Preview Round 21 2021, Fremantle vs Brisbane Lions, Optus, Sunday 8th Aug 5:10pm AEST

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Apr 11, 2016
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Late sub in for my first preview;

After the game was moved earlier in the year to the GABBA due to COVID it seems the shoe is on the other foot with Brisbane in lockdown for at least the week and WA having crowds at the footy. It is no easy task to travel to Perth and play either WA side and last time we played Freo there in 2019 Walters hit the post after the siren to give them the win.

LAST TIME WE MET: Round 8 Lions 14.11 (95) to 10.11 (71)

We got on top of them early leading by 21 at quarter time and 34 at the half, Charlie lit it up kicking 3 goals 5 and taking 11 marks to put in his best performance of the year and who can forget this piece of magic by McCluggage.

mccluggage.gif


LAST WEEK

Lions:
Disappointing game overall papered over the cracks in the last quarter with a too little too late charge to give us a sniff late. The game was lost early with a lack of pressure around the ball, combined with poor ball movement gave us too much to do after giving up a big start. Hawks also made us look silly a few times breaking tackles and strolling the ball from D50 to F50. On a positive note McStay looks like he's put his goal kicking woes behind him (touch wood) kicking 4 straight taking his tally to 21 goals 7 for the year and Cockatoo hit some juicy corridor kicks and showed some glimpses of the player he can be.

Freo: Got over the line by 4 point in a nail-biter against the Tigers to keep their finals hopes alive and hopefully kill the Tigers chances. They shot themselves in the foot early kicking 2 goals 6 in the first quarter and could of put the game to bed if they had of converted their gettable chances. Andrew Brayshaw continued his outstanding year with another BOG performance with 39 touches 12 tackles and 8 clearances.

CHANGES

Lions:
No injuries for us but would like to see Prior in for Birchall and Robertson in for Madden
Freo: Will have 1 forced change with Banfield concussed but are unlikely for change a winning side

WHO WINS

Freo need to keep winning to stay in the finals hunt and on their home deck, with a vocal crowd the Lions will be in for a tough game especially if we don't bring our pressure around the ball and put a stamp on the game early.

I'd like to see Dev Robertson come back into the team as we have seen him do jobs on opposition players and Brayshaw was susceptible to a tag early in the year with Carlton and the Hawks keeping him quiet. Hopefully Charlie can find some form and play a similar game to earlier in the year and build some confidence running into finals.

Need to go back to the fundamental of our game style and bring the manic pressure and ferocity at the contest and hopefully the rest will build from there.
LIONS BY 21 with Charlie and Daniher to kick 4 a piece. 🦁🦁🦁🦁
 

knaf

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Should we consider resting Neale? Looks beaten up. Realistically top four out of reach. I don’t think we will win a final without him in top form.

I still want us to win every game, but realistically based on our current form we are making up the numbers in the final eight.

time to start thinking about next year? Should we give players likely to be cut at the end of the year one chance at AFL level. Thinking Joyce and BSmith. Not sure if they are with the travelling party. Joyce has been a consistent ball winning at VFL level but doesn’t seem to have the impact to demand a place in the 22. I haven’t seen BSmith play well but could “rest” Birchall and see if Smith shows anything at the next level.
 
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Nov 26, 2018
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Rip through it podcast mentioned that ruining other teams runs was used as motivation so Hawks were all about taking us out of finals with the added twist of how have we let them beat us at our home away from home.
Problem is that is not why Hawks won in my opinion
We were terrible and the Hawks improved a bit.
Just like the Tigers game.
Tigers were not that great but we were way off our best

Lions have spent too many years out of finals and near the bottom of the ladder.
Players need to lift not only for themselves but for the fans. Finals only a few weeks away so plenty to play for
If players don't lift pressure will start to shift to Fagan and his coaching staff

Amazingly the bookies have us favorites again. Lions $1.53 to Dockers $2.53
 

ForzaRoma

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Should we consider resting Neale? Looks beaten up. Realistically top four out of reach. I don’t think we will win a final without him in top form.

I still want us to win every game, but realistically based on our current form we are making up the numbers in the final eight.

time to start thinking about next year? Should we give players likely to be cut at the end of the year one chance at AFL level. Thinking Joyce and BSmith. Not sure if they are with the travelling party. Joyce has been a consistent ball winning at VFL level but doesn’t seem to have the impact to demand a place in the 22. I haven’t seen BSmith play well but could “rest” Birchall and see if Smith shows anything at the next level.
I know Fagan trusts his players, but he should put Neale out for the year. We're not winning a flag and Neale pushing through multiple injuries this year will only hurt his longetivity in the AFL. Look at Patty Cripps. He moves like an old man because Carlton weren't ballsy enough to give him time off. Let's not screw up Neale's prime years by having him pointless push through injuries when it really isn't that worth it. Let Matho take his role for the year and have Neale come back fresh for next year.
 

wantok

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We have looked very ordinary in the last 3 weeks since we lost Marcus Adams and resurrected the Birchall -Lester combo across half back. They are slow and our whole game has slowed as a consequence. We will not win a final with that combo.
Our choice of the inexperienced Madden as the speed factor just doesn't work when you are continually trying to generate attack while on the back foot and under stress. He is a front runner at this stage of his development. We are asking too much to expect him to be the attacking playmaker. Combine that with the omission of Dev and we lost speed and aggression in the midfield.
Hopefully we omit Birchall this week for Prior and Madden for Dev. I would like to see J. Berry given a run across half forward and Ah Chee to the wing to generate more run. Optus is a long ground. We will need pace and run or we will face a long day.

Sent from my CPH1920 using BigFooty.com mobile app
 

lioninthesand

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Rip through it podcast mentioned that ruining other teams runs was used as motivation so Hawks were all about taking us out of finals with the added twist of how have we let them beat us at our home away from home.

Yeah sweet, so we just roll over and let them do it.
 

lioninthesand

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I think we lose this. Freo have served it up to us the last couple of times we have met. Home ground, hard to defend its bigger width, the crowd behind them - and us with back to back travel and living in hotels again.

Plus, most importantly, our truely horrible form vs their win over the tigers and growing confidence.

We will lose by 30+ points.

Don't want to hear any BS about pessimism either. The evidence and formlines, plus our refusal/inability to change things lately, all points to a loss.
 
Apr 4, 2015
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I think we lose this. Freo have served it up to us the last couple of times we have met. Home ground, hard to defend its bigger width, the crowd behind them - and us with back to back travel and living in hotels again.

Plus, most importantly, our truely horrible form vs their win over the tigers and growing confidence.

We will lose by 30+ points.

Don't want to hear any BS about pessimism either. The evidence and formlines, plus our refusal/inability to change things lately, all points to a loss.
Form Schmorm.

The guys must have worked out by now that they're under the pump and we're good enough to win this game easily if they regroup and dig deep.

Test of character this week .
 

lioninthesand

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Form Schmorm.

The guys must have worked out by now that they're under the pump and we're good enough to win this game easily if they regroup and dig deep.

Test of character this week .

Yes, just waiting for the Boys to remember they are good has been a successful formular so far haha
 
Nov 26, 2018
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Getting closer but will they make it by r22


Marcus Adams Foot 1-2 weeks
Noah Answerth Groin TBC
Darcy Gardiner Shoulder 1-2 weeks
Eric Hipwood Knee Season
Harry Sharp Ankle Season
Cam Rayner Knee Season
Updated: Tuesday, August 3
 

jackess

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Getting closer but will they make it by r22


Marcus Adams Foot 1-2 weeks
Noah Answerth Groin TBC
Darcy Gardiner Shoulder 1-2 weeks
Eric Hipwood Knee Season
Harry Sharp Ankle Season
Cam Rayner Knee Season
Updated: Tuesday, August 3

I think that AFL list just subtracts a week off. It's not official from the club
 
I know Fagan trusts his players, but he should put Neale out for the year. We're not winning a flag and Neale pushing through multiple injuries this year will only hurt his longetivity in the AFL. Look at Patty Cripps. He moves like an old man because Carlton weren't ballsy enough to give him time off. Let's not screw up Neale's prime years by having him pointless push through injuries when it really isn't that worth it. Let Matho take his role for the year and have Neale come back fresh for next year.
Look, I agree that with our current formline, we're a longer shot than we were a month ago, but that's how quickly form changes. Can turn it around in a fortnight. Fair to say our complacency should be obliterated by now too. These sort of windows don't last long - writing off a season before the finals is just a strange idea.

Have a few weeks to get some form, get some players back, and finish around 6th.

W1 final against someone like the Dockers or Eagles, at home, which we should be favourites for.
Then week 2, 3 and 4 you're in the same boat as 5 other teams - win out or drop out. Won't be any gimmes from there (though I'd love to run into Port in the finals - think we've got their number), but that's what happens in finals.
 

jackess

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Look, I agree that with our current formline, we're a longer shot than we were a month ago, but that's how quickly form changes. Can turn it around in a fortnight. Fair to say our complacency should be obliterated by now too. These sort of windows don't last long - writing off a season before the finals is just a strange idea.

Have a few weeks to get some form, get some players back, and finish around 6th.

W1 final against someone like the Dockers or Eagles, at home, which we should be favourites for.
Then week 2, 3 and 4 you're in the same boat as 5 other teams - win out or drop out. Won't be any gimmes from there (though I'd love to run into Port in the finals - think we've got their number), but that's what happens in finals.

Let's hope we can play in Queensland for that first final
 
Nov 26, 2018
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I think that AFL list just subtracts a week off. It's not official from the club
Clubs in general would have to have some input into these lists
Otherwise AFL can make up anything they like
Anyhow, it is all us fans have to go on.
I should have includes Whiting's comments now below

Early prognosis
All eyes are on Gardiner and Adams who both remained in Brisbane while the Lions have travelled interstate. Gardiner is starting to put load through his shoulder and appears to be a good chance of returning before finals. A bit more mystery surrounds Adams, although he's on the improve. - Michael Whiting
 

jackess

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Clubs in general would have to have some input into these lists
Otherwise AFL can make up anything they like
Anyhow, it is all us fans have to go on.
I should have includes Whiting's comments now below

Early prognosis
All eyes are on Gardiner and Adams who both remained in Brisbane while the Lions have travelled interstate. Gardiner is starting to put load through his shoulder and appears to be a good chance of returning before finals. A bit more mystery surrounds Adams, although he's on the improve. - Michael Whiting

Yeah that's basically what Mark Stone said (unconvincingly) on the roar deal
 

jackess

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Which is what Mike Whiting would have been fed by the Club to write the article.

So there's mystery around Adams but he might only miss 1 more week?

On the rare occasion we hear from Damien Austin I'd pay attention to that but not Mike Whitings guesswork.
 
So there's mystery around Adams but he might only miss 1 more week?

On the rare occasion we hear from Damien Austin I'd pay attention to that but not Mike Whitings guesswork.
I agree it is extremely unlikely we see Adam’s before finals. If at all.
Especially with his history.
 
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