To properly research this clash, I rang the AFL to confirm the starting time for the game, and they replied "What time can you get there?"
Later it was set at 4.40pm on Sunday (or 9.40am in my neck of the woods).
So this promises to be an intriguing match with a lock-in crowd attending.
In reality, this will be a contest of several potential new stars on each side, with the good guys already having five Rising Star nominees, and Brisvegas with two: Eric Hipwood and Hugh McCluggage. On the injury front, the Lions are faring well, with only Mitch Robinson missing of those guaranteed being nominated in their best side. For Carlton it's a different story, with key players Cripps, Ed Curnow, Caleb Marchbank and possibly David Cuningham (as usual the club has been deafening in its silence on the severity of his hip injury), Tom Williamson (listed as 'one week', but who the hell knows what's really happening) and Dale Thomas out.
The match ups:
In the engine room Brisbane have a decided advantage, with quality players such as Zorko, Rockliff and Dayne Beams leading the way. For us the picture's not so rosy. Gibbs and Murphy are having outstanding seasons, but then the depth of quality drops away dramatically. Kerridge, Boekhorst and Graham are honest toilers, but normally wouldn't be in our best twenty-two. Fisher is undoubtedly going to be brilliant in the future, but it's late in the season and he will likely start to feel the pinch at some stage. Zorko can cause the most damage, so in the absence of Ed Curnow, it will be up to Kerridge or Graham to keep him quiet. The ruck will be the most entertaining pairing, with both Kreuzer and Martin quality players. Krooz has been in All-Australian form, so I expect him to add another scalp to his belt, especially as the promising Archie Smith isn't in their team to provide Martin relief.
Our defence will, as usual, do a sterling job. We have depth down back that must be the envy of most other clubs. Jones' story has been well documented. Docherty, Simpson, Weitering and Plowman have all had good seasons, and Alex Silvagni has been rejuvenated beyond all expectation. They should compete well against the northerner attack, but there's polish in that group, with Hipwood showing huge talent and Schache looking like he's got his mind right having re-committed to the club. This provides for some interesting match-ups, with Jones probably going to Hipwood and Weitering renewing acquaintances with Schache. Keeping Lewis Taylor quiet will be a challenge, and Plowman is likely to have first opportunity.
Up forward things are looking marginally brighter for us since the start of the season. The emergence of Charlie Curnow has made our attack more dynamic, and Jack Silvagni's work rate has been outstanding through the year. Casboult has been the usual mixed bag. A marking battering ram some weeks, he is still inconsistent. Levi's made improvements in his accuracy, but 24 goals from sixteen games is hardly a massive return and he doesn't seem to be bringing the ball to ground as effectively for our crumbers as he was earlier in the year. The Brions defence has been improving progressively through 2017, with Chris Fagan getting them to work much better as a unit. While they don't have the equivalent of a Sam Docherty in their line-up, their disposal out of the back half is getting better each week. Witherden looks a real talent, and Andrews, Cutler and Walker combine well.
Team changes:
Williamson and Cuningham to come in if fit, and this looks like the right sort of game to give Harry McKay his first run. I didn't see the Northern game this week, but it seems he got his hands on the pill a bit more during ruck time and it seems he did ok.
The 'outs' from the Dishlicker's game have to include Sumner. He's ok when he gets it, but six possessions and zero tackles are all too familiar statistics for him. Weitering is looking sluggish and maybe should have at least a week or two off. Macreadie had a good game for Northern and can replace Weitering, and maybe Armfield can come in for a swan song game in replacement for Sumner (assuming Thomas and Cuningham aren't available).
If Williamson is available, bring him in for Graham or Boekhorst. Graham tries hard, but he's too slow with his decision making, and his execution is very average.
Last time we met:
Brisbane got out to a seven goal lead just after half-time late last season and held on to win by four points, with inaccuracy costing us dearly: 15-9-99 to 13-17-95.
We've lost four of the last five games against this mob, with our last win in June last year at Etihad by 38 points.
Overall our record against them since they merged with Fitzroy is 15-16.
Prediction:
In the weeks leading up to this contest, I'd had it penciled in as a guaranteed win, but now I'm not so confident. Brisbane can be a fragile unit, but as their come-from-behind win over the Bummers at Etihad demonstrated, there's some good talent coming through and Fagan is instilling belief.
However, as good a job as the new Lions coach has done, Bolton has done better.
Overall, the crucial injuries of Cripps and Ed Curnow mean we're up against it. The quality of the opposition's mid-field means that delivery into their forward line will be strong, so our defence will, yet again, be the determining factor. The loss against the Bulldogs exposed our lack of depth and class in the middle, and Brisbane might be good enough to cause the same problem.
Sad to say, but I'm tipping the Bears by two goals.
Later it was set at 4.40pm on Sunday (or 9.40am in my neck of the woods).
So this promises to be an intriguing match with a lock-in crowd attending.
In reality, this will be a contest of several potential new stars on each side, with the good guys already having five Rising Star nominees, and Brisvegas with two: Eric Hipwood and Hugh McCluggage. On the injury front, the Lions are faring well, with only Mitch Robinson missing of those guaranteed being nominated in their best side. For Carlton it's a different story, with key players Cripps, Ed Curnow, Caleb Marchbank and possibly David Cuningham (as usual the club has been deafening in its silence on the severity of his hip injury), Tom Williamson (listed as 'one week', but who the hell knows what's really happening) and Dale Thomas out.
The match ups:
In the engine room Brisbane have a decided advantage, with quality players such as Zorko, Rockliff and Dayne Beams leading the way. For us the picture's not so rosy. Gibbs and Murphy are having outstanding seasons, but then the depth of quality drops away dramatically. Kerridge, Boekhorst and Graham are honest toilers, but normally wouldn't be in our best twenty-two. Fisher is undoubtedly going to be brilliant in the future, but it's late in the season and he will likely start to feel the pinch at some stage. Zorko can cause the most damage, so in the absence of Ed Curnow, it will be up to Kerridge or Graham to keep him quiet. The ruck will be the most entertaining pairing, with both Kreuzer and Martin quality players. Krooz has been in All-Australian form, so I expect him to add another scalp to his belt, especially as the promising Archie Smith isn't in their team to provide Martin relief.
Our defence will, as usual, do a sterling job. We have depth down back that must be the envy of most other clubs. Jones' story has been well documented. Docherty, Simpson, Weitering and Plowman have all had good seasons, and Alex Silvagni has been rejuvenated beyond all expectation. They should compete well against the northerner attack, but there's polish in that group, with Hipwood showing huge talent and Schache looking like he's got his mind right having re-committed to the club. This provides for some interesting match-ups, with Jones probably going to Hipwood and Weitering renewing acquaintances with Schache. Keeping Lewis Taylor quiet will be a challenge, and Plowman is likely to have first opportunity.
Up forward things are looking marginally brighter for us since the start of the season. The emergence of Charlie Curnow has made our attack more dynamic, and Jack Silvagni's work rate has been outstanding through the year. Casboult has been the usual mixed bag. A marking battering ram some weeks, he is still inconsistent. Levi's made improvements in his accuracy, but 24 goals from sixteen games is hardly a massive return and he doesn't seem to be bringing the ball to ground as effectively for our crumbers as he was earlier in the year. The Brions defence has been improving progressively through 2017, with Chris Fagan getting them to work much better as a unit. While they don't have the equivalent of a Sam Docherty in their line-up, their disposal out of the back half is getting better each week. Witherden looks a real talent, and Andrews, Cutler and Walker combine well.
Team changes:
Williamson and Cuningham to come in if fit, and this looks like the right sort of game to give Harry McKay his first run. I didn't see the Northern game this week, but it seems he got his hands on the pill a bit more during ruck time and it seems he did ok.
The 'outs' from the Dishlicker's game have to include Sumner. He's ok when he gets it, but six possessions and zero tackles are all too familiar statistics for him. Weitering is looking sluggish and maybe should have at least a week or two off. Macreadie had a good game for Northern and can replace Weitering, and maybe Armfield can come in for a swan song game in replacement for Sumner (assuming Thomas and Cuningham aren't available).
If Williamson is available, bring him in for Graham or Boekhorst. Graham tries hard, but he's too slow with his decision making, and his execution is very average.
Last time we met:
Brisbane got out to a seven goal lead just after half-time late last season and held on to win by four points, with inaccuracy costing us dearly: 15-9-99 to 13-17-95.
We've lost four of the last five games against this mob, with our last win in June last year at Etihad by 38 points.
Overall our record against them since they merged with Fitzroy is 15-16.
Prediction:
In the weeks leading up to this contest, I'd had it penciled in as a guaranteed win, but now I'm not so confident. Brisbane can be a fragile unit, but as their come-from-behind win over the Bummers at Etihad demonstrated, there's some good talent coming through and Fagan is instilling belief.
However, as good a job as the new Lions coach has done, Bolton has done better.
Overall, the crucial injuries of Cripps and Ed Curnow mean we're up against it. The quality of the opposition's mid-field means that delivery into their forward line will be strong, so our defence will, yet again, be the determining factor. The loss against the Bulldogs exposed our lack of depth and class in the middle, and Brisbane might be good enough to cause the same problem.
Sad to say, but I'm tipping the Bears by two goals.
