Preview Round 1 2019 Brisbane Lions vs West Coast Eagles @ The Gabba. 7:20pm QLD Time

[BRAB]

Kick to win the game. The chance to break thousands of Collingwood hearts on the line. Tough kick. Step back, deep breathe, kick through the ball, goal.

170 days ago we were all West Coast fans.
The thought of our club being in the position West Coast was on that day has felt so foreign for the last decade or so. Crazy Vossy and Leppa lead us to year upon year of misery and finals, let alone a grand final, seemed almost impossible. Players signed contracts and then left in the same year and the Gold Coast Suns were better than us.
Darkest timeline.
The last couple of years have been different, the transition from hope to expectations palpable. We enter 2019 with the expectation of the wider AFL community on our shoulders for the first time in years.
It feels much better.
The additions of Lyons, Neale and McCarthy seem, at first glance, to put us in a better position for the season ahead. The loss of Beams is yet to be evaluated, however.
What a litmus test to start the season against the best of the best then.
The defining aspect of this season will be monitoring how quickly our hopes turn into expectations and we are in for perhaps the most frustrating season in recent years. We’ll soon find out if we’re nearly there or we’ve arrived and we’ll probably fluctuate every week.
Again, West Coast are the perfect opponent to measure ourselves up against. I think by the end of the weekend we’ll all know how close we are to the nights we dreamed of when we were getting spanked by GWS on a rainy Sunday afternoon in 2016.
I think our team should be taking a lesson from Dom Sheed this weekend. To be the best you must seize the moment. I genuinely do think this is our time the step up and show the world that we’re finally ready to be a competitive team again.
If we do manage to win, the Gabba will be singing again and the lid will be off.
If we do lose, West Coast were 5 goals down against Collingwood in a grand final and won. Part of being the best is fighting back when things get tough.
I have complete faith in this club this season and I have complete faith in us to put in our best performance this weekend.
I’m calling it, this is the season we rise and I’m so glad we all stuck it out to enjoy the ride.
Lions by 2.
How will we do it?
Midfield Core Clicks



Neale seems an absolute lock as our best player and Lyons has looked every bit a steal in the JLT games. If these two, alongside the young guns click we might finally have a midfield group to go with the best. I’m particularly bullish on Mathieson as a player and suspect he’ll be a huge part of us winning games this year.
McStay McKicks some McGoals.



It’s Dan’s time to step up as well. He’s 24 now and really should be leading our forward line. If he can step up and put some pressure on oppositions defences we’re going to look super dangerous with Hipwood, Rayner, McCarthy and Cameron all capable of the freakish.
It’s on you Danny boy. Please do it good.
Harris Andrews in defence.
Rolled gold. Keep him there.
Again, Lions by 2.
Don’t ******* @ me please.

 

[BRAB]

This preview has been brought to you all by our official sponsor Neds!

Lions fans have the opportunity to place their house deposit on the Lions to win at a JUICY 4 dollars!! Please gamble responsibly.

 

[Tom14]

Oscar Allen likely to play for WCE, unclear whether Kennedy plays: https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-03-18/oscar-set-to-be-awarded-starting-role-for-eagles

My game prediction: assuming Kennedy misses, Lions by 4. I don't expect us to actually win but I'm going to predict the upset because starting the year being pessimistic is stupid. There's plenty of time to do that after we struggle to lead against the Suns at qtr time in Rd 5

Let's hope we can swing an upset or keep it super close and then start the season with momentum by beating North coming off a trip to Perth and with us having a day extra rest.

 

[pulpdriver]

Only five more sleeps!

 

[Sausages]

COUNTDOWN!!

In the words of the great Public Enemy, as rapped by Flavor Flav....

"YES...YES....YES BELIEVE THE HYPE
YES...YES BELIEVE...YES BELIEVE THE HYPE"



*okay yes I took some liberty with the lyrics

 

[Elixuh]

Nice one BRAB.

Feel like this is the best time to get WCE.

 

[TaylorMade]

Can't wait to get this season started - Just want to see the club take a good step forward after a number of tough years.

Heart says Lions by 8, Head says we play well but go down by under 3 goals.. Anything worse than that and I'd be disappointed.

What's everyones thoughts on Squizzy making the team? I reckon he could miss given others form....

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Can't afford to give them a start. If we don't start well the game is as good as lost. Hopefully there will be a decent crowd to get the boys up early.

 

[Toffee Lion]

Can't afford to give them a start. If we don't start well the game is as good as lost. Hopefully there will be a decent crowd to get the boys up early.

Agree with not letting them get off to a quick start but for me it's red time goals, it's time we stop leaking during end of quarters.

 

[Gadzorks]

I'll be really happy if we lose by less than 20 and blown away if we win.

Already set up the recording so i can rewatch it when I get home from the game.

 

[Nunez]

I love you BRAB

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

Love it Brab.
Seize the moment.
Thats it brab, we have to come out and grab this game by the throat.
It feels we have the personal to slog it out.
Our mids,backs really solid and so much class up forward .
McCarthy up forward, just cant wait to see these guys play for us.
Neale, he'll keep working .
No sulking with this bloke, pure professional.
Andrews ,Dizzy should stop a fair bit coming in you would think.
Unlike last year where they were tinkering with marking space and the man and getting caught in no mans land.

It might come down to conversion rate up front, so imo there lies the unknown or unproven.
If we kick everything we will run away.

The weather or wet dewy ball might be challenging me thinks could be a factor with marking.

 

[a mayes ing]

Would be fantastic if we could win but lets be serious here. They are the reining champions, very likely we could get blown away. Lots of positives for us, so hoping for a competitive outing and synergy in the forward line. It all starts in the middle, can't afford to just rock up there

 

[The Zork]

We just about break even in the midfield with Gaff out and we are equally as dangerous on the deck down forward now with Charlie back.

Biggest jobs on the ground for Eric, McStay and whichever tall forwards play to make sure their backs don’t dominate the air in our forward line.
McStay the real key to make a consistent contest and clunk a few more than normal.

Won’t be happy with a loss.

Rayner kicks 3.

 

[M Malice]

Team v West Coast round 23 2018-

B Luke Hodge, Harris Andrews, Nick Robertson
HB Daniel Rich, Daniel McStay, Tom Cutler
C Lewis Taylor, Mitch Robinson, Dayne Zorko
HF Cameron Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Hugh McCluggage
F Allen Christensen, Oscar McInerney, Brandon Starcevich
FOL Stefan Martin, Jarrod Berry, Dayne Beams
I/C Josh Walker, Zac Bailey, Ryan Lester, Rhys Mathieson.

Outs- Nick Robertson, Tom Cutler, Brandon Starcevich, Dayne Beams, Ryan Lester, Lewis Taylor.

Ins- Lachie Neale, Lincoln McCarthy, Jarryd Lyons, Charlie Cameron, Darcy Gardiner, Alex Witherden.

The ins to me are obvious, I found it very hard to select the last out ie. Lewy Taylor, I went for him over Josh Walker as I think we'll need the extra tall defender v the Eagles.
If Christensen is deemed not ready I'd bring Lewy in for him, Gardiner not ready..Lester.

 

[snooplions]

Getting 2012 Polkinghorne feels about this game.

 

[M Malice]

Pandemonium.

 

[Nunez]

Getting 2012 Polkinghorne feels about this game.

Is he free?!

 

[Tom14]

Team v West Coast round 23 2018-

B Luke Hodge, Harris Andrews, Nick Robertson
HB Daniel Rich, Daniel McStay, Tom Cutler
C Lewis Taylor, Mitch Robinson, Dayne Zorko
HF Cameron Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Hugh McCluggage
F Allen Christensen, Oscar McInerney, Brandon Starcevich
FOL Stefan Martin, Jarrod Berry, Dayne Beams
I/C Josh Walker, Zac Bailey, Ryan Lester, Rhys Mathieson.

Outs- Nick Robertson, Tom Cutler, Brandon Starcevich, Dayne Beams, Ryan Lester, Lewis Taylor.

Ins- Lachie Neale, Lincoln McCarthy, Jarryd Lyons, Charlie Cameron, Darcy Gardiner, Alex Witherden.

The ins to me are obvious, I found it very hard to select the last out ie. Lewy Taylor, I went for him over Josh Walker as I think we'll need the extra tall defender v the Eagles.
If Christensen is deemed not ready I'd bring Lewy in for him, Gardiner not ready..Lester.

Mike Whiting reported today that Gardiner is a decent chance to play - https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-03-18/rapid-recovery-reliable-lion-firms-for-r1-after-pcl-injury

 

[Gadzorks]

Mike Whiting reported today that Gardiner is a decent chance to play - https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-03-18/rapid-recovery-reliable-lion-firms-for-r1-after-pcl-injury

Fabulous if he gets up. I'm old school though and don't trust miraculous recoveries. Reminds me of when they did acls by the lars technique, all that did was double the time away.

 

[jjami15]

We’ve got to come out breathing fire. If they get away from us early we might get close but they’ll be too good IMO. This my prediction is, 2 steins at the German Club before the game (me, not the players), ‘And the boys light up’ early and get that belief into themselves but it’ll be close at half time. Weagles to come out and go through the motions third quarter but we’ll be pumped and get out to a 5/6 goa lead. Last quarter they’ll come back but we’ll hold on by a couple and then 2 more at the German Club to finish the night. Can’t wait!

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

The better team, at home, should win comfortably

 

[luthor]

I'm feeling genuinely optimistic about this and am confident it's going to be a close run thing.

Since we lost so many by so few last season, I'm predicting we'll reverse this trend in 2019, stating with a heart stopping win against the Weagles.

Lions by 1

 

[a mayes ing]

Team v West Coast round 23 2018-

B Luke Hodge, Harris Andrews, Nick Robertson
HB Daniel Rich, Daniel McStay, Tom Cutler
C Lewis Taylor, Mitch Robinson, Dayne Zorko
HF Cameron Rayner, Eric Hipwood, Hugh McCluggage
F Allen Christensen, Oscar McInerney, Brandon Starcevich
FOL Stefan Martin, Jarrod Berry, Dayne Beams
I/C Josh Walker, Zac Bailey, Ryan Lester, Rhys Mathieson.

Outs- Nick Robertson, Tom Cutler, Brandon Starcevich, Dayne Beams, Ryan Lester, Lewis Taylor.

Ins- Lachie Neale, Lincoln McCarthy, Jarryd Lyons, Charlie Cameron, Darcy Gardiner, Alex Witherden.

The ins to me are obvious, I found it very hard to select the last out ie. Lewy Taylor, I went for him over Josh Walker as I think we'll need the extra tall defender v the Eagles.
If Christensen is deemed not ready I'd bring Lewy in for him, Gardiner not ready..Lester.

Looks like we got a much stronger team than last year which is fantastic. Would be good to see how the Eagles team changes as well

 

[BrissyCrow]

I am looking forward to the Lions showing significant improvement this year. Whilst I am a Crows supporter and a member I have also taken out Brisbane membership so I can get to watch live AFL. Fortunately I will also be able to watch Cameron and Lyons with some interest. I am sure that during the course of the year those two players will cause me some grief given the Crows gave them up.

Anyway I am hoping that the Lions have a good year but that they also are prepared to lose to the Crows.