Unofficial Preview Changes & discussion Round 8 v Eagles @ The Gabba.

[Tom14]

What’s the timeframe for Hipwood? Freo and St Kilda hopefully or after the bye? Personally I would give Joe until after the break for the backhalf of the year.

I reckon the earliest he could be back would be the Hawks game.

 

[dlanod]

Also and pls dont laugh, but in the past few years when playing teams we should easily account for, we come out arrigant and dont put them away. I know we smashed North and its unlikely WCE would beat us even if did that, but I hope Fages revs them up to come out blazing so it isnt a stressful night and one where we areant up fit particulalry b/c % is crucial to get 2nd spot at years end.

We don't put them away but in general (with a couple of exceptions) we do at least win.

I'm probably biased by watching GWS too much who repeatedly fall over against teams they should beat, but a win is a win.

 

[rye]

i dont think we should take wce too lightly. we saw at the pointy end of last year just how important percentage is, a big win would be a major help in what looks like a pretty tight jostle for top 4 spots currently. our fixture in the second half of the year is pretty tough

fingers crossed nothing too major with joe. hes been in superb form

 

[LongLion]

I've seen enough of Fullerton in the seniors. Happy to play Cam deep again.

It's worth at least one game too give it a try and this game is as good as any to experiment

 

[chopperduck]

Think you have to play to our normal structure. Fullerton coming in to play forward, maybe even as the deepest forward i think is fine. Let McStay work up the ground and back. Fullerton will worry a defender 1v1 with his height, and i wouldn't mind seeing him get a go without rucking duties. You could also play Rayner as a 3rd type tall, wouldn't be bad timing to just test this kind of thing in case something similar happens this year and we run out of forwards.

I think you probably want to try keep the changes minimal though, we are really starting to run into some form, and we have a decent block of games coming up against some better teams.

 

[KissKiss]

We've been in this spot before and have never changed the structure. The 4 talls are so critical to our game plan. The way we go down the wings and forward is critical of having the talls to mark or neutralise the ball.

So if Joe is out for a few then I fully expect Fullerton, Payne or Lester to come in (named in order of likelyhood). If Payne was in then there could be a chance of swinging Adams or Harris forward. It upsets our stable backline but they are great marks that can do a job.

Would be happy for Dev to come in as well if Prior is sore

Not sure who else could be in danger but maybe Answerth out for Wilmot. If he is going to get a taste then this is a great week for it

 

[morsie]

If Fullerton is selected he can tag McGovern so he wil, know where the ball is.

 

[3KZ is Football]

Fullerton and Robertson come in on the grounds of ‘like for like’ in terms of role.

If Fullerton comes in, we could always play Fort forward and Fullerton could be second ruck.

 

[On the quiet]

We've been in this spot before and have never changed the structure. The 4 talls are so critical to our game plan. The way we go down the wings and forward is critical of having the talls to mark or neutralise the ball.

So if Joe is out for a few then I fully expect Fullerton, Payne or Lester to come in (named in order of likelyhood). If Payne was in then there could be a chance of swinging Adams or Harris forward. It upsets our stable backline but they are great marks that can do a job.

Would be happy for Dev to come in as well if Prior is sore

Not sure who else could be in danger but maybe Answerth out for Wilmot. If he is going to get a taste then this is a great week for it

I like what some have suggested and play Cam forward and bring in Dev. A good run of games into Dev will very likely be beneficial later in the year, if/when required. We also want to keep Dev on our list. I would hate us to be like West Coast in a few years because we lost some of our talented fringe players.

Also a little left field, but would not mind the club sending Payne a message and saying "we will give you a few games up forward show us what you have" He was picked as a forward against the Dogs in the semi, and had a couple of match sims there, so might be worth trying, especially the next couple of games. The bloke is locked away for a few more years, but is no doubt currently behind Adams, Andrews and Gardiner.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

 

[davemc_lions]

on VFl form over the last few weeks alone.. I take Blake Coleman over Fullarton.
Although as others have said I go smaller (Dev, T Berry, Cockatoo) and rest Fort/Oscar forward and wait for Hipwood if it is 4-6 weeks

 

[Cubs2Lions]

on VFl form over the last few weeks alone.. I take Blake Coleman over Fullarton.
Although as others have said I go smaller (Dev, T Berry, Cockatoo) and rest Fort/Oscar forward and wait for Hipwood if it is 4-6 weeks

Given the structure we have played all year round so far, it's 99% going to be Fullarton for Daniher next week, before Hipwood comes in to replace Fullarton against Adelaide the following week (if true that he is only 1-2 weeks away).

However as people mentioned before on here, I would love the coaches to trial one of our emerging VFL mids (Dev, T Berry, Cockatoo, Sharp) in the lineup and allow one of Rayner, McCarthy or even J.Berry to play as that 3rd tall forward for 2 weeks, before Hipwood is 100% sure-thing ready to go in Round 10 against Hawthorn down in Launceston.

 

[McIvor]

Yeah I'd definitely give Joe 4-6 weeks if it meant getting him back in fit rather than playing through pain for the rest of the year. Especially as a KPP he'll need confidence taking contact and taking overhead marks.

My thoughts to. I recall hearing years ago that Joe wasnt the greatest with rehab which I think was the nock on him at Ess and wasnt great at playing thru injury, so best get him right unless I heard wrong.

Coudl Cam play FF as a smaller leading key foward like he #5 does for Collingwood at times.

 

[davemc_lions]

I agree be Fullarton..
Problem is players like T Berry and Dev been playing well the last few weeks.
Fullarton not kicking a lot of goals only one game of multiples. Yes he is tall not sure what he adds over Rayner playing the tall.
And T Berry and Dev on the ball

Not have a problem if he kicking a few each week as our best forward.
Although I think Blake been better the last few weeks as a forward personally.

 

[POBT]

Think you have to play to our normal structure. Fullerton coming in to play forward, maybe even as the deepest forward i think is fine. Let McStay work up the ground and back. Fullerton will worry a defender 1v1 with his height, and i wouldn't mind seeing him get a go without rucking duties. You could also play Rayner as a 3rd type tall, wouldn't be bad timing to just test this kind of thing in case something similar happens this year and we run out of forwards.

I think you probably want to try keep the changes minimal though, we are really starting to run into some form, and we have a decent block of games coming up against some better teams.

A week ago, this board was speculating how we could somehow keep 2 rucks and 3 tall forwards in the side when Hipwood returns. Now the speculation is how we can manufacture a smaller forward line. And, despite all that, Fagan has picked fundamentally the same setup for about 4 years!

Fullarton doesn't enthuse me but he's the closest like for like. I personally liked Payne up forward from the glimpses we saw v the Dogs. If we're looking for experimentation, I'd go in that direction.

But I just can't see Fagan throwing structure out, because of an injury. And that's particularly the case with Hipwood's return imminent.

 

[mattsmob]

My thoughts to. I recall hearing years ago that Joe wasnt the greatest with rehab which I think was the nock on him at Ess and wasnt great at playing thru injury, so best get him right unless I heard wrong.

Coudl Cam play FF as a smaller leading key foward like he #5 does for Collingwood at times.

Been thinking about Cam playing as a key forward until Hipwood is back and don’t mind it for a couple weeks. Was starting to find his feet in the middle so I don’t want to take him away from that for too long but he genuinely played like Joe does in the second half against Sydney, taking pack marks, good field kick and makes things happen on the ground. Having said all that I still think it’s more than likely we stick with the 3 tall forwards and ruck structure we have.

 

[KissKiss]

While the idea of Cam as a pseudo key forward might work on and off, I dont think it would work for 6 weeks. Too many good defenders would figure him out and crush him. Rather keep him back to his normal role - swinging between the midfield and forward

 

[Cubs2Lions]

While the idea of Cam as a pseudo key forward might work on and off, I dont think it would work for 6 weeks. Too many good defenders would figure him out and crush him. Rather keep him back to his normal role - swinging between the midfield and forward

It would only need to work for 1 week (2 at most) though, because Hipwood is apparently able to play next fortnight against Adelaide.

 

[Gadzorks]

Feel sorry for Alex Witherden

23

Alex Witherden

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.7

5star

K

15.2

5star

HB

5.5

4star

M

6.2

5star

T

1.8

4star

MG

386.5

5star

D

13.0

3star

K

10.0

4star

HB

3.0

2star

M

7.0

5star

T

0.0

1star

MG

201.0

3star

D

24.0

5star

K

15.4

5star

HB

8.6

5star

M

5.8

5star

T

2.2

4star

MG

380.2

5star

. Going to be a tough night for him you'd think.

 

[Berrygood]

The only reason Payne played fwd in that final was that he was the only tall available of the group that was tucked away in a covid bubble. He needs to focus on his skills down back, be a master of one skill not a jack of all trades.

I'm OK with Fullerton getting a run without the ruck pressure, see how he goes. But really he hasn't been kicking bags of goals in the 2nds to warrant the promotion. It's just a size for size replacement if he does get a run.

Giving Lester a run fwd doesn't appeal to me either. Not saying he wouldn't do an adequate job but surely we have better options dont we? Cockatoo would do a better job having much better fwd nous. We could rotate him and Rayner in that 3rd tall role and still give both that time in the middle. (3rd tall, with O n Fort rotating as 2nd tall).

I really hope we're not tempted to bring Hippy back early. I reckon he'd be in Fages ear already saying he's ready to go.

Even if Prior is ok to go but is still a bit tender I'd be giving him time to get it 100%. We don't need to play 80% fit players.

Probably this week,
Daniher out, Fullerton in but he really needs to impress not just be functional.
Prior out, Dev, T Berry or Madden in.

If I was selector I'd go,
Cockatoo for Daniher, he n Rayner rotate thru midfield and 3rd tall.
Madden for Prior, hb/wing like for like.
Dev or B2 in as sub.

I'll be happy either way, we will beat the Eagles anyway.

Just an out of the box thought, would it be worth giving H Smith a shot? See how he goes, or is it still to early in his development? He'd be at the same stage as Fullerton was when he got his debut.

 

[Quigley]

This is exactly the situation I was concerned about in the offseason when I was advocating for us bringing in an established reserve grade KPF.

Fullerton has shown very little at VFL level as a KPF. We just need a hard lead from the square KPF who can take a mark as insurance. We didn't get one and now it could potentially hurt us.

 

[Nunez]

This is exactly the situation I was concerned about in the offseason when I was advocating for us bringing in an established reserve grade KPF.

Fullerton has shown very little at VFL level as a KPF. We just need a hard lead from the square KPF who can take a mark as insurance. We didn't get one and now it could potentially hurt us.

Fullarton looked good in the VFL when doing that. The problem was he kept rotating into the ruck. Would love to see him have an opportunity to play as a goal square leading FF.

I know it would be nice to have a reserves grade FF on our list, but I'm really not convinced they'd be much better than Fullarton.

 

[martinson]

Fullarton looked good in the VFL when doing that. The problem was he kept rotating into the ruck. Would love to see him have an opportunity to play as a goal square leading FF.

I know it would be nice to have a reserves grade FF on our list, but I'm really not convinced they'd be much better than Fullarton.

If we stick Fullarton at FF and tell him to lead and really contest any high balls I don't think he'll be as bad as many think.

Especially with good slick players around him.

Obviously he's not ideal but he does have some athletic prowess and isn't hopeless when the ball hits the deck.

He was under enormous pressure as second ruck in the Geelong game and even though he went to pieces a bit he got in position to win the ball at ground level many times. Just kept fumbling everything .

 

[BRAB]

This is exactly the situation I was concerned about in the offseason when I was advocating for us bringing in an established reserve grade KPF.

Fullerton has shown very little at VFL level as a KPF. We just need a hard lead from the square KPF who can take a mark as insurance. We didn't get one and now it could potentially hurt us.

Are you thinking we should have grabbed somebody like Hammelmann instead of Mitch Cox?

 

[lioninthesand]

Feel sorry for Alex Witherden. Going to be a tough night for him you'd think.

At least he is playing senior footy because he wouldn’t be with us.

Agree though, love Alex - he was such a committed passionate Lion who would still love to be in our colours.