Preview Round 10, 2025 Brisbane Lions v Narrm

[Nathan Barley]

I think Pickett is too quick and nimble for Noah. Wilmott would be my referred match up for him.

There is no way we took North lightly. They played a great game and we were soundly beaten in the midfield.

1 on 1 he’s too quick for anyone. Need to shut down their ball movement to stop him. Plus he’s great around clearances which Noah is probably more suited to defending

 

[Coastal Lion]

Still a few weeks away according to Mike Whiting on the Roar Deal this week.

Thankyou I'm tired of seeing tbc on the injury list.
Just out of curiosity was it mentioned if he is back in full contact drills yet ?

 

[Coastal Lion]

I think most will shout me down for my next statement.

I remember L.Neale being a run with tagging type mid in his first few seasons at Freeo back when Mundy and Fyfe were the offensive stud's.
Would like to see this when he is not having his usual output in the middle for us which has happened a few times already this season its an ace Fagan could play when we are losing in the middle.
I know y'all will say that's Dunks role but I feel Dunks would be able to win the ball easily if not having a mf negating role always perhaps not as damaging as Lachie but if he ain't winning the ball what do we lose ?

 

[morsie]

Oscar apparently being managed week to week

 

[Section 5]

With the latest ruck news on big O the Lions have.

Big O playing but should not be by the sounds of things.
Fort played 50/50 with the above-mentioned Oscar last game.
Day out for another 5 weeks
Henry Smith out 7-8 weeks
Brendon Ryan (last choice that has played AFL) out 4-6 weeks

If we rest Oscar, we don't have many choices. Fort to number 1 ruck then what?

(a) Hippy to Joes role but i would not risk it. If Hippy gets injured in the ruck, we are stuffed for the season.
(b) A midfielder like Dunkley. I mentioned in a previous post (Unofficial preview Lions v Melb) what Lions could do to accommodate that.
(c) Morris is given a go. Probably better than the VFL guys as he has an AFL season under his belt. Like Hippy i would not risk it though.
(d) Throw someone in the VFL with AFL experience into the deep end. Only Joyce fits that bill.
(e) Play one of the 2 VFL youngsters below as ruck relief.

Most on BF will opt for Gallop being a bigger bodied player to ZZ. But ZZ is 2 cm taller at 196 cm the same as Day.
Also, i thought ZZ looked well suited to the ruck role in the VFL game last week.
Admittingly both were up against inexperienced opponents

Gallop being a forward so he could add to the scoreboard.
ZZ looks much better around the ground and not sure if they would gamble and play him forward.

The more i think about it the more i like Dunkley going into a few CBA's while Fort is on the Bench.


VFL

Name VFL Round 7	Disposals	Marks	Hit Outs	Tackles
Z. Zakostelsky	22	6	16	2	1st game as ruck in VFL
Ty Gallop	10	5	13	4	1 goal 3 behinds

 

[KissKiss]

I think you under rate our club by that statement. There is no team in the competition that we take lightly.

I know people say this, but its almost impossible for players and clubs to be fully motivated for every game. And we do have a pretty decent history of poorer performances against teams we should put away (all clubs do at some point). We rarely absolutely put away the cellar dwellers especially on random away trips.

In contrast we mostly do well against better teams as I think we fire up well. We still have some stinkers like against Collingwood this year.

But generally I think we lift more often to better teams than we fully put the foot down on bad teams

 

[Clarkythelion]

Don't panic people - the lions are a club in Fagan's era at least that have been responsible with player's medical issues - we often on here in the List Management thread talk about players coming to the Lions because of our medical team and how good we are at getting players going again - Joe, Linc, Doedee, Kiddy, Starc etc.

I'm a farmer and golfer, when I'm not out swinging a golf club I'm swinging and industrial whipper snipper, digging post holes and herding cattle, but, I have a back issue. I'm on my 5th doctor/specialist and it's not getting better or worse, it is what it is now, it's just about managing it. Big O may well have a similar issue, the treatment sounds familiar, it's about managing a spasm when they occur which occurs only when put in a certain unusual position.

Not for 1 minute do I think Fagan is taking any risk with a player, that's not who he is - ever. Sounds like the Big O has something being managed, probably around an intercostal joint. If the medical team deem him fit, if Big O thinks he is fine, then Fagan will have looked them all in the eye and made his own call on it. Big O is good to go, ruckman do more wrestling these days than jumping, thats probably where he gets in the odd shape that gives him some pain.

 

[martinson]

Don't panic people - the lions are a club in Fagan's era at least that have been responsible with player's medical issues - we often on here in the List Management thread talk about players coming to the Lions because of our medical team and how good we are at getting players going again - Joe, Linc, Doedee, Kiddy, Starc etc.

I'm a farmer and golfer, when I'm not out swinging a golf club I'm swinging and industrial whipper snipper, digging post holes and herding cattle, but, I have a back issue. I'm on my 5th doctor/specialist and it's not getting better or worse, it is what it is now, it's just about managing it. Big O may well have a similar issue, the treatment sounds familiar, it's about managing a spasm when they occur which occurs only when put in a certain unusual position.

Not for 1 minute do I think Fagan is taking any risk with a player, that's not who he is - ever. Sounds like the Big O has something being managed, probably around an intercostal joint. If the medical team deem him fit, if Big O thinks he is fine, then Fagan will have looked them all in the eye and made his own call on it. Big O is good to go, ruckman do more wrestling these days than jumping, thats probably where he gets in the odd shape that gives him some pain.

That's likely true except his form indicates he's either right out of form or not able to perform near his best because of injury. He seems to have very little capacity to get off the ground compared to previous years.

 

[martinson]

Taking teams lightly is a psychological issue rather than an attitudinal one.

I'm sure we prepare well and talk the talk. But when you have to go to Tasmania to play a bottom team it's inevitable that some of your players are just that bit underwhelmed by the occasion.

It was evident to me that we played like we thought we were always going to win it and didn't really go full throttle until they hit the front. It's not a criticism of our players or their prep. , you see it time and time again in competitive sports.

 

[3KZ is Football]

PLAYER	INJURY	ESTIMATED RETURN
Jarrod Berry	Concussion	1 week
Sam Day	Hamstring	5 weeks
Lincoln McCarthy	Knee	TBC
Brandon Ryan	Facial fracture	4-6 weeks
Henry Smith	Foot	7-8 weeks
Brandon Starcevich	Concussion	TBC
Updated: May 13, 2025

In the mix​

Berry’s absence with concussion could open the door for Keidean Coleman to return to the senior team. Coleman has played two matches in the VFL after overcoming his knee reconstruction and could slot in at his preferred half-back spot with Jaspa Fletcherpushing to the wing to replace Berry. The Lions would likely stick with two rucks to confront white-hot Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

33

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

. Darcy Gardiner was used as the sub last week, but a more versatile player might be a better option this time around with James Tunstilland Will McLachlan at the head of the queue. – Michael Whiting

 

[Perrip]

Thankyou I'm tired of seeing tbc on the injury list.
Just out of curiosity was it mentioned if he is back in full contact drills yet ?

Can't recall sorry. The main thing at the moment is him building his fitness back up after being sidelined by the concussion issues, as Fagan said a month ago. This is from Inside Trading today:

The next month is expected to see Starcevich return to the field from his most recent concussion.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Lloyd has not been travelling that well. I was thinking about him after the Saturday game as it was probably his best for the year but still along way off promotion. I meant to check today if he had an interrupted preseason as his form, in my view, has been poor.

You are right we are missing a strong contested marking target. A Hail Mary from the vfl would be Gallop or ZZ. ZZ surprisingly good as an undersized ruck/follower, but not ready to face Gawn.

I recall seeing very little of Lloyd in the intra-club matches this year.

 

[3KZ is Football]

The question has come up about how we contain or diminish the impact of Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

33

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

and the answer is a simple one. Don’t kick it to him.

When we are attempting to transition out of defence, the long kick down the line to a contest where Gawn is involved is to be avoided at all costs. This means Hipwood, Rayner and Morris need to work harder up the ground, but it will work.

We can’t avoid Gawn at stoppage and restart ruck contests, but we can play a game that keeps him out of the play as much as possible. Players should have a good look at the tape of our Rd.18 loss to Melbourne in 2023 to see what not to do.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Oscar did okay against Gawn in the Aug 2024 game but Gawn well on top in the April 2024 game

Not sure what you're basing this on. Thought Oscar was terrific in the early game at the MCG last year.

This might go some way to explaining Oscar's issues at the moment:

Epidural injections used for key Lion's mystery issue

Sammy Edmund has the latest.

www.sen.com.au

 

[troppo]

There is no way the club would risk Oscar if they thought playing him was doing harm. They would just pick Fort.

 

[Sunny Land]

Kiddy in!!!

 

[GenericUsername202]

The problem with Kiddy is that if he has a good game, how do you possibly take him out? Surely Berry comes in next week, so Fagan will have to rejig the backline if Kiddy is able to perform to the standards we think he's capable of.

 

[Sunny Land]

The problem with Kiddy is that if he has a good game, how do you possibly take him out? Surely Berry comes in next week, so Fagan will have to rejig the backline if Kiddy is able to perform to the standards we think he's capable of.

Nice problem to have. He was always coming in when ready so they have known about it for a long time.

He's an elite kick and I'm sure the forward line are very excited to have someone like him in the 22.

 

[Tom14]

Nice problem to have. He was always coming in when ready so they have known about it for a long time.

He's an elite kick and I'm sure the forward line are very excited to have someone like him in the 22.

Reckon we've really missed him. Our scoring is way down and most of it is due to the quality of our i50 entries - need another elite ball user.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Would be more than happy with Kiddy as the sub

 

[Sunny Land]

Reckon we've really missed him. Our scoring is way down and most of it is due to the quality of our i50 entries - need another elite ball user.

Agree 100%. Love Darcy Wilmott but every time he is on the run and kicks, you can almost guarantee it will be bombed into the forward line with no thought of where our guys might be. Kiddy is a pleasure to watch with the ball in hand.

 

[Nunez]

Agree 100%. Love Darcy Wilmott but every time he is on the run and kicks, you can almost guarantee it will be bombed into the forward line with no thought of where our guys might be. Kiddy is a pleasure to watch with the ball in hand.

When Motty gets his kicks inside 50 better he will be a weapon. Does so much right already and still very young.

 

[Sunny Land]

When Motty gets his kicks inside 50 better he will be a weapon. Does so much right already and still very young.

Agree...that is what I love about him as mentioned in my post.

 

[p4p1]

I read that O is struggling with injury so I don't see why we wouldn't rest him when he is clearly playing below his best.


The Gardiner sub makes a sense now, if the plan was to sub off O at some point and bring of Dizzy so we still have the same 3 tall structure. I, like everyone was critical of the sub choice. In most games, you are going to make a tactical substitution not a sub because of injury and certainly not that early on. With O battling, he was probably the most likely one to have to come off but in that case, why play him?

 

[Mr Ripper]

Now or never. Get Beecken in.