Preview Round 20 - Brisbane Lions vs Western Bulldogs - Saturday 5 August 2017

Remove this Banner Ad

Status
Not open for further replies.
We have 5 players from last years draft playing tomorrow, couldn't image that many 1st year players playing in the same game happening too often over the years. Realistically Corey Lyons is the only other 1st year player who could come in over the next 3 games.
 
Eons said:
Correct. In a draft where the only other defender of any note was McStay and he would have played in the same team as Boyd, think they went to the same school. It was a terrible draft for defenders.
Click to expand...
May be why Boyd was 'overrated' and has not really gone on. Because in his junior years was playing on defenders that mostly weren't up to scratch.
 
Dlions said:
May be why Boyd was 'overrated' and has not really gone on. Because in his junior years was playing on defenders that mostly weren't up to scratch.
Click to expand...

Makes sense. Looking through that draft there are no defenders of any note who would have played against Boyd.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

3KZ is Football said:
Hilarious! Couldn't say "RIGHT" - just like Fonzi couldn't say "SORRY"
OK, you win. As we say in the Over 50s Clique, "Happy MacMum, happy life."
Click to expand...

I think you might be wr wr wr wr ... not right on the word Arthur could not utter very well!
 
jason pm said:
Heeeyy! The Fonz was a cool good looking guy and all, brave as well, could jump sharks but Laverne and Shirley were more my style.
Click to expand...
I was a massive fan of Lenny and Squiggy. They were very funny.
IMG_3727.JPG
 
MacMum said:
Ahh the Fonz:hearts:

Every young girl's fantasy ....back in the day!:D
Click to expand...

I thought the girls all liked Chachi...well Joanie did anyway.

jason pm said:
Heeeyy! The Fonz was a cool good looking guy and all, brave as well, could jump sharks but Laverne and Shirley were more my style.
Click to expand...

Shirley:hearts:

Happy Days spun off two classic sitcoms - the other being Mork & Mindy
 
Last edited:

(Log in to remove this ad.)

jason pm said:
We have 5 players from last years draft playing tomorrow, couldn't image that many 1st year players playing in the same game happening too often over the years. Realistically Corey Lyons is the only other 1st year player who could come in over the next 3 games.
Click to expand...
At any other time I'd say we were tanking with this stat, but as our list stands I reckon all five deserve their spots in our best 22.
 
To be honest there are patches in every game we play at the moment where you could single out every defender we have and question how good they are. Over the last few weeks - even the game against Carlton both Andrews and Witherden had periods that, if you took in isolation, would look poor.

The way our midfeild can leak at times puts huge pressure on our back 6 - and it's almost a given that whoever screws up at the most critical time in a game gets to be that weeks BF backline whipping boy. Gardiner can lose confidence for sure - but at times the ball rains down on those guys like there's not a soul up field. And not matter who you are you'll sooner or later tire or drop your head.

Perhaps the biggest tell on Gardiner is that Mayes, Robbo, Andrews and McStay this year have really developed - and it appears Gardiner hasn't to the same extent. But he's also carried a lot of injuries in the recent past which has to have hindered his progress. It seems to me he's fallen 12 months behind the others, and hasn't quite got his confidence back.

But as a scrapper style defender his fills a gap for us that no one else quite does.
 
bungalow_bill said:
Happy Days spun off two classic sitcoms - the other being Mork & Mindy
Click to expand...

I once had a conversation with a girl who had never seen Happy Days and foolishly tried to explain it - not a good idea :(

Worse though was "Well there is this guy Mork who came to earth from the planet Ork in a flying egg ... nevermind"
 
SizeMatters said:
I think he loses confidence fairly quickly poor Gardiner. Watch him and you will notice it. Once his opponent gets an early mark or goal on him he starts to change his body positioning and his awareness drops off to the point that he almost exclusively watches his man and not the ball incoming. It just makes it so much harder when you are a second behind the play... probably why he gets a lot of free kicks against him as he scrags and holds his opponent as soon as they react to an incoming ball. Doesn't help that he isn't exactly an athletic type either.
Click to expand...

For me it's that I can't recall seeing him break a line or hit an awesome kick to get us on an impressive rebound. I'm sure it's happened, I just can't recall.

Shut down (only) defenders are kinda a thing of the past. Along with the incredibly quick rebounders like JJ and Saad, key defenders like Rance have shown what a difference it makes when they can provide run or get go. This worries me about seeing Andrews handball off so much actually. A bit the same as in cricket, we hope for bowlers to be able to bat a bit and vice versa. These guys need to have their offensive skills developed and be encouraged to take risks.

Our forwards need defensive pressure...

Our backs need offensive drive...

McStay, yes. Mayes, yes. Witherden, yes. Andrews, needs to be encouraged. Cox, yes. Rich, well he isn't really a defender. NRobbo, yes. Gardiner... nope.
This is why despite (for example) McStay being outdone sometimes in defence, we stay positive. It's one of the reasons Joel Patfull was a gun.

Meanwhile if Gardiner gets done defensively, because he offers 0 in attack, it's frustrating. A liability.

With this in mind, I think he should be sent back to NEAFL and played as a half forward, wing or midfielder for a while.

At the same time, I think we should be preparing Cutler to hopefully play this role. He's quick but relatively tall, has rebound potential and with a bit of work could develop a stronger defensive game.

A defensive unit of:
- Andrews
- Mayes
- Witherden
- Robertson
- Cox
- Rich
- McStay (or he may be forward)
- Skinner (or he may be forward)
- Walker (when required)
Would be well supplemented by a third tall type defender with an offensive game, and for mine that will be either Gardiner or Cutler.... or maybe Dawson will mature, or Paparone both get a bit tougher and learn to kick flatter.

I hope it's Cutler, as I think his wing spot will be taken by Allison.

So a 2018 side:
- McStay, Andrews, Rich
- Robertson, Mayes, Witherden
- Allison, Berry, McCluggage
- Cameron, Taylor, Robinson
- Schache, Hipwood, Christensen
- Martin, Zorko, DBeams

Int:
Cox
1 of Walker/Skinner/Smith depending on opposition.
1 of Cutler/Gardiner depending on who develops.
Rockliff or 1 of Keays/Bastinac/Mathieson if he goes.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

ZoBlitz
  • Poll
Review Round 5, 2024 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions
13 14 15 16 17
Replies
414
Views
13K
martinson
martinson
ZoBlitz
  • Locked
Game Day Round 5, 2024 - Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions
21 22 23 24 25
Replies
603
Views
8K
Jivlain
Jivlain
rye
  • Locked
Preview Brisbane Lions v Geelong Round 6 (Saturday 20 April 7:30PM @ Gabba)
5 6 7 8 9
Replies
201
Views
6K
ZoBlitz
ZoBlitz
ZoBlitz
  • Poll
Review Round 7, 2024 - GWS vs. Brisbane Lions
3 4 5 6 7
Replies
158
Views
4K
martinson
martinson
ZoBlitz
  • Locked
Game Day Round 7, 2024 - GWS vs. Brisbane Lions
25 26 27 28 29
Replies
710
Views
11K
ZoBlitz
ZoBlitz
ZoBlitz
  • Poll
Review Round 6, 2024 - Brisbane Lions vs. Geelong
9 10 11 12 13
Replies
302
Views
9K
Grasshopper17
G
ZoBlitz
  • Locked
Game Day Round 6, 2024 - Brisbane Lions vs. Geelong
14 15 16 17 18
Replies
444
Views
6K
ZoBlitz
ZoBlitz

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top