Preview OFFICIAL PREVIEW: Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns - Wednesday September 9th

[Johnny Bananas]

I don't know why Fagan and friends are so persistent with playing McStay as a forward. I thought he played better in the ruck and as an intercept defender after Harris went down. I reckon he'd be the best possible replacement for Harris. Skinner or Ballenden could take his place up forward, or we could just run a small forward line with Hippy as the only KPF.

 

[martinson]

I don't know why Fagan and friends are so persistent with playing McStay as a forward. I thought he played better in the ruck and as an intercept defender after Harris went down. I reckon he'd be the best possible replacement for Harris. Skinner or Ballenden could take his place up forward, or we could just run a small forward line with Hippy as the only KPF.

Completely lost on me as well.

 

[Macca225]

Not sure 5 mins in the ruck and 3/4 of a quarter down back mounts a great case for a permanent move.

When mcstay was out he was missed and when Ballenden and Skinner were playing they clearly aren't quite up to Afl standard yet which is why they got omitted.

 

[mpal6]

Forgot about Eagles.. he would be in for Harris. Skinner/Ballenden for Fullarton. McStay could go back too..

Need more pace for this one, Birchall could be due for a rest.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

McStay has been by far our worse player two weeks in a row. Apart from one quarter he has had a quite year but the last two weeks have been a disaster reel. If you think he contests well and brings the ball to the ground I would like some examples because I can give some examples where he 'leaked' the ball out of our forward line.

I fail to see why he gets a game except for the possibility that he might be a backman but he hasn't been tried down there for years, something that showa up a lack of planning by our coaches.

The clearing of Walker and injury to Adams is really hurting now. How good would it be to have one of them back and by the way when is Adams back?

 

[martinson]

McStay has been by far our worse player two weeks in a row. Apart from one quarter he has had a quite year but the last two weeks have been a disaster reel. If you think he contests well and brings the ball to the ground I would like some examples because I can give some examples where he 'leaked' the ball out of our forward line.

I fail to see why he gets a game except for the possibility that he might be a backman but he hasn't been tried down there for years, something that showa up a lack of planning by our coaches.

The clearing of Walker and injury to Adams is really hurting now. How good would it be to have one of them back and by the way when is Adams back?

I'm not a fan of Walker. But he gets plenty of opportunities to intercept occasionally playing in the North backline.

I sort of went along with the McStay plays his role mob even though he never did much but now he has more clangers than contests if that's possible.

If anyone was due a decent game this week it's him . I'm not convinced others on the list wouldn't be better with similar opportunities. We can't go on forever with Hipwood as our only decent tall forward.

 

[redblueandgold]

I'm not a fan of Walker. But he gets plenty of opportunities to intercept occasionally playing in the North backline.

I sort of went along with the McStay plays his role mob even though he never did much but now he has more clangers than contests if that's possible.

If anyone was due a decent game this week it's him . I'm not convinced others on the list wouldn't be better with similar opportunities. We can't go on forever with Hipwood as our only decent tall forward.

McStay should be dropped. Plain and simple. He's a liability and will be a worse liability come finals time..

 

[davemc_lions]

I think you need to play Payne. Have Darcy or Lester play the intercept.
Payne, Ballenden and Smith all have contacts next year.
Where Skinner and Eagles OOC. I like Eagles and think he gives it all. Although lists look to be cut I cannot see us keeping him.
Rather get some games into Payne as I see we been playing too short this year in defence

 

[luthor]

Eagles is NOT a Ruck/Forward but he is more than capable as a tall defender.

I thought the role he was asked to play in the two games he got was pretty unfair on him.

I'm not sure if he's going to get another go but if he is, it has to be in the back line

Specifically as a like for like replacement for HA.

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

McStay didn’t have his best game but I think he has enough credits to maintain his spot.

 

[Nunez]

McStay didn’t have his best game but I think he has enough credits to maintain his spot.

It's just the same people saying the same things after he had an off game.

 

[martinson]

It's just the same people saying the same things after he had an off game.

I used to think that sometimes and stuck up for him .

But I think he'd be natural down back because he can jump to spoil ,he's reasonably quick for his size and he's usually a really good field kick. To me he hasn't improved at all as a forward . I can see he's all we really have at the moment with others untried and maybe not good enough either.

 

[Quigley]

McStay has had plenty of time down back and showed less as a defender than as a forward. He lacks the discipline that a good defender needs. He always look like he has the tools to be an elite player but just does not put it together. That has been true at both ends.

FWIW I think he keeps his spot but he would be getting a serious talking to about pulling his socks up.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

We have a problem down back and it's Lester's fault. His form has been so good this season we haven't had to experiment with a senior player(try McStay ) or play a youngster.

Deny it if you will 3KZ but it's true.

What's the news on Adams?

 

[Lions Flag 2020]

It's just the same people saying the same things after he had an off game.

Your probably right and I respect that some people have different opinions. As a coach myself my base position is to back in my core group of players. There always comes a time when changes need to be made but I like what Dan brings to the table. I would be more concerned if he wasn’t working hard to get into a position to take the marks - rather than just dropping them.

 

[bato]

I get frustrated with Dan during some games, but boy does his presence make a difference to the team.

We are a better side with him in there.

 

[Nunez]

I get frustrated with Dan during some games, but boy does his presence make a difference to the team.

We are a better side with him in there.

By far. As I said in the review thread, Dan had a stinker for three quarters where he couldn't stick a mark to save his life. Kept getting into the right position and running hard then had an impact in the fourth with his contested work. We probably would have lost without him.

 

[jjami15]

Warning game, massive danger game
IMO. I have been very impressed with the turn around of the Suns and their game style this year. My main concern is that this will be their GF in a sort of a way. The obvious is Andrews being out but every game is won in the middle first and foremost. I think our midfield has just been slightly off and mainly because we are so reliant on Neale. Pleasingly others have stepped up but if we are off then their midfield has improved and will be up and about IMO.

 

[Pride of lions]

I think our inability to score over the past number of weeks has a lot to do with Martin’s absence in the ruck. Oscar has been brilliant in his absence but without decent backup he hasn’t been able to spend much time forward. This has changed the way we are bringing the ball into our forward line and has put more pressure on McStay to get to more contests and bring the ball to the ground which he hasn’t been able to do. This has affected Charlie’s game too as there aren’t the ground ball opportunities he was getting before. Although Archie hasn’t shown a lot around the ground I think he is probably the only one who can at least ruck effectively to release Oscar forward for a decent period and hopefully get the forward line functioning again.

 

[Sanchez365]

There was also a couple of times that McStay had the ball punched out of his hands when he clearly controlled the ball as well. But also the obvious mistake of dropping that chest mark 70m out ruining a great passage of play.

What I would love to see is McStay act a bit more entitled. Needs to get into the umpires a bit more ala Jack Riewoldt as it seems to be the only way to get them to give you a free kick. I also wonder if he's become a bit more cautious with throwing his weight around after a bullshit suspension.

 

[Sanchez365]

I think our inability to score over the past number of weeks has a lot to do with Martin’s absence in the ruck. Oscar has been brilliant in his absence but without decent backup he hasn’t been able to spend much time forward. This has changed the way we are bringing the ball into our forward line and has put more pressure on McStay to get to more contests and bring the ball to the ground which he hasn’t been able to do. This has affected Charlie’s game too as there aren’t the ground ball opportunities he was getting before. Although Archie hasn’t shown a lot around the ground I think he is probably the only one who can at least ruck effectively to release Oscar forward for a decent period and hopefully get the forward line functioning again.

Yeah I am coming around on giving Archie another shot. He's still got 12 more months on the list, and while he was so disappointing in his few games, it's possible that was injury related.

Also on Skinner, what about the possibility of him going into the backline to replace Andrews. No personal knowledge but I believe he played down back as a junior? Probably unlikely.

 

[lionraven]

We need McStay forward. Collins will be looking to shutdown Hipwood. Ballard and Luko will be free to intercept and rebound as talls. McStay needs to play almost as a defensive forward and stop Ballard from intercepting which is a major strength of his. We need to overload their talls with a third tall forward. Hence I'd back Ballenden or Skinner over Archie or Eagles despite being a closet Archie fan who thinks he could build into something with some continuity. Archie is definitely the strongest ruck after Oscar on our list but for this game we definitely need a third forward chopout ruck rather than another ruckman. Oscar to play with Witts. McStay and Skinner to ruck in the F50/pinch ruck.

Paine on King, matches him in speed but will need help to block off his reach from midfield pressure, third man up. Eagles is too short to match King. Would be tough to ask Ballenden to play back again - he needs continuity in a position to really develop. Gardiner on Day. Answerth on Rankine. We can swing McStay back if Gardiner is too undersized to match Day. Lester has a tough match up on Ainsworth. Im worried about having Birchall play. 4 day turnaround against a fresh team off a 10 goal win and a bye and we still have to match up Sexton. Do we rest Birchall and swing Ah Chee back to play on Sexton/Ainsworth with Linc coming in?

It would be terrible to drop Coleman. He has a terrific handball, great burst speed and neutralised one-on-one contests in the wing/HF pocket when we had to defend in the fourth quarter. I really dont want to drop him.

Summary:
Outs - Andrews (inj), Fullerton (inj), Birchall (managed)
Ins - Paine (first KPD), Ballenden/Skinner (third tall KPF), McCarthy (small fwd).
Swing Ah Chee back to play on Ainsworth or Sexton - we need speed in the back to match the Suns. Suns have a shortish, more mobile KPDs (like Port). We need to make our forward line as tall as possible to exploit the height difference (just like we did to Port). Either we play Ballenden/Skinner who are tall or we play Archie and he rucks 50-60% time leaving Oscar as the third tall to really capitalise on a high ball.

 

[martinson]

I haven't seen anything in the last couple of years that would convince me Archie would make it but agree our biggest loss this year has been Steph . It's reflected in the forward line and at boundary stoppages.

Nonetheless we keep winning. I think we'll probably have to bring Archie in because you can't expect Oscar to keep going through these next 3 games with the load he's carrying.

We'd love Stef to be back for finals.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I think our midfield has just been slightly off and mainly because we are so reliant on Neale.

I agree. I think Lyons has been pretty good too (at least when he isn't kicking for goal), but Zorko is currently the weak link in the inside midfield. Not hating on him, he's had a great career up until now and is a good leader, but I reckon he'll be more effective playing at half forward, with another solid inside midfielder coming in, perhaps Dev. But realistically that won't happen until next season at the earliest, barring injury and suspension.

What I would love to see is McStay act a bit more entitled. Needs to get into the umpires a bit more ala Jack Riewoldt as it seems to be the only way to get them to give you a free kick.

I feel like that's a lot more effective when you're already a star of the game, playing for a big Melbourne club. McStay on the other hand is a role player for a club without any big media backing. That factors into the umps' subconscious.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

We need McStay forward. Collins will be looking to shutdown Hipwood. Ballard and Luko will be free to intercept and rebound as talls. McStay needs to play almost as a defensive forward and stop Ballard from intercepting which is a major strength of his. We need to overload their talls with a third tall forward. Hence I'd back Ballenden or Skinner over Archie or Eagles despite being a closet Archie fan who thinks he could build into something with some continuity. Archie is definitely the strongest ruck after Oscar on our list but for this game we definitely need a third forward chopout ruck rather than another ruckman. Oscar to play with Witts. McStay and Skinner to ruck in the F50/pinch ruck.

Well reasoned. I reckon McStay plays better further back, but this week may not be the time to make such a change for the reasons you gave. I suppose it'd be a bit much trying to throw in all three of Payne, Skinner and Ballenden to allow McStay to play back while also covering for Harris.