2016 Brisbane Lions starting line up

[BrizzyBandit]

Still watching this season.... But I'd be lying to myself if I didn't admit that a part of me is moving on to 2016. I've put together a dream team.
It might be wishful thinking getting both Rance and Dixon.... But probably more unlikely is the rest all being uninjured at the same time. But my Lions brain is desperate for hope...... Nahhhh...... just desperate.

FB: Gardiner - Merrett - Clarke
HB: Hanley - Rance - Paparone
C: Christensen - DBeams- Rich
HF: McStay - Close - Zorko
FF: Green - Dixon - Freeman
Foll: Martin - Rockliff - Redden

Extended Bench: Lester, Taylor, Mayes, McGrath Robertson, Harwood & Robinson.

 

[jackess]

Hanley won't play down back. Don't see why people want to play him there. He's our most important midfielder and hasn't played down back for a few seasons now.

 

[baaaall!]

On the chance that we pick up Rance, Dixon and Schulz, (Wishful thinking, I know,) this would be my best 22.

B: Harwood, Merrett, Clarke
HB: Adcock, Rance, C. Beams

C: P. Hanley, Rockliff, Redden
FOL: Martin, D. Beams, Rich

HF: Zorko, Dixon, Christensen
F: Green, Schulz, McStay

Int: Gardiner, Robertson, Taylor
SUB: Robinson

 

[BlackGun1]

B: Harwood, Clarke, Gardiner
HB: Paparone, Rance, Adcock
C: Hanley, D. Beams, Rich
HF: Zorko, L. Henderson, Christensen
F: Green, Close, McStay
R: Martin, Rockliff, Redden
INT: Taylor, Lester, Mayes SUB: M. Robinson
DEPTH: Robertson, Bewick, C. Beams, Merrett, McGrath, Freeman, Andrews, Cutler, O'Brien, Schache, Hipwood, Keays

 

[lionshine]

Still watching this season.... But I'd be lying to myself if I didn't admit that a part of me is moving on to 2016. I've put together a dream team.
It might be wishful thinking getting both Rance and Dixon.... But probably more unlikely is the rest all being uninjured at the same time. But my Lions brain is desperate for hope...... Nahhhh...... just desperate.

FB: Gardiner - Merrett - Clarke
HB: Hanley - Rance - Paparone
C: Christensen - DBeams- Rich
HF: McStay - Close - Zorko
FF: Green - Dixon - Freeman
Foll: Martin - Rockliff - Redden

Extended Bench: Lester, Taylor, Mayes, McGrath Robertson, Harwood & Robinson.

I know this is a 2016 hypothetical but no way would we play 3 talls down back and 3 talls up front plus a 4th tall at either end. A team with Merrett, Rance, Clarke, Gardiner, Close, Dixon, Freeman and McStay would be wayyyy to top heavy and slow.

 

[Viceregal]

Some of these names seem vaguely familiar ... its like I remember them playing for us in what might have been a dream ...

 

[a mayes ing]

Hanley won't play down back. Don't see why people want to play him there. He's our most important midfielder and hasn't played down back for a few seasons now.

Huh? Did you miss last season? Was down at HB a lot.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

I know this is a 2016 hypothetical but no way would we play 3 talls down back and 3 talls up front plus a 4th tall at either end. A team with Merrett, Rance, Clarke, Gardiner, Close, Dixon, Freeman and McStay would be wayyyy to top heavy and slow.

Hence why I listed an extended bench.... Match the team against the opposition.... However

- Gardiner can play small.... Arguably better than playing tall ATM.

- Rance is also very fast and great at rebounding.

- The big and less agile player down back is really only Merrett...... and even he is fast over 20meters.

- Close as the "run all day CHF working hard up and down the field"

- Dixon as the tall marking target/relief Ruckman.

- McStay is also very good runner and agile.

Zorko, Green, Rich, DBeams, Rockcliff, Redden, Christensen, Hanley, Taylor, McGrath, Robertson provide a lot of balance and speed

 

[jackess]

Huh? Did you miss last season? Was down at HB a lot.

No he wasn't. We had him and Rocky as basically our only 2 midfielders for most of the season.

 

[jackess]

More realistic

B: Gardiner Clarke Harwood
HB: Rich Andrews Paparone
C: Taylor Rockliff Zorko
HF: Christensen McStay Mayes
FF: Green Close Freeman
Ruck: Martin Hanley D Beams
Bench: Redden, C Beams, Robertson, Lester
Emg: West, McGrath, Cutler

 

[Albi_Mangler]

Are you guessing the 2016 injury list while you are at it?

 

[Chasing the Dream]

This thread is missing

*2015 ND Pick 2 playing here

 

[a mayes ing]

No he wasn't. We had him and Rocky as basically our only 2 midfielders for most of the season.

No, at the start of last season Leppa wanted the best kicks in the half backs, hence he tried to put Rich and Hanley down there. Don't know how long it lasted him down there but he was definitly down there (as Rich was supposed to be) for a couple months or more.

 

[Balony_pony16]

This thread is missing

*2015 ND Pick 2 playing here

na...Missing Ben Keays Plays here

 

[Chasing the Dream]

Both Balony_pony16

Nice pick up

 

[John_Proctor]

the reality is in modern football if Hanley played half back flank or midfield or half forward flank there is almost no difference in where he runs and only a marginal difference in his level of accountability to his opponent. especially to someone like Hanley who if back/forward/midfield would have an opposition player accountable to him to stop his run adn carry.

I'd love to see heat map data for all the players in the team that occasionaly gets put up on TV. also the GPS kilometres travelled data.

 

[POBT]

No, at the start of last season Leppa wanted the best kicks in the half backs, hence he tried to put Rich and Hanley down there. Don't know how long it lasted him down there but he was definitly down there (as Rich was supposed to be) for a couple months or more.

He was a midfielder for more than half a season. At a guess, I'd say he went to more centre bounces in 2014 than any other midfielder, except Rocky. Prior to that, he was mostly wing, partly running defender but still predominantly in the midfield group. He worked into defence a lot but that's because the ball spent a lot of time in our defensive half. But he was a big part of our midfield rotations.

Leppa may want him to play half back this year as he won't have had the running miles.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

If he's listed on the half back line.... I think we all know he rotates through the centre/wing as well

 

[theteamtobeat]

More realistic

B: Gardiner Clarke Harwood
HB: Rich Andrews Paparone
C: Taylor Rockliff Zorko
HF: Christensen McStay Mayes
FF: Green Close Freeman
Ruck: Martin Hanley D Beams
Bench: Redden, C Beams, Robertson, Lester
Emg: West, McGrath, Cutler

Are you serious? What about Hawkins, Dangerfield, Sloane, Rance, Dixon, Schulz, Henderson, Motlop and Carlisle.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

More realistic

B: Gardiner Clarke Harwood
HB: Rich Andrews Paparone
C: Taylor Rockliff Zorko
HF: Christensen McStay Mayes
FF: Green Close Freeman
Ruck: Martin Hanley D Beams
Bench: Redden, C Beams, Robertson, Lester
Emg: West, McGrath, Cutler

I think a fit Merrett is easily starting 22

 

[cotter101]

Hanley won't play down back. Don't see why people want to play him there. He's our most important midfielder and hasn't played down back for a few seasons now.

Spot on.

Averaged 30 disposals, 1.1 goal assists, 6 inside fifties, 4.5 clearances, 8 contested possesions and a bounce a game in the second half of 2014. He really struggled with the tag in the first half. Rich, Hanley and Beams are all damaging players and will give the opposition coaches some headaches when they try to figure out who to tag, because you can't tag all 3.

Rich, Rockliff, Beams, Hanley, Christensen and Martin should be one very good midfield.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

Amended:

BL: McGrath - Merrett - Clarke
HB: Harwood - Rance - Paparone
C: Robertson - DBeams - Hanley
FOL: Martin - Rocky - Redden
HF: McStay - Close - Rich
FF: Green - Dixon - Zorko


Bench: Christensen, Gardiner, Taylor
Super Sub: Robinson

Notes:
I'm leaving Rance and Dixon in my 2016 team. I'm gonna "will" them to the Lions. Andrews and Freeman into the team without them.

- We need a small agile defender to shut down deadly small forwards like Ballentyne, Breust, LeCras etc... I think McGrath can be that player. He is fast and super physical.

- Mitch Robinson running flat out for a quarter and a bit could change the game.

- Zorko back to being the small crumbing forward with Green.... A deadly duo around Dixon, McStay, Close.

- Rich playing forward. Causing nightmares for the opposition.

- Rance, Merret, Clarke, Gardiner, McGrath and Harwood combine physicality, speed, skill and toughness. A dream backline. Hell Clarke would be on their third tall!!

 

[Doc Hattori]

Here's my list assuming

• we get Rance
• Aish leaves and get draft pick/s not experienced players
• we pass on Dixon - not just because he's asking an exhorbitant salary but because he's basically useless
• Merrett comes back to full fitness

B: Gardiner Rance Harwood
HB: Rich Clarke Paparone
C: RobERTson Rockliff P Hanley
HF: McStay Close Zorko
F: Green Freeman Merrett

Foll: Martin Redden D Beams

INT: RobINson Christensen Lester Taylor

Unlucky (or in side depending on opposition/ tactical approach:
Mayes Andrews C Beams McGrath West

 

[Balony_pony16]

Rance aint coming

 

[Sherrinator]

Can't wait til our speculative KP picks in this years draft come good so we can become competitive again!