List Mgmt. 2025 List Management Discussion

[jjami15]

Breaking down all NINE finals contenders... and the flaws that could bring them down

Breaking down all NINE finals contenders... and the flaws that could bring them down

www.foxsports.com.au

BRISBANE LIONS


Weakness/question mark: Midfield

Brisbane irrefutably has a star-studded engine room. But of late, it hasn’t been performing.

In the past six rounds, the Lions have sat 14th for points from clearance, 18th for points against from clearance, and 16th for clearances.

Riewoldt declared they were “some damning numbers for a very good midfield”, adding the ruck combination of Oscar McInerney and Darcy Fort “were smacked by Jarrod Witts” during the Lions’ loss to the Suns.

Brown added: “I think that’s the last time you’ll see two rucks. Forward McInerney is not working, McInerney’s clearly sore. So, I think Sam Day, who played reserves (last weekend), will come back in as the backup ruckman/forward — that Joe Daniher role — so there’ll be a bit of a change in mix.

“Purely on that stoppage stuff, they’ve got to get to work.”

You would have to say that the shortened pre-season is impacting. Further to add they’ve been in finals for the last 4/5yrs. Possibly not a bad thing to drop out early, refresh and attack next year. Lachie Neale has said that his pre-season wasn’t the best due to recovery.

 

[dlanod]

That one definitely had some luck involved due to Lachie's manager asking if they would be interested. But the team still got it across the line.

From memory we were into him as a FA the following year. The manager asking if we'd be interested was re: bringing him over a year earlier via trade - which we jumped at, as it took guesswork out of actually being able to get him (see Sydney v Brisbane for Joe. Sydney didn't get it done via trade, so we jumped in as a FA).

 

[Nathan Barley]

Breaking down all NINE finals contenders... and the flaws that could bring them down

Breaking down all NINE finals contenders... and the flaws that could bring them down

www.foxsports.com.au

BRISBANE LIONS


Weakness/question mark: Midfield

Brisbane irrefutably has a star-studded engine room. But of late, it hasn’t been performing.

In the past six rounds, the Lions have sat 14th for points from clearance, 18th for points against from clearance, and 16th for clearances.

Riewoldt declared they were “some damning numbers for a very good midfield”, adding the ruck combination of Oscar McInerney and Darcy Fort “were smacked by Jarrod Witts” during the Lions’ loss to the Suns.

Brown added: “I think that’s the last time you’ll see two rucks. Forward McInerney is not working, McInerney’s clearly sore. So, I think Sam Day, who played reserves (last weekend), will come back in as the backup ruckman/forward — that Joe Daniher role — so there’ll be a bit of a change in mix.

“Purely on that stoppage stuff, they’ve got to get to work.”

We've gone away from being a clearance team to a turnover team.

Still don't understand the drop off from Neale. Wonder if he can switch it back on for the rest of the year. He kind of needs those big clearance numbers to make up for lack of pressure and defensive transition

 

[Perrip]

Moneyball

Jon Ralph:

“I think the very likely outcome still is that [Starc has] got a two-year deal on the table at Brisbane, if he wants that to be a long-termer, his manager would get that done.
“He’s got interest in Melbourne, he’s got interest out west. But not many leave the Brisbane Lions when they’re in such a great premiership window.”

 

[lionsrules]

We've gone away from being a clearance team to a turnover team.

Still don't understand the drop off from Neale. Wonder if he can switch it back on for the rest of the year. He kind of needs those big clearance numbers to make up for lack of pressure and defensive transition

I think he can. I remember in the 2023 season late in the year some journo ranked him 200th or whatever it was, then he had a phenomenal turn around in form... I think he can turn it around.

 

[Sunny Land]

We've gone away from being a clearance team to a turnover team.

Still don't understand the drop off from Neale. Wonder if he can switch it back on for the rest of the year. He kind of needs those big clearance numbers to make up for lack of pressure and defensive transition

Think our lack of a good tap ruckman hasn't helped.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Think our lack of a good tap ruckman hasn't helped.

And Oscar was good for 6 clearance a game himself. They usually went straight to the opposition but would be handy when our mids weren't getting the job done

 

[irel]

Going off a bit premature there rye

 

[Squizz89]

We've gone away from being a clearance team to a turnover team.

Still don't understand the drop off from Neale. Wonder if he can switch it back on for the rest of the year. He kind of needs those big clearance numbers to make up for lack of pressure and defensive transition

Kinda why I'm not against putting Berry back into the middle. He's shown in the past he can play well in there and help win clearances as a bigger body, as well as lock down on the opposition's middles.

We don't have the defence with all our injuries now to hold up when we lose field position. I think the only chance we have of 'protecting' them a bit is winning field position, which starts in the middle.

It won't happen because it's not Fages' way, but I could certainly understand running with him in there.

 

[Sproj]

On Gettable they said that Draper to Adelaide is still a strong possibility.

 

[twhowler]

On Gettable they said that Draper to Adelaide is still a strong possibility.

It seems to me Draper would be our clear number one ruck

At the crows he would compete with O'Brien. Maybe they have said we will replace Walker? Would seem like a top-heavy forward line

 

[Perrip]

On Gettable they said that Draper to Adelaide is still a strong possibility.

Full quote from Gettable:

There was some talk over the weekend that because ROB signed that contract, that 3 year deal, that it became a 2 horse race for Sam Draper, either he would go to Brisbane or stay at Essendon, that Adelaide were out of that mix. My information is that Adelaide is still right in the hunt for Sam Draper, that they want to pair Sam Draper with ROB across the next few years, or 3 given ROB just signed that new deal. So, they're still in the hunt for Sam Draper, they're not out of it yet. I think Brisbane is clearly, if he was to leave, the frontrunners at the moment, but Adelaide still think they're a chance of landing Sam Draper and are still in the mix for him.

 

[M Malice]

On Gettable they said that Draper to Adelaide is still a strong possibility.

Operation get Todd Goldstein.

 

[Tom14]

On Gettable they said that Draper to Adelaide is still a strong possibility.

ROB and Draper working in beautiful harmony - former enemies turned teammates

 

[bungalow_bill]

Don't the NRL allow players to be traded mid season?

 

[Sproj]

Don't the NRL allow players to be traded mid season?

Pretty much anyone can potentially be traded at any time.

 

[mattsmob]

Pretty much anyone can potentially be traded at any time.

There is a cut off time throughout the season, nobody is getting “traded” at this point. Players can also sign with other clubs 18 months out from being off contract I believe.

 

[davemc_lions]

We have a lot of silky mids with great skills. For a lot a hard tackle defensively is not one.
Week in and week out teams run through our mids tackles.
Lots of our players try to heard players then just run at them and tackle.
Dunkley does a lot of heavy lifting here which I think as others said smaller mids just cannot land the tackles

no idea how we fix that easily

We normally go Dunks and Neale.
With either Will Ashcroft, McCluggage in the centre
Then cameos from Bailey, Rayner and even Levi last week.
If they all tackled like Rayner and Dunks not be a problem.
We have Marshall and Annable coming for some mid time as well
none big bulls who tackle hard


Same in forwards I see Charlie chasing a lot more as no Linc to help.

The Cats game we all came out with Mongrel in us which we can when we on.
When we not on we loose and become witches hats

 

[rye]

Going off a bit premature there rye

On Gettable they said that Draper to Adelaide is still a strong possibility.

 

[briztoon]

We've gone away from being a clearance team to a turnover team.

Still don't understand the drop off from Neale. Wonder if he can switch it back on for the rest of the year. He kind of needs those big clearance numbers to make up for lack of pressure and defensive transition

 

[Elixuh]

We've gone away from being a clearance team to a turnover team.

Still don't understand the drop off from Neale. Wonder if he can switch it back on for the rest of the year. He kind of needs those big clearance numbers to make up for lack of pressure and defensive transition

He's been slowly ramping up after not having a proper preseason + short offseason + a huge 2024 working through injury + successive years of short breaks etc + age.

To me he has looked to manage himself through games more this year than in prior years, but can flip the switch when he needs to. I was slightly worried at the beginning of the year but not really now. I think him not always applying himself as he has in past seasons has had a flow on effect with some of the other mids though which is an issue.

 

[Nunez]

He's been slowly ramping up after not having a proper preseason + short offseason + a huge 2024 working through injury + successive years of short breaks etc + age.

To me he has looked to manage himself through games more this year than in prior years, but can flip the switch when he needs to. I was slightly worried at the beginning of the year but not really now. I think him not always applying himself as he has in past seasons has had a flow on effect with some of the other mids though which is an issue.

Almost a guarantee he'll be our BoG Saturday if we win IMO.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

It seems to me Draper would be our clear number one ruck

It'd be sad if Smith didn't get a fair shot at it.

 

[Pride of lions]

He's been slowly ramping up after not having a proper preseason + short offseason + a huge 2024 working through injury + successive years of short breaks etc + age.

To me he has looked to manage himself through games more this year than in prior years, but can flip the switch when he needs to. I was slightly worried at the beginning of the year but not really now. I think him not always applying himself as he has in past seasons has had a flow on effect with some of the other mids though which is an issue.

I agree that he has been managing himself through games this year, and also letting McCluggage and Ashcroft take more of a leadership role in the midfield. He can’t be expected to keep carrying the workload he has for so many years,but it will take a while before the others can step up and take the burden and responsibility from him. McCluggage has definitely improved and helped fill his role but it will take Ashworth a fair while longer. I’m sure if we make the finals Lachie will be at his best again.

 

[pod17]

I read yesterday that there are now a few clubs interested in Rosas Jnr., after we had some discussions last year. I liked him last time, as presumably it wouldn't have taken a great deal in terms of draft capital to make it happen.

I do think a genuine, front and centre small forward is a list need for us (don't grow on trees obviously). Whether or not it is him or someone else, I think we should be looking to address that this off-season too with Charlie most certainly on the decline.

Not sure if there are others people have identified as potential targets?