Preview Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs, Round 4, Saturday April 10, 1:35 PM, MARS Stadium

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We've both got good players in our midfields and to presume you can be assured both lots will bring their A game and you can therefore compare who will win out isn't realistic. The idea is to hang in there as strongly as you can when you're getting beaten and make the most of opportunities when they come along. That's who wins out in the end.

We know they can play very well offensively when things are going their way, let's see how good they are if we manage to get on top for periods . The key to us winning this game is to limit them when they're on fire and hurt them when we get chances. I reckon they'll try to hit us with everything early especially if Oscar doesn't play . Just keep grinding away at them and go bang when we get free ball.

Well that's my plan anyway.
 
Stef can't even read his own ruckwork.

He gets in there and competes fiercely ,gets in front on boundary throwins but where it goes anyone's guess
Most rucks have no idea where the ball is going most of the time, you have 2 200cm 100kg fellas going for the ball it could end up anywhere.

The ruck stats against us v Grundy were an anomaly and still didn't lead to a Pies win, very rarely you see 20+ hit outs to advantage.
 

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Stef can't even read his own ruckwork.

He gets in there and competes fiercely ,gets in front on boundary throwins but where it goes anyone's guess

Not the best tap ruckman but he and Neale developed some serious synergy. I don't know how much time they spent working with each other directly but I recall a lot of times where Stef got good position and then put a hit out right onto Lachie's chest. Quite often it lead to an immediate goal from forward stoppages.
 
if Noah Anserth isn't named in this weekend's squad, then Fagan only has himself to blame if we lose. We are desparately in need of a quick, shutdown defender and our defence (as of right now) has to be the slowest in the league. The thought of a fleet of Bulldogs players flooding into our defence with Birchall, Andrews or Rich chasing them worries me more than anything.

Cracked record, bloke.
 
I like Answerth as well.
Although we need someone with speed who can run it out and hit a target.
I see Answerth more someone with speed who can lock down a quick small forward. I do not think his disposal is as bad as others on here.
Although not sure he is a run and target hitting player.
Madden could be that person for us eventually.

If you watched the Swans games this year they cut through the zone with speed and kicking. Made us and the Tigers look slow.
 
Assuming our 3 big potential ins are fit and Lachie plays:

In: Gardiner, McInerney, J. Berry, Answerth
Out: Lester, Payne, Ballenden, Fullarton

B: Adams Andrews Starcevich
HB: Birchall Gardiner Rich
C: Robinson Zorko McCluggage
HF: Bailey Hipwood Cameron
F: McCarthy Daniher T. Berry
R: McInerney Neale Lyons
I: J. Berry Ah Chee Answerth Robertson
S: Lester

Really feels harsh to have four outs from a side that wins like that but can't see those changes not being positive.

Lester really, really unlucky but his flexibility legitimately makes him the perfect sub. Toss up between him and Adams to miss but I thought Adams was sensational when the game was on the last week and he's a better match up for the Dogs forwards. Payne also very unlucky but I still lean towards Adams.

Bont gonna be a thorn in our side. Berry to go head to head with a defensive focus in the midfield, Gardiner to take him when he's up forward.
Gardiner to Naughton, Adams to Bruce, Harris intercepting and assisting then taking Naughton when Bont is forward.

Pressure, pressure, pressure. Zorko, Cameron, Bailey, Berries, Robertson, Ah Chee and Answerth all in particular need to be applying it constantly and tackling with intensity. Every handball needs to be under pressure. Every receiver should be preparing to wear a tackle from a closing player and make sure they're sticking.

Rob them of clean possessions and that handball game, force the to kick hurried and I think even if it's wet we set up well enough to nullify in the air and they don't have great small forward options to worry about.

If we're winning the ball and putting it in long their key defenders could get panicked. Won't outmark us and I think our small forwards have the ground ball edge against the dogs defensive unit.

Nervous, the midfield battle is gonna be pivotal but still feel we will win this.

Lions by 23.
 
Assuming our 3 big potential ins are fit and Lachie plays:

In: Gardiner, McInerney, J. Berry, Answerth
Out: Lester, Payne, Ballenden, Fullarton

B: Adams Andrews Starcevich
HB: Birchall Gardiner Rich
C: Robinson Zorko McCluggage
HF: Bailey Hipwood Cameron
F: McCarthy Daniher T. Berry
R: McInerney Neale Lyons
I: J. Berry Ah Chee Answerth Robertson
S: Lester

Really feels harsh to have four outs from a side that wins like that but can't see those changes not being positive.

Lester really, really unlucky but his flexibility legitimately makes him the perfect sub. Toss up between him and Adams to miss but I thought Adams was sensational when the game was on the last week and he's a better match up for the Dogs forwards. Payne also very unlucky but I still lean towards Adams.

Bont gonna be a thorn in our side. Berry to go head to head with a defensive focus in the midfield, Gardiner to take him when he's up forward.
Gardiner to Naughton, Adams to Bruce, Harris intercepting and assisting then taking Naughton when Bont is forward.

Pressure, pressure, pressure. Zorko, Cameron, Bailey, Berries, Robertson, Ah Chee and Answerth all in particular need to be applying it constantly and tackling with intensity. Every handball needs to be under pressure. Every receiver should be preparing to wear a tackle from a closing player and make sure they're sticking.

Rob them of clean possessions and that handball game, force the to kick hurried and I think even if it's wet we set up well enough to nullify in the air and they don't have great small forward options to worry about.

If we're winning the ball and putting it in long their key defenders could get panicked. Won't outmark us and I think our small forwards have the ground ball edge against the dogs defensive unit.

Nervous, the midfield battle is gonna be pivotal but still feel we will win this.

Lions by 23.

Who matches up on English? We're going to need defenders for English, Naughton (assuming he doesn't play back), & Bruce (even though he only really tries when he plays North). I don't see a place for Answerth in the team this week.
 
Who matches up on English? We're going to need defenders for English, Naughton (assuming he doesn't play back), & Bruce (even though he only really tries when he plays North). I don't see a place for Answerth in the team this week.

Andrews on English; though I feel he can play pretty loose in that match up, Gardiner on Naughton and Adams on Bruce. Answerth probably doesn't have a natural match up but I'd be wary about going too tall with the weather and I feel he can line up on whichever mid is rotating forward that isn't Bont as well as be a benefit for pressure and ground ball gets up forward, considering the Dogs don't really have any dangerous small forwards.

Something completely out of the box I honestly wouldn't mind him spending time up forward and locking down Daniel and preventing him from creating any play.
 

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I doubt we're going change our structure and play only 2 key forwards. It'll take something drastic.
 
I doubt we're going change our structure and play only 2 key forwards. It'll take something drastic.

Probably not. It's likely Fullarton stays in the line up but I don't think we need more than two considering the Dogs defensive unit and the weather. I guess with Oscar being potentially not 100% and the Dogs ruck combo we do need a ruck back up that isn't Daniher.
 
Andrews on English; though I feel he can play pretty loose in that match up, Gardiner on Naughton and Adams on Bruce. Answerth probably doesn't have a natural match up but I'd be wary about going too tall with the weather and I feel he can line up on whichever mid is rotating forward that isn't Bont as well as be a benefit for pressure and ground ball gets up forward, considering the Dogs don't really have any dangerous small forwards.

Something completely out of the box I honestly wouldn't mind him spending time up forward and locking down Daniel and preventing him from creating any play.
Tom Berry would be a good choice to hassle Caleb Daniel.
 
Tom Berry would be a good choice to hassle Caleb Daniel.

He would but I really liked what he was offering further up the ground with his speed and pressure. When the ball broke towards forward he was providing a lot too. Don't want to lose that this week when we'll need as much pressure around the midfield as possible.
 
if Noah Anserth isn't named in this weekend's squad, then Fagan only has himself to blame if we lose. We are desparately in need of a quick, shutdown defender and our defence (as of right now) has to be the slowest in the league. The thought of a fleet of Bulldogs players flooding into our defence with Birchall, Andrews or Rich chasing them worries me more than anything.
Yep if we lose it will be the fact Ainsworth didn’t play. 🙄 Lord help me.
 
Tom Liberatore
Caleb Daniel
Bailey Smith
Marcus Bontempeli

I would be trying to stop the influence of this lot as a priority.

Could be worth bringing in Answerth to rough up Smith.

No idea how to stop Bontempeli
 
Tom Liberatore
Caleb Daniel
Bailey Smith
Marcus Bontempeli

I would be trying to stop the influence of this lot as a priority.

Could be worth bringing in Answerth to rough up Smith.

No idea how to stop Bontempeli
We don't do full on hard tags but I think Jarrod Berry could keep a close eye on the Bont.

Lachie Neal head to head inside with Libber.
Zac Bailey to run Bailey Smith ragged,
Tom Berry to annoy the hell out of Daniel.
 
We don't do full on hard tags but I think Jarrod Berry could keep a close eye on the Bont.

Lachie Neal head to head inside with Libber.
Zac Bailey to run Bailey Smith ragged,
Tom Berry to annoy the hell out of Daniel.

It wasn't a tag but Jarrod went head to head with Fyfe in 2019 (I think) and got the chocolates. Not dissimilar to Bont. However coming back from a couple of weeks off, it may be a tougher ask.

Edit: And a lot of us on here were bemoaning the fact that Cripps wouldn't have torn us a new one in rd 12 2019 if Jarrod was playing.
 
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Not the best tap ruckman but he and Neale developed some serious synergy. I don't know how much time they spent working with each other directly but I recall a lot of times where Stef got good position and then put a hit out right onto Lachie's chest. Quite often it lead to an immediate goal from forward stoppages.
I think that was the shining light of Stef's ruckwork in a pure sense. The boundary stoppages in the forward line.

Stef got in front and whacked it to his left and the result was more about Lachie's incredible skill to pick up the ball in one go and spin out of any congestion.

But I do think the thing we miss about Stef is his competitiveness. Never beaten, always barrelling into the opposition and the stamina to be going stronger at the end of games than in the beginning. He's probably got two good years left in him imo and we made a misstep in letting him go ,even though it was understandable at the time.
 
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