Review Round 22, 2025 - Brisbane Lions vs. Sydney

[Bucking Beads]

On the Couch had a stat that the Swans D50 to F50 transition game percentage of 47% was the 2nd best in the last 15 years.

Buckley and Browny were both critical of Charlie's recent performances.

That's how it looked at the ground. They ran it out of our backline with ease and had free players everywhere. It was a pathetic performance from our team.

 

[M Malice]

That's how it looked at the ground. They ran it out of our backline with ease and had free players everywhere. It was a pathetic performance from our team.

We have been so inconsistent with our performances this season, both during games and over the season as an entirety.

IMO it is a symptom of coming off a Premiership, hopefully when the absolute must win games start ie. this Friday night we can flick the switch.

 

[TopUpFan]

Gee that's a damning stat.

We didn't do anything to counter it really did we. Felt like the game was largely played on their terms and we needed to play a bit slower at times.

Surely Smith out this week (2026 pre season a big one) for Day or Gallop

Not sure what to do if no Lohmann. Dev as a pressure forward? Craven doesn't really do that role does he?

Craven does play that role, or at least more than McLachlan does. So if it were a choice between those two (given what Fages said was the issue in his presser) I'd be tempted to swap those two. That said, Craven has never had a taste of AFL level. No question of Dev's ability to apply pressure.

 

[Nunez]

It's pretty clear to me that injuries were a big part of the loss IMO. I don't see that loss happening if we had Starce and Lester in at a minimum.

Back six missing all of Payne, Starce, Lester, Answerth and even a fit Coleman while the forward line missing Lohmann along with Cal and Charlie being out of form was the difference.

I think with Lester and Starce back next week, we will bounce back and grind out a win. Hawks game will be huge.

 

[mattsmob]

It's pretty clear to me that injuries were a big part of the loss IMO. I don't see that loss happening if we had Starce and Lester in at a minimum.

Back six missing all of Payne, Starce, Lester, Answerth and even a fit Coleman while the forward line missing Lohmann along with Cal and Charlie being out of form was the difference.

I think with Lester and Starce back next week, we will bounce back and grind out a win. Hawks game will be huge.

Not to mention our dual Brownlow medalist

 

[Bucking Beads]

It's pretty clear to me that injuries were a big part of the loss IMO. I don't see that loss happening if we had Starce and Lester in at a minimum.

Back six missing all of Payne, Starce, Lester, Answerth and even a fit Coleman while the forward line missing Lohmann along with Cal and Charlie being out of form was the difference.

I think with Lester and Starce back next week, we will bounce back and grind out a win. Hawks game will be huge.

I know the injuries are hurting but I can't accept that they were a reason why we lost. Our forward half pressure was non existent. No defenders stood a chance when the ball was moving in so quickly.

 

[GenericUsername202]

We have been so inconsistent with our performances this season, both during games and over the season as an entirety.

IMO it is a symptom of coming off a Premiership, hopefully when the absolute must win games start ie. this Friday night we can flick the switch.

Isn't this concerning? How many times have we had to flick the switch this season after a terrible performance? Our last one was only last weekend after what happened against the suns. It's an indictment on the players if they can't even get up every week this season, and it evidently says the hunger that we had the back end of last year isn't there anymore.

It's pretty clear to me that injuries were a big part of the loss IMO. I don't see that loss happening if we had Starce and Lester in at a minimum.

Back six missing all of Payne, Starce, Lester, Answerth and even a fit Coleman while the forward line missing Lohmann along with Cal and Charlie being out of form was the difference.

I think with Lester and Starce back next week, we will bounce back and grind out a win. Hawks game will be huge.

It wasn't though. I urge anyone to watch Fagan's interview. Fagan didn't use injuries as a reason for losing that game, or the fact that it was a low pressure game. He said we dominated midfield clearances and we had 65 inside 50's, and those statistics alone meant we should have won that game. The reason we lost that game is everything that Fagan said in the interview; it was our inability to convert scoring chances inside 50 and our poor use of the ball when it was brought to the ground. While our injuries may be the reason for not winning the flag this year, it wasn't the reason why we lost that game. It wasn't our missing players who were kicking the ball out of the full in the last quarter.

I think if we did a deep dive into our forward line this year, and compared it to last year, we would see that only 1 player has gotten better, which is Morris. The rest has regressed. The forward line we had last year would have won us that game, but the one this year just isn't good enough. I don't know how Fagan will attempt to fix this, because Hipwood kicking 6 goals in 12 games isn't something he can fix. Ah Chee having a poor year (even with his knee issues) isn't something he can fix. Charlie having a huge drop off isn't something he can fix. I personally don't think we can win the flag, because I don't think you can trust this forward line, but i feel for Fagan, because our gameplan is right. Even with our outs, we dominated the game enough, and 65 forward 50 entries should have netted us the win. And it would have in the past, but Morris can't save us every week, and no one else up there has stepped up. In terms of accuracy, we've always been a poor side in front of goals, but our forward line was so good last year that even if we missed a lot, we would still generate enough chances to get us the win. That's proven to be more difficult this year.

 

[Sunny Land]

I know the injuries are hurting but I can't accept that they were a reason why we lost. Our forward half pressure was non existent. No defenders stood a chance when the ball was moving in so quickly.

Dont think it's the reason we lost but it is the reason we didn't win 100%.

 

[braddsey]

I know the injuries are hurting but I can't accept that they were a reason why we lost. Our forward half pressure was non existent. No defenders stood a chance when the ball was moving in so quickly.

It’s symptomatic of too many inexperienced or fringe players. A system can carry a few, but there’s a tipping point and I think we found it.

H.Smith
W.McLachlan
D.Robertson
B.Reville
T.Deodee
S.Marshall

Add in an out of form Charlie, Ah Chee, and questions on Hipwood.

We can probably slot in half that group and the system stands up. With so many potential holes, we’re asking our experienced core to be in many places all at once.

…still, we should have won.

 

[Darren Downunder]

I have two points to make on Saturday’s game.
Firstly: Sydney was good. They are a bloody good side and they are getting back to their best. Losing to Sydney is not the same as drawing with North or capitulating to Melbourne in the last quarter.
Secondly: I don’t know what the solution is but the two ruck option is simply not good. Whatever the mix of Smith, Forte or Oscar. Whoever plays forward is a liability. None of our rucks can chase, tackle or pressure and that was what we were lacking in our forward line last week.
The Collingwood game lulled us into a false sense of security, because collingwood’s defence was undermanned and smith got on the end of a few.

 

[T Rick]

It's pretty clear to me that injuries were a big part of the loss IMO. I don't see that loss happening if we had Starce and Lester in at a minimum.

Back six missing all of Payne, Starce, Lester, Answerth and even a fit Coleman while the forward line missing Lohmann along with Cal and Charlie being out of form was the difference.

I think with Lester and Starce back next week, we will bounce back and grind out a win. Hawks game will be huge.

Not sure if Starce is a given to return from a hamstring issue after 1 week

 

[SizeMatters]

I know the injuries are hurting but I can't accept that they were a reason why we lost. Our forward half pressure was non existent. No defenders stood a chance when the ball was moving in so quickly.

I agree. Sure Heeney might have grabbed three instead of five but the final result was by no means the reality of the game. Lions got destroyed on the rebound with no pressure from anyone. Morris was the best according to stats and he’s not even known for pressure rating at all. Was a pathetic performance.

 

[Happy_Neale]

It's pretty clear to me that injuries were a big part of the loss IMO. I don't see that loss happening if we had Starce and Lester in at a minimum.

Back six missing all of Payne, Starce, Lester, Answerth and even a fit Coleman while the forward line missing Lohmann along with Cal and Charlie being out of form was the difference.

I think with Lester and Starce back next week, we will bounce back and grind out a win. Hawks game will be huge.

Fully agree. Combine that with our outrageous draw and I actually think we’ve done well to be a top 2 chance this late in the year. The crows game is the one that hurts given we probably should have won that by 5 goals. But that happens against good sides sometimes

 

[Happy_Neale]

Well said; people just want excuses to make themselves feel better. Doesn't change the fact that we didn't turn up with the right mindset and motivation and many senior players, showed that they need those teammates that were out injured to elevate their own games b/c they aren't hungry enough to do it themselves.

lol

 

[Happy_Neale]

So the senior players did turn up with the right mindset and were hungry; could've fooled me

We can only hope for another fluke this September hey McIvor/Dylan

 

[Sunny Land]

We can only hope for another fluke this September hey McIvor/Dylan

Be careful Happy_Neale...McIvor is not easily fooled.

 

[M Malice]

Fully agree. Combine that with our outrageous draw and I actually think we’ve done well to be a top 2 chance this late in the year. The crows game is the one that hurts given we probably should have won that by 5 goals. But that happens against good sides sometimes

It has been an amazingly close season for the top 9, there is some doom and gloom around but yes it is at least a 50/50 chance(IMO) we could be 2nd at the end of this round(if Swans beat the Cats)... we beat the Dockers and Crows beat the Pies and we're 3rd.

However if we lose we could miss the 8 with a loss to the Hawks in the final round.

It will be a stunning last 2 rounds.

 

[Sunny Land]

Fooled with what, being an apoloigist for anyone who dares criticises anything associated with the club?

Naaaah, you are too smart for that.

 

[Happy_Neale]

Pretty much champ. What on earth are you on about? WTF is Dylan?

Fooled with what, being an apoloigist for anyone who dares criticises anything associated with the club? Got your lackies backing you up these days I see

Dylan confirmed

 

[Section 5]

So the senior players did turn up with the right mindset and were hungry; could've fooled me

I would say out of the senior players you are correct on just a couple in my opinion.

Charlie is one. Ah-Chee could have been better and Doedee who we should give some leeway to anyhow.
All the other senior players were okay for mine and that included BF whipping boy Hippy.

Could some of them have played better and kicked straighter, yes.

Unfortunately we never looked like winning. I do agree that we just looked off the pace a bit during the game
In the end we went down by 2 points to a pretty good side since they got some players back recently.

Dockers just got home by 6 over lowly Port.
Ladder leaders by only 9 over bottom side Eagles who have only won 1 game.
It is a long season for teams to be up and about all the time. Just look at the Pies recent month.

Out of those three games we ended up on the wrong side of 4 premiership points

Two games to go to see if we can end up in a reasonable position in the top 6.

 

[mattsmob]

I would say out of the senior players you are correct on just a couple in my opinion.

Charlie is one. Ah-Chee could have been better and Doedee who we should give some leeway to anyhow.
All the other senior players were okay for mine and that included BF whipping boy Hippy.

Could some of them have played better and kicked straighter, yes.

Unfortunately we never looked like winning. I do agree that we just looked off the pace a bit during the game
In the end we went down by 2 points to a pretty good side since they got some players back recently.

Dockers just got home by 6 over lowly Port.
Ladder leaders by only 9 over bottom side Eagles who have only won 1 game.
It is a long season for teams to be up and about all the time. Just look at the Pies recent month.

Out of those three games we ended up on the wrong side of 4 premiership points

Two games to go to see if we can end up in a reasonable position in the top 6.

Yeah I don’t think we were off by much against Sydney and thought our senior players played well enough and our inexperienced guys stepped up for the most part. Our standards probably slipped a little bit with our intensity and effort which comes from missing a few of our on field leaders but it shows the guys they still have a couple steps to go without the likes of Neale in particular.

Thought our inexperience was also exposed in how poor a lot of our entries into the 50 were which resulted in our forwards being out of position and along with the lack of intensity made pretty easy work for the Swans defenders.

 

[Grasshopper17]

The difference. Guaranteed 10 points lost which wouldn't have affected any of the game with breaks right after the kicks

We also missed two set shots which went straight down the other end for Sydney goals. One by Zorko midway through the 2nd quarter which went down the other end for a Heeney goal, and then Rayner at the start of the 3rd which resulted in a Warner goal.

In just those two misses there's 22 points left on the table and the ball went back to the middle for a centre bounce straight after anyway. So even more costly than those set shot misses after the siren. Taking your chances matters.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Live i thought Fort had a great ruck battle with the inform Grundy. Grundy last week 32 H/O 39 disposals 8 marks

Looking at the stats when i got home.
Grundy 28 H/O 8 to advantage. 14 disposals, 4 marks no tackles 1 goal 1 behind
Fort had 21 H/O 9 to advantage 9 disposals, 1 mark 3 tackles
Grundy a little better overall but Fort did well in my opinion.

Did OK in ruck contests.

Got absolutely mauled in general play. Watching the two in the last quarter, Grundy was basically tracking the ball around the boundary while Fort was tracking some mythical channel 30-40m infield because he just couldn't keep up.

Concerning with Jackson on the menu this Friday night.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Pretty sure for a tackle to be recorded the opponent can't have disposed of the footy

The disposal needs to have been adversely affected, ie it is not effective ie it is turned over 40m+ away or goes into dispute within 40m

 

[Grasshopper17]

With Lachie out our midfield were shooting from further out it seems but no stats on that.

Just on this, here is our shot map from Saturday:



For those who thought "gee we're having a lot of shots from distance today", you were bang on.

There were some pretty interesting comments from Fages about our set shot accuracy in the post match press conference. The raw numbers were 6-8 but our expected score from those set shots was only 50, compared to the 44 we scored. So we only slightly under clubbed.

The bigger issue I see is we had 22 of our 31 shots from beyond 40 (as you can see in the map above). And while watching the game it felt that way - we were rarely able to shoot from closer.

Often when we've had accuracy issues in the past it's been the result of being forced wide a lot. But on Saturday it was more being forced to kick from distance.

Ultimately each shot we had carried an expected score of 2.99, compared to Sydney who were able to get shots in much better locations. Their shots carried an average expected score of 3.45.

League average is 3.25 this season. So to me it was more about quality of opportunity rather than the execution of those opportunities.

Hopefully once Fages and the coaching group had a good look at the tape and had a better chance to go over these numbers, they were able to identify this deeper issue.