Review v Giants Reviews and Views

[POBT]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

As will next week against North.

I don't expect us to beat North so not sure how much that will tell us. However, a win over Port tells us where we sit in that bottom group. We're not bottom tier (GWS, GC, Melb) but perhaps we're better than 2nd last tier (Port, maybe Dogs).

 

[Ronnie Baby]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

If u didn't enjoy Merrett's game up forward, kicking tough goals and taking big marks,

Let's see him do it to opponents who aren't first season teenagers before we get carried away with the experiment.

 

[alscotoz]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

I don't expect us to beat North so not sure how much that will tell us. However, a win over Port tells us where we sit in that bottom group. We're not bottom tier (GWS, GC, Melb) but perhaps we're better than 2nd last tier (Port, maybe Dogs).

Think NM are on border of 2nd last tier

 

[POBT]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Think NM are on border of 2nd last tier

You could be right. It would certainly be the case if we managed to beat them.

 

[POBT]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

I'm not sure if he's back or not but I got a buzz out of Browny's game today. If he never plays at that level again, today's match gave a reminder of what a great footballer we were fortunate to witness.

 

[POBT]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Let's see him do it to opponents who aren't first season teenagers before we get carried away with the experiment.

Yeah but it doesn't mean it wasn't good fun to watch today.

 

[Snuka]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Let's see him do it to opponents who aren't first season teenagers before we get carried away with the experiment.

Read post again Ronnie. My point was more about enjoying the football then about the merits (pun intended) if putting him up forward. I personally think that Merrett is a good forward but has been punished badly by his midfield (as we saw tonight).

Whatever your opinion on the merits of him playin back or forward, I u didn't enjoy watching Merrett smash it up tonight (whatever the opponent) and kick goals that you would never think he could kick because you're not happy with his position then I feel sorry for u.

 

[iBeng]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Just to court controversy...I think Redden out for Bartlett next week.
I feel Reddens fallen into the lazy trap, he believes hes in the best 22 and his spots safe. Last year he was known as a fierce tackler, contributer of a goal or two and good awareness. This year, hes known as the sideways/backwards handballer machine.
Drop him to 2's for a game or two just to remind him others are at his heels.

 

[PTizzle]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

My post from Page 20 in the preview thread:

"
That said I hope Merrett kicks 10. All wobbly banana torpedos that barely go the required distance. "

Never have I been so happy to be proven (nearly) right about a smartarse comment made in jest .

 

[POBT]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

I'm not sure I've seen a lions player sing the song with as much gusto as Billy Longer. He was ripping in!

 

[PTizzle]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Will post proper thoughts in a bit, but for now:

[youtube]U5h-Fow7V5w[/youtube]

 

[lionbear]

...

It really wasn't. Terrible game of footy.

What else could Brisbane have done today?

To all the Voss knockers out there, we are beating the sides we should, and are playing the kids. I really don't know what else he can do.

Keep up the great work boys, and success will come soon enough the proper way!!!

 

[Nick Lions]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Just to court controversy...I think Redden out for Bartlett next week.
I feel Reddens fallen into the lazy trap, he believes hes in the best 22 and his spots safe. Last year he was known as a fierce tackler, contributer of a goal or two and good awareness. This year, hes known as the sideways/backwards handballer machine.
Drop him to 2's for a game or two just to remind him others are at his heels.

Polkinghorne needs a kick up the bum more than Redden does. Very poor effort from him today. One of those players the Chairman warned us about. I think the effort was their from Redden and he attacked the ball well. Just turned it over too much.

 

[iBeng]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Polkinghorne needs a kick up the bum more than Redden does. Very poor effort from him today. One of those players the Chairman warned us about. I think the effort was their from Redden and he attacked the ball well. Just turned it over too much.

True...Maybe Polking out for Bartlett.
Were going to see someone knocked out for Beams to, and Im worried it might be Polec. Although Bewick isnt probably safe either...

 

[POBT]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

I thought Bewick had a very good game today. I would have put him in the votes if he'd managed a goal or two. Won the ball inside and out and his ground coverage was pretty good.

Green was another one who looked the part. You can see why fans wanted him in. He gives an effort.

 

[Sanchez365]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Green is quick, but I don't think he is quite as explosive as banfield in that forward line defensive pressure. I think there is a spot in our team for him, but I don't think that will be his role.

I did notice zorko did pretty well at this today which was great to see. He didn't quite have his goal sense radar on target, but he's not afraid of a goal and will be a really dangerous player in the forward line.

Also I really think rich has stood up so far this year. I think he's pretty close to being a complete player and his all around game is really improving.

(note: was it just me, or does huddo really hate Brisbane? Seemed really biased in his commentary today)

 

[lionshine]

I swear that kick from Bewick which the umpires said was touched on the line was a goal. Browny thought so and from where I was sitting at the game it looked like it!

 

[Haso]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Anybody else notice the sly jab to the Lions by Sheedy in his post match? To me it was professional/coach speak for "Way to go losers, you beat a bunch of kids, and your stars won't be around forever."

 

[lionshine]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

Anybody else notice the sly jab to the Lions by Sheedy in his post match? To me it was professional/coach speak for "Way to go losers, you beat a bunch of kids, and your stars won't be around forever."

Sounds to me like someone who thought his team would win today

 

[Ironmonger]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

What can you say about Merrett? Just looked fantastic. Not just his goal-fest in the first quarter but his work around the ground as well.

Brown will take a lot of confidence from his performance. Not just because he looked good but because the delivery to him was much better than previously, particularly after half time. When he found space, he was generally rewarded. That'll help his confidence.

Longer was a huge surprise for me. Was really worried about burn-out going up against two ruckmen, but if anything he ran the game out better than Giles. We've heard a lot about how physically developed he is for a teenager but today was the first signs of it this season. Will be interesting to see if he pulls up well enough to go round again next week.

Rockliff just ran all day and clocked up possessions. I was a bit worried a couple of times in that second quarter that he was falling back into old habits of kicking without looking, but it didn't seem to be an issue in the second half.

Was really impressed with how we eventually responded to GWS throwing players behind the ball. Caused us problems in the second quarter when we kept on hoofing it forward to outnumbered forwards, but eventually we wised up and started to be a bit more patient around half-back.

Was a bit disappointed with Drummond. Had a few touches, but made a few mistakes when not under pressure. That 50m penalty he gave away was ridiculous. If he made some of the errors he made today in a closer game we'd be calling for his head right now.

Drummond, Hanley and Golby all worked really hard and that half-back line was like an invisible wall for the Giants, but I'd like to see them do more with the footy. I suppose it's possible they were just being really conservative once we'd got an early lead.

Bewick looked pretty good. Looks like a classic winger. If he can find some space on the side of the ground he should be useful for us. Didn't seem to win a lot of his own footy, though.

Zorko looked right at home. I guess playing GWS isn't a huge step up for him from the NEAFL. Hope he has a big game next week.

Lester looked pretty good when he got a chance to come up the ground, but struggled a bit when he was expected to defend a tall forward.

Good to see Karnezis getting a bit of the footy. Two more goals for him. How many times in his career has he kicked two goals? But never three, AFAIK.

Green looked okay, but needs to learn to read the ball off the contest better if he's going to play in the forwardline.

Black, Rich and Redden all had pretty good games without ever dominating. Adcock was strangely quiet. Hopefully they all banked up some petrol tickets for next week.

And finally, Polkinghorne. Was barely noticable apart from getting caught holding the ball in the third (?) quarter. With so many players going well in the reserves surely he'll be out of the side next week.

Hopefully it won't take too much to keep a lid on things after this result. GWS were pretty poor. Still, quite a few positives.

 

[Ironmonger]

I swear that kick from Bewick which the umpires said was touched on the line was a goal. Browny thought so and from where I was sitting at the game it looked like it!

Looked like it on the TV, too. Never saw a replay though.

 

[Nick Lions]

Re: Round 8: Brisbane Lions v GWS Giants

True...Maybe Polking out for Bartlett.
Were going to see someone knocked out for Beams to, and Im worried it might be Polec. Although Bewick isnt probably safe either...

Beams is probably a better like for like replacement for Polkinghorne than Bartlett although I'd be pleased if either came into the side. It will be interesting to see who our best mids were in the reserves.

 

[Last of the Roys]

I guess it was as good as we could have hoped for. GWS were without a lot of reasonable players, so it was always likely to be a big win for the Lions (even if most of us didn't want to admit it). So it is hard to know how that would translate against any other team.

For the most part we were pretty good, although there were a few areas / times when we let ourselves down / didn't go 100%. Our kicking for goal in the 3rd quarter in particular (under little pressure) was pretty woeful. The clearances were 33 all, which wasn't a great result, and Merrett struggled to compete in the ruck when he went in there.

Brown was great getting up the ground, which allowed Merrett to stay back a lot of the time. Thankfully Merrett fixed his woeful kicking for goal for the time being and actually took a whole heap of great contested marks (probably more than he has for the rest of the year combined).

It probably only worked because we were winning the contested possessions. Otherwise, Browny being the only CHF target would be an issue.

I noticed we may have got a few slight injuries from the game:
- Karnezis got a corky in the 3rd quarter, but should be fine given he played out the game;
- Golby seemed to tweak something late in the 4th and came off limping slightly / was receiving treatment. Hopefully it is minor;
- Brown apparently had an ice-pack on one of his knees after the end of the game (although he might just do that most weeks for all I know).

Hopefully none of them should be in danger of missing next week, unless they pull up sore tomorrow.

16,000 for the crowd wasn't bad either I guess - but we still would have lost money on it (I wonder what our break-even point is at the GABBA?)


As for the North game - it will be a big test to see where we are at. North are / have been coping it from the media for the last two weeks due to unexpected losses to the Bulldogs and the fade-out against Port. No doubt they will be up and about. I wouldn't be predicting a Lions win, but I definitely want to see us be competitive for most of the game - anything else would be dissapointing.

Polec and/or Polkinghorne are likely to get dropped for Hudson and possibly someone else (like Beams or Bartlett). I think we will play the two ruckmen against North - although I am not sure if we should (because of their run), especially if McIntosh is out still.

 

[patfullfankezz]

Just got back - what a game!

That 2nd Quarter nearly had me pulling my hair out though. Seriously boys, what part of 4 quarter efforts don't you get?????

Still, a win is a win is a win, and I look forward to a) giving my boss the shits tomorrow and b) winning next weekend

 

[Judge]

I really enjoyed my first look at Zorko playing live, as has been said today was probably not a great challenge for him but he looks to me like he belongs in the AFL and he should improve steadily as the season goes on.

I was puzzled by Polec's relegation to sub, although I though it might be because he's had a big 5 weeks or so, but moreso by suggestions that he might be dropped. This is one kid who should be played every week if his fitness allows, I have loved watching his development this year.

And well done to Richy today, he's making some strides towards being an A grade mid in my opinion.