Preview Round 14: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

[Kabanna]

Okay I'm pretty new to this whole preview writing thing so bare with me.. haha.

Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants, round 14: Saturday June 24th, 2017 at 4.35pm. Get to the Gabba everyone! Unfortunately we lost to Port Adelaide by 40 last week, while GWS had the bye. What happens next? Do we:
a. throw in the towel and accept that the 2017 wooden spoon is headed to Brisbane, or
b. throw everything at the Giants this weekend knowing we have nothing to lose?

Personally I hope we do the latter as I usually do.. this is going to be a huuuuge task though. We're 18th on the ladder and they're in 2nd, and the only loss they've suffered since round 1, was by 1 point to Carlton. We've played them at the Gabba 4 times for 2 wins and 2 losses.

One thing that could make a small difference is match fitness... We have a 2 man injury list, while at the moment the Giants list is up to 13 players - 6 of whom made the trip up for round 17 last year when they (sadly) flogged us by 79 points. Josh Kelly, Nick Haynes and Rory Lobb are in that group - they contributed 6 goals between them that day (with Kelly also getting 26 touches). You would imagine that particular attention will need to be paid to these 3 if they are fit enough to be selected this weekend (though I have read that Haynes will be likely playing in the NEAFL). As for us - well Dayne Zorko is 7th in the afl.com.au official AFL player ratings for a good reason and the Giants would definitely be doing their homework on him. It'll also be interesting to see if Josh Schache's 5 goal haul in the NEAFL will be enough to earn him a spot in the seniors team this week. I'm looking forward to seeing him back in action now he's re-signed, especially to see what forward line magic he can create together with Eric Hipwood!

What am I personally looking for this game? I'm not sure that we will win this time, but if we put in a decent 4 quarter effort then I believe we can certainly give them a run for their money. That's a big if though.

This time I'll say Giants by 45.

 

[Viceregal]

You are already ahead of the last three previews - you actually included when the game will be on!

 

[Kabanna]

You are already ahead of the last three previews - you actually included when the game will be on!

Haha. They were pretty accurate previews though!

 

[Viceregal]

Haha. They were pretty accurate previews though!

Hey your first line seemed to indicate some encouragement would be in order and, since that was something I had felt the lack of in the last couple, was what sprung to mind!

(ie I was being nice to you not giving them a hard time...)

 

[Dylan12]

In the Mix: Who's a chance for Round 14?

LIONS Senior Coach Chris Fagan is unlikely to make many changes for Saturday's match against Greater Western Sydney after last week's competitive showing against Port Adelaide, with every player making a solid contribution.

One man who put his name up though was young forward Josh Schache, who regained some form with five goals in the NEAFL to help the Lions thump the Southport Sharks by 150 points. Fagan may opt, however, to give Schache a couple more weeks in the NEAFL to build his confidence and fitness heading into the back half of the season.

Rohan Bewick, Tom Bell and Cedric Cox also impressed at the lower level and will come into consideration.

GWS Big man Rory Lobb could be available to take on the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday after missing the past three matches with a groin injury. The exciting forward should come in if he can get through training this week without any mishaps.

With star midfielder Josh Kelly (hip) in doubt for the trip north, GWS academy product Jeremy Finlayson could be in line for his debut after continuing his outstanding form with 34 possessions in his last NEAFL outing before last week's bye, while veteran Tendai Mzungu and forward Daniel Lloyd are also a chance to be recalled.

Defender Nick Haynes and draftee Will Setterfield should make their returns this week after long stints on the sidelines. Haynes hasn't played since hurting a hamstring tendon against the Western Bulldogs in round six, while Setterfield has been missing since suffering a syndesmosis injury to his ankle in the NEAFL in round three. Both players are likely to play in the reserves on managed game time if they can prove their fitness during the week.

 

[Colonial]

Just to keep our game thread clean.

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/index.php?threads/1164079/

Cheers and good luck Saturday

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[Caiphus]

Do we have a mid season rookie upgrade available?

 

[WheildonTheAxe]

Nice review. GWS did actually also lose to St Kilda in round seven. They also only scrapped through against the tigers, pies and bulldogs (albeit with a bucket load of injuries)

 

[MSB ROYS]

I think we're a good chance.

 

[LongLion]

Lions by 1 point.

 

[jackess]

Lions to win (excluding red time scores).

 

[Dalions]

Lions to win (excluding red time scores).

Just like last week. Wooh!
40 point loss coming.

 

[harvester]

Quietly confident we can cause a big upset this weekend. I hope we keep the same team. I don't think anyone deserves to be dropped. Go lions!

 

[FFB1]

Interesting that in that in their past 7 games the biggest margin in one of GWSs games was 23 points, and that was a actually a loss to WBD. 4 of the 5 games they've won by less than 10pts, the other win being 16 over Essendon in round 11. And of course Carlton played out of their skin to knock them off by a point a couple of weeks ago.

Those 'stats' suggest we're a (very) minor chance of knocking them off if we too bring our A+ game and they bring their C grade game.

Unfortunately even if we bring out A game it's probably not going to be enough to beat them even if they bring their C game. Worry for me is that they are fresh off the bye and given their last six weeks has been very meh they'll come out all cylinders firing.

Would love to be proven wrong.

 

[dlanod]

Interesting that in that in their past 7 games the biggest margin in one of GWSs games was 23 points, and that was a actually a loss to WBD.

Saints, not WBD?

I think if we play like we did against Freo and Port we've got our best chance of an upset for a while now. GWS can struggle under intense midfield pressure (cf: Adelaide, Bulldogs, Collingwood) and they're also susceptible to strong intercept marking in defence (cf: Carlton). We might be able to muster the former if everyone is at the top of their game, but we might struggle with the latter. I have a feeling that our defensive depth is going to be exposed by one of Patton, Cameron and/or Greene and that will be the difference.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I wouldn't be against swapping Witherden for Harzy.

 

[jackess]

I wouldn't be against swapping Witherden for Harzy.

Would give us 9 or 10 backmen. Cutler and NRobbo would be released to the wings. Or Witherden.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Would give us 9 or 10 backmen. Cutler and NRobbo would be released to the wings. Or Witherden.

I think the wing would suit a young guy in his first senior game.

 

[Kabanna]

Nice review. GWS did actually also lose to St Kilda in round seven. They also only scrapped through against the tigers, pies and bulldogs (albeit with a bucket load of injuries)

Haha my bad.. just goes to show how much notice I don't really take of them

 

[Kevvo]

Saints, not WBD?

I think if we play like we did against Freo and Port we've got our best chance of an upset for a while now. GWS can struggle under intense midfield pressure (cf: Adelaide, Bulldogs, Collingwood) and they're also susceptible to strong intercept marking in defence (cf: Carlton). We might be able to muster the former if everyone is at the top of their game, but we might struggle with the latter. I have a feeling that our defensive depth is going to be exposed by one of Patton, Cameron and/or Greene and that will be the difference.

I'm optimistic about our backline this week. Looking at it with my hopeful glasses on, I feel like we have decent matchups but interested to hear your take. I would've said:

• Andrews on Patton- Patton is obviously a lot more powerful, but Harris's reach did a number on Lynch and Dixon who are both pretty strong bodied types.
  
  
• McStay on Cameron- McStay is pretty athletic and seems to have struggled worst with players who can out-body him. To my eye, Cameron isn't so much that type. Also, from memory, McStay did a decent job on Cameron in that game where he cracked Mathieson's jaw IIRC. My biggest concern is that McStay leaps into packs trying to help out by spoiling or marking and, if he's not on, can let a few over the back which Cameron would eat up. Probably a reductive evaluation of Cameron though.
  

• Gardiner on Greene- Inside 50 I feel like Greene is exactly the type of forward Gardiner likes to play on. Both are pretty antagonistic types though, so I guess there is a risk Gardiner gets drawn into some counterproductive agro. To his credit he's been better at that lately though.

 

[dlanod]

McStay on Cameron is the match-up I'm most worried about. McStay still has those mind lapses where he loses track of his opponent. Do that against Cameron in the forward 50 and it's a goal.

Patton is a bit out of form and is never helped by the Giants' effort to drop the ball on his head.

Greene is always good these days, but Gardiner is as close as we can get to the perfect match-up for him.

 

[jackess]

McStay on Cameron is the match-up I'm most worried about. McStay still has those mind lapses where he loses track of his opponent. Do that against Cameron in the forward 50 and it's a goal.

Patton is a bit out of form and is never helped by the Giants' effort to drop the ball on his head.

Greene is always good these days, but Gardiner is as close as we can get to the perfect match-up for him.

Is Buddy the only tall to kick a bag against us this season? I think Dixon kicked 4 the first time we played them. I think the team defends pretty well against those taller forwards.

 

[dlanod]

Is Buddy the only tall to kick a bag against us this season? I think Dixon kicked 4 the first time we played them. I think the team defends pretty well against those taller forwards.

I'm not convinced "the team" does. I think Andrews does. He wasn't on Buddy, but he was on Dixon last week for example.

 

[jackess]

I'm not convinced "the team" does. I think Andrews does. He wasn't on Buddy, but he was on Dixon last week for example.

That's probably fair. Andrews has played well on Lynch, Walker and Dixon last week while McStay has struggled on Buddy and Dixon earlier in the season.

I wouldn't mind McStay on Patton but I'm not sure Andrews is suited to Cameron. Hopefully someone can fill the dangerous space in front of Cameron which we couldn't do last week to Gray.

 

[dlanod]

Cameron has played a lot higher this year than previous years. I wouldn't mind seeing Andrews run with him - after all he did a fair effort on Dixon when he pulled the same trick. It just seems that like for like the matchups tend to line up as mentioned before.