Review Round 6, 2023 - GWS vs. Brisbane Lions

[Mr Ripper]

Really?

I’ve seen worse this round.

I suspect we have differing criteria when it comes to judging umpire performance.

 

[Morbidly_Obese]

Would like to see Lyons in the team over Berry. Push McCluggage to a wing

I can walk faster than lyons can run he's a defensive liability now.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Would love to cause Freo a mini crisis by smashing them next game. It would be a feather in our cap.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Someone didn't give Charlie a vote.

Own up

 

[Warwick]

I suspect we have differing criteria when it comes to judging umpire performance.

It was more an observation of how horrific the umpiring has been generally over the past few years.

And the umpires are not fully responsible. The number of rule changes and modifications every year has turned the game into a total mess. It must be a nightmare to adjudicate. You shouldn’t have to wait after a whistle is blown to see which way the free is given (and for what..)

 

[Royboy1961]

Where we've added real grunt this year is Ashcroft, McKenna and Wilmot always making very strong second efforts when they fumble or get caught out of position.

I know Wilmot didn't get a lot of it today but he never gives up and keeps pressuring no matter what the situation.

Ashcroft's an out and out star and McKenna is a gun who you could play on a wing or forward if you needed to.

I totally agree with you Martinson about those three players. Last year if the Lions did not kick a goal the ball would sweep out of our backline without a hiccup and move through the ground with very little pressure into the oppositions forward line. It’s like we didn’t know how to run and tackle. We now have a few players in our side who have the leg speed and know how to run and tackle. I use to watch the stats of all the players and think that the players with the most kicks and hand balls were our best players. Now I don’t care about the stats anymore as when you watch the game you realise that many of the kicks are just for trying to keep the ball in play and waiting for a better opening into the forward line. The backline players especially can get kicks and yardage by kicking it around the ground just to waste time or look for a better option. I now look at what players are doing to help the team. That means the tackles, smothers, shepherds and bumps. Also their positioning around the ground trying to stop the ball from moving freely from stoppages. We are fortunate that we have an A Grade forward line that can make the opposition pay for their mistakes. We now have to blend a side for the finals that can harass and pressure the opposition to cough up the ball and swing it the other way. In the reserves we have a few players which are worth experimenting with being Robertson. Tunstill, and Madden that can add defensive pressure to our mix. It will be interesting when we make the finals who our final 22 players will be because at the moment we at times look a little slow.

 

[JoeDanihersMoustache]

This is my review for The Footyalmanac. Nearly everything has been covered by previous posters but I wrote it before I read this thread. We seem to agree with each other a lot!

I remember back in the VFL days going to an away match, even going as far as Geelong. It’s certainly different today, as you catch a plane at Tulla and no one from the family comes out to see you off to wherever. You go out onto the tarmac and you cannot smell the kero nowadays as the fuelling connections are so much better. After the game I caught an Uber which is probably spelt without a capital ‘u’.

However, some things stay the same. Great players win matches. Great players drag their teams and team mates over the line and at Manaka one Lions player won the game for his team. Now two Giants midfielders got a million disposals, but forwards win games, while mid fielders accumulate possessions.

Charlie won this game by himself. He will get three Brownlow votes and who cares about the rest because they didn’t matter.

But let’s start at the beginning when they had an Anzac Day ceremony which was respectfully observed. Now I have always been of the opinion that we should have this ceremony only on the games on Anzac day but being the sort of person who has a full set of Purnell’s history of the First World War I am one out in this crowd.

Then the obligatory screeching announcer came on to inform us of meaningless trivia. Following this I discovered this ground has instituted a new appalling audio assault: sirens that lasted until the umpire lifted the ball into the air. What a relief it was when the meaningless noise stopped and the game started.

All day the Giants mid fielders had the better of their opponents. Coniglio and Kelly got around twenty more disposals than their Brisbane opponents. However, particularly early on, the Brisbane defence stood firm with Rich playing a marvellous game, winning lots of the ball and being a physical presence while the Giants seemed to concede a goal every time the Lions went forward. Jack Payne, playing deep in defence, played his best game and it appears the Lions have found their replacement for Adams and Gardner.

The game settled into a pattern with the Lions getting out to a considerable lead and the Giants closing the gap but the one thing they could not do was to stop Charlie scoring any time he wanted. He took contested marks, got on sizzling leads and dashed out the back of packs. A masterclass was given. Toby Greene, the Giants forward superstar, some might say a poor man’s Charlie, had the better of Starcevich but only kicked a couple of goals. He can be far more damaging.

This was an important game for both sides. The Giants are now looking at a Sydney team on the rebound and a loss means they are looking at next year’s draft while Brisbane continue to recover from their terrible first round loss to Port. They have several underperforming players. Hipwood was poor again getting one goal from a handball receive and the other from a lucky mark where Joe Daniher made a totally unrealistic attempt to mark, crashing two Giants defenders out of the contest, so allowing Hipwood a simple chest mark. McCarthy was quiet, Kiddy Coleman has not regained last year’s form and Gunston is as slow as a wet week.

Brisbane have Freo at home next week and a win their cements their place in the eight but they have some work to do for a top four spot.

Did you enjoy the Toyo Tires giant tire race?

Truly thrilling stuff I thought

 

[CarterS]

Where's AFLQLD gone? Always enjoyed reading their reviews of the games.

 

[M Malice]

Do Cats have a killer instinct or are they just better?

I am still scared from the mauling they gave us at the MCG in the Prelim last year, it was bloody depressing to sit through(you could tell they were a class above us early) after we flew down with great anticipation and hope.

 

[M Malice]

I feel we desperately need more speed in the team.

Is there a young Akermanis hiding in the magoos?

Lohmann? I think he is the type to do a handstand as well.

 

[On the quiet]

I wouldn't be against Fullarton getting a go either.


We are no doubt in the Premiership "window" but developing your young talent is also a consideration, so yeah, if form warrants, put him in.

Yes I would like to see if Tom has progressed at AFL level. Seeing Payne develop very nicely and to think he only ever played if Andrews, Adams or Gardiner were out. If Adams was fit this year I reckon Payne would have just been stuck in reserves again, and Lions probably would have lost him to another club. So for me when the opportunity arrives let's give Tom a run of games up front.

 

[RoyBoy17]

Never take winning for granted. Great result and effort yesterday. GWS won’t make the 8 but they are much better than last year and will trouble a lot of teams. Our forwards have picked up and it’s made a huge difference.

 

[On the quiet]

So just over a quarter through the H&A season, by humble take on the new recruits

Mckenna is going much better than I thought, provides us with good dash and drive from the half back is involved in a few of our scores.

Dunkley a fantastic recruit provides the grunt and clearances that has freed up Neal to get back to his Brownlow form

Ashcroft for an 18 year old, he is so skillful and seems to read the play very well and importantly has time, and even though I had some concerns with burnout stays in the middle at the moment.

Joyce is admirable doing his best, trying to cover Paynes opponents when Payne is rested is proving a little problematic eg Hogans first goal and Naughton getting a few shots on goal when Payne off, but overall a handy pickup and is OK. No need to rush back Garinder just yet, and who appears injured.

Gunston is obviously not the player he was but still provides a target and reckon against the non North defence last week would have kicked a few. Likely to be 'managed' a few more times during this year, next year will be interesting if he is automatically first 22, as he looked a little pedestrian on a couple of occasions when changing direction.

 

[25 years on]

Was pleased we gave GWS their biggest defeat this year, well done everyone. That’s my plus, my minus is that I would likes to develop a shut down plan otherwise I can see us losing a close game when the opposition throws everything at us in a shit or bust last five minuets

 

[Nunez]

Was pleased we gave GWS their biggest defeat this year, well done everyone. That’s my plus, my minus is that I would likes to develop a shut down plan otherwise I can see us losing a close game when the opposition throws everything at us in a s**t or bust last five minuets

Our whole gameplan yesterday was shutting down GWS momentum? We'd get a good lead, they'd try peg it back and never manage more than a few goals in succession. The only real difference is that we had 9 shots in the fourth and didn't convert to our usual standards. Even if one third of those behinds converted we win by 35+.

For me, it was a win built on shutting down momentum.

 

[Nathan Barley]

The most goals we conceded in a row last night was 3

 

[jonnobackpocket]

I thought it he game was in hand at all times. We responded when we needed to, mature probably the best word for it. If Jack Payne keeps that up makes us very hard to beat. As for Chuck, sheesh was a display.

 

[martinson]

I was impressed by Kingsley's after match presser. Open ,realistic and insightful.

I don't think anyone will get any easy games against GWS this year and it's a shame for them that Taylor went down.

 

[lioninthesand]

Neale went limp. If I was being honest from a neutral point. I'd say he knew exactly what he was doing.

Agree. It happened a few times last week across the league. Same as players leading with the head for high contact, they are incredibly smart at drawing frees - it’s my opinion some players (not everytime) are starting to go limp when tackled to increase chance they fall directly to the ground with momentum.

I watched the replay of the Neale tackle and he didn’t flex or fight at all, I think it was in part a technique to draw a free that will become part of the game going forth amidst this dangerous tackle crackdown.

GWS player still responsible and will likely get a week, there are other ways to tackle.

 

[JasRulz63]

I know a large part of it is game plan related, but I wonder much concern there is with our coaching staff in respect to the weight uncontested disposals we tend to concede. Apart from the game against North (+31), we've lost every other uncontested concession count for a total of -312 for the other 5 games.

It puts a lot of pressure on our defenders because opponents are able to move the ball down the field to get the ball deeper into our defensive 50. GWS were able to string some uncontested chains together which led to goals in quick succession during the game.

Luckily, Andrews and Payne are both having good seasons with some solid help from Joyce and co.

 

[lioninthesand]

I thought it was a great win. They can play. We were superior all day and they never really challenged. Felt more like a 40 point win. No complaints from me.

 

[rye]

i dont care if neale goes dead fish in a tackle to play for a free if he doesnt put himself in danger. our mids need to get with the times and realise you can do whatever you want. just start throwing the ball like footscray.

 

[jjami15]

I am aware that the season is long. I honestly thought that overall GWS played better than the Lions and the difference was we had more class in our 22. It looked like we just went through the motions at times. If it was a better team then we would have lost. Then again maybe we would have played better if it was a better team. Chicken or the Egg? Some players are really not playing to their potential but the season is long. I have major concerns with Rich in the side. The game has changed and he has never been fast but as a defender he is now a liability IMO. It is time to move him on and would rather see Prior come back as at least he will put his body on the line. I would also add Lyons to that list. They are both no longer best 22 and do not fit the modern game style. They should be used as depth to cover for injuries. A win is a win but there are some concerns defensively as a team. The Giants moved the ball far too easily at times and the majority of the Lions mids didn’t work hard enough. There are definite things to work on and hopefully as the season progresses these are rectified. There is a lot of room for improvement as a team and also for some individuals.

 

[Mr Ripper]

It was more an observation of how horrific the umpiring has been generally over the past few years.

And the umpires are not fully responsible. The number of rule changes and modifications every year has turned the game into a total mess. It must be a nightmare to adjudicate. You shouldn’t have to wait after a whistle is blown to see which way the free is given (and for what..)

Aye.

They've been beholden to a succession of idiots at HQ going back to the days when David Levens was in charge.

The game still has some magnificent highlights, but the lolly scramble you get for the other 95 minutes does little to enthuse (me). Umpires (and their superiors) have had the power within the rules to do something about it, but have sat on their hands.

 

[M Malice]

I know a large part of it is game plan related, but I wonder much concern there is with our coaching staff in respect to the weight uncontested disposals we tend to concede. Apart from the game against North (+31), we've lost every other uncontested concession count for a total of -312 for the other 5 games.

It puts a lot of pressure on our defenders because opponents are able to move the ball down the field to get the ball deeper into our defensive 50. GWS were able to string some uncontested chains together which led to goals in quick succession during the game.

Luckily, Andrews and Payne are both having good seasons with some solid help from Joyce and co.

If our pressure around the ground falls off we are very vulnerable on transition as apart from a few individuals we are not a quick side overall.