Review Qualifying Final, 2025 - Geelong vs. Brisbane Lions

[Nathan Barley]

Didn't sight annabel in the vfl today. Just checked 7 touches. Given his reputation he must have been injured as didn't watch every moment of the first half.

Yeah didn’t get any midfield time

 

[HereIGoAgain]

If we get through next week don't know where we go against a refreshed Pies with whoever we've got standing.

But obviously where there's life there's hope. I suppose.

Where there is life there is hope. But as we all know it's the hope that kills you.

 

[Gadzorks]

Where there is life there is hope. But as we all know it's the hope that kills you.

So wise.

 

[JasRulz63]

So Hipwood will either go for a full ACL or risk it and wait for it to go properly.

Obviously it's on a case by case basis, but a reason why players usually get operated on injuries that might not necessarily need it, is that the recovery after an operation (aside from complications) is relatively formulaic and predictable.

If you wait for something to naturally heal with conservative management, the recovery time becomes less predictable.

I assume this has been the knee he has had strapped up for most of the season.

I assume he would've had a scan at some point if he's had it strapped. I work in this space, and players get a lot of scans.

 

[braddsey]

Didn't sight annabel in the vfl today. Just checked 7 touches. Given his reputation he must have been injured as didn't watch every moment of the first half.

He’s doing the club thing, lowering his colours coming into the draft…

 

[Nathan Barley]

Hippy having surgery but not clear if it's a full knee reco

 

[Squizz89]

I assume he would've had a scan at some point if he's had it strapped. I work in this space, and players get a lot of scans.

Just on this. Is there any chance you reckon they bite the bullet and run the risk for what, at most, is another 3 games? He wouldn’t have likely been back till a prelim anyway so maybe wait at least till after the semi final next week & see if he can play through it like he has been, or is that to risky now?

Edit. Nevermind club have confirmed he’s done.

 

[JasRulz63]

Qscan Injury Update: Neale and Hipwood

The Brisbane Lions provide the following injury update on Co-Captain Lachie Neale and forward Eric Hipwood.

www.lions.com.au

 

[Nathan Barley]

Qscan Injury Update: Neale and Hipwood

The Brisbane Lions provide the following injury update on Co-Captain Lachie Neale and forward Eric Hipwood.

www.lions.com.au

The article says the surgery is an ACL repair and not a reconstruction

So who knows when he'll be back but it won't be opening road

 

[JasRulz63]

Just on this. Is there any chance you reckon they bite the bullet and run the risk for what, at most, is another 3 games? He wouldn’t have likely been back till a prelim anyway so maybe wait at least till after the semi final next week & see if he can play through it like he has been, or is that to risky now?

Edit. Nevermind club have confirmed he’s done.

Clubs wouldn't run the risk.

 

[davemc_lions]

We only have a few good tacklers on the team really. Dunks and Cam would be our best. Berry is good too but obviously can’t atm with the shoulder. Charlie can when he wants to but maybe he is playing injured like others have mentioned. Another factor we’ve missed having Kiddy out of the team is his tackling, not just his elite foot skills.

Apart from Dunks and McCluggage our mids not strong tacklers.
As said fine when we win the ball.

If we do not they run out of the square..
Bailey, Will etc got tackled a lot if we got hands to ball.
We had Dunks 11, Will 6 and Fort 5
Cats had Aktins 10, Manangh 9, Holmes 6.. Then Miers, Danger, Blicavs and Close 5

 

[mattsmob]

What evidence do you have for thinking this?

Both their careers to date, if you think Annable is having a good draft year as a mid go back and look at Levi’s.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Both their careers to date, if you think Annable is having a good draft year as a mid go back and look at Levi’s.

Levi accumulated very well but Annables work through traffic is something few can achieve at AFL level

 

[Del35196]

“incidental finding of a partial tearing of his repaired ACL”
So what, Hipwood never mentioned or showed soreness until this incidental finding? Right.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Love how all the Dr Internet Forum Posters come out of the woodworks for this

 

[davemc_lions]

Both their careers to date, if you think Annable is having a good draft year as a mid go back and look at Levi’s.

Levi young and will work on his defence.. Has great skills

As someone else said in juniors when you that good you see ball and get ball.

Had this discussion with pies supporters I think Josh a better footballer than Nick.
Nick might be flashy and have a great burst of speed.. Josh great kick, intercept mark, can tackle, bump and take a contested mark.

 

[Sproj]

Being calmer the next day and looking at what Hawthorn is doing right now and we smashed them just two weeks ago, it really isn't all doom and gloom, we just had a rare off night and Geelong could not have played better. Even so, we were still somehow in it, even if remotely, at three quarter time. It must be hard when you are that far behind knowing you have the second chance. Even subconsciously, it can make you put the cue in the rack.

Even with all our injuries, we can still win it but I do think Fagan needs to tweak the side a little. Bruce back in really will help. Lachie looked way off it and if we're being honest, so too did Berry. I thought Fort was fantastic with absolutely no help from our mids who were comprehensively destroyed, that is unlikely to happen again, even without Neale.

The biggest issue really is our forward line. Watching Day live was abysmal, he offered a negative impact, I couldn't believe how he just didn't even try. We were pushing and coming at them and at a key moment, he disappeared, literally, walking to the other part of the ground. Given Eric is now gone, I think we need to consider going smaller because Gallop is no longer a placeholder and we can't carry Gallop AND Day with Charlie and Cal also being on the verge of needing to be dropped themselves.

So that's four of your front six offering next to nothing in terms of competing and pressure, you can't win with that against quality sides. Kai will be better for the run and both Bailey and Rayner offer at least something there.

For me:

Out: Day, Gallop, Neale
In: McInerney, Reville, McKenna

Marshall and Reville get full games and I'd be seriously considering either Ah Chee or Cameron to sub.

 

[Bucking Beads]

At least we have the entire pre season to work on how our forward line will work without Hipwood. We will be okay and be a better team once he returns.

 

[braddsey]

Being calmer the next day and looking at what Hawthorn is doing right now and we smashed them just two weeks ago, it really isn't all doom and gloom, we just had a rare off night and Geelong could not have played better. Even so, we were still somehow in it, even if remotely, at three quarter time. It must be hard when you are that far behind knowing you have the second chance. Even subconsciously, it can make you put the cue in the rack.

Prior 4 matches we beat Pies, Freo, Hawthorn.

Mulligan for last night.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Stuck on 199 games

 

[mattsmob]

Levi accumulated very well but Annables work through traffic is something few can achieve at AFL level

Levi accumulates well but he’s also damaging playing as a mid, when he’s gotten opportunity in the middle for the AFL team I think he’s been very good as well. Also I don’t think you can say that few players in the AFL have Annable’s ability in traffic just yet, feels very early on that.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Levi accumulates well but he’s also damaging playing as a mid, when he’s gotten opportunity in the middle for the AFL team I think he’s been very good as well. Also I don’t think you can say that few players in the AFL have Annable’s ability in traffic just yet, feels very early on that.

Levi's damaging? Not sure weve seen much of that

Obviously it's early but you can tell he just knows how to work his way through traffic

 

[mattsmob]

Levi's damaging? Not sure weve seen much of that

Obviously it's early but you can tell he just knows how to work his way through traffic

As a midfielder that pushes forward yes, as a winger not really but he’s not really suited to playing out there

 

[Nathan Barley]

As a midfielder that pushes forward yes, as a winger not really but he’s not really suited to playing out there

Why can't he be damaging as a winger?

 

[martinson]

Levi's damaging? Not sure weve seen much of that

Obviously it's early but you can tell he just knows how to work his way through traffic

He shows that same quality Kiddy had when he was in the 2's. Class above the others in traffic.

Not drawing any conclusions totally but very happy we're drafting him.