Preview Finals Week One: Brisbane Lions vs Richmond Tigers @ The Gabba, Friday Oct 2, 7:50pm

[Dalions]

Don't know why I bothered to go over there, but saw a post hoping that Andrews tears his hamstring in warmup. What a sad individual.

Our boys have them concerned.
That’s a step in the right direction.
They know their ‘Dynasty’ is coming to an end.

 

[Covertackle]

Don't know why I bothered to go over there, but saw a post hoping that Andrews tears his hamstring in warmup. What a sad individual.

Which we would handle much better than they would if Dusty were to tear his. Which of course we all hope neither does, for where is the glory in beating a 'crippled' opponent?

Let the Tiger be full strength, the capacity crowd roar the Lions to victory, and the boys gain the confidence of an well earned win.

 

[martinson]

Just an observation but if IRRC nearly everyone here was saying a few weeks ago that we couldn't beat Richmond in a final because they were just better than everyone else but now it seems we have a great chance even though you couldn't say our form has been convincing. I include myself.

I trust we're not drinking our own bathwater but I'll be glad once this game is underway.

 

[Nunez]

I actually rate our season pretty highly. All bar the two losses we've kicked away in a quarter and maintained our lead - we've never had to chase down a win. Goes to show our system is good enough to kick good scores but also to defend scores against us.

Quietly confident.

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Just an observation but if IRRC nearly everyone here was saying a few weeks ago that we couldn't beat Richmond in a final because they were just better than everyone else but now it seems we have a great chance even though you couldn't say our form has been convincing. I include myself.

I trust we're not drinking our own bathwater but I'll be glad once this game is underway.

Put me in that space as well.
For mind the rise of Starc , Berry and Ah Chee and then a new addition in Kiddy and my confidence just grew a bit.

 

[Dalions]

I actually rate our season pretty highly. All bar the two losses we've kicked away in a quarter and maintained our lead - we've never had to chase down a win. Goes to show our system is good enough to kick good scores but also to defend scores against us.

Quietly confident.

We haven’t quite learnt from the art of being a ruthless team yet.
In many games this year we put ourselves in the position to be ruthless but then went into defensive mode.
A good win over Richmond could give us the mindset required to become a dominant team for years to come.

 

[jackess]

I'm not the slightest bit confident but I think we'll see an improvement on our recent performances against the Tigers. Wouldn't be surprised if we still made the GF despite losing tomorrow but I think Richmond have another level to go to and if they're on they can't be beat because their game is based around manic pressure and lightning quick ball movement. We do the pressure well but not as consistently as them and rarely do we get the quick ball movement.

Big game for our smalls to get dangerous at ground level, our ball movement to be quick and accurate enough to avoid their interceptors and our inside mids to extract without turning it over and our outside mids to transition to defence as quickly as they transition to offence.

 

[jackess]

We haven’t quite learnt from the art of being a ruthless team yet.
In many games this year we put ourselves in the position to be ruthless but then went into defensive mode.
A good win over Richmond could give us the mindset required to become a dominant team for years to come.

Goal kicking had a lot to do with that. Cost us a few big wins eg. Adelaide, North, St Kilda and Carlton.

Also think midfield depth was an issue. Lyons and Neale were pretty consistent but the rest weren't.

 

[Ralphy2017]

Just read this on fox sports. Sounds like David King is either in love with Richmond or really wants a job there. I hope he's not commentating on Friday night.

Yeah I have turned right off King, thought he was a decent analyst of the game, but lately seeking headlines, bagged Rankine for being too flashy, smashed Payne after only one game in the pre Suns game program, and now the above Richmond comments. Just a headline grabber, no wonder Scott gave him a shoulder last year on his way to talking to his team at quarter time.

 

[Ralphy2017]

Goal kicking had a lot to do with that. Cost us a few big wins eg. Adelaide, North, St Kilda and Carlton.

Also think midfield depth was an issue. Lyons and Neale were pretty consistent but the rest weren't.

I think the bookies have it about right Richmond 1.72 with Lions around 2.10. Richmond are favourites but at the GABBA and without Lynch we have a genuine chance. I can see Andrews getting off Chol and assisting Gardner with Dusty or assisting Lester with Riewoldt. We have a stronger team than round 10 clash and in the last two encounters against Richmond have had plenty of goal scoring opportunities kicking 17 behinds in both games. Simply need to take our chances and not kick so many behinds. If we do loose confident would beat IMO St.Kilda next week.

 

[M Malice]

 

[marooned]

I think the bookies have it about right Richmond 1.72 with Lions around 2.10. Richmond are favourites but at the GABBA and without Lynch we have a genuine chance. I can see Andrews getting off Chol and assisting Gardner with Dusty or assisting Lester with Riewoldt. We have a stronger team than round 10 clash and in the last two encounters against Richmond have had plenty of goal scoring opportunities kicking 17 behinds in both games. Simply need to take our chances and not kick so many behinds. If we do loose confident would beat IMO St.Kilda next week.

Agree the bookies have it about right but interestingly have only put up a 3.5 point line indicating that they think it’s super close

 

[a mayes ing]

Really nervous about this game. A lot of it is determined on our goalkicking. It has been better in recent weeks but the last 2 or 3 times we have had just awful accuracy when playing them. It has to be in the minds of the Lions and even the Tigers, knowing that they have had the wood on us for so long allows them to feel a bt more confident than a normal game against someone else.

 

[CarterS]

Weird situation where media are saying we are under massive pressure to perform this finals but on the other hand Richmond are starting favourites tomorrow night. So we are under pressure but majority expecting us to lose tomorrow.

 

[jackess]

Last final against them was extremely frustrating. The first quarter was probably the best quarter we've ever played apart from goal kicking. Then IIRC we let them kick 3 just before half time and got smashed in the 3rd quarter.

Also, Harris Andrews poor performance was frustrating after an excellent season

Seemed a bit disheartened the following week in a game we should've won.

 

[CarterS]

Remember the Moneyball guy said "My system doesn't work in playoffs. What happens after (you make the playoffs) is luck." Suddenly we have the yips and can't handle finals. Such a small sample size.
GWS game was 50/50, could have gone either way. Richmond game we played well but kicked poorly for goal.
If we get smashed twice this year then I will agree we have an issue with finals.
But I really think we are a better team than last year, mentally and otherwise, there were 3 or 4 games we held on in, in the last part of the season, i don't think we would have last year.
Can't wait.

 

[Section 5]

The atmosphere in last's years final was electric.
Lets hope we outnumber Richmond supporters 2 or 3 to 1 this time round
Umpiring just needs to be consistent during the whole game.
Don't care if we are on the wrong end of count just be consistent. The players will adapt.

For me these 4 players will be the key should they be named.
These 4 are the only likely selections to have played under 50 games. I excluded CEY (47games) as he has been playing AFL for 6 years.

Bailey 44 games, Answerth 28, Starcevich 21 and Coleman 4
I think only three of these will play so inexperience wise we look okay.
Bailey & Answerth played just average in the 2 finals last year and will be better for the experience

 

[undefined]

Richmond are ******* good when they're on, but so are we.

There's plenty of game tape to analyse - from Port's win this year, Geelong's first half in the Prelim (without Tomohawk, mind), and many patches of the QF last season where our inaccuracy, coupled by their extreme accuracy created a scoreboard not indicative of the contest itself.

I've mentally prepared myself for a semi final against St.Kilda/Footscray, so a loss shouldn't be as hard to swallow as it was 13 months ago.

This group is absolutely ready - and I have the utmost faith in them to get a good result tomorrow night. Fagan is the sort of mentor you want when facing mental hoodoos. We know the Tiges' system well enough to constrict it, and it will take a 4 quarter effort (which we've not produced thus far this season!). Now's most certainly the time.

 

[CarterS]

Just posted to Instagram, great quote from the mayor of Brisbane.

 

[M Malice]

On selection, after thinking about it all week I really hope we don't omit Keidean Coleman, having that extra player with pace and pressure will be needed against the Tigers, they thrive on fast chaos footy, you never know a couple of Keidean rundowns from behind could have them 2nd guessing and looking over their shoulders.

 

[Harris Specter]

It sucks, but one of Lester/Coleman have to be dropped to make way for Answerth (if we are bringing him in)

Good problem to have, but huge bearing on the game no matter what the selection is.

 

[Tom14]

It sucks, but one of Lester/Coleman have to be dropped to make way for Answerth (if we are bringing him in)

Good problem to have, but huge bearing on the game no matter what the selection is.

I'd leave Noah out personally.

 

[T Rick]

Last final against them was extremely frustrating. The first quarter was probably the best quarter we've ever played apart from goal kicking. Then IIRC we let them kick 3 just before half time and got smashed in the 3rd quarter.

Also, Harris Andrews poor performance was frustrating after an excellent season

Seemed a bit disheartened the following week in a game we should've won.

Harris looked really flat - probably carryied an injury into that game. Against that, Cam Rayner really lifted and looked like a big game player.

 

[SL16]

I suspect the changes will be Bez and Harris in for Payne and CEY. Wouldn't be against keeping CEY in as an additional big body, but not sure who'd make way instead so expect he goes out.

Can't see Answerth coming in.

 

[Panthera]

Last final against them was extremely frustrating. The first quarter was probably the best quarter we've ever played apart from goal kicking. Then IIRC we let them kick 3 just before half time and got smashed in the 3rd quarter.

Also, Harris Andrews poor performance was frustrating after an excellent season

Seemed a bit disheartened the following week in a game we should've won.

Annnnnnd this is EXACTLY what happened in round 10 too

An arm wrestle early (despite our horrific kicking)...the 3 goals after the 22min mark floored us.

Hopefully we learn from these games.