Lions don’t have a good key fwd and it didn’t stop them going back to back, a top end key fwd is not a requirement for flags, small and mid size fwd are however and that is something we are trying to address in this draft

It wasn't that long ago that we were inviting teams to bomb it into our forward line ... with May, Petty & Lever taking mark after mark or spoiling to good effect (along with players like Salem, Bowey & Rivers taking possession & rebounding on the counter)

Of course, we kept bombing it in often just looking for a forward line stoppage when it was obvious that that tactic was becoming obsolete

It's a tough gig being a key forward these days as all the teams plan their defensive strategies* for the long kick forward. And progressing the ball forward with efficiency has always been an option which the Pies enacted to good effect in 2023

Right now, the list is still a bit top heavy with regards to tall forwards (due to contracts?)

*A good example being GWS in round 1 of 2025. We went in too top heavy up forward and GWS just waltzed the ball out of their backline. Lost that game at the selection table

Edited 23 hours ago23 hr by Macca

11 minutes ago, Garbo said:

Lions don’t have a good key fwd and it didn’t stop them going back to back, a top end key fwd is not a requirement for flags, small and mid size fwd are however and that is something we are trying to address in this draft

I'd say Logan Morris is already pretty good, kicked 53 odd goals this year at age 20. Daniher was pretty decent in his last season too...

But I actually agree with you. A top end forward isn't a requirement to win flags as long as you have a group of 3-4 players that can consistently hit the scoreboard.

Still jeffo, kentifield are a long way off?? Will they make it?? Johnson is a stop gap tall. I think you need one consistent tall to compeat. Lions only made the grand final in 2024 because Daniher dominated the last quarter.

FWIW our best 2 week period for the year was against Brisbane and Sydney where we looked like a genuine top 8 side those games. We beat the premiers away and were far too good for a depleted Sydney, but played a high quality brand of footy that day.

Our forward line hummed on both days and it comprised: Petty, Fritta, Melksham, Johnson and Kozzie.

No JVR or Jefferson.

2 hours ago, biggestred said:

JVR will be fine, especially when we arent bombing it onto his head in the pocket as a "game plan"

I just had brutal flashbacks to Lance Whitnall constantly having to hit the brakes on a lead and run back the other way because the garbage Carlton midfield was apparently watching the game via satellite on a 3 second delay.

We should recruit him as an assistant just to yell at midfielders to think about their inside 50 kicks.

He's known to have a good footy brain and it would be good for the soft cap because I suspect he'd pay us just for the chance to unload.

4 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

Tall forwards are overrated

Yep it's 1990s thining

6 hours ago, biggestred said:

JVR will be fine, especially when we arent bombing it onto his head in the pocket as a "game plan"

Spot on, and you can add the forwards in general.
If we have fast movement and dont just dump it on top of a guys head then they will be more productive.

as much as i believe that our forward problem has mainly been due to delivery by our mids/wingers and coaching style (surely!), i think that this led to our forward not leading correctly and also getting in each others way. a strong forward coach would have stamped that [censored] out from day one, but it somehow persisted in a professional setting.. fingers crossed something changes. i am hopeful as a hell of a lot will have changed since mid-2025.