Review Round 12, 2025 - Brisbane Lions vs. Essendon

[martinson]

It wont happen but looking at that kind of firepower and size up forward for them, Gardner for Lester would be the call for mine. Not saying Lester has done much wrong.

I thought Froggy was good last night and stepped up when we were getting desperate.

Like others I'm a little baffled by not resting players . Dev just looks so fit and stronger than when he was getting games in '23 . He deserved a shot at it last night.

 

[martinson]

On another matter, McCluggage played his career best game of football last night, so he will rightfully garner most of the limelight, but people should spare a bit for Jarrod Berry. His equal team high 8 intercept possessions were massive and his work rate on and off the ball was sensational. He is evolving before our eyes and fast becoming one of our most important players.

Berry getting concussed against North cost us 6 points .

 

[Tom14]

The potential positive to me re the Crows' forward line is we actually need our KPD to be accountable. Any one of Thilthorpe / Walker / Fogarty could kick five. I actually think that could be of benefit. Harris to me is at his best when he is taking rebound marks right next to his opponent, rather than being a loose man.

Couldn't disagree more tbh! When I think of poor Harris games, melksham aside, it is when he is given a lockdown job and is caught between staying tight and zoning off. GWS game at the gabba last year the worst example of that I think.

 

[3KZ is Football]

I can see it making sense in theory. BUt i think lester is the most consistent out of our 3, and has decent pace. Fogarty is only 192cm and gets a lot of his ball on the lead.

How the wheel has turned. #RyanLesterSpeedMachine
#RyanLesterReboundKing
#ThatsYourGoalLester2024GrandFinalEdition

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

I know one person who won’t agree, but yes it was pretty clear from the get go this season. Issue is his longevity and what our plan b is.

I thought he was plan B

 

[braddsey]

Fages has basically said publicly that banking wins is good enough. Can't help but think the team is of the same opinion and maybe getting ahead of themselves

If it wasn't for the Hawks win I'd be worried but we've shown we can still stand up and the small forwards finding form is encouraging

I certainly know nothing about sports psychology, however i think mentally being up constantly can lead to burnout.
I would suggest the swans last year may be a classic example of this.

Banking the wins could be a self preservation - get ourselves up for the games that really matter, do the job when it’s required. It is obviously a fine line - we lost (by 2 kicks) to Melbourne who are having a little purple patch. We drew against North who were working hard for a win.
We smashed Gold Coast (except on the scoreboard) and Hawthorn.

I’d much rather we grind out wins against lowly opponents (or drop the occasional game) and save our mental & physical energy for contenders. We won’t always get it right - but if it allows the team to get through to round 18-20 with the wins on the board, and then say “righto boys, time to click it into gear” then i’m all for it.
The pressure on the team to perform every week from round 11 last season must have been immense - they were amazing to pull it off. To prepare to go through that again would no doubt be a significant mental hurdle.

 

[Tom14]

Where are you able to see this?

It is more complicated than it should be!

(1) Only available on the AFL website on desktop (Can't find it on the app)

(2) Go to the specific game, and then to player states

(3) There is a drop down menu that should say 'basic' - change it to 'my stats'

(4) In My Stats you need to select your own stats to look at in manage stats - select rating points.

Et Voila!

 

[twhowler]

That was all just bullshit media spin.
He would have been fuming throughout that game last night at times.

I do agree in that when the players finally felt the urgency they did a lot right in the last half of the last quarter.
Once again the issues were all effort based to me and when the intensity lifted, there were no concerns with the way we played out the game.
The middle part of the game was all bad, from the top down, with intensity and effort.

I was watching the postgame vision, Fagan was in the middle of the oval, deep in thought, didn't want to seem to go near the players, also suspect he was not happy!

 

[martinson]

Couldn't disagree more tbh! When I think of poor Harris games, melksham aside, it is when he is given a lockdown job and is caught between staying tight and zoning off. GWS game at the gabba last year the worst example of that I think.

Since Harris has started giving the opposition and even the umps more lip his game has deteriorated a little.

The player Harris misses most is Starcevich. He was always there able to leap as a back up spoiler or snapping round his heels as a reliable give off or mopping up errant handballs that enhanced the look and quality of Harris' disposals.

We know Harris is a champ , he's got some things to work on at the moment.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Last night is not the team we are right now. But equally neither is last week - given it was our only acceptable performance out of our last 4. I know we won and Essendon threw everything at us. But this was a seriously depleted side. It was a pretty worrying performance. For all the talk of comparing this side to 01-04, that side was never worried about the other side throwing everything at them. They relished it. This side, at least so far, when it comes to underdogs playing 'their grand final' seems to resent having to roll their sleeves up.

The biggest caveat is the 5 day break. Is there anyone on here that thinks our zero unforced change mantra is a good one? I am genuinely baffled by it. It feels like the equivalent to still rolling with 10 interchanges because 'it keeps our best side out there'. We have the depth. We need to learn that five day breaks are just a totally different beast for preparation. It is also beneficial in keeping the fringe players in with a sniff and motivated, and ready should their opportunity come. I am hoping it hasn't flattened us for next week as well, should be okay with an 8 day break. We have one more 5 day break this year but it's week 2 of our post bye games so should not be as taxing.

From reading the reviews and a few of my own harebrained ideas we have the following issues:

MISSING DAY - who knew how key he would be! he was a really important cog both as a target and back-up ruck. The Gardiner solution is subpar because A) he is not the big bailout option Day is and we have nobody doing that now and B) Hippy's time in the ruck is terrible for his forward game. It is incumbent on our MC to try a plan C, should Day not make it back or get injured again. We simply must try Gallop to know if he is a better option. A good time would have been, oh i dunno at home against an injury riddled side when we were off a 5 day break??? He needs a go soon just to see where we are at - it's not as if dropping Gardiner is a major risk.

MIDDLING MIDFIELD - the worry for me is the inconsistency. Week to week or quarter to quarter. Makes me wonder if the balance is a bit out. Like others i think at times Will and Neale in there is an issue when we don't win the clearance, especially a centre clearance. I think our coaching staff should be twiddling the dials a bit on who is playing on-ball with an eye to this.

REBOUND OUT OF OUR FORWARD 50 - the ball seems to be bouncing out of our forward line at a rapid rate. Again Day might help as he is an expert at not marking it but also not letting the opposition marking it. But i feel like an attitude shift is needed from our smalls. They need to be terriers. Start a competition - free big mac for most forward line tackles. Worked well in my under 12s cricket

% OF SCORING FROM OPPO ENTRIES again last night the efficiency of the opposition was a big worry. When you are playing the best sides there will always be a period where their midfield gets on top. I am less confident this year of us weathering the storm. Starce is clearly badly missed. But we don't know if he will be okay, sadly. Also interesting that Kiddy could be coming back. ALthough with Zorko being sat on this is probably needed. I think that A if Starce does come back, we simply must keep Answerth back there. and B if he does not, then we need Wilmot to play much closer to his man, allowing Zorks and Kiddy more leeway. Oh and Harris to get back to last year's form?

Yes it's only May (just!). And it's true you don't want to be peaking now. But you also don't want to just assume that everything wrong now will magically fix itself. We were playing better footy last year. Hence Fagan backed in the side to get better results with some better conversion and a slight lift overall. If our current form lifts slightly later in the year, we will be making up the numbers. in my opinion!

Did you really reward your junior cricketers a reward for tackling the opposition?

 

[Hellobill]

Very poor performance , boys believe they can just turn it on when required. The tackling pressure is always the telling sign, superb against Hawks but woeful for most of the game against Dons. Forwards just don't keep it inside 50m and it streams out time and time again , should be able to cause a stoppage way more than they do.

 

[Ceebee]

Berry getting concussed against North cost us 6 points .

I gave him a vote last night , he always gives 100 percent effort .

 

[twhowler]

Couldn't disagree more tbh! When I think of poor Harris games, melksham aside, it is when he is given a lockdown job and is caught between staying tight and zoning off. GWS game at the gabba last year the worst example of that I think.

Fair enough!

I was slightly distracted with the kids last night, but he seemed much better when he was sent to Caddy at one point?

The issue that i have seen is those deep kicks go in to the oppo's best forwards, and if Harris has a floating role you see our defenders look around and just wait for him to save the day. We seem to have a lot of times when forwards are taking almost uncontested marks this year from long balls in.

I agree it's the indecision that kills him. My theory is that he is better when he has a specific job and some accountability - it doesn't mean he can't zone off when he needs to, but it means our key defenders know they have to actually stop their player first.

Genuine question - what would your match-ups be this week v crows for our KPDs?

 

[Dalions]

I was watching the postgame vision, Fagan was in the middle of the oval, deep in thought, didn't want to seem to go near the players, also suspect he was not happy!

He has mentioned before that he sometimes needs to compose himself before speaking to the players.
Also composes himself really well before press conferences.

 

[3KZ is Football]

I gave him a vote last night , he always gives 100 percent effort .

He was second highest rated player and definitely in my votes.

 

[MacMum]

. Man I miss Daniher.

Yes and no on this. He was such a presence up there and yet when we've played our best footy this year (few and far between, I know) I honestly don't think we do miss him.

Our boys are poetry in motion when they all work together and end up scoring. That wave of maroon, blue and gold I loved in our 3peat years and then again last year.

For all of the frustration of play this year, we are still winning without Joe....we have enough awesome players that says we are not a one man team as so many are.

 

[Tom14]

Fair enough!

I was slightly distracted with the kids last night, but he seemed much better when he was sent to Caddy at one point?

The issue that i have seen is those deep kicks go in to the oppo's best forwards, and if Harris has a floating role you see our defenders look around and just wait for him to save the day. We seem to have a lot of times when forwards are taking almost uncontested marks this year from long balls in.

I agree it's the indecision that kills him. My theory is that he is better when he has a specific job and some accountability - it doesn't mean he can't zone off when he needs to, but it means our key defenders know they have to actually stop their player first.

Genuine question - what would your match-ups be this week v crows for our KPDs?

Sadly I don't think there is a good matchup here at all. Probably Payne to THilthorpe, Froggy to Fogarty and Harris on Walker.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Funnily I'm expecting our level to go up against these clubs and us doing a 3-0.

I'm just taking it one week at a time.

 

[Nathan Barley]

It wont happen but looking at that kind of firepower and size up forward for them, Gardner for Lester would be the call for mine. Not saying Lester has done much wrong.

Lester has struggled on Walker and Fog in the past

 

[Nunez]

The problem is we are winning and on top so the powers that be don't want to rejig.

Last year when we were poor, fresh faces came in and gave us a much needed injection.

We need the same to happen now because we are not playing as a top team. Sadly, our ladder position means people think nothing is wrong and no change is needed. We are poor but ladder position and winning games gives false sense of security.

Could be our downfall this season.

You mean like Starce, Coleman, Doedee, Oscar and Day?

They are coming my friend. Final form Flagbane not ready yet.

 

[twhowler]

Sadly I don't think there is a good matchup here at all. Probably Payne to THilthorpe, Froggy to Fogarty and Harris on Walker.

Payne does seem best suited to the last line of defence so i'd agree with that.

Harris has a good tank so can roam up with Walker. Probably needs to drop off him once Walker goes beyond what 70m from goal? He is a very good field kick so don't want him getting it any closer. Maybe it's a handover with Walker. I reckon Bez would compete pretty well with him in the air if he is in the area

 

[KissKiss]

Sadly I don't think there is a good matchup here at all. Probably Payne to THilthorpe, Froggy to Fogarty and Harris on Walker.

Id stick with Harris extra height on Thilthorpe, Payne on Fogerty and Froggy to Walker. I know Walker has troubled us in the past but he isnt as quick these days and let Lester try and be smarter to play off him more

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

I can't cop him berating Logan Morris for going back and having a shot instead of passing it to him. It was ordinary to say the least. He is obviously feeling the pressure of not being at his best.

I thought Lockie was in his right to absolutely go off , but he didn't. He demanded the footy which he had the right to imo.
He was probably halfway between Logan and the goals in a lot of space for a long time.
logan had to kick it from the 50 and didn't.
We all know Logan still had a great night and great moments, but I didn't think that was one of them.

 

[western royboy]

The problem is we are winning and on top so the powers that be don't want to rejig.

Last year when we were poor, fresh faces came in and gave us a much needed injection.

We need the same to happen now because we are not playing as a top team. Sadly, our ladder position means people think nothing is wrong and no change is needed. We are poor but ladder position and winning games gives false sense of security.

Could be our downfall this season.

% doesn’t tend to lie

 

[On the quiet]

Expecting 100% of votes for Hugh tonight. His night, truly an all-time game. Having a career best year and hope he gets rewarded with an AA spot.

Ashcroft lifted in the 4th when needed, so did Morris & Lohmann. The boys need to work on their mental in these sort of matches.

agree re McClug. Fantastic game.
We rely upon a 2nd year player in Morris, but he is doing so well.
Said last week, thought Kai might be over coming his injuries and looked like getting back to some form.
Thought Zac and Noah were also pretty good, so those are my best 5, but there were a couple others like Ashcroft and Berry that played pretty well.

Thought Lester was very good last Q. Payne had a bit of an off night, but has had a very good year thus far, but looked a little off the pace last night. I actually posted earlier in the week, maybe give him a rest to get ready for Crows, Giants and Cats.