Review Round 12, 2022 - Fremantle vs. Brisbane Lions

[On the quiet]

Daniher will straighten us up , all the yap about dev amounted to nothing. Freo at home is a tough gig but that’s were it finishes , we have to eat the Saints alive

I’m waiting for Mighty Lions comments on the match and the reactions here.

Hasn’t logged on since Friday. Might be a little jet lagged from the flight back from Perth.

100%

 

[Elixuh]

Lobb is always a monster in those situations, plus Gardiner being out makes it tougher to create the packs that stop those kinds of marks. It's not a great sign but Lobb is just about Andrews' worst match-up in the league - taller, longer arms, and strong hands.

Yeah Lobbs grabs weren’t weak. Each one I thought - that is a strong grab.

 

[Dalions]

Some really nice highlights here, Pitty he was one of only a few that could hold their head up.
So many players being outplayed by their opponents in this game.

 

[mattsmob]

Some really nice highlights here, Pitty he was one of only a few that could hold their head up.
So many players being outplayed by their opponents in this game.

Some really impressive stuff, the way he is breaking tackles compared to the start of the season is incredible. He really should be part of our starting midfield group as long as he builds the tank for it by seasons end.

 

[Sanchez365]

Some really impressive stuff, the way he is breaking tackles compared to the start of the season is incredible. He really should be part of our starting midfield group as long as he builds the tank for it by seasons end.

To me it seems our only hope of changing the midfield dynamic and going all the way this year is the development of this guy.

He's been what we all hoped he would become the last few weeks, now he just has to keep doing it week after week. Fingers crossed!

 

[Nathan Barley]

We also need to give oppositions midfields more to deal with than just Neale

 

[martinson]

We also need to give oppositions midfields more to deal with than just Neale

Absolutely correct. They can tag Neale and think they're most of the way home. Cam has progressed remarkably this year. We need more .

 

[Dizzle]

I think "lost his mongrel" is a misunderstanding of what Andrews has been asked to do. What you'll see is that Andrews will line up on a line between the player with the ball and the goals, rather than on his man, in order to chop off (quite often successfully) the bomb to the goal square. He will only respect his player either when they move more substantially away from him or when the ball is in the air, relying on his closing speed and long arms. For whatever reason his estimate on how quickly he can close that space appears to be a bit off this year, plus it appears teams have started targeting this similar to smart teams taking short kicks into 50 against Melbourne to avoid both May and Lever.

I think that the 'rise' of Adams has confused Harris. A few years ago he knew he had to go because no-one else would - not with anywhere near the same efficiency. With Adams (until the last few weeks) marking everything in the sky, he seems to second guess himself and wonder where everyone else is. Will I spoil Adams? Where is Starcevich? Should I be moving to cover off for someone else? The problem is while he thinks of this he is betraying his instincts which should be to move quickly and decisively.

Where Lobb marked around 20m out he and Harris were side by side in the square when the ball was in the air. Harris was just too slow out of the blocks and had no chance from behind against the taller man. Harris never used to worry about what his man was doing before reacting. He saw the ball and went and either marked it or killed it. Now he worries.

Harris and Gardiner are both playing beneath their best this year and equally frustrating in different ways. Harris looks lackadaisical and half hearted and Dizzy looks like he has too much energy and goes in too hard at times, leading to free kicks.

Injuries aside though I think this is something fixable. You can't be AA multiple times and in your peak age bracket and forget how to football.

 

[martinson]

I think that the 'rise' of Adams has confused Harris. A few years ago he knew he had to go because no-one else would - not with anywhere near the same efficiency. With Adams (until the last few weeks) marking everything in the sky, he seems to second guess himself and wonder where everyone else is. Will I spoil Adams? Where is Starcevich? Should I be moving to cover off for someone else? The problem is while he thinks of this he is betraying his instincts which should be to move quickly and decisively.

Where Lobb marked around 20m out he and Harris were side by side in the square when the ball was in the air. Harris was just too slow out of the blocks and had no chance from behind against the taller man. Harris never used to worry about what his man was doing before reacting. He saw the ball and went and either marked it or killed it. Now he worries.

Harris and Gardiner are both playing beneath their best this year and equally frustrating in different ways. Harris looks lackadaisical and half hearted and Dizzy looks like he has too much energy and goes in too hard at times, leading to free kicks.

Injuries aside though I think this is something fixable. You can't be AA multiple times and in your peak age bracket and forget how to football.

Since Hodge retired Harris hasn't played with near as much freedom.

Maybe he takes responsibility far too seriously and just needs to get back to playing footy.

 

[mattsmob]

Absolutely correct. They can tag Neale and think they're most of the way home. Cam has progressed remarkably this year. We need more .

The question for me is who will that “more” come from. I think Lyons is what he is and hopefully he’ll be serviceable without being a liability defensively but that’s not really enough. I’ve still got hope Hugh will continue to improve because it is still a new role for him as well, his good games are great but they just need to be more consistent. I’m not completely out on Bailey as a mid for spurts, if he can continue to develop in there he’s another game breaker with the athletic ability to cover space defensively.
I think perhaps the most important factor in our premiership push could be the improvement and development of McCluggage, Rayner and Bailey as midfielders, still plenty of time to get there.

 

[davemc_lions]

When we have Neale, Lyons and Zorko in the mid we too slow.
Bailey can go missing in the mid
So great Rayner has been improving this year.
Not sure where we get another mid.. I rather Clugga on a wing with Prior and Ah Chee.
Maybe we rotate Jerry and Rayner of HF flank and mid.
play Zorko as a lockdown forward..rotate with Bailey/Linc?

 

[jonnobackpocket]

I think in hindsight a midfield reset and/or the decision to recruit Joe would both be up for debate. If we had known injuries would finish Zorkos career early, Rayner would do his ACL, Baileys progression as a midfielder would stall, Berry would stagnate and Clug would be a bit inconsistent we might’ve done something different

You suggesting we would have traded Neale and not got Daniher?

 

[Nathan Barley]

You suggesting we would have traded Neale and not got Daniher?

Not trade Neale but perhaps value a quick, skilful mid over Joe

 

[dlanod]

Maybe he takes responsibility far too seriously and just needs to get back to playing footy.

I think you're more suggesting that Fagan to allocate the responsibility to play down the line and organize the defence to someone else. Getting caught between two options isn't generally a player's idea - he should have a clear indication of what role he should play, and at the moment it looks like he's being told #1 priority is the long bomb and #2 is his man.

 

[jonnobackpocket]

Not trade Neale but perhaps value a quick, skilful mid over Joe

How were we going to do that?- we got Joe for nothing.

 

[mattsmob]

How were we going to do that?- we got Joe for nothing.

Also Joe is our second best player at the minute, I don't care about the fit if you can get someone that's as good as he's been for us.

 

[BRAB]

Next time we play Freo we just need to place a 6 pack at fullback. That'll be enough to stop Frederick

 

[dlanod]

Next time we play Freo we just need to place a 6 pack at fullback. That'll be enough to stop Frederick

ITYM "next time we play Brisbane they just need to place a 6 pack at fullback."

 

[lionshine]

Some really nice highlights here, Pitty he was one of only a few that could hold their head up.
So many players being outplayed by their opponents in this game.

Rayner reminding me more and more of Ollie Wines. Just an absolute bull at the contest.

 

[Dalions]

Rayner reminding me more and more of Ollie Wines. Just an absolute bull at the contest.

I think he can be a bit more impactful than Wines.

 

[martinson]

I think you're more suggesting that Fagan to allocate the responsibility to play down the line and organize the defence to someone else. Getting caught between two options isn't generally a player's idea - he should have a clear indication of what role he should play, and at the moment it looks like he's being told #1 priority is the long bomb and #2 is his man.

No . I'm not suggesting anything tactically.

What I was saying ,not suggesting, is that responsibility seems to weigh heavily on him and if he just got back to playing the best footy he can wherever we play him the responsibility will take care of itself.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown as they say. For him it seems heavier than whatever else he does.

 

[LIONS08]

I think he can be a bit more impactful than Wines.

Wines does have a Brownlow though

 

[martinson]

No . I'm not suggesting anything tactically.

What I was saying ,not suggesting, is that responsibility seems to weigh heavily on him and if he just got back to playing the best footy he can wherever we play him the responsibility will take care of itself.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown as they say. For him it seems heavier than whatever else he does.

I'll go even further and this is IMOO and I could be completely wrong but my impression is that we've completely stuffed Harris up by saying he's great leader and the future leader of our club and grooming him for that because everything he does tells me clearly he is not and that he'd prefer to be just a great player.

Leaders don't react or spit it the way he does and to me it's just a reaction to the pressure he feels as vice captain.

I think that's been evident now for a couple of years.

But we've gone down this track and I think it's affecting not just him.

We're here to share views and that's mine. As I say it's just my impression from watching the games and what goes on behind the scenes I have no idea.

 

[Gadzorks]

I'll go even further and this is IMOO and I could be completely wrong but my impression is that we've completely stuffed Harris up by saying he's great leader and the future leader of our club and grooming him for that because everything he does tells me clearly he is not and that he'd prefer to be just a great player.

Leaders don't react or spit it the way he does and to me it's just a reaction to the pressure he feels as vice captain.

I think that's been evident now for a couple of years.

But we've gone down this track and I think it's affecting not just him.

We're here to share views and that's mine. As I say it's just my impression from watching the games and what goes on behind the scenes I have no idea.

Zorko losses it. Maybe not as much now, but definately in the first year of two of his captaincy.

I do agree that harris has had a lot of pressure, and we fans are a big part of that. We loved the whole dad thing.

 

[LIONS08]

I'll go even further and this is IMOO and I could be completely wrong but my impression is that we've completely stuffed Harris up by saying he's great leader and the future leader of our club and grooming him for that because everything he does tells me clearly he is not and that he'd prefer to be just a great player.

Leaders don't react or spit it the way he does and to me it's just a reaction to the pressure he feels as vice captain.

I think that's been evident now for a couple of years.

But we've gone down this track and I think it's affecting not just him.

We're here to share views and that's mine. As I say it's just my impression from watching the games and what goes on behind the scenes I have no idea.

I don’t agree with this. Emotion on a field is never a bad thing. It shows that they care and it means something to them. Harris himself is his hardest critic and I feel that is his issue at the moment. Numbers wise he really isn’t that far off of his AA year. I feel this perceived form slump is all in his head. Further more, the captains most under pressure as of late don’t have any of that in them. Heppell and Coniglio just to name a couple.