Unofficial Preview Semi Final Saturday 7:35pm vs Gold Coast @ GABBA

[M Malice]

Haven't gone back and watched a replay yet, but I don't remember much of our characteristic switching and angle kicking. Which has always equalled a loss for us this year

As Fages said yes we were down but the Cats pressure and game set up was high level stuff.

How much of the way the game looked is down to us being poor or the Cats being terrific is hard to tell.

 

[Squizz89]

Think the loss on Friday was a mixture of us being off, playing with a team who look completely busted, but also completely out coached as well. We just couldn’t transition the ball the way we want to and full credit to the Cats and their coaching staff for that.

Not sure even if we were at full strength we would’ve been a chance on Friday night. The best that I’ve seen a team shut down our ball movement in a long time.

 

[Sproj]

Think the loss on Friday was a mixture of us being off, playing with a team who look completely busted, but also completely out coached as well. We just couldn’t transition the ball the way we want to and full credit to the Cats and their coaching staff for that.

Not sure even if we were at full strength we would’ve been a chance on Friday night. The best that I’ve seen a team shut down our ball movement in a long time.

We were too slow for a final. The amount of times we got smothered for trying to be too cute and losing a fraction of a second was really frustrating.

 

[lions2010]

We have been up and down with our emotion and want for the contest over the season and agree we have bounced back.

However that was the H&A season, I'm concerned that this down game was in a Final where a desire for the contest should have been an absolute given, if a significant portion of our players can't get up for a Qualifying Final that is a huge worry going into needing to win 3 cut throat finals on the trot.

Cats simply wanted it more. That was very obvious from the first bounce. They had the real hunger and desire to get to work to get the result, we didnt and it looked like that. I dont think thats a massive concern as our draw was brutal and we deserved the double chance.

I expect our hunger and desire to increase dramatically this week and therefore a strong performance as a result.

Gold coast are playing well but our best in hunger and desire should be too strong.

 

[braddsey]

Wow

Sorry, but there is way too much pessimism in here. No doubt we have our problems with injury and form, and sure we could lose, but I’m feeling confident. This team can turn on a dime, we’ve seen that all year. In a battle between the team that finished 3rd and a team that scraped into the final eight, a lifetime of following the footy tells me the team that finished third will win more often than not.

Fagan, the football dept and players will review the Geelong game, look at our previous two encounters against the Suns this year, do the usual rehab and recovery, and lastly Fagan will need to make the right selection calls later in the week.

We stick to our processes and back ourselves in. I actually think we win this comfortably.

This happens every finals series. The team that earns the double chance loses the tough qualifying final against another top-4 club, the team that wins the cut throat elimination final is backed in to go again the following week.
More commonly the top-4 team wins the semi-final.

The Suns will be a hard match, but it will be again time for our new midfield to prove they can do it without Lachie - which they did almost brilliantly for the final 4 weeks of the H&A season.

We’ll effectively have 2 extra days recovery over Gold Coast. No reason we are not able to win this.

 

[braddsey]

Think the loss on Friday was a mixture of us being off, playing with a team who look completely busted, but also completely out coached as well. We just couldn’t transition the ball the way we want to and full credit to the Cats and their coaching staff for that.

Not sure even if we were at full strength we would’ve been a chance on Friday night. The best that I’ve seen a team shut down our ball movement in a long time.

They got a good look at us in our previous game when we thumped them, and we became the hunted.
Now we got a good look at them, so we’ll be the hunter in our next meeting.

 

[M Malice]

They got a good look at us in our previous game when we thumped them, and we became the hunted.
Now we got a good look at them, so we’ll be the hunter in our next meeting.

Lets hope it is this season.

 

[fugitive]

I think we have the suns covered in both ends but how are our midfield matchups going to look next week without Neale? Do our banged up mids have the strength to go with Rowell and Anderson? they looked sublime last night

 

[McIvor]

This happens every finals series. The team that earns the double chance loses the tough qualifying final against another top-4 club, the team that wins the cut throat elimination final is backed in to go again the following week.
More commonly the top-4 team wins the semi-final.

The Suns will be a hard match, but it will be again time for our new midfield to prove they can do it without Lachie - which they did almost brilliantly for the final 4 weeks of the H&A season.

We’ll effectively have 2 extra days recovery over Gold Coast. No reason we are not able to win this.

One stat I did hear last night, is that 5 of the past 8 Qualifying Finals losers have gone on to lose the Semi Final the following week with the comment being that statistically either the Crows or Lions will lose next week.

 

[dlanod]

First Crack just showed some terrible vision for Bailey. Not great.

Essendon have increased their offer to $1.5m, they think he'll fit right in.

 

[GenericUsername202]

Cats simply wanted it more. That was very obvious from the first bounce. They had the real hunger and desire to get to work to get the result, we didnt and it looked like that. I dont think thats a massive concern as our draw was brutal and we deserved the double chance.

I expect our hunger and desire to increase dramatically this week and therefore a strong performance as a result.

Gold coast are playing well but our best in hunger and desire should be too strong.

The problem is, this has been the theme for the lions throughout the whole year. Some games we will look like worldbeaters, and others we look like we don't even want to be out there. North, Essendon, GWS, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Collingwood earlier in the year. Sydney as well. During those games, we played with almost 0 hunger for the ball and we were well below our standards. Then you have other games where we look like we're far above everyone else in the league. This is why you can't tip us to win the flag, because our whole season has been too inconsistent. Yes, it's possible we could string together 3 elite games in a row, but we're also likely to come out flat as well. Zorko said it best during the fremantle game. He said you will know which lions team you'll get within the first 5-10 minutes of the game. 5 minutes into that geelong game, i knew we were going to lose. And i'm sure the same will be for the Gold Coast match. You'll know right away if we've arrived or not, and if we haven't, save yourself the melts, turn bigfooty off and do something more enjoyable. I'm not too worried if we win or not (although i would love another flag) but i do believe injuries shouldn't be an excuse. Our best (even with our outs) is still better than anyone else; and Neale isn't as big of an out as some may believe. He was a passenger during the geelong game and his selection made us worse. Of course he was underdone, so that wasn't neale's fault, but i thought we looked more structurally better in the mid without him

 

[Saucery]

Minimal changes for me, think at this point we just need to back in our best footy. Neale out, Marshall in, Bruce sub

Ashcrofts and Bailey with more midfield time is a big enough shake up for me

I kind of agree, most of the changes mentioned won't make a quantum difference to the team and I'd like Sam and Ty and Levi to get more finals experience and be backed in by the club. We must keep an eye on the future as well as today.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Wow

Sorry, but there is way too much pessimism in here. No doubt we have our problems with injury and form, and sure we could lose, but I’m feeling confident. This team can turn on a dime, we’ve seen that all year. In a battle between the team that finished 3rd and a team that scraped into the final eight, a lifetime of following the footy tells me the team that finished third will win more often than not.

Fagan, the football dept and players will review the Geelong game, look at our previous two encounters against the Suns this year, do the usual rehab and recovery, and lastly Fagan will need to make the right selection calls later in the week.

We stick to our processes and back ourselves in. I actually think we win this comfortably.

Sorry, but there's also too much blame in here.
'oh, I know why we lost; it's his fault, and his fault, and his fault ... '

Is it possible that Geelong were playing so well Friday night that no team was going to get close or beat them?

As someone said earlier, a bit like us in the GF last year. Sometimes you have a blinder and no one can stop you.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Not sure even if we were at full strength we would’ve been a chance on Friday night. The best that I’ve seen a team shut down our ball movement in a long time.

Since Collingwood at the Gabba in Rd.6

 

[Nuggo]

Just got a father's day message from Logan Morris - very cool. Love that the guys do that.

 

[M Malice]

Just got a father's day message from Logan Morris - very cool. Love that the guys do that.

I never knew you were Logan's dad, thanks for coming out Nuggo.

 

[braddsey]

One stat I did hear last night, is that 5 of the past 8 Qualifying Finals losers have gone on to lose the Semi Final the following week with the comment being that statistically either the Crows or Lions will lose next week.

That's selecting statistics to suit the narrative.

Pre-finals bye was introduced in 2016. Since then, the top-4 team has won the semi-final 10 times, the bottom-4 team has one 8 times. Statistically the top-4 team wins the semi-final based on a bigger sample size.

 

[BuntonRules]

The problem is, this has been the theme for the lions throughout the whole year. Some games we will look like worldbeaters, and others we look like we don't even want to be out there. North, Essendon, GWS, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Collingwood earlier in the year. Sydney as well. During those games, we played with almost 0 hunger for the ball and we were well below our standards. Then you have other games where we look like we're far above everyone else in the league. This is why you can't tip us to win the flag, because our whole season has been too inconsistent. Yes, it's possible we could string together 3 elite games in a row, but we're also likely to come out flat as well. Zorko said it best during the fremantle game. He said you will know which lions team you'll get within the first 5-10 minutes of the game. 5 minutes into that geelong game, i knew we were going to lose. And i'm sure the same will be for the Gold Coast match. You'll know right away if we've arrived or not, and if we haven't, save yourself the melts, turn bigfooty off and do something more enjoyable. I'm not too worried if we win or not (although i would love another flag) but i do believe injuries shouldn't be an excuse. Our best (even with our outs) is still better than anyone else; and Neale isn't as big of an out as some may believe. He was a passenger during the geelong game and his selection made us worse. Of course he was underdone, so that wasn't neale's fault, but i thought we looked more structurally better in the mid without him

paragraphs. I can't read that.

 

[beardancer]

He has a permanent ankle injury, and age (with wear and tear) is catching up with him earlier than expected (for the club to have offered him that last contract).

I think he's finished mate. Some of the efforts were really poor.......all he does now is avoid any contact and stage for a free.

 

[3KZ is Football]

If Big O is hanging them up at the end of the year, I do wonder if the club will give him one final home hurrah?

They should and will.

 

[irel]

paragraphs. I can't read that.

I think it reads, sometimes we play crap, sometimes we play good.
When we play crap we lose, when we play good we win.

 

[Squizz89]

He has a permanent ankle injury, and age (with wear and tear) is catching up with him earlier than expected (for the club to have offered him that last contract).

Scary thing is the signs were there even as far back as 18 months ago, if not longer that he had come and gone past his peak.

I’ve said previously I worried when Charlie’s end came it would come quickly. He didn’t grow up playing footy so he never really needed to learn another position or a different way to play, other than to use his exceptional pace to turn himself into a great small forward.

But now the top end speed has gone he just can’t find a way into the game at all. His defensive efforts or lack thereof then get highlighted even more.

 

[Comeback Lions]

Smith kicked 4.0 and 13 hitouts in the VFL. Anyone up for a hail-mary recall?

I watched the twos and was impressed with Smith’s game. It would be good to give him finals experience and is an upgrade on Day’s game against Geelong. As is Oscar and as others have said there are compelling reasons for playing him, if he is retiring. McKenna should definitely come in for Cameron… who if we don’t drop, should be sub. McKenna has the form and deserves a recall. Cameron has much more chance of offering something at the end of the game. Gallop competes and was responsible for a couple of our goals on Friday. I’m in two minds about Reville, he should have won us the twos final twice, and his run through the centre and shot on goal in the last quarter was so memorable, except that he missed. But I think we should roll the dice on him too. In summary:

In: Smith/Big O, McKenna, Reville
Out: Day, Neale, Marshall (reluctantly)
Sub: Charlie Cameron

 

[GenericUsername202]

I think it reads, sometimes we play crap, sometimes we play good.
When we play crap we lose, when we play good we win.

pretty much lol

 

[NotQuiteJezza]

I’m still confident of a win next week. I think GC just played their GF yesterday and will be flat.
It should be obvious in the first 5 min if we are switched on and pressuring.
I’d continue with Sam Day

14

Sam Day

Age

33

Ht

196cm

Wt

106kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

4.6

3star

M

3.5

4star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

8.0

2star

K

3.6

1star

HB

4.4

3star

M

1.9

2star

T

1.5

2star

G

0.9

4star

D

8.6

3star

K

3.2

2star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

0.8

3star

G

0.2

3star

and Ty against the Suns.
Don’t just be a fan, be a supporter. Go Lions.