Brisbane Lions - prospects in 2007?

[Hondo]

Are Brisbane the real deal in 2007 or is it too early to tell after 2 wins at home. I think it's the latter but their early form has surprised me.

The early season results of Essendon, Carlton, Brisbane and Port Adelaide (teams focussing on rebuilding with junior talent) may indicate another nail in the coffin for players in their late 20s who get de-listed. Protecting your draft picks and working on the junior talent will become the preferred approach to list management.

I reckon in future, unless you are an out and out star like Aker, if you hit 27 and your club doesn't want you anymore, don't be too optimistic about your chances of another club picking you up unless you retire first and allow another club to grab you without giving up any draft picks ..... such as Matty Clarke and Mal Michael.

[Mr66]

They've only beaten Hawthorn & St.Kilda.
Don't get carried away.

[brod]

I think you're right they are prospects for 2007... to finish first for teams playing home games within the state of Queensland... and not much more.

[Rik E Boy]

I don't think they will make the eight but they are a hell of a lot better than I thought they would be. I had them in at 15th but they might just miss out in my view. St Kilda had half their side out on Thursday and Hawthorn were diabolical in round one. 11 Road trips await the Gorillas.

regards,

REB

[Roylion]

I don't think they will make the eight but they are a hell of a lot better than I thought they would be. I had them in at 15th but they might just miss out in my view. St Kilda had half their side out on Thursday and Hawthorn were diabolical in round one. 11 Road trips await the Gorillas.

Brisbane also had the odd player out from their best side, including Daniel Bradshaw, Nigel Lappin, Jamie Charman, Josh Drummond and Jason Roe. Richard Hadley and Troy Selwood, when fit, would also go close to our best side.

I don't think they'll make the eight, but they'll be competitive and take it right up to a large number of teams, evne if they don't yet have the skills and experience across the board. I think they'll do reasonably well away from home too. Of course it was only the NAB Cup, but for four weeks in a row on the road the Lions were also very competitive.

[Rik E Boy]

I don't think they will make the eight but they are a hell of a lot better than I thought they would be. I had them in at 15th but they might just miss out in my view. St Kilda had half their side out on Thursday and Hawthorn were diabolical in round one. 11 Road trips await the Gorillas.

Brisbane also had the odd player out from their best side, including Daniel Bradshaw, Nigel Lappin, Jamie Charman, Josh Drummond and Jason Roe. Richard Hadley and Troy Selwood, when fit, would also go close to our best side.

I don't think they'll make the eight, but they'll be competitive and take it right up to a large number of teams, evne if they don't yet have the skills and experience across the board. I think they'll do reasonably well away from home too. Of course it was only the NAB Cup, but for four weeks in a row on the road the Lions were also very competitive.

Get used to not having Bradshaw, he won't be back this year. Nigel Lappin and Hadlee? It's like us expecting a full year out of Harley and King. As for Roe, Drummond and Selwood hardly game breakers there but Charman a big out for your blokes. There is a lot more depth than I orginally thought but St Kilda had no defence at all on Thursday night and also went in without their harley/hadless Hamill as well as Saint Nick and Luke Ball. 11 Road trips still await the Gorillas but yes I was aware that you guys weren't at full strength

regards,

REB

[Roylion]

Get used to not having Bradshaw, he won't be back this year.

I have been aware of that for some time.

Nigel Lappin and Hadlee? It's like us expecting a full year out of Harley and King.

Up until 2006, Nigel Lappin played most games in each season.

2001: 25 games
2002: 18 games
2003: 22 games
2004: 25 games
2005: 16 games (broken leg Round 20/ missed 2006 season).

Hadley of course has had two successive knee reconstructions.

As for Roe, Drummond and Selwood hardly game breakers there but Charman a big out for your blokes.

As are Bradshaw and Lappin. Those two are roughly the equivalent (as in importance to the structure of our side and our ability to win on a consistent basis) of Riewoldt and Ball.

There is a lot more depth than I orginally thought but St Kilda had no defence at all on Thursday night

St Kilda's back six easily outclassed Brisbane's in terms of reputation and experience.

Brisbane's back six on Thursday night
- Merrett (26 games)
- Mills (5 games)
- Brennan (40 games)
- Adcock (34 games)
- Begley (4 games)
- Copeland (111 games)

St Kilda's named back six
- Max Hudghton (195 games)
- Sam Fisher (53 games)
- Brendan Goddard (85 games)
- Steven Baker (136 games)
- Leigh Fisher (27 games)
- Jason Gram (34 games)

and also went in without their harley/hadless Hamill as well as Saint Nick and Luke Ball.

Well I can only say it again. Of our best 22, Lappin, Charman, Bradshaw and Roe were missing. Drummond would fit into our best 22 and considerably add to our defence were he playing. Selwood and Hadley, if fit, would be presing for our best 22, especially given that two of the Fab 5 (Akermanis and Voss) are no longer playing at the Lions.

11 Road trips still await the Gorillas but yes I was aware that you guys weren't at full strength

As I've said we have reasonably good recent form on the road. This year we have a 75% winning record . We certainly won't win them all our away matches, probably starting next week against Sydney. However I'd be hopeful of a 3-1 scoreline after our Round 4 match against the Kangaroos at Carrara.

[Rik E Boy]

You mean back five don't you Roy? Maxie went down fairly early and St Kilda were lame ducks after that. Like I said, you're better than I thought you would be (I had you down at 15 pre-season ) but it's a long year and I reckon you'll be in the bottom half come round 22. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

regards,

REB

[Roylion]

You mean back five don't you Roy? Maxie went down fairly early and St Kilda were lame ducks after that.

St Kilda were well beaten in the midfield by the Lions (Rischitelli and co.) and our forwards just received more opportunity than the St Kilda forwards. Even Ross Lyon stated after the game that "It was won and lost in the midfield, we make no bones about that,". I agree.

Gehrig was well held by Merrett and Brennan played a great game. Colm Begley negated Robert Harvey's influence. Sure, losing Hudghton didn't help the Saints, but he was replaced on on the field. They didn't play one short.

Like I said, you're better than I thought you would be (I had you down at 15 pre-season ) but it's a long year and I reckon you'll be in the bottom half come round 22. Guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

I don't disagree with that at all. I said quite clearly about Brisbane's prospects in Post #5 of this thread. "I don't think they'll make the eight, but they'll be competitive and take it right up to a large number of teams...

What I was commenting on was your statement that "St Kilda had half their side out on Thursday". which seemed to imply that was pretty much THE reason that Brisbane won. I was merely making the point that Brisbane also had a number of their best 22 out, that their defence was relatively inexperienced and perhaps there were other reasons for Brisbane's good performance, other than St Kilda's injury list.

[Rik E Boy]

Fair dinkum.

[Dutchy]

LOL

I think what they have done is very smart, they looked at their team 12 months ago and said "Who is going to win us a premiership in 2009?" then exited anyone who wouldnt be around then, long term thinking in every decision will see it pays dividends in the end

[Rik E Boy]

LOL

I think what they have done is very smart, they looked at their team 12 months ago and said "Who is going to win us a premiership in 2009?" then exited anyone who wouldnt be around then, long term thinking in every decision will see it pays dividends in the end

I think that Port have done this as well Dutchy.

regards,

REB

[Dutchy]

LOL

I think what they have done is very smart, they looked at their team 12 months ago and said "Who is going to win us a premiership in 2009?" then exited anyone who wouldnt be around then, long term thinking in every decision will see it pays dividends in the end

I think that Port have done this as well Dutchy.

regards,

REB

Wakelin, Mahoney, Lade and Wilson would all struggle to be playing in 2009

[Roylion]

LOL

I think what they have done is very smart, they looked at their team 12 months ago and said "Who is going to win us a premiership in 2009?" then exited anyone who wouldnt be around then, long term thinking in every decision will see it pays dividends in the end

I don't necessarily agree that the Lions have made a conscious decision to straight away get rid of anyone who wasn't in their 'premiership plans' for 2009. To an extent the player changes were forced on them, Voss / Leppitsch through injury and Akermanis / Michael through other circumstnaces. I would have some doubts over whether Johnson and Lappin (both 33 in 2009) will be playing in 2009 (though it is possible) and yet they're still playing in 2007.

Matthews made it fairly clear that he wanted Voss and Michael to play on with the Lions in 2007 and see out their contracts. From then on both would have been on a series of one year contracts depending on form, fitness and inclination. Akermanis wanted to go, and I think he wanted to go as early as at the end of 2005. However he would have been retained had he wanted to stay and had he been willing to toe the club line. Clark Keating and Brad Scott's contracts certainly were not renewed and they definitely were exited by the club. Most Lions supporters could have picked that happening to those two at the start of 2006, as part of natural attrition, just like as most of us are tipping another premiership hero, Chris Scott, will be gone at the end of this season, if not sooner.