Preview Round 14 - North Melbourne vs Brisbane Lions @ Bellerive Oval - Saturday 19/6/2021 4:35pm

[bungalow_bill]

While they weren’t as dominate as their 3-peat years, we still beat them twice in 2018. That year we finished bottom 4, the Hawks were a top 4 team.

Fair enough. they were pretty ordinary that year for a top 4 team.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Noble will know our game plan better than most. That’s a concern. As a few people have mentioned, we certainly looked a move ahead of Hawthorn when Fages arrived.

We tend to play quite well in Tasmania, and by virtue of the last few pre seasons there, Hobart shouldn’t hold too many fears. I’d actually prefer playing there than at Marvel.

We need to get on top early because if they get a sniff, belief will grow. We should get enough chances as they can butcher the ball better than most. The more ball in the hands of Ziebell and Walker coming out of defence, the better for us. Both love the big booming no-look throw on the boot.

Our midfield is obviously below strength with our outs but I don’t rate their brigade. LDU goes AWOL for extended periods of time. Simpkin is extremely overrated - very vanilla. Cunnington obviously a threat. Powell looks a good one as well.

Hopefully our class shines through. We need our quality users like Hugh, Rich, Starce, and Bailey to be spotting up targets inside 50. Do they have anyone to go with Charlie?

Cunnington is very hard to tag. Simpkin is someone who butchers the ball big time. Pressure him.

Zurhar is the North barometer and it will be another big job for Starc.

 

[jackess]

Cunnington is very hard to tag. Simpkin is someone who butchers the ball big time. Pressure him.

Zurhar is the North barometer and it will be another big job for Starc.

Starce to Zurhaar and Madden (or Ah Chee) to Stephenson should take care of their smalls. Adams and Andrews on their talls

 

[Tom14]

While they weren’t as dominate as their 3-peat years, we still beat them twice in 2018. That year we finished bottom 4, the Hawks were a top 4 team.

One of the falsest top 4 teams of the last 15 years. I couldn't believe that they finished that high on the ladder that year.

 

[Tom14]

Starce to Zurhaar and Madden (or Ah Chee) to Stephenson should take care of their smalls. Adams and Andrews on their talls

Stephenson was playing wing earlier in the year, not sure what he did last week as I think it was his first game back.

 

[jackess]

Stephenson was playing wing earlier in the year, not sure what he did last week as I think it was his first game back.

Looked like he was playing forward a fair bit

 

[Gadzorks]

I like that we have not turned into a arrogant bunch of ....

Yes, we are a proven to four team, we are in form ATM and if we were other clubs that shall remained unnamed, we'd be leveling ridicule and insults at the opposition. Who are clearly not doing well.

Instead there is discussion about the game plan and respect for individual players.

It's nice.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Stephenson was playing wing earlier in the year, not sure what he did last week as I think it was his first game back.

Looked like he was playing forward a fair bit

Stephenson regularly gets into scoring positions but I think he is a wingman. Can carry the ball well but on ballers who hit the scoreboard worry me.

The Big O has the biggest job. Goldy is A class and has toweled us up in the past. He gets lot of centre clearances so Oscar has to follow up once the ball hits the ground. Joe's technique of staying down and then competing may work well.

 

[Warwick]

One of the falsest top 4 teams of the last 15 years. I couldn't believe that they finished that high on the ladder that year.

Regardless. We won 5 games in 2018. 2 of them were against Hawthorn.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Starce to Zurhaar and Madden (or Ah Chee) to Stephenson should take care of their smalls. Adams and Andrews on their talls

Cam is a contested beast who will bash & crash no matter who runs with him. I actually think it's better to play a damaging rebounder on him to draw away his focus. A kid that is starting to get noticed and is becoming an "influencer" is Jack Mahony. Keep an eye out for him.

There's a chance Luke McDonald will return for us.,

I hope to god almighty that we put a hard tag on Daniel Rich, because he gets far too much latitude from opposition clubs.

 

[Big Sauce 21]

No backline can defend free running ball movement. Midfield HAS to perform. This is true for all teams.

We had a couple of players well down on fitness/game speed and the rest were cooked from that.

The combination of our attacking defence set up doesn't help when this happens. We sit off the players and it kills us if they get a stoppage clearance on a platter, like what Gawn dished up last week. They are too slow and can't keep up. Think it's just as much the defenders than the mids when we have a loss. Forwards I feel are on point. Good mix of style defence and attack.

 

[Mr Taswegian]

Doe's anyone know how many members the lions have in Hobart and what sort of numbers for the team would likely attend on Saturday?

 

[Ralphy2017]

Only the possible wet weather and the cold of Hobart will get Nth within 30 points of us.

Even if underdone I would play Payne against Nth, IF available, as I think he will get more out of playing an AFL game then VFL against Southport. Likely he is underdone, so he could play less minutes than the other backs (like what currently occurs with Birchall). We also have a short turn around of 5 days until the cats on Thursday week, so more reason to 'rest' Birchall.

I would 'rest'/'manage' Birchall, so both Payne and Madden can play against a team running a clear last. Payne has played 7 or 8 AFL games in total and Madden 2 or 3, so both of them could do with some valuable exposure. Hopefully at least one of them is in the team, and Matho in for Zorks, I think he has been OK this year.

 

[The Substitute]

My best mate is a Kangas supporter and we'd planned to come to Melbourne from Hobart for this game.
We cancelled when the lockdown happened and assumed it was a moment lost. I'm stoked to have it down here, and I'll be there cheering the boys on like my life depends on it.
It sucks for our Melbourne friends, but I'm giddy with anticipation

 

[Mr Taswegian]

My best mate is a Kangas supporter and we'd planned to come to Melbourne from Hobart for this game.
We cancelled when the lockdown happened and assumed it was a moment lost. I'm stoked to have it down here, and I'll be there cheering the boys on like my life depends on it.
It sucks for our Melbourne friends, but I'm giddy with anticipation

Hopefully a lot more north members attend because less than half North's members were there on Sunday against GWS.

 

[LongLion]

Latest from our beloved premier ' The Premier revealed restrictions on travel to Greater Melbourne would also remain for another seven days' I'm guessing this will not include Geelong so should have no effect at this stage on next weeks game?

 

[davemc_lions]

hopefully not Geelong.
Be a hit to tourist places in QLD all the cold vics not travelling up for school holidays
We looked at going QLD in July earlier although knew we lockdown again

 

[Kernel Kurtz]

I like that we have not turned into a arrogant bunch of ....

Yes, we are a proven to four team, we are in form ATM and if we were other clubs that shall remained unnamed, we'd be leveling ridicule and insults at the opposition. Who are clearly not doing well.

Instead there is discussion about the game plan and respect for individual players.

It's nice.

Yeh well we could get ahead of ourselves and think we have made it , coming from the depths of loserville.
But I was thinkng about this lately and in reality although we have made ourselves a top four team , we haven't won a flag lately or made it to the big day, so if we miss making one of those in the next say 5 or so years and head down the ladder history will look at us like we are now looking at the pies as been so close but not good enough.
That's what keeps me seated anyway.
I do over think things though, luckily alcohol seems to remedy this problem.
Mmmm Beer

 

[Cubs2Lions]

 

[bato]

J Berry in? He's training with the senior boys in the latest video. Not a ressie player in sight.

 

[jackess]

J Berry in? He's training with the senior boys in the latest video. Not a ressie player in sight.

Couldn’t see Berry

 

[Tom14]

Couldn’t see Berry

The player at the end is Fullarton, so an indication that there were reserves players around as well.

 

[jackess]

The player at the end is Fullarton, so an indication that there were reserves players around.

I think the main squad each week is usually 25-26 players

 

[ForzaRoma]

J Berry in? He's training with the senior boys in the latest video. Not a ressie player in sight.

Fagan has said multiple times that Berry will be going through the reserves.

 

[Dalions]

J Berry in? He's training with the senior boys in the latest video. Not a ressie player in sight.

Poor Fages!