The positives thread

[knaf]

Apparently the Losing Grand Finalist
Has not made the following years GF since 2012

Is this still the positives thread?

History is bunk!

or more fully “History is more or less bunk. It's tradition. We don't want tradition. We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history that we make today." Or from now on!

 

[briztoon]

I'm not disagreeing with the optimistic takes on our future on this thread except to say there's no guarantee our younger players are going to be future stars. Or develop in the fashion that we need them to to stay competitive.

Most clubs are just as optimistic on their young talent.

We probably have next year near the top provided the players come back with the same motivation. After that I'm in the optimistic but need to wait and see boat. Lots of teams are building what look to be strong lists.

I believe we’re in the mix next year, and probably the year after if Neale can remain close to his best.

We have a natural heir apparent to Neale in WAshcroft. I believe he can be just as good in time. But it’s expecting a lot of WAshcroft as a second year player coming back from an ACL next year.

Similarly I believe LAshcroft is a natural heir apparent to Zorko, but that’s in the future, like 6 years in the future.

Right now we need the likes of Ah Chee, Hipwood, McCluggage, Berry, Rayner, Bailey and Starcevich to really step up and all find a higher level of play.

And we need continued development from KColeman, Wilmot, Fletcher and WAshcroft. And for kids like Sharp, Lohmann and Tunstill to emerge as best 22 options.

 

[Elixuh]

The positive is we have the list to win the flag. Any other team against the Pies on Saturday would have been destroyed. Equally we would have beaten any other team comfortably.

The free hit of being able to add Doedee will strengthen us even further.

 

[Nathan Barley]

I'm excited to see what Fletcher can do over the next couple of years. Not sure the wing will be his position long term and he can be a damaging on baller pretty soon

 

[briztoon]

I'm excited to see what Fletcher can do over the next couple of years. Not sure the wing will be his position long term and he can be a damaging on baller pretty soon

Knew I forgot someone.

 

[vic_LION]

Right now we need the likes of Ah Chee, Hipwood, McCluggage, Berry, Rayner, Bailey and Starcevich to really step up and all find a higher level of play.

It’ll be great for Ah Chee to hopefully get a full season in next year. He was phenomenal when he came back and can only assume with more games he should be able to play to that level more consistently.

 

[Macca180]

I have never felt more positive.

Bring on 2024

 

[Viceregal]

We seem to have gotten into Barrett's head...

We got a mention in West Coast, Melbourne, GWS, and of course Brisbane this week

 

[irel]

We seem to have gotten into Barrett's head...

We got a mention in West Coast, Melbourne, GWS, and of course Brisbane this week

WOW, Dev knocked back more than double $$ to loiter around the fringes of the Lions’ pride.

 

[Grasshopper17]

Stats on the margin in those games would be interesting. Feels like the big losses are the ones who never make it back.

No team since Geelong in 1994 has lost a Grand Final by 40 points or more and won a final the next year. They've either missed out altogether, lost an Elimination Final or gone out in straight sets.

Sydney this year became the latest example.

 

[PattyKwasagun]

No team since Geelong in 1994 has lost a Grand Final by 40 points or more and won a final the next year. They've either missed out altogether, lost an Elimination Final or gone out in straight sets.

Sydney this year became the latest example.

On the flip side of this, since 1990 there have only been eight grand finals decided by less than four goals. The form line of the losing team the following season is pretty strong:

2018 - Collingwood (made the prelim the next year)
2016 - Sydney (made the semi final the next year)
2013 - Freo (made the semi final the next year)
2012 - Hawthorn (won the flag the next year)
2009 - St Kilda (made the grand final the next year)
2006 - Sydney (made the finals the next year, but didn't make it past week one)
2005 - West Coast (won the flag the next year)
2002 - Collingwood (made the grand final the next year)

On this history, we're a 50% chance of making the grand final, and a 25% chance of winning the flag.

 

[Milux]

Not sure where to put this but I'm sure I'm currently at the same camp as Jarryd Lyons

17

Jarryd Lyons

Age

31

Ht

184cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.5

5star

K

11.8

4star

HB

8.7

5star

M

2.9

3star

T

4.4

5star

CL

4.8

5star

D

21.7

5star

K

14.7

5star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

5.1

5star

CL

4.7

5star

D

11.0

3star

K

5.2

2star

HB

5.8

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

1.6

4star

. I'm not gonna hassle him but if i see him at the bar later I'll be sure to buy him a drink.

 

[briztoon]

Not sure where to put this but I'm sure I'm currently at the same camp as Jarryd Lyons. I'm not gonna hassle him but if i see him at the bar later I'll be sure to buy him a drink.

What camp has a bar?

 

[M Malice]

Not sure where to put this but I'm sure I'm currently at the same camp as Jarryd Lyons. I'm not gonna hassle him but if i see him at the bar later I'll be sure to buy him a drink.

Is it like the Crows "camp" version 2.0?

 

[Milux]

What camp has a bar?

This camp has a swim up bar. It's not really camping I suppose.

 

[Section 5]

First cab off the rank was the Queensland Firebirds, who announced midcourter Lara Dunkley had re-signed for two more years.

The Firebirds also announced midcourter/goal attack Tippah Dwan would return to the team after two seasons with the Adelaide Thunderbirds, with whom she won the 2023 Super Netball premiership.
Dwan’s boyfriend is Brisbane Lions midfielder Josh Dunkley

5

Josh Dunkley

Age

27

Ht

191cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.3

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

20.7

5star

K

7.0

3star

HB

13.7

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

5.3

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

14.2

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

7.0

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

4.0

5star

CL

1.4

4star

, who is also Lara’s brother, and her team switch means the couple will live out their professional sporting dreams in the same city.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/netball/super-netball-2024-team-news-thunderbirds-champ-switches-teams-to-be-closer-to-afl-star/news-story/0ffe29f0dd6e3cba1a5451ec7ba2a16e

 

[p4p1]

Plenty of positives coming into the year to take from last years GF loss.
We have Ashcroft, Payne and Doedee all to come into the team that will surely strengthen our line up.
Ah Chee may be able to have an uninterrupted year and if we make the GF (hopefully) won't be playing injured.
Fletcher will have a full preseason under his belt and some more games, experience and match fitness.
We don't need a monumental improvement from our solid best 22 players like Berry, Rayner, Bailey etc in that mid 20s age bracket.
Expect improvements from Dev, Motty, Kiddy who have already cemented their first 22 spot.
It is looking good to be a lions fan right now. There is no guarantees in footy but I think our age profile gives us plenty of room for improvement.

 

[mpal6]

I'm excited to see what Fletcher can do over the next couple of years. Not sure the wing will be his position long term and he can be a damaging on baller pretty soon

I'm equally excited for Wilmot. There were couple of plays stuck in my head when he was in the middle, there was a standing vertical jump he did over a few heads (even ruckmen) and grabbed the ball mid-air. It was stuff that you can't teach and players do that by instinct.

Wilmot can become a serious player if we shift him beyond his backline duties. We have plenty in the list who can go back and play accountable backline shutdown footy like Prior, Answerth etc. But we need an ace in the pack through the middle. With Ashcroft unavailable for first half, I hope the MC takes a chance sending Wilmot in rotations through the middle, along with Rayner. We may uncover something new, Wilmot might pickup a fair bit playing next to Neale and Dunkley.

 

[Surly Boy]

Missed the ultimate prize in the AFL by 4 points and won it all in the AFLW.

Some cracking highlights from a very good season. I very much enjoyed watching the women and the men this year. Bring on 2024!

 

[Elixuh]

That move from Charlie in the first clip is unbelievable.

 

[Surly Boy]

That move from Charlie in the first clip is unbelievable.

Hodder's mark probably my favourite individual highlight, but the goals from Charlie, Bailey, Ashcroft and Fletcher were all awesome.

 

[Macca180]

We got this year to get it done.

 

[M Malice]

We got this year to get it done.

IMO we have at least another 2 seasons contending for top 4, from there anything can happen in September, our oldest regular best 22 players are >

Dayne Zorko (35)- Hasn't been at his best for a couple of seasons, elite if back to his best but we can contend without him.
Ryan Lester (31)- Great servant of the club, with Gardiner and Doedee he is easily covered.
Lachie Neale (30)- So professional, IMO he plays to an elite level right up to 32-33 years of age.
Lincoln McCarthy (30)- Very good player, at least 2 years left at the top of his game... Lohmann/Reville?

The next 2 in age is where it gets very tough to find adequate replacements, if not near impossible, Joe Daniher and Charlie Cameron both 29 years old... hopefully they can stay injury free and we get another 3 seasons out of them, not unrealistic hopes IMO.

 

[rye]

impossible to tell where we are at in 5 years time. nobody in 2018 would have seen us having neale, daniher, dunkley as amongst our best players but its the situation we find ourselves in. trade / free agency is something all clubs can utilise to keep themselves in contention almost indefinitely if done well (see sydney, geelong)

 

[BangyBangy]

For two weeks in a row now, my work productivity will be at an all time high due to not listening to sports radio and not watching any of the AFL shows.

I'd take a spell off BigFooty too, but that'd just be punishing the Lions board. You guys deserve better than that.

Also, two losses is bad, but the percentage hit wasn't the worst.

Onwards & upwards. Things are never as good or bad as they seem.