Preview Drago Vs. Balboa....in Russia. GWS V Brisbane Lions - Round 6 at Spotless Stadium

[eth-dog]

Great to see O Mac make his debut. I was a big fan the year you drafted him. Without knowing how well he's been going in the NEAFL, what I've seen of him he has really good touch in the ruck, can hit the ball 360 degrees with precision. His strength worried me a bit, but 2 seasons in an AFL standard pre-season should fix that.

 

[jackess]

Great to see O Mac make his debut. I was a big fan the year you drafted him. Without knowing how well he's been going in the NEAFL, what I've seen of him he has really good touch in the ruck, can hit the ball 360 degrees with precision. His strength worried me a bit, but 2 seasons in an AFL standard pre-season should fix that.

His tapwork would probably be the big knock on him.

 

[eth-dog]

His tapwork would probably be the big knock on him.

What? I saw maybe 10-15 of his games in his draft year and his tap work was sublime that year.

 

[Nunez]

His tapwork would probably be the big knock on him.

With Eth Dog here - I've always thought his tap was a strength?

 

[jackess]

What? I saw maybe 10-15 of his games in his draft year and his tap work was sublime that year.

It's been a bit underwhelming. Archie Smith seemed to be the preferred ruck in the reserves. Won't get to show much in the ruck up against Patton this week.

 

[eth-dog]

It's been a bit underwhelming. Archie Smith seemed to be the preferred ruck in the reserves. Won't get to show much in the ruck up against Patton this week.

Smith would be better around the ground probably, Oscar never really racked up your 15-20 touches or 4-6 marks in a game from memory, usually a >10 touch, 2 mark game.

 

[jackess]

Smith would be better around the ground probably, Oscar never really racked up your 15-20 touches or 4-6 marks in a game from memory, usually a >10 touch, 2 mark game.

The NEAFL has a more open game style than the VFL. So he probably gets more of the ball because of that.

But Smith is very poor around the ground.

 

[mish33]

Smith would be better around the ground probably, Oscar never really racked up your 15-20 touches or 4-6 marks in a game from memory, usually a >10 touch, 2 mark game.

That has changed then. Last year (and granted it's the NEAFL) he racked up high teens games pretty regularly IIRC and his marking, especially in the forward line, was a real strength. He clunked a bunch of pack marks. He'll play in a very similar way to Cox for the pies I imagine so it'll be interesting to see how that goes because it seems like a very different forward structure to what we've used in a while.

 

[TaylorMade]

With Zorko being tagged so far this year I wonder how this will change with Rich in the team. If they put a bit of work on Rich then it might free Zorko up a bit or vice versa.

 

[eth-dog]

That has changed then. Last year (and granted it's the NEAFL) he racked up high teens games pretty regularly IIRC and his marking, especially in the forward line, was a real strength. He clunked a bunch of pack marks. He'll play in a very similar way to Cox for the pies I imagine so it'll be interesting to see how that goes because it seems like a very different forward structure to what we've used in a while.

Great to hear. I really hope he makes it, love seeing mature age KPP's get a good go.

 

[jackess]

With Zorko being tagged so far this year I wonder how this will change with Rich in the team. If they put a bit of work on Rich then it might free Zorko up a bit or vice versa.

I hope we play Rich in the midfield. I think Sam Reid tagged Zorko last time.

Maybe we'll tag Whitfield. Could send Robertson to him.

 

[WheildonTheAxe]

Martin has never looked that imposing up forward. If I recall correctly, he spent his first year with Melbourne as a defender. This is a little whacky, but maybe he zones through the back line when he's not on the ball leaving OM to zone forward and provide relief work. Stef is best in the middle but we feel pretty tall and Oscar can't spend 90% of the game as a KPF .

 

[Comeback Lions]

It's been a bit underwhelming. Archie Smith seemed to be the preferred ruck in the reserves. Won't get to show much in the ruck up against Patton this week.

Maybe we were expecting Dawson Simpson (210cm) to play. With Martin and Oscar up against Patton, we have a real opportunity to get an advantage at stoppages. Not sure who else they have to ruck? Tomlinson? Unless Keefe comes in as a late change. Though Fages does say it's about playing a taller forward line... Great to see Bundy go wild in the video!

 

[Big Sauce 21]

Just play Martin as a big midfielder like we did against the cats a few years back

 

[dizzysquizz]

Maybe we were expecting Dawson Simpson (210cm) to play. With Martin and Oscar up against Patton, we have a real opportunity to get an advantage at stoppages. Not sure who else they have to ruck? Tomlinson? Unless Keefe comes in as a late change. Though Fages does say it's about playing a taller forward line... Great to see Bundy go wild in the video!

Patton will be main ruck, maybe someone like Tomlinson as back up

 

[cubansombrero]

I'm super excited to see what our forwards can do this week. The Giants defence isn't particularly tall, and none of them strike me as particularly fast (though none of them are slow either). A combination of two big, hard running targets in Hipwood and McInerney, plus Cameron, Rayner, Taylor, Christensen and potentially Bailey rotating through the forward line could really catch them off their guard, particularly if Martin dominates Patton in the ruck and we can get a few fast clearances.

 

[Skoob]

Rich has played the last few seasons in defence. Hodge has come out and Rich in. I can't see Rich in the mid field much, nor necessitating a tag or any special attention.

 

[SRH17]

Watched Oscar in the preliminary final of the NEAFL at the Gabba and was impressed by his ability to take a grab. Hippy to get on his bike upfield and we pump it long to Oscar planted in the forward 25. Bundy and Charlie at his feet to snaffle the loose ball.

 

[Forward We Go]

Watched Oscar in the preliminary final of the NEAFL at the Gabba and was impressed by his ability to take a grab. Hippy to get on his bike upfield and we pump it long to Oscar planted in the forward 25. Bundy and Charlie at his feet to snaffle the loose ball.

Agree with your plan however when the ball hits the ground thus far this season, we seem to be unable to swoop on it & convert. Fingers crossed that Oscar provides us with a little more space around the ball with both forward talls giving options in different parts of the forward 50 arc. In any case, it will be different to what we have been doing so far this season.

 

[Sausages]

We'll jag a win soon in a game where nobody expects us to. I'm tipping this weekend. Lions by 17.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Does anyone know how Oscar goes at set shots, noticed he has only scored 1 goal in the first 3 matches this year.
Sounds like the coaching staff sees this game as an opportunity to try a different approach.
Lets hope he can take a few strong marks, that would be an improvement from our other talls.
Maybe he could be like Leuy was taking the odd mark in the fwd 50 and goaling.

 

[lionshine]

Just noticed Toby Greene is out for the Giants and Josh Kelly has yet to return. They have also omitted Dawson Simpson and Rory Lobb is still out injured so Patton is named in the ruck for them. If Martin can dominate like he did against Port it might give us a chance to at the very least be competitive on Saturday. I rate Greene and Kelly in their top 4 players so it is very handy that those two are out.

 

[Mr Ripper]

Oscar’s tap work has really come on this year, if anything, at the expense of his marking.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Does anyone know how Oscar goes at set shots, noticed he has only scored 1 goal in the first 3 matches this year.
Sounds like the coaching staff sees this game as an opportunity to try a different approach.
Lets hope he can take a few strong marks, that would be an improvement from our other talls.
Maybe he could be like Leuy was taking the odd mark in the fwd 50 and goaling.

I think his accuracy is OK but his kicking style is a bit ungainly. Having said that, his ball drop would be bigger than most so he has some issues to contend with there. Seems like a lovely bloke and all the team showed genuine pleasure at his selection so fingers crossed he puts in a decent performance.

 

[a mayes ing]

No Scully, Lobb, Kelly and Greene. Pretty good outs for us while we get Rich back. Martin and McInerny really need to dominate Patton and whoever else comes. Hoping Haynes is a late out with concussion because he will just get intercept mark after intercept mark the way we bomb the ball in our fwd line