PRE MATCH DISCUSSION & TEAM SELECTION

[DeeZee 7,392]

I think they saw something last week ,with a structure that caused headaches for the opposition.

Namely Max Gawn.

If maxy wasnt marking the ball he was bringing it to ground. As well as drawing two defenders to him.

Ill bet Blease and Rodan are in to crumb goals.

[Cards13 9,117]

Its not much different to the forwardline that kicked 12 in the last. Statistically you could say its our best ever

A statistical anomaly then?

Our leading goal kickers: Mitch Clark 7, Howe 7, Byrnes 5, Davey 5, Evans 4, Sylvia, Trengrove, and Pederson 3, Jones and Gawn 2 each.

Mitch is also a big loss as he has floated back a number of times as loose man in defence to stem the tide when needed (often this year ).

In saying all of that gee wizz the Lions team on paper looks really thin for class

Edited April 25, 2013 by Cards13

[Cards13 9,117]

I think they saw something last week ,with a structure that caused headaches for the opposition.

Namely Max Gawn.

If maxy wasnt marking the ball he was bringing it to ground. As well as drawing two defenders to him.

Ill bet Blease and Rodan are in to crumb goals.

The big man brings so much to the team with the above noted. With a fit Clark and Dawes in the line-up..... and a midfield with some confidence... could be very damaging as the year progresses, or am I just dreaming.

Davey has 5 goals this year and has looked good in patches in the crumbing role, question seems to be do they start him and look to sub him later or he is the sub and comes on later. Doubt very much he will run out a full game from here on out by the looks of this season, and as long as he keeps ave close to that 2 goals a game it looks like it works. Rodan hasn't had a shot on goal yet and Blease needs a few games to get back up to speed after injury.

[ben russell 764]

The last pick on the bench will be interesting. One of mckenzie, Strauss, tappy, Davey or jones to miss out. I'd think mckenzie would play and tappy and Davey for one to play and the other be the sub. Potentially it might be time for Jones to take a spell in the 2's to work on his disposal and defensive work rate. Rodan, blease and mckenzie can cover his midfield time. That way Strauss comes I'm for jetta.

It would mean mckenzie, trengove and jones play midfield time whilst blease, Byrnes, Evans, tapscott, Sylvia, bail and Rodan all rotate through. Not quite the talent but good midfield rotations at least.

I really don't think we will be dropping Matt Jones. He has been a shining light for us this year and actually knows how to find the footy going at 21 disposals a game. He has had a clanger here or there but I reckon he uses the ball well for the most part.

[Maldonboy38 6,402]

Like so many games involving the Dees over the past 3-5 years, it all comes down to the midfield. Our % of converting forward 50 entries into scores is actually OK. The main issue is the amount of times we can enter into the 50m arc.

The Lions midfield looks to lack as much polish as ours does, so for mine, I reckon it has to do with 2 things:

skill efficiency coming through half-forward

defensive spread from our midfield

We showed against GWS we can do both these things - but that was under very little pressure from some very tired young footballers. Can we do these two things under pressure from the Lions midfield? At the very least I reckon we can match them in defensive spread, but our kicking into forward 50 over 4 quarters remains suspect.

Also, Gawn and Pedersen are pivotal. With Bail, Evans, Byrnes,and possibly Rodan, Davey and Blease if we can get front and centre enough we should be OK.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Maldonboy38

[Adam The God 30,239]

People complaining about Mitch Clark being out don't seem to understand that our greatest ever last quarter performance came when he was warming the bench. Such a dramatic turnaround can only be explained by the fact that our dependence on him in the first three quarters was self-defeating.

Of course I'm not happy he's out, and he was one of our best performers in the first three rounds, but all he did against GWS was kick it out on the full and give away free kicks.

Again, how could losing our star full-forward coincide with our greatest quarter of the year? Think about that.

You obviously missed his Franklinesque run down the boundary line and pass to Pedo? He didn't hold onto his contested marks last week, I'll agree, but he was playing hampered by injury and was still able to influence the game in stanzas.

[Adam The God 30,239]

We kicked a lot of goals through our midfield, and that would not have happened if the status quo of long bombs to a pack had continued. I don't see it as a positive that Clark is out. I see it as an opportunity to play the way we did in the last quarter for the entire game.

I also think another reason that we played better in the last was that Jack Viney was subbed out. I ranked him and Clark as our worst two performers against GWS. Believe me, I know it sounds strange. But both those two were off the ground in the last quarter, and even with one fewer rotation we absolutely destroyed the Giants.

People are saying that we're half as good with Clark out. I'm saying that the evidence doesn't back that up.

We were still bombing it to the square to Gawn though, Chook. Yes, Gawn doesn't carry the same focus as Mitch, but I think we'll really struggle to kick a winning score this weekend. Even if Clark isn't kicking bags, he straightens us up significantly.

[Adam The God 30,239]

Like so many games involving the Dees over the past 3-5 years, it all comes down to the midfield. Our % of converting forward 50 entries into scores is actually OK. The main issue is the amount of times we can enter into the 50m arc.

The Lions midfield looks to lack as much polish as ours does, so for mine, I reckon it has to do with 2 things:

skill efficiency coming through half-forward

defensive spread from our midfield

We showed against GWS we can do both these things - but that was under very little pressure from some very tired young footballers. Can we do these two things under pressure from the Lions midfield? At the very least I reckon we can match them in defensive spread, but our kicking into forward 50 over 4 quarters remains suspect.

Also, Gawn and Pedersen are pivotal. With Bail, Evans, Byrnes,and possibly Rodan, Davey and Blease if we can get front and centre enough we should be OK.

I'd say it's excellent in fact. It's been that way for a while now.

[binman 42,919]

I love seeing Sylvia listed as smack bang in the middle. I hope they start him there and play him there for as much time as his tank allows. I would love it if Neeld made it publicly clear that Jones and Sylvia are our mid field leaders.

I have expressed my concerns for Neelds approach and whilst i have not advocated for him to be sacked i am on record as saying that results will determine his future. Critical to results is whether his players play for him as once a coach has lost his players he's gone. At 3/4 time the whole team would have realized if they came out and turned their toes up there was every chance Neeld was gone. They didn't - quite the opposite.

Say what you like about the strength of the opposition but we were terrific in the last quarter last week and i saw a team finally showing support for their coach and for each other for that matter. There was a spirit there that was not there previously.

I reckon demondames comments about the drug stuff playing on the team were spot on and in my mind would have been a big factor in the funk they were in. But also i suspect the Sorrento trip may have been an opportunity to get some things out and dealt with. Also i wonder if Neeld has realized that his approach has needed some adjustments and perhaps he's making them

Which leads me back to Sylvia. A great coach will get the most out of all players, including the less focused one - not just lift the overall standard of the group. Finding the key to someone like Sylvia is a challenge i suspect but if Neeld can it could be critical given how poor our mid field is. One avenue to explore is go against the normal wisdom and give Sylvia more responsibility not less. I would have loved to see him being put into the leadership group this year for this reason. Tell him he is one of the leaders - jeez promote him to the lg now.

We had a glimpse last week of how influential Sylvia can be. If Neeld can support Sylvia to show that sort of leadership week in week out we will do much, much better and Neeld might save his coaching career.

Edited April 26, 2013 by binman

[Chook 15,013]

You obviously missed his Franklinesque run down the boundary line and pass to Pedo? He didn't hold onto his contested marks last week, I'll agree, but he was playing hampered by injury and was still able to influence the game in stanzas.

Yeah, that was brilliant. But it was only one act for only one goal. Much of the rest of his game on the weekend was dominated by giving away free kicks. The reality is though that when you're a forward, you're either kicking goals or you're wasting your team's good work.

Usually Mitch kicks goals and makes the best of our bad work. Last week he missed goals and messed up a lot of our good work, and that's part of the reason why we played so great in the last quarter.

We were still bombing it to the square to Gawn though, Chook. Yes, Gawn doesn't carry the same focus as Mitch, but I think we'll really struggle to kick a winning score this weekend. Even if Clark isn't kicking bags, he straightens us up significantly.

How often did we really kick it to Gawn last week? All the times that I remember resulted in goals, so the fact that he's still in this week is great. Still, I hope they bring in Spencer to ruck and allow Gawn to spend most of his time at full-forward this week.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Chook

[Young Dee 1,303]

Yeah, that was brilliant. But it was only one act for only one goal. Much of the rest of his game on the weekend was dominated by giving away free kicks. The reality is though that when you're a forward, you're either kicking goals or you're wasting your team's good work.

Usually Mitch kicks goals and makes the best of our bad work. Last week he missed goals and messed up a lot of our good work, and that's part of the reason why we played so great in the last quarter.

How often did we really kick it to Gawn last week? All the times that I remember resulted in goals, so the fact that he's still in this week is great. Still, I hope they bring in Spencer to ruck and allow Gawn to spend most of his time at full-forward this week.

He kicked 2 goals and one was a down feild free kick straight infront wasn't it?

We had quite a few forward entries - if anything Gawn might have not been getting to the right places.

I wonder if Neeld will use him more tactacly this week - tell him to stay just outside the goals square and maybe have a crumber (Davey/Blease) and Howe around him so when we bomb it to the hots spot Gawn or Howe will mark and if they don't Davey will crumb. I don't see Gawn as much of a leading forward - he may as well use his height advantage and I don't want him kicking from anyfurther than 20m out!

I think Spencer would be one tall to many and he would be at the expence of a midfielder - we need run and carry

Edited April 26, 2013 by Young Dee

[Longsufferingnomore 1,631]

I see that Blease, Mckenzie, Nicho, Spencer, Strauss have all been named to play for Scorps. Interchange I would like to see is Davey(Sub)McKenzie (for MJones rest) Tappy and I would like Spencer in to relieve Jamar as ruck and Jamar to go forward to rest Gawn etc.

[stuie 7,374]

Stuie - you are using too many gifs.

I don't want to see gif fatigue on here as I do post the odd one.

Regards

rpfc

[boydie 655]

Do I think we'll win, No. Do I think we're no chance of winning, No. We're always some chance, it depends who wants to put in and for how long.

This isn't as a result of Mitch Clark not playing, it does hurt us though. Why? Yeah he hasn't been as good as last year but each we get into him the better he gets. Lets not forget that he gets thrown all over the place to help us out. Last week we played Mitch forward, through him down back when we couldn't get it forward. Played him in the center to get a bloody clearance, and I reckon I even saw him take at least one center bounce in the ruck.

While Brisbane's team doesn't look to great, their weakened midfield is still way better than anything we can throw in there. Lets also not focus on if we keep Brown quiet we'll be right, each we let some average player kick a bag, O'Hailpan is no star and he kicked 5 on Frawley/McDonald, remember Port in Darwin last year when none of us had heard of Stewart and he ended up kicking for 4 or 5!

60-40 game favoring Brisbane. If we contest and keep it tight we may just win it.

My tip is Brisbane by 2 goals unless we give up like rounds 1-3 then it will be Brisbane 40+

[titan_uranus 25,016]

Bench better be McKenzie, Tapscott, Davey and M. Jones. McKenzie should be playing, whilst none of the other three deserve to be dropped.

That then makes it McKenzie for Viney (fair), Rodan for Jetta (not 100% like-for-like, but close enough), and then Blease for Clark (clearly trying to enhance our run).

Clark out hurts, no doubt about it, but given we proved we can score against a crap side without him, and Brisbane are, at the moment, a crap side, it's not the end of the world.

If this was in Melbourne, I'd have some sort of optimism (that sort of MFC optimism that kinda doesn't actually exist, but whatever). Being in Brisbane, though, I have no confidence.

[PaulRB 6,362]

So is that a choice between "optimism that kinda doesn't actually exist" and "no confidence"?

hmmmm let me see... I'm with you.

Edited April 26, 2013 by PaulRB

[dee-luded 2,959]

I can't believe the odds on this game.

I know we've been ordinary to date, but the Lions at $1.15 to win. Bloody hell.

I prefer it Ron, us going in as underdemons.

I hope we go in with great hope, but with them expected to win as favourites.

After all they are the more senior club as of last years ladder, & on wins this year, we are level. They are more experienced & at home.

Go Dees.

Edited April 26, 2013 by dee-luded

[Cards13 9,117]

Like so many games involving the Dees over the past 3-5 years, it all comes down to the midfield. Our % of converting forward 50 entries into scores is actually OK. The main issue is the amount of times we can enter into the 50m arc.

The Lions midfield looks to lack as much polish as ours does, so for mine, I reckon it has to do with 2 things:

skill efficiency coming through half-forward

defensive spread from our midfield

We showed against GWS we can do both these things - but that was under very little pressure from some very tired young footballers. Can we do these two things under pressure from the Lions midfield? At the very least I reckon we can match them in defensive spread, but our kicking into forward 50 over 4 quarters remains suspect.

Also, Gawn and Pedersen are pivotal. With Bail, Evans, Byrnes,and possibly Rodan, Davey and Blease if we can get front and centre enough we should be OK.

I'd say it's excellent in fact. It's been that way for a while now.

Before last week were no 2 in the comp for fwd 50 entries converting to goals. We may be no 1 after that last quarter now.

[timD 994]

I'd doubt that this team can cope with Byrnes, Rodan, Blease and Davey all in the team at once. I'd have Strauss ahead of davey - improves the team flexibility and we already have enough of the small quick blokes who aren't great defensively.

Or does that really shoot my point in the foot?

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,175]

He kicked 2 goals and one was a down feild free kick straight infront wasn't it?

We had quite a few forward entries - if anything Gawn might have not been getting to the right places.

I wonder if Neeld will use him more tactacly this week - tell him to stay just outside the goals square and maybe have a crumber (Davey/Blease) and Howe around him so when we bomb it to the hots spot Gawn or Howe will mark and if they don't Davey will crumb. I don't see Gawn as much of a leading forward - he may as well use his height advantage and I don't want him kicking from anyfurther than 20m out!

I think Spencer would be one tall to many and he would be at the expence of a midfielder - we need run and carry

Watch the last quarter and take note as to the goals. Gawn is involved in 7 of the 12 either kicking it himself, bringing the ball to ground or a disposal in the scoring chain.

[Chook 15,013]

I'd doubt that this team can cope with Byrnes, Rodan, Blease and Davey all in the team at once. I'd have Strauss ahead of davey - improves the team flexibility and we already have enough of the small quick blokes who aren't great defensively.

Or does that really shoot my point in the foot?

Byrnes and Davey have handled themselves well so far this year. It's Rodan and Blease we have to worry about, but there's a chance that the legspeed they bring us might really be helpful this round. Who knows.

[binman 42,919]

I'd doubt that this team can cope with Byrnes, Rodan, Blease and Davey all in the team at once. I'd have Strauss ahead of davey - improves the team flexibility and we already have enough of the small quick blokes who aren't great defensively.

Or does that really shoot my point in the foot?

I like Davey as a sub. Has a touch of class and fresh can hurt sides later in matches when perhaps they are tiring. Perhaps not so flash (pardon the pun) as cover for an early injury.

[H_T 3,043]

We could be back on the bottom of the ladder if GWS beat the suns and we lose.

Here's to keeping a positive frame of mind.

IIRC the Brisbane midfielder who really killed us last time was Jack Redden who just missed out on incurring the wrath of the MRP this after last week. He and Rockliff still need to be contained. And then there's Beamer who they said was the best thing to arrive in Brisbane since sliced bread.

Their midfield is still going to be problematic.

No doubt rumpole. In fact, I think every midfield we come up against is going to be problematic this season.

I expect the bench to be McKenzie, Tapscott, Davey, Jones. Happy that we have not brought in a tall just for the sake of playing one. Gawn, Pedersen with Howe deep should give them a target.

Those on the pine for me would be McKenzie, Tapscott, Davey, Strauss.

I think I'll change my tip.

Head wins out over heart RobbieF?

To be honest and ignoring the betting market for a second, Brisbane will definitely miss Rich and Hanley...but not so much big Stef.

The likes of Rockliff, Redden and their forwards will prove a handful if their midfield are left to clean up time and again. Our mids need to try and break even to give us a chance for 4 points with Clark gone.

I'd doubt that this team can cope with Byrnes, Rodan, Blease and Davey all in the team at once. I'd have Strauss ahead of davey - improves the team flexibility and we already have enough of the small quick blokes who aren't great defensively.

Or does that really shoot my point in the foot?

Byrnes was effective last week and kept us in it. We need a similar output from him. If Blease can produce what he did late last season for us on the scoreboard - I'll take it. Davey a sub for me, and I'm not sure what Rodan can offer us apart from getting his hands on the ball first in the middle and getting it out effectively - because defensively he leaves us in a spot of bother IMO.

[Mister Ed 305]

Melbourne by 224 points.

[Readers should not that the above was written with tongue slightly in cheek]

I like but do you realise that even a win of those proportions won't lift our percentage over 100%

[Yossarian 1,820]

Interesting stat:

Only two Lions players – Jonathan Brown (6) and Josh Green (5) – have kicked five goals or more so far this season, while Melbourne has four – Mitch Clark (7), Jeremy Howe (7), Aaron Davey (5) and Shannon Byrnes (5).