Review Round 17, 2023 - Brisbane Lions vs. West Coast

[briztoon]

West Coast fans aren’t happy they parked the bus after the first quarter.

 

[M Malice]

I am a little nonplussed that only 58% of voters in the poll had Hugh McGluggage as one of their Fab5, I thought he was sensational.

 

[buttermuffs]

West Coast fans aren’t happy they parked the bus after the first quarter.

It’s a lose lose situation. Either they lose by 150 and have a crack or try to slow it down and lose by 80. Obviously you want to have a crack but that would have been the third loss by 100+ in the last four games. It’s just a whole s**t show right now and this loss generates less negative press than a much worse belting.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

I thought we missed an opportunity - and dissed a young man trying to make his way. The game was well over half way thru the 3rd quarter, and that is when I thought we should have made the substitution. Let Kai have a decent run at it.

Zorko is far more likely to be a major part of our finals campaign than Kai is. I'm sure the balance between match fitness and injury management is a tricky one to balance for guys at the back end of their career.

I am a little nonplussed that only 58% of voters in the poll had Hugh McGluggage as one of their Fab5, I thought he was sensational.

Best on, I thought.

 

[BuntonRules]

Zorko is far more likely to be a major part of our finals campaign than Kai is. I'm sure the balance between match fitness and injury management is a tricky one to balance for guys at the back end of their career.



Best on, I thought.

Don't reckon 1 quarter of footy in round 17 is going to make much difference.

 

[lioninthesand]

Burying the lede here. They DID make it defensive and a slog after QT. We still missed a fair few gettable shots, but if they didn’t shut it down after QT it would’ve been an absolute blowout similar to the Sydney game.

We were able to move the ball with such freedom and ease in the first quarter that it wasn’t even a contest, so after that they parked players behind the ball and it became a grind.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

They controlled the ball with a chip mark game and tried to starve us of opportunity where they could. But their pressure was average, we constantly moved between the arcs with ease and there were often 1 on 1s in deep 50.

Yes - they took a ‘minimise the damage’ approach but it wasn’t implemented very well and their ‘shut down’ is being over inflated.

We were our own worst enemy really, left at least 6-7 east goals on the table had we just been cleaner forward of center.

Lots to like but our final connection piece is still a worry.

 

[Gadzorks]

Players have different mentalities and motivations, they're not robotic metronomes.

I played soccer most of my life and a few years of competitive squash, I was someone that played at the same intensity no matter what the score line said, behind or in front made no difference to me, however most of my team mates did not have the same frame of mind.

Which must mean I am a robotic, emotionless metronome.

Metronomes are very useful.

That's actually a skill athlete's train and develop. You were ahead of the curve.

 

[beatnik]

West Coasts last 3 away games the combined margin was over 400 points against Hawthorn, Adelaide and Sydney

We can stop justifying not winning by more in any comparison to other games

Trolls gonna troll

 

[Brett C]

How closely do other teams designated attacking half backs stick to their opponents?

Kiddy had our second most intercept possessions on the weekend and we know how damaging he is with the footy

So by that logic Rich should be given the same leeway in defence, how many key forwards are expected to apply the forward pressure that Gunston is?

Coleman is below average for intercept possessions across the season and not sure being damaging by foot means he should get the pass he does for being poor defensively both in effort and execution.

 

[luthor]

I'll own up and admit that at the game, I got pretty frustrated with the number of opportunities we seemed to blow and with some of our wasteful goal kicking.

Upon reflection though, it was smart management of resources NOT to bust our collective guts in pursuit of some meaningless record score. Winning a flag is a long game. A feel good 150+ point belting of a substandard opponent with seven Rounds and Finals to play wouldn't have enhanced our Premiership prospects one iota. Anyone who thinks otherwise or believes the "way" we won wasn't convincing enough is losing sight of the real objective.

As someone else rightly pointed out, the Swans somewhat self indulgent 205 point romp against the Weagles two weeks ago didn't reflect their true form at all. Played like crap at home in that awful 58 all draw against a struggling Cats. Then couldn't get over Richmond who we swatted away like a fly while they were stumbling and bumbling their way against the Cats.

So I'm quite satisfied to have got away with a more than handy percentage booster with no new (apparent) injuries or suspensions.

 

[Nathan Barley]

So by that logic Rich should be given the same leeway in defence, how many key forwards are expected to apply the forward pressure that Gunston is?

Coleman is below average for intercept possessions across the season and not sure being damaging by foot means he should get the pass he does for being poor defensively both in effort and execution.

Rich is, Gunston and key forwards are. Watch more footy

 

[Big Sauce 21]

I have no issue with Coleman. Always looks like he pops up in good areas.

 

[BrisVegasDru]

I’d also like to make it known that Gunners kicked 6.2 in 3 QUARTERS OF FOOTY.

Had he not had the head clash he would have kicked 10+

Probably would have kicked less against the Bullants..

 

[T Rick]

The most important thing to me was that he just looked FIT today. Quality of opposition be damned, because he played pretty terribly against other lower ranked teams earlier in the year as well - because he wasn’t fit. He played well today and part of it was probably the quality of defence, sure, but above all else he looked a) fit and b) hungry. He doesn’t need to kick 6 every week, but as long as he makes a contest.

His first quarter until he got that nasty head knock was amazing - he was running on top of the ground and popping up everywhere.

 

[T Rick]

The style he had them play after quarter time meant it was only about damage limitation, not actually kicking scores.
But I do think our defence has turned into one of the best in the league.

Fascinating development from pre-season because it was our defence that was perceived as the weak link in our team structure and our forwards who were one of the best set ups in the AFL. Our set shot kicking drives me to distraction - it is just so unreliable...we must have missed at least 8 regulation set shots yesterday.

 

[Brett C]

Rich is, Gunston and key forwards are. Watch more footy

I was talking about by supporters on here but I wouldn’t expect you to get that.

In between the 100+ comments you make during a game I’m surprised you have time to watch the games

 

[Haso]

There's a concerning number of Very Upset people in this thread with a poor understanding of reality.

Just like always.

 

[Ad Astra]

There's not many chances to bulldoze a team scoring >150 points.

And especially less once it has happened to them a few weeks before and they are desperate to rather park the bus and take a more 'honorable loss'.

Fages said in his presser all he wanted was us to punch them in the nose right from the start and stun them, not allowing them any hope to make it competitive, then hold them off (I'm obviously paraphrasing here ). I'm happy with that, get some percentage, get no injuries etc etc.

People talk about Dusty and Petracca being explosive in traffic.. dusty with his fend offs...
Have a look at our boy Rayner. Not only does he get out of tackles with sheer brute force, he fends off and gets clear of the pack. at speed!
My word the speed in which he entered the contest, shrugged clear and got free was so great to watch. At the end of that he is disposing to our advantage really well.

Now if he could just get that same efficiency finishing off with a goal

McCluggage, too was entering contests at speed and such a great player. Built into the season marvelously.

Ashcroft with the obtuse angled kick (i forget maths.. forgive me) was flashy, not sure if a handball wouldn't have worked just as well though

A cute kick, to be sure, if a little obtuse, given he had space. But his angle was right.
I’ll see myself out.

 

[Dalions]

It wasn't about the points difference but the way we played. We've had significant flaws which haven't allowed us to stand up in finals. Yesterday was another chance to execute at a level that would stand up in finals and we didnt IMO.

That's the disappointment from yesterday

It’s hard to execute a finals type of game plan when the team you are playing are so bad that they do everything they can to keep your hands off the ball to minimise damage.

 

[SRH17]

Clever

 

[Nathan Barley]

It’s hard to execute a finals type of game plan when the team you are playing are so bad that they do everything they can to keep your hands off the ball to minimise damage.

Sounds like good practice for late in a game when the opposition is trying to protect a lead

 

[Dalions]

Sounds like good practice for late in a game when the opposition is trying to protect a lead

Completely different situation but yeah they should have pushed up a bit to force them down the line.
And our blokes really didn’t need to have the urgency to do that in all honesty.

 

[AFLQLD]

I thought it was interesting at the game that Lester’s role is continuing to be developed and refined and his football smarts come to the fore in a lot in subtle ways.

Quite a few times coming out of defence he was the one who determined where and how fast we counterattacked. He directed players three or four times in a single sequence where he wanted the next kick to go. And then often, when we moved the ball faster it was because he made it happen, either because of his run, his own work off the ball to draw opposition defenders to open up the opposition defensive lines or his directing other players where they should run.

As the game went on and it became a competitive game simulation of sorts I watched his work quite closely and he really is helping the rebounding defenders a lot I think, Wilmot, McKenna and Kiddy especially. It seems from a distance like they gave faith in him. He is like Hodge 2.0 back there, which I think someone here made a comment about recently.

On TV much of what he did would have not been very apparent. But watching live, he involves himself much more than might be obvious.

 

[FLVanLandingham]

my word can you imagine this forum when Froggy Lester coaches us to the 2035 premiership....

 

[BuntonRules]

There's a concerning number of Very Upset people in this thread with a poor understanding of reality.

Just like always.

Just another good reason to come here

my word can you imagine this forum when Froggy Lester coaches us to the 2035 premiership....

More and more thinking coaching would be a natural progression for Froggy. Do hope we keep him after he hangs up the boots.

And thanx to AFLQLD for the great work