed and is now just a very ordinary defender. Since midway through last year he has dropped back into the pack and is now very average player who is regularly beaten. That was certainly the case on the weekend. To add to a pretty poor defensive game he only managed 4 disposals and so it is fair to say he offered nothing offensively. We have a lot of half backs and on form his spot should not be safe albeit he has some credits in the bank remaining (although we all know that he is a Fagan favourite and those guys don't get dropped).

McKenna - much better game than his preseason games. Provided some nice run from the back and was generally solid.

Payne - was solid all day and was quite good in the limited time he was on Dixon. What I would really like to see is him going to the number 1 target to free up Andrews to play a looser role. If Payne can hold that role the team will be much better off.

Dunkley - disposals are less than I thought but this is the type of game you should expect. He is an accumulator and not a high impact player. He will get the ball and shuffle out but he will not break games open with his skills or incisive passes.

Ashcroft - expectations were very high and he certainly came up short but he did show flashes and there were positives. He is another who needs to put in that burst of effort when the ball is won by the opposition. At the moment he recovers too slowly and his opponent gets space too easily.

Rayner - had a mixed game. Did some nice things but found out a bit to. There was enough there though I think to persist with the experiment until Gardiner gets back or Lester demands a spot.

Robertson and Tunstill - just could not get near the ball. Only got 6 and 7 disposals each playing exclusively through the midfield. Robertson got a chance onball in the last and but was unable to impact the game. Both are inside players being forced to play outside and both showed a lack of feel for the position and where to run. Both would be extremely lucky to hold their spots.

Wilmot - effort was there and I thought his positioning was better than Robertson and Tunstill but there was still nothing to write home about on this performance. Skills were pretty poor which you don't like to see from your outside players.

Yes Starc's last several games have been poor and his disposal when he does get it has likewise regressed.

Seemed to happen overnight. Did he too not cop a nasty head knock last year ?

Hard to pinpoint a reason. Obviously not as noticeable on Saturday because there were others just as bad.

 

[p4p1]

Yes Starc's last several games have been poor and his disposal when he does get it has likewise regressed.

Seemed to happen overnight. Did he too not cop a nasty head knock last year ?

Hard to pinpoint a reason. Obviously not as noticeable on Saturday because there were others just as bad.

I just checked because I do remember him being subbed off at some point. I could only find info on a concussion from 2020. He played 24 games in 2021 and 2022.

 

[Del35196]

Every time Tunstill gets it, it seems he only sees a metre ahead of him. He gets, head down, runs with it and kicks it to wherever it’s going.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Every time Tunstill gets it, it seems he only sees a metre ahead of him. He gets, head down, runs with it and kicks it to wherever it’s going.

Is this comment based on his 2 kicks from the weekends game?

 

[martinson]

I just checked because I do remember him being subbed off at some point. I could only find info on a concussion from 2020. He played 24 games in 2021 and 2022.

Fairly sure he got subbed off with a head knock but didn't miss any games.

Probably nothing ,but from after half way last year his form seemed to drop off .

 

[lionshine]

Disgraceful game from us. We could not take a mark, could not make a tackle, kept getting sucked into the contests and could not run with the opponents. We were outworked and looked second rate. Our experienced mids cheated all night and got burnt and we played our kids on the outside when they are more naturally inside players and they were lost. Our midfield structure has been terrible since Bruce took over and we look to have taken another step backwards in this game. We are exceptionally slow to react when the ball is won by the opposition. I would really like them to go back to one of the Matthews teachings that when the opposition you bust your arse for 20m or so to tackle or get into the position you should be quickly.

On some of the players:

Neale - should be ashamed of his game. Effort just not there and just kept getting run past time and again. Made not effort to shut down opponents and was content to jog along behind.

McCluggage - for one of our best runners he is exceptionally poor at getting back. Cheats and gets ahead of the ball and then does not put in the effort to get back.

Starcevich - no-one on here seems to have caught up on the fact that Starcevich has regressed and is now just a very ordinary defender. Since midway through last year he has dropped back into the pack and is now very average player who is regularly beaten. That was certainly the case on the weekend. To add to a pretty poor defensive game he only managed 4 disposals and so it is fair to say he offered nothing offensively. We have a lot of half backs and on form his spot should not be safe albeit he has some credits in the bank remaining (although we all know that he is a Fagan favourite and those guys don't get dropped).

McKenna - much better game than his preseason games. Provided some nice run from the back and was generally solid.

Payne - was solid all day and was quite good in the limited time he was on Dixon. What I would really like to see is him going to the number 1 target to free up Andrews to play a looser role. If Payne can hold that role the team will be much better off.

Dunkley - disposals are less than I thought but this is the type of game you should expect. He is an accumulator and not a high impact player. He will get the ball and shuffle out but he will not break games open with his skills or incisive passes.

Ashcroft - expectations were very high and he certainly came up short but he did show flashes and there were positives. He is another who needs to put in that burst of effort when the ball is won by the opposition. At the moment he recovers too slowly and his opponent gets space too easily.

Rayner - had a mixed game. Did some nice things but found out a bit to. There was enough there though I think to persist with the experiment until Gardiner gets back or Lester demands a spot.

Robertson and Tunstill - just could not get near the ball. Only got 6 and 7 disposals each playing exclusively through the midfield. Robertson got a chance onball in the last and but was unable to impact the game. Both are inside players being forced to play outside and both showed a lack of feel for the position and where to run. Both would be extremely lucky to hold their spots.

Wilmot - effort was there and I thought his positioning was better than Robertson and Tunstill but there was still nothing to write home about on this performance. Skills were pretty poor which you don't like to see from your outside players.

I thought Starevich did a pretty good job on Bolton in the EF last year and played well in the semi final against the Dees as well.

 

[On the quiet]

Yes Starc's last several games have been poor and his disposal when he does get it has likewise regressed.

Seemed to happen overnight. Did he too not cop a nasty head knock last year ?

Hard to pinpoint a reason. Obviously not as noticeable on Saturday because there were others just as bad.

Yes that was what I was thinking in that he has had a couple of head knocks. Also I am not convinced on the merits of our then backs coach Davies.

 

[briztoon]

Disgraceful game from us. We could not take a mark, could not make a tackle, kept getting sucked into the contests and could not run with the opponents. We were outworked and looked second rate. Our experienced mids cheated all night and got burnt and we played our kids on the outside when they are more naturally inside players and they were lost. Our midfield structure has been terrible since Bruce took over and we look to have taken another step backwards in this game. We are exceptionally slow to react when the ball is won by the opposition. I would really like them to go back to one of the Matthews teachings that when the opposition you bust your arse for 20m or so to tackle or get into the position you should be quickly.

On some of the players:

Neale - should be ashamed of his game. Effort just not there and just kept getting run past time and again. Made not effort to shut down opponents and was content to jog along behind.

McCluggage - for one of our best runners he is exceptionally poor at getting back. Cheats and gets ahead of the ball and then does not put in the effort to get back.

Starcevich - no-one on here seems to have caught up on the fact that Starcevich has regressed and is now just a very ordinary defender. Since midway through last year he has dropped back into the pack and is now very average player who is regularly beaten. That was certainly the case on the weekend. To add to a pretty poor defensive game he only managed 4 disposals and so it is fair to say he offered nothing offensively. We have a lot of half backs and on form his spot should not be safe albeit he has some credits in the bank remaining (although we all know that he is a Fagan favourite and those guys don't get dropped).

McKenna - much better game than his preseason games. Provided some nice run from the back and was generally solid.

Payne - was solid all day and was quite good in the limited time he was on Dixon. What I would really like to see is him going to the number 1 target to free up Andrews to play a looser role. If Payne can hold that role the team will be much better off.

Dunkley - disposals are less than I thought but this is the type of game you should expect. He is an accumulator and not a high impact player. He will get the ball and shuffle out but he will not break games open with his skills or incisive passes.

Ashcroft - expectations were very high and he certainly came up short but he did show flashes and there were positives. He is another who needs to put in that burst of effort when the ball is won by the opposition. At the moment he recovers too slowly and his opponent gets space too easily.

Rayner - had a mixed game. Did some nice things but found out a bit to. There was enough there though I think to persist with the experiment until Gardiner gets back or Lester demands a spot.

Robertson and Tunstill - just could not get near the ball. Only got 6 and 7 disposals each playing exclusively through the midfield. Robertson got a chance onball in the last and but was unable to impact the game. Both are inside players being forced to play outside and both showed a lack of feel for the position and where to run. Both would be extremely lucky to hold their spots.

Wilmot - effort was there and I thought his positioning was better than Robertson and Tunstill but there was still nothing to write home about on this performance. Skills were pretty poor which you don't like to see from your outside players.

Robertson definitely lined up with the forwards on a couple centre bounces. I don’t know if he stayed with the forwards after the bounce though.

 

[Del35196]

Is this comment based on his 2 kicks from the weekends game?

In general and from the game. I think the 2 kicks probably needs more attention though. It’s almost impossible in this game not to get a kick, but to get the ball 7 times in a whole game. Hmm that’s hard to do. But don’t worry, Hipwood and Cameron will get their free pass as usual.

 

[Nathan Barley]

In general and from the game. I think the 2 kicks probably needs more attention though. It’s almost impossible in this game not to get a kick, but to get the ball 7 times in a whole game. Hmm that’s hard to do. But don’t worry, Hipwood and Cameron will get their free pass as usual.

Strange how players proven of being capable of contributing more keep their spot after one poor game

 

[a mayes ing]

In general and from the game. I think the 2 kicks probably needs more attention though. It’s almost impossible in this game not to get a kick, but to get the ball 7 times in a whole game. Hmm that’s hard to do. But don’t worry, Hipwood and Cameron will get their free pass as usual.

Quite a lot of our team gets very low possession numbers.

 

[Section 5]

In general and from the game. I think the 2 kicks probably needs more attention though. It’s almost impossible in this game not to get a kick, but to get the ball 7 times in a whole game. Hmm that’s hard to do. But don’t worry, Hipwood and Cameron will get their free pass as usual.

Our three midfielders
Dunkley 3 kicks
McCluggage 7 kicks
Neale 8 kicks

 

[rwan566]

You don’t think there would be honest and tough conversations going on at the club this week?

Not from what Harris Andrews said in the interview where he said the poor result was not an attitude problem and he said there was just a few small things they had to work on…

 

[Dalions]

Not from what Harris Andrews said in the interview where he said the poor result was not an attitude problem and he said there was just a few small things they had to work on…

Do you think he is going to come out and say what has been said behind closed doors?

 

[Dalions]

Quite a lot of our team gets very low possession numbers.

Especially in this game.

 

[Viceregal]

Not from what Harris Andrews said in the interview where he said the poor result was not an attitude problem and he said there was just a few small things they had to work on…

Went and had a listen...

- so apparently it is leaders responsibility to drive the vibe at the club (does the 'vibe' equate to actual performance or are we talking about how they guys are feeling about stuff)

- the word 'learnings' a few times ... don't suppose we know what they are?

- your mids were killed by Port ... do you think they need to play with the same effort passion and workrate - answer along the lines of yeah well our mids were awesome during the pre-season ... oh and I hope they respond (hello Captain should you not be a par of working out/driving said response rather than just hoping they will?)

- coach said you got ahead of yourself what do you think ... nah we didn't ... they just wanted it more and we weren't ready and hey a bit more energy would be nice

- what do you put your teams lack of workrate down to ... we just got outworked by a good team to be honest ... the were keen for the contest and we weren't . but better game prep and recovery and attitude going into the game should help

- backline had a meeting and he is sure they will have another one before the game and hopefully work on their cohesiveness (um hello shouldn't you know if the backline will be having a meeting???)

- what are the fans going to see from this Lions team (on Friday) ... oh I think you just want to see that hunger and that energy around the contest and just the workrate I guess yeah that's probably where we got done on the weekend I guess <-- so this is all stuff that fans would like to see and apparently harris would like to see ... um all of those things are 100% in your control so why are you hoping rather then determined to / the fans will see etc?

- Zorks is a chance to play on Friday but they haven't actually sat down and talked with him and the fitness staff yet (well I suppose it was Tue ... they aren't playing until Friday why worry about team composition or tactics etc now)

This interview was brought to you by the words learnings, amends and opportunity

Can't say I was inspired by the burning desire and steely determination to never let that abomination happen again

 

[Thomasno]

Not from what Harris Andrews said in the interview where he said the poor result was not an attitude problem and he said there was just a few small things they had to work on…

I’ll let you in on a little secret, that would be his answer regardless of what happens behind closed doors, regardless of if they think it’s an attitude problem or not.

 

[CarterS]

‘Is their head in the sand?’: Damning truth proves Lions ‘in denial’ after ‘horror show’

‘Is their head in the sand?’: Damning truth proves Lions ‘in denial’ after ‘horror show’

www.foxsports.com.au

Are we as good as we think we are? A few stats in that article that may suggest we aren't.

 

[martinson]

Of course we're not as good as we think we are.

That's been an issue particularly for supporters in the pre season.

We've proven nothing except we're a good team thus far.

Harris shouldn't do any more interviews unless we win imo. . I understand totally the situation he was in , he's a young man and trying to exhibit control, but the actual words he said were delusional as far as last weeks game goes.

 

[martinson]

‘Is their head in the sand?’: Damning truth proves Lions ‘in denial’ after ‘horror show’

‘Is their head in the sand?’: Damning truth proves Lions ‘in denial’ after ‘horror show’

www.foxsports.com.au

Are we as good as we think we are? A few stats in that article that may suggest we aren't.

A team's only as good as your 5 or 6 least talented players.

If they're not junkyard mongrel goers who mop up and make relatively few errors you'll never be a champion team.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Unfortunately it does feel like the mix of our team is off compared to the top teams. Sucks to say it but it does feel that we will hover around the ‘good but not good enough to win a flag’ bracket for a while before dropping off.

 

[martinson]

Thats what I said in round about ways on Monday night when Browny put up that graph on Fox Footy in relation to Fages press conference when he spoke about it being uncharacteristic (it wasnt) and not our tradmark (it is) and this quote by Montagna supports it : "“Geelong and Melbourne, benchmark; Geelong have been beaten by 50 once in the past two years, Melbourne haven’t been beaten by 50 points in two years. Brisbane have been beaten by that four times in 13 games."

Good teams dont lose like we do - im praying we can turn this around and our results will solely dictate that not words.

We can turn it around.

But the sooner we realise we're just contenders and have to scrap hard and dig in the more chance we have of staying in contention.

We had the full on bathwater going pre season and hopefully internally everyone is now aware of where we're at. And willing to do whatever it takes to get better.

Friday night is a big game for us , one of the most important since we first emerged as a contender when took the learnings from those 2 finals in 2019.