Looking ahead to 2024

[Warwick]

I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

Berry definitely.

Needs a big preseason to keep his spot.

 

[brutus76]

I'll miss your preview writing!

All the player jumpers I've sponsored are hanging in Ollie's Cafe Bulimba (best coffee in Brisbane) if anyone wants to check em out or get a great coffee and breakfast as the proprietor is the wife of the guy I co-sponsor with (we work together)

Ollie’s Coffee | Bulimba QLD

Ollie’s Coffee, Bulimba. 921 likes · 2 talking about this · 315 were here. Coffee shop

www.facebook.com

 

[3KZ is Football]

I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

It is hard to know who the Fagan might have mentally put a line through. Of all of those you mention all five have been walk up starts for a game under Fagan. I don’t think any of that group have been dropped since 2019.

 

[Dalions]

It is hard to know who the Fagan might have mentally put a line through. Of all of those you mention all five have been walk up starts for a game under Fagan. I don’t think any of that group have been dropped since 2019.

I think ultimately it is about the quality of replacements in waiting.
Hopefully we can really start to see the pressure from underneath and it will help to push those players to a new level.

 

[brutus76]

dropping Richy and Gunners were the right calls

Arguably they have more depth now than ever and there's Ashcroft Levi at the end of next year

Plenty of competition for spots..... Bez needs a big pre-season and to get his injury bugs squashed.. Robbo just needs a good run of games to solidify a spot

Kiddy and Bails i think can go up another gear... Zorks might have the Richy problem.. Callum i think finally believes he belongs

 

[Section 5]

I think ultimately it is about the quality of replacements in waiting.
Hopefully we can really start to see the pressure from underneath and it will help to push those players to a new level.

Hopefully that pressure intensifies but the thing is no one in our VFL side is playing well enough to demand a spot.
Sure, you get your high possession players, but you don't see " that guy belongs at AFL level".
We have quite a few good players that can fill a role and that has helped tremendously over the past few years.
Maybe it is not needed but it would be nice if a few fringe players improved out of sight and demanded to be picked.
Or a few in the bottom of the best 23 also improved out of sight.

We need to keep improving or we will find ourselves out of the top 4.

 

[Lazza16]

So what do people think re. arrivals and vacant numbers?

Doedee
Ryan
Morris
Lloyd
Zakostelski
Torrent
Reville

Available numbers: 10, 12, 13, 19, 21, 24, 36, 38, 42.

Torrent can have 19 and next yr when Zorks goes grab 15. In his yellow jumper and number 15 being strong in the contest in his highlights package....he reminds me of Luke Hodge..

 

[scoman]

I think he played mostly forward last year but moving up the ground, more so than McCarthy and others.
He could do a Rich and have a big drop off on form, but if fit, i don't see a ready replacement in the VFL.
A new season so someone could and hopefully will step up as he is near the end of career.
His form for 2023 was pretty good when you consider he was not in the midfield a great deal of the time.

View attachment 1861612

I'm surprised Zorko's stats were that good tbh. I thought he had very little impact apart from a couple of good games this year. Perhaps I judged him harshly against years gone by.

Still, I wonder if another hard running defensive minded player could actually be a net benefit to the team. We don't really lack for talent in our forward half, but we are still a little light on for defensive spread. Could someone like Answerth, Prior or Sharp playing ahead of Zorko (in a very specific role) actually improve us as a team, despite them not being 'as good' as an ageing Zorko?

 

[dlanod]

I'm surprised Zorko's stats were that good tbh. I thought he had very little impact apart from a couple of good games this year. Perhaps I judged him harshly against years gone by.

I think a lot of us have high expectations based off his own elite heights.

Now he's a role playing link up man across the half forward line, and you can see that in his numbers - handballs and tackles and clearances all down, but kicks are about the same and marks are way up. He's definitely not at the same level skill-wise, with some of the turnovers, but until one of the kids steps up he still has a role and isn't a net negative. Gunston got squeezed out by not being able to keep out Rayner or McCarthy or even Dev. Rich couldn't keep out McKenna, Coleman or Wilmot. So we'll see who comes for Zorko's spot and when.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I think Logan Morris is 13 and Tom Doedee is 12. According to their social media anyway

Big fan of someone stepping into the number 13

 

[Section 5]

Brisbane Lions recruit Tom Doedee

12

Tom Doedee

Age

29

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

5.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

228.8

4star

D

15.3

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

5.8

3star

M

6.3

5star

T

1.3

2star

MG

228.8

3star

D

19.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

9.4

5star

M

6.6

5star

T

1.4

4star

has revealed it was more than a premiership desire that lured him to Queensland, but rather the club’s ability to resurrect the careers of previously injury-prone prospects.

The former Adelaide Crow took his first steps onto Brighton Homes Arena to continue his rehabilitation from an ACL rupture which ended his 2023 campaign.

“Looking from afar I knew a lot of guys have come here and not just rehabbed well but actually then played their best footy after it, and talking to the docs and the staff during the interview process I knew that I was in the right hands if I was to sign here.
Link to full article below

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Warwick]

I think Zorko is being judged harshly tbh. I’m sure he’ll retire after this upcoming season, and will be phased out, but I feel he can still add a lot of value to the team. He’s in my 22 to start the year.

I thought he finished off 2023 strongly, to the extent he was probably in our top dozen players over the last 6 weeks. He was still able to win the ball and deliver it cleanly most of the time. In some of those big games he was the one to win a tough ball and get us rolling forward.

No doubt he was ordinary mid way through the year. And his silly free kicks and difficulty keeping a cool head, in particular, continued to wear thin. It might be asking a bit much for him to temper that white line fever but he needs to understand we can’t afford to carry him if those negatives begin to outweigh his strengths.

 

[mpal6]

I agree with your highlighted players being under a bit of pressure. I think you can add to that list, Starcevich, Berry, McCarthy, and even Bailey and Rayner. The last three mentioned just need a little more consistency. Their best is great, their average games can be very average. The team is now in a position where they have replacements for nearly every position and role. Competition for the best 22 will be higher than the past. Makes for a motivated group.

McCarthy had an underrated season. He's still way ahead of our other smalls (apart from Charlie) in terms of chase, tackle, putting pressure and speed off the mark.

I don't think we have a small who can match his leap, that's including Charlie. Linc flys for marks like a key forward to me.

 

[rye]

the chances of bailey, rayner or starcevich being dropped is close to zero. the first two are genuine match winners who do not have players of their caliber challenging for their position in the magoos and starcevich is an important structural piece who lets our other small defenders play more aggressive in intercepting and rebounding. i also think many here exaggerated his weaknesses in disposal on occasion in 2023 whilst ignoring that he still did very well in his primary task of keeping the oppositions best small forward quiet most weeks. with the top teams placing a lot of emphasis on their small forwards starcevich will only grow in importance in the years to come

there is no obvious replacement for the role 2023 zorko played in the seconds. if anyone on the list currently has the skillset to do so it would be wilmot but he is already entrenched in the best 22 across half back and i would not seek to move him from a position he is currently developing very well in. if anything i would be looking to rest zorko throughout the season as much as possible - perhaps not even fly him out of queensland until the finals series. would give us looks as to which of the kids should be getting his spot when he retires and how the team might have to function differently without him.

mccarthy has a player challenging for his spot in lohmann but mccarthy is still clearly ahead of him for now. until he loses some of his pace i dont really see him dropping from the team. lohmann is more likely to force robertson or ah chee out before mccarthy and i would have him firmly behind those two, let alone mccarthy.

that leaves berry for the whipping boys. when the most recent game the team played was one of his poorest for the season it is understandable people think his position is in jeopardy. i do think his season was decent enough overall though and i think wing is a rather hard position to evaluate the players in over the TV. berry does a lot of defensive running and positioning that is an important part of his role that goes unheralded on this forum. i would be surprised if he is not lining up on the wing for us come round 1 (0?)

 

[mpal6]

I am going to miss all the "Will he, Won't he" Gunners selection saga in 2024.

 

[Section 5]

I am going to miss all the "Will he, Won't he" Gunners selection saga in 2024.

Someone else will take Gunners place.

Being BF this is the way

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Someone else will take Gunners place.

Being BF this is the way

Probably gonna be Lester again for that mantle most likely

Although Berry and Rayner would also be shoutouts as well, for BF whipping boy in 2024.

 

[M Malice]

Will 2024 be "the breakout" season for Cam Rayner?

Entering his prime footy years at 24 years of age, 2 full seasons under his belt post ACL and looking in fantastic shape. He played a very good role in 2023 demonstrated by his top 5 finish in the B&F but I think he has it in him to really explode and become a star of the competition.

Hopefully the heartbreak of a close Grand Final loss will spur Cam and his teammates on to reach the ultimate goal in 2024.

 

[Dalions]

Out of the following list of newbies and listed players that have not yet played a game for the club, who do we think is most likely to debut and or the first to debut for the Lions this year?

25. Henry Smith
34. Shadeau Brain
45. Kalin Lane
xx. Bruce Reville
xx. Tom Doedee

12

Tom Doedee

Age

29

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

5.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

228.8

4star

D

15.3

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

5.8

3star

M

6.3

5star

T

1.3

2star

MG

228.8

3star

D

19.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

9.4

5star

M

6.6

5star

T

1.4

4star

xx. Brandon Ryan
xx. Logan Morris
xx. Luke Lloyd
xx. Zane Zakostelsky
xx. Reece Torrent

Tom Doedee

12

Tom Doedee

Age

29

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

8.5

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

5.6

5star

T

2.6

4star

MG

228.8

4star

D

15.3

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

5.8

3star

M

6.3

5star

T

1.3

2star

MG

228.8

3star

D

19.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

9.4

5star

M

6.6

5star

T

1.4

4star

would be the obvious one that will likely debut for the club this year all be it not until the second half of the year.
Brandon Ryan next cab off the rank who could possibly be given a go especially if there is an injury to one of the talls.
Same with Henry Smith.
Then maybe Shadaeu Brain, Logan Morris, Torrent, Reville, Lloyd, Lane and ZZ.

I have got Lane down so low because I think we have a heap of cover.

First to debut: I might go Brandon Ryan. Just because I know that Fages seems to like the 3 tall set up, not sure I like the idea of 3 x 200cm left footed talls in the one line up though so if Logan Morris shows something early, I could also see him getting early games, a better mix of players with that line up I think.

Interesting that we only have 8 players on the list that haven’t played AFL yet. I don’t know if that is high or low but it seems like a low number?

 

[Nathan Barley]

Will 2024 be "the breakout" season for Cam Rayner?

Entering his prime footy years at 24 years of age, 2 full seasons under his belt post ACL and looking in fantastic shape. He played a very good role in 2023 demonstrated by his top 5 finish in the B&F but I think he has it in him to really explode and become a star of the competition.

Hopefully the heartbreak of a close Grand Final loss will spur Cam and his teammates on to reach the ultimate goal in 2024.

You could argue 2023 was. He finished 5th in the BnF so the coaches must've been happy with his performance

 

[M Malice]

You could argue 2023 was. He finished 5th in the BnF so the coaches must've been happy with his performance

I did mention that in my post you quoted.

 

[M Malice]

Out of the following list of newbies and listed players that have not yet played a game for the club, who do we think is most likely to debut and or the first to debut for the Lions this year?

25. Henry Smith
34. Shadeau Brain
45. Kalin Lane
xx. Bruce Reville
xx. Tom Doedee
xx. Brandon Ryan
xx. Logan Morris
xx. Luke Lloyd
xx. Zane Zakostelsky
xx. Reece Torrent

Tom Doedee would be the obvious one that will likely debut for the club this year all be it not until the second half of the year.
Brandon Ryan next cab off the rank who could possibly be given a go especially if there is an injury to one of the talls.
Same with Henry Smith.
Then maybe Shadaeu Brain, Logan Morris, Torrent, Reville, Lloyd, Lane and ZZ.

I have got Lane down so low because I think we have a heap of cover.

First to debut: I might go Brandon Ryan. Just because I know that Fages seems to like the 3 tall set up, not sure I like the idea of 3 x 200cm left footed talls in the one line up though so if Logan Morris shows something early, I could also see him getting early games, a better mix of players with that line up I think.

Interesting that we only have 8 players on the list that haven’t played AFL yet. I don’t know if that is high or low but it seems like a low number?

Injuries will always play a part so luck comes into a debut. Tom Doedee wont be back until around the bye so I will discount him.

I am backing Shadeau Brain or Bruce Reville to earn a debut first.

 

[mpal6]

Out of the following list of newbies and listed players that have not yet played a game for the club, who do we think is most likely to debut and or the first to debut for the Lions this year?

25. Henry Smith
34. Shadeau Brain
45. Kalin Lane
xx. Bruce Reville
xx. Tom Doedee
xx. Brandon Ryan
xx. Logan Morris
xx. Luke Lloyd
xx. Zane Zakostelsky
xx. Reece Torrent

Tom Doedee would be the obvious one that will likely debut for the club this year all be it not until the second half of the year.
Brandon Ryan next cab off the rank who could possibly be given a go especially if there is an injury to one of the talls.
Same with Henry Smith.
Then maybe Shadaeu Brain, Logan Morris, Torrent, Reville, Lloyd, Lane and ZZ.

I have got Lane down so low because I think we have a heap of cover.

First to debut: I might go Brandon Ryan. Just because I know that Fages seems to like the 3 tall set up, not sure I like the idea of 3 x 200cm left footed talls in the one line up though so if Logan Morris shows something early, I could also see him getting early games, a better mix of players with that line up I think.

Interesting that we only have 8 players on the list that haven’t played AFL yet. I don’t know if that is high or low but it seems like a low number?

My pick is Luke Lloyd.

Something about that kid, smart leading, high footy IQ, sharp goal kicking - Fages might develop a quick affinity to those traits.

 

[rye]

Out of the following list of newbies and listed players that have not yet played a game for the club, who do we think is most likely to debut and or the first to debut for the Lions this year?

25. Henry Smith
34. Shadeau Brain
45. Kalin Lane
xx. Bruce Reville
xx. Tom Doedee
xx. Brandon Ryan
xx. Logan Morris
xx. Luke Lloyd
xx. Zane Zakostelsky
xx. Reece Torrent

Tom Doedee would be the obvious one that will likely debut for the club this year all be it not until the second half of the year.
Brandon Ryan next cab off the rank who could possibly be given a go especially if there is an injury to one of the talls.
Same with Henry Smith.
Then maybe Shadaeu Brain, Logan Morris, Torrent, Reville, Lloyd, Lane and ZZ.

I have got Lane down so low because I think we have a heap of cover.

First to debut: I might go Brandon Ryan. Just because I know that Fages seems to like the 3 tall set up, not sure I like the idea of 3 x 200cm left footed talls in the one line up though so if Logan Morris shows something early, I could also see him getting early games, a better mix of players with that line up I think.

Interesting that we only have 8 players on the list that haven’t played AFL yet. I don’t know if that is high or low but it seems like a low number?

hoping one of smith or lane can usurp the primary backup ruck role from fort. that would be a big step in their development

 

[Section 5]

Will 2024 be "the breakout" season for Cam Rayner?

Entering his prime footy years at 24 years of age, 2 full seasons under his belt post ACL and looking in fantastic shape. He played a very good role in 2023 demonstrated by his top 5 finish in the B&F but I think he has it in him to really explode and become a star of the competition.

Hopefully the heartbreak of a close Grand Final loss will spur Cam and his teammates on to reach the ultimate goal in 2024.

Hopefully Cam can improve next year.
For me he would have to play a similar game style but break into the 20-disposal average to move into that breakout category
Thats an extra 6 disposals per game so doable. But i also think only extra midfield time will get him to average those 20 disposals.

One of my hopefuls for a breakout season is Jack Payne but he does cop an injury or two.
Last year was his first with more than 12 games in a season notching up 23 in total.
Can see a Stephen May capability less the mongrel acts.

The other is Wilmott. If he stays at halfback, he should increase his effectiveness.
However, i would like to see him trialed as a midfielder preseason as we are one short in Ashcroft.
We also know he can play wing and i would not be opposed to that either.
I see a Sam Docherty type of player improvement in him.