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Senior Eric Hipwood (2015-)

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Brisbane Lions forward Eric Hipwood ‘enjoying’ his footy more than ever before

Brisbane forward Eric Hipwood insists he’s happy to take advice from Jonathan Brown despite claiming he “didn’t listen” to the Lions great’s criticism of his early season form.

Since Brown’s declaration that he had “serious doubts” whether the Lions could win the premiership with the forward pairing of Hipwood and Joe Daniher, Brisbane has won seven successive games.

However, the Lions’ hopes of extending their winning run on Sunday against the Crows in Adelaide have taken a blow, with in-form defender Jack Payne ruled out after suffering delayed concussion in the aftermath of Brisbane’s 43-point weekend victory over the Gold Coast Suns.

Payne’s absence could lead to an AFL recall for Darcy Gardiner, who has made his comeback from shoulder, foot and adductor issues through the club’s VFL team.

Meanwhile, Brown’s comments came after Hipwood and Daniher had combined for just seven goals and three contested marks in the Lions’ opening three matches of the season, two of which they lost.

“I’m not surprised it was there, I just didn’t listen to it,” Hipwood said on Tuesday when asked about Brown’s comments.

“I just listen to the coaches internally and my teammates … (but) he (Brown) is a great of the game and anything he’s got to say I’ll certainly listen to, if it comes across my desk.”

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While Hipwood has been in solid form during Brisbane’s winning streak, Daniher – who has averaged five goals a game in the Lions’ past two matches – has elevated his game to the next level.

“Joe has been awesome for me,” Hipwood said.

“His leadership that he shows just for me and the experience that he’s got – it’s awesome. “He’s a very calm head, and he’s someone that I go to a lot and ask a lot of questions and bounce ideas off him.

“It’s pretty cool to watch him up and going. I feel like this seven-week period has been my most enjoyable footy that I’ve played – that’s for sure.”

Hipwood also said the addition of former Hawthorn star Jack Gunston to Brisbane’s forward line had also helped him.

“He adds another dimension and another avenue to goal, which is awesome,” he said of the three-time premiership winner.

“He just brings that experienced head. It can be a very complicated game at times, but he simplifies it and explains it pretty well.”

Hipwood was pleased the Lions had been able to turn their season around after a slow start.

“The game, if you can watch it from a bird’s-eye view, it’s been the way that we want to play, which has been awesome, but we won’t look much further than Adelaide this week,” he said.
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'Most consistent I've played': Lions forward in fine form for grand occasion

From modest Carter Park on the Sunshine Coast to the AFL’s biggest stage at the MCG, Eric Hipwood is ready to rip in for the Brisbane Lions in their grand final against Collingwood on Saturday.

The ex-Caloundra Panthers junior is set to play a key role in the forward line when his team attempts to break a 20-year premiership drought.

Hipwood, 26, will enter the match in great form, having kicked a career-high 41 goals in his eighth season in the top flight.

Meanwhile, former Noosa Tigers junior Jack Payne was confirmed as the Lions’ hard-luck grand final selection call – their unchanged team means he failed to overcome the ankle injury that forced him out of their preliminary final win over Carlton.

Hipwood said he has relished 2023.

“It’s the most consistent I’ve played this year, and I’ve really simplified my game,” he said.

“It’s about defensive actions and being reliable, not remarkable.”

Hipwood and high-profile teammate Joe Daniher came under intense scrutiny after a disappointing loss to the Western Bulldogs early in the season, with former Lions star Jonathan Brown among pundits questioning if they could be premiership forwards.

The pair have flourished since, to push the Lions into the club’s first grand final in 19 years.

Hipwood said he paid no attention to Brown’s critique.

“I don’t read into it too much; the season’s full of rollercoasters and if you ride it you’re going to be quite unhappy and it’s just not worth it,” he said.

“I love working with Joe; he’s relaxed, easy-going, someone I lean on for advice all the time.

“We don’t get in each other’s way; it (our connection) just happens organically, we learn each other’s behaviours and you just know what each other is trying to do.”

With All-Australian small forward Charlie Cameron (56 goals), Lincoln McCarthy and half-forwards Zac Bailey and Cameron Rayner lurking, there are ample avenues to goal on Saturday at the MCG.

Daniher said they had a “good mix”.

“Our smalls our good aerially, can play like talls and a couple of our tall players, like Eric, are really good at ground level,” he said.

“We think we have a good mix, but it’ll be how well we help each other out that’ll dictate how we play.”

Meanwhile, Payne was named as an emergency for the decider.

He was a mainstay in defence this season, playing 23 games, but has battled to overcome an ankle injury. Fellow tall backman Darcy Gardiner returned for his third senior game this year and impressed on Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow in the preliminary final.
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Lions forwards finding form ahead of huge fortnight

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For key forward Eric Hipwood, establishing that connection early in the piece was crucial to his side's success.

"It's really important, against Melbourne, they like to come out and in the past they've really put on a fair few goals early on us, and we've been behind the eight ball from the start," Hipwood told AFL.com.au.

Personally, Hipwood has had a stuttering start to the season, but two first-quarter goals against the Demons did wonders for his confidence.

"I just come back to controlling what I can control, and I was able to get on the end of a couple of Cam (Rayner)'s surges, which is great. It was good to get involved early and I've just got to focus on playing my role," Hipwood said.

Finding ebbs and flows throughout the game is something Brisbane has enjoyed when at its best in recent years, not reliant on one or two players to dominate four quarters of footy, instead creating space for teammates to work into games in different moments.

Hipwood and Joe Daniher's early dominance then morphed into damaging performances from Charlie Cameron and Hugh McCluggage in front of the big sticks.

That, in itself, was indicative of the team-first mindset shaping the Lions' attack in recent weeks. Seven different Lions goaled against Melbourne, following on from the same spread the week before.

"I think (that spread) has been a strength for us in the last four or five years, we've got so many avenues to goal, and it makes us really hard to stop. We know we can kick a lot of goals really quickly, but it's about being consistent and sticking to our trademark," Hipwood said.

"On a big ground like the MCG, to get our ball movement going, it looked unstoppable at times which was great."

It is an aggressive style of play that Brisbane will be looking to hone in the coming weeks as it prepares to tackle heavyweights Geelong and Greater Western Sydney.
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McIvor said:


Don't have access to the article, but you can tell whoever wrote this has NFI and certainly hasn't mentioned Eric has been playing sore / injured, hence his output. Of course, you want Eric to do more, but its obvious he's seriously restricted what he can do with his body. No doubt the article doesn't delve into who and what are our other options; Brandon Ryan?
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Agree - not sure his role right now is to kick multiple goals but to create scoring opportunities for Cameron, Bailey (who is in much worse form), and Ah Chee even. Like you said what is the alternative in any case?
 
I'd wait until Hippy can get through an entire training session before criticising him for not kicking bags

Also, 3 goals in 6 games when he played down back in 1, got subbed in 1, moved down back in 1
 

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