Review Round 7, 2020 - GWS vs. Brisbane Lions

[martinson]

It was an average game from Hippy but he's still big and creates a contest. What many people miss is that we have at least 10 guys in our team who are capable of kicking 2 or more goals every time they go out there . Not many teams can say that .

In an ideal world it'd be nice to have a gun target big forward but trust me it's not Skinner, Ballenden, or Wooler. We've got our best team in and we're getting better at sharing the load.

This year with probably the two best left foots out of defence in our backline we've been able to create some more run through the corridor and become a more dangerous outfit. I also notice Ah Chee getting more up the ground and putting himself in dangerous positions to run on to it. Presently lacks a little confidence which is reflected in his disposal sometimes but I think it'll come .

This is obviously part of the grand plan after last years finals series when we did enough on occasions but kept gassing ourselves for little outcome whilst the opposition did what we're trying to do now.

 

[WWSD]

Zac Bailey played arguably his best game. Despite the shortened quarters, he is averaging career high numbers across the entire board this year.

 

[X AE A12]

I must be typing in wingdings.

Go Lions!

 

[Section 5]

The camera work on the TV coverage was as amateur as I have seen for a long while. On second viewing it seems like they pretty much completely missed one Lions goal. It felt like they had fewer cameras for a start. Then it felt like some of those cameras were operated by work experience kids or people with only a passing knowledge of the game. And then the vision switcher may have been either on their phone half the game or otherwise distracted. It all felt very 1980s.

Were they short-staffed, or just rubbish?

Up until this weekend i was satisfied with the channel 7 camera coverage. But i hate the commentary team.
I don't have Fox so can't comment on them either way.
They have reduced the number of camera's used but overall from round 2 i could not complain.
I think they may have got caught out with new Victoria restrictions in Queensland.
Possibly could not get all regular crew to the Sunshine State in time

I believe the commentary team for a lot of games call from their own state.
So they get to see what we do.
That's why they could not get some goal calls correct. As you pointed out no way of telling if it was a goal or not

Channel 7 had some bad technical issues during the first quarter in either the Thursday or Friday night telecast. Can't remember which.
They kept loosing the feed and audio was breaking up badly when the visual came back on.
From quarter time on back to normal.

I suppose they are like lots of companies and need to reduce costs during these uncertain times.

 

[lionsrules]

That was one of those games where we make those clangers and I say to myself "how do we win"? Then I watch the replay as the emotions are put aside and I go "aaahhh that's why we won"

 

[lionsrules]

Also our front 6 had 12 shots on goal. McCarthy's grab in the 1st quarter was pretty much 13 as he dished it off to Neale for a cheeky play on. At half time I was critical of Hipwood and to a certain extent rayner. But in the 3rd both scored critical goals as pressure was building. Plus a cheeky sideline goal in the last by Rayner. Job done.
It was against last year's grand finalists... expectation met.

 

[jackess]

Watching the replay I reckon Rayner pinched that big mark out of Oscars hands.

 

[FLVanLandingham]

Ok finally watched it.

Its fascinating how both McCluggage and Zorko can evade traffic.. but in such a different way. Really happy Zorks is back, hopefully he can be back to his best and power through with us.

That touched goal by Berry the Elder was just great to watch.

McCarthy... what good game. Supper happy with his 3 (that Neale one is his) goals too.

I liked what one commentator said about Birchall, how he isn't a Hodge replacement, but he brings something great too. Really glad he came back strong from last weeks game.

What I like about Rayner's mark is it showed his.. twisting ability in the air? Noticed a few time he can easily come in parallel with the trajectory of the ball, but snatch it. Also funny at the point the ball in marked, Big O was right there, and hadn't even jumped. I liked the game by Stef this week, hopefuly Big O can build on his next week too.

I wouldn't have expected it but its always Lyons first there to remonstrate when an oppo player does something too nasty Luckily though after that free he gave away against Freo, he has never gone over the line

and ... golly I hate Mumford.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Break out year for McStay? Playing that roaming CHF role to perfection at the mo

 

[martinson]

Break out year for McStay? Playing that roaming CHF role to perfection at the mo

Take away his missed shots on goal and you take away the perception that he doesn't do enough. Another guy who once he gets his tail up and realises how big and mobile he is can do some damage around the ground.

 

[Section 5]

Eric Hipwood Team Position stats for the game against GWS
Good all round team contribution from Eric

Just needs to fix what we fans believe are easy shots at goal. And some are easy shots at goal.
His disposal efficiency for the 7 games this year is 57.72% which ranks him 21st at the Club

Surprising to some but Eric sits at equal 9th for inside 50's at the Club in 2020 with an average of 2.57 per game the same as Rayner
Just ahead of him is Zorko with 2.8 in 8th, and Rich is 7th with 2.86

Kicks	Handballs	Marks	Tackles	Free Kicks For	Goals	Meters Gained	Contested Possession	Inside 50's	Disposal Efficiency
6th	7th	equal 12th	Equal 9th	Equal 1st (o against)	Equal 2nd	5th	9th	Equal 2nd	19th (60%)

 

[AFLQLD]

McStay and Hipwood get a lot of criticism, some justified, but much of it fails to account for their roles not necessarily being traditional key forwards and their jobs are more complex than that. I think this season the expectation is for them to work harder up the field more often and leave the fast break stuff to the smaller forwards. I think Hipwood might have even made a tackle in our defensive 50 yesterday. Big slow key forwards are a bit of a luxury unless they are super reliable marks and goal kickers. Ours aren’t that.

Even a guy like Hawkins has modified his game in the last few seasons and ranges much further from his goal. Forward pressure and being a target coming out of defence are just as important these days.

I think the part of their role McStay and Hipwood are still growing into is the traditional key forward one. They are increasingly doing the other parts better - long leading runs to meet the ball as it comes out of defence. Or covering the switch by the opposition. I think they are doing those roles better than a lot of other key forwards in the comp actually. Their next work is around the contested mark but particularly goal kicking. McStay especially is a very good field kick but they both need to nail their set shots.

When I look at some other key forwards there aren’t a lot of well established ones I would take over either of ours because I’m not sure they would suit our game or even the modern game. Tex, Jack, Kennedy, Ben Brown for example have been not much better this season, or actually worse, than either McStay or Hipwood (albeit some with very poor service). Most of the younger key forwards, like ours, are tending to be more mobile and run far more than the more traditional types.

 

[davemc_lions]

+22 on inside 50’s (56 -34) and we only won by 20 points. Very happy with the win, but it is clear where our improvement as a team needs to come from.

56 inside 50's for 23 scores
GWS 34 inside 50's for 18 scores

Although look at other games we around the same avgs
GWS just ahead of others scoring when they get the ball inside 50
Pies 46 inside 50's for 17 scores
Cats 30 inside 50's for 10 scores
Tigers 51 for 22 scores
Roos 28 for 13 scores
Dons 43 for 16 scores
Dogs 48 for 23 scores

And the constant talk of either of them being dropped in ludicrous in my opinion & wont happen unless in injury is incurred. (Fingers crossed that does't happen)

Do not think they should be dropped I like them to raise the standard 10-20%. Big O included all three can go missing at times. When needed.
I agree they not the normal tall forwards as other teams
More when the tide turns we need them to clunk a few down the line to slow things down.
Noticed Linc took a few strong marks on the wing which other teams it be a tall that does it. .GWS sent Cameron/Himelberg up the line a few times
Lucky Linc has the talent to burn marking
I also wonder seeing all three bigs are basically told to bring the ball down.. That effecting them actually marking when needed.
As first instant now is to not get out marked against. You notice they seem to drop some you think they take easily.

Without seeing the magoos have no idea how Skinner/Ballenden going.. I do not think any of the 3 talls been awful.
Even though I always been a Skinner fan I did not see him as 2-3 levels above in the NEAFL in games I watched last year. I know the standard brings people down.

Only question marks I have really in the team are in defence.
Lester been great although now we playing Dizzy up on the 2nd tall. Against a team with a few talls I worry.
Although saying that Lester offered more than Adams did week in and week out. Although Adams probably needs a longer run after missing so much footy
Not sure where Payne travelling

Then Ah Chee. again no idea where Witho is or Answerth.
Ah Chee showing glimpses.. I am happy to go week in and week out with the same team
As long as no one really stinking every week.

Those outside the 22 you feel sorry for but hey we up the pointy end.. We cannot just gift games in a shortened season as well.
We have a few new draftees who not getting a go as well as people like Bundy, Skinner and Witho who been here for a while.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

The camera work on the TV coverage was as amateur as I have seen for a long while. On second viewing it seems like they pretty much completely missed one Lions goal. It felt like they had fewer cameras for a start. Then it felt like some of those cameras were operated by work experience kids or people with only a passing knowledge of the game. And then the vision switcher may have been either on their phone half the game or otherwise distracted. It all felt very 1980s.

Were they short-staffed, or just rubbish?

Sporting broadcasts are mostly outsourced to freelancers these days. My understanding is that given border restrictions and the increased number of games up here have stretched resources. And yes, there are likely operators who are more familiar with other codes.

 

[TyEdwards27]

My answer to both of those is probably not, and we'd lose a lot of other things in comparison.

There's a fair amount of overrating Skinner on this board I feel - everyone wants him to do well, but he has only played the one game which was less than 10 touches. There wasn't a great sign of him dominating up forward in the NEAFL last year either. I'd be more inclined to promote Fullarton and give him a game if we have an injury than go with Skinner or Ballenden.

Had 9 touches and kicked 2 goals out of our 5 against a premiership favourite team that absolutely destroyed us. Playing key forward and getting belted leaves you with little opportunity...

 

[Flyin Lion]

I’m guessing you’re on the match committee or at least part of the footy club to make such a definitive call. To say those 5 have no faith in them by the match committee is absolute jibberish

It is a very clear coaching style to Fagans days at Hawthorn, a squad of 22 is defined from the last preliminary final to round 1 and if those players are fit they play, irrespective of form,if they get injured there are reserves for each position and the reserves come in until the injured player is fit, then he will go straight back in. Why do you think josh Kennedy went to Sydney? These players are spares and I don’t think that role will keep them around. Most clubs are rotating players through and having a squad that has played games and are ready to step in. We have 22, CEY and Adams that will come in before these younger boys.
I think it’s a risk, if we don’t get injuries it’s another Prelim Premiership chance.
If they don’t get a game they may look elsewhere, I wouldn’t blame them for that,
Don’t think they signed up to play second rate NEAFL or 3rd rate scratch matches.



Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[CarterS]

Interesting story on Fox about how Birchall coming in has helped facilitate our switch to the corridor.

Clarko’s end date revealed amid shock collapse, AFL’s 101-year worst looms: Round 7 Talking Points

Clarko’s end date revealed; how one trade transformed title contender: AFL Talking Points

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Nunez]

Interesting story on Fox about how Birchall coming in has helped facilitate our switch to the corridor.

Clarko’s end date revealed amid shock collapse, AFL’s 101-year worst looms: Round 7 Talking Points

Clarko’s end date revealed; how one trade transformed title contender: AFL Talking Points

www.foxsports.com.au

I think we're starting to learn how to use Birchall - he won't be a defender but he will sit around the F50 waiting for the ball - when he has the ball he knows exactly what to do. We looked for him a lot more between half back and the middle and it paid off. 5 inside 50s for 5 score involvements to go with 18 touches @78% DE and 400+ metres gained. It was a very good game by Birch.

I really like how we use Ah Chee after a behind has been kicked. He and Rich are doing good job setting up on the HFF to try and receive/send the ball back in. They combined for 6 inside 50s and 3 score assists.

That's 11 inside 50s and 8 score involvements from our half backs - very good collective effort.

 

[davemc_lions]

the rotating people interesting.
Remember when Cricket Australia started doing that with players.
No one gets a run on with form.

If we going to try someone new like Skinner, Ballenden, E Smith, Coleman, Payne, Wooler or Dev etc
You really need to give them a run of 2-3 games.
Then the other young ones like B Smith, Joyce, Prior, Madden, Fullerton etc
How do we get games into them?
So then we saying to a player who had good and bad weeks although a normal 22 player. In a winning team..
well your in the magoos for 3 weeks so we can try someone new so we can blood them.
Not sure that does wonders to the confidence.

Then players who had chances before although maybe looked at depth Matho, Answerth, Bundy, Witho, A Smith, Cox, Allison, Hinge.....
Do we say well we want to try the young kids in front of you if there is a spot.
Not sure an easy answer.
A few years ago everyone got a game..
Now we winning how do you blood easily.. Talls probably harder.

 

[The Zork]

Becomes a pretty interesting situation this next fixture period where we have a really good chance to be top 4 again.

Do you flirt with form and rest a few key older types against lower ranked teams that could well cost us a game or 2?
Or do you keep them in trying to win every game but risk a bit of burn out and soreness come finals?
How would a player come in say round 17 or 18 and find their groove - especially in the backline system.

 

[Berry Picker]

The AFL are trying to push for 4 - 5 day breaks for the next release of fixtures. If it gets through I don't think we can continue putting the same team on the park every game, we are going to have to rotate guys in and out or else we might burn ourselves out. So I guess it will be an opportunity to see some of these guys on the fringe.

 

[Dalions]

The AFL are trying to push for 4 - 5 day breaks for the next release of fixtures. If it gets through I don't think we can continue putting the same team on the park every game, we are going to have to rotate guys in and out or else we might burn ourselves out. So I guess it will be an opportunity to see some of these guys on the fringe.

Paul Marsh from the AFLPA has come out and pretty bluntly stated that unless the contract freeze is stopped so players can start signing contracts again, then a condensed format will not happen.
And I think it is fair enough too.
There are currently something like 350 player that are unsigned for next year and if any of them get injured due to a condensed format, where does it leave those players.
I hope they stick fat on this one.

 

[M Malice]

The AFL are trying to push for 4 - 5 day breaks for the next release of fixtures. If it gets through I don't think we can continue putting the same team on the park every game, we are going to have to rotate guys in and out or else we might burn ourselves out. So I guess it will be an opportunity to see some of these guys on the fringe.

Going through our list these are the players I see as options to cover our first 22 if the club high performance staff think they need a break.

Stef/Big O > Ballenden/Skinner/A.Smith.
Birchall/Rich/Ah Chee/Starcevich > Answerth/Witherden/Hinge.
Andrews/Gardiner/Lester > Payne/Skinner/Ballenden.
Hipwood/McStay > Skinner/Ballenden/Wooller.
Rayner/McCarthy/Cameron/T.Berry > Coleman/Christensen/Cox.
Mids > Robertson/CEY/Matheison/E.Smith/C.Lyons.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

The camera work on the TV coverage was as amateur as I have seen for a long while. On second viewing it seems like they pretty much completely missed one Lions goal. It felt like they had fewer cameras for a start. Then it felt like some of those cameras were operated by work experience kids or people with only a passing knowledge of the game. And then the vision switcher may have been either on their phone half the game or otherwise distracted. It all felt very 1980s.

Were they short-staffed, or just rubbish?

There were some appalling camera shot choices in particular. My theory is that there aren't enough AFL-experienced camera personnel and directors in NSW to do two games. There was another game at the SCG immediately afterwards so there was no opportunity for staff to double-up. Normally there would only be one game in Sydney per round, let alone day.

 

[royboys4eva]

another dropped chest mark. This is why he failed as a forward. Still struggles with the basics.

Never change - you are so predictable..