Review Round 3, 2025 - Brisbane Lions vs. Geelong

[Section 5]

Starce obviously comes in as soon as he’s ready/considered safe.

RE Doedee and Kiddy; given they’ve both missed so much footy and the team has their positions well covered, give them a few weeks in the VFL. Get their touch back, then we can make the hard decisions from there.

For Doedee it’ll be him vs Lester; obviously Lester at the moment is hard to displace but Doedee is VERY good at his best so we’ll have to see what happens later in the season.

Kiddy…. I genuinely have no idea. At his best I stand by the statement that he’s the best halfback in the comp by daylight; it was so clear that we knew that going into last year as well and based our gameplan around him (he was central to that first half dominance against Carlton before he went down, and I distinctly remember in one of the pre-season games Sydney having to tag him because he was running wild). But Zorko has also been good enough to earn an AA jacket there… We could play both obviously but then need to justify someone else coming out, maybe Answerth? But he’s been very good too.

I do not envy the selection panel.

Deedee defiantly plays VFL and most likely so does Coleman.
But clubs have injuries happening all through the year, so we wait to see what unfolds
Gone are the years that when a key player got injured, we were nearly better off being one short

 

[Hollow Knight]

I loved McCluggage's game yesterday. He played like he was possessed.

That Bailey Smith tackle was something I'd usually associate with Dunkley or Berry doing - watching Hugh nail it while swinging his body all the way around Smith showed how vested he was in winning. Amazing.

Cherry on top was Bailey Smith gesticulating mid-tackle to the umpire like "is he allowed to do this?"

 

[Nathan Barley]

With Fletcher playing as the 7th defender it makes selection down back even more difficult if we keep playing him there. Seems to fit well for him but noticed Cal spending time in the wing against the Cats which probably doesn’t suit him. Maybe Wilmot goes to the wing

Doedee and Kiddy come back through the 2s. Could also see Kiddy taking Levi’s spot when fit enough.

 

[Dalions]

Perhaps.

I guess it's possible.

We've seen a few 'unbeatable' teams fall off the perch in recent times. As long as we make Top 4 I'll be happy.

Don’t think anyone is saying we are unbeatable.
But I agree that when/if we click we will really click.
We have an uncanny ability to be able to work teams out now and be able to put the pieces in place in game and adjust which is a very hard thing to do.
The big test might be when we come up against The Hawks who we do tend to struggle against.
I would love for things to click on Easter Thursday personally and put the little hoodoo against Collingwood to bed.

 

[3KZ is Football]

With Fletcher playing as the 7th defender it makes selection down back even more difficult if we keep playing him there. Seems to fit well for him but noticed Cal spending time in the wing against the Cats which probably doesn’t suit him. Maybe Wilmot goes to the wing

Doedee and Kiddy come back through the 2s. Could also see Kiddy taking Levi’s spot when fit enough.

I agree. Gardiner is in the same boat.
The only one of the three I would think is capable of breaking into the side on current team form would be a match fit Coleman.

 

[Tom14]

With Fletcher playing as the 7th defender it makes selection down back even more difficult if we keep playing him there. Seems to fit well for him but noticed Cal spending time in the wing against the Cats which probably doesn’t suit him. Maybe Wilmot goes to the wing

Doedee and Kiddy come back through the 2s. Could also see Kiddy taking Levi’s spot when fit enough.

Fletcher back to wing, Levi to sub, Kiddy into the team when fit. I though Jaspa was at risk of being put back to sub with Levi coming in to the team but his first 3 weeks have been flawless. I have total confidence in him to do whatever job is required.

Need to give Kiddy time to get right given delays in his rehab, but I'm certain we need him back in the team to reach our best.

If we are to go back to back, we need to double down on our strengths - midfield dominance and back half ball movement. We can't rely on bashing it forward to contest or Joe to bail us out, we need to get favourable matchups for our mediums and smalls and that happens through ball movement. Kiddy and Zork together is the way.

Starce/Answerth are one spot, and it is bloody tough on Noah if he misses out. If Starce leaves at the end of the year then Noah's guaranteed a spot.

 

[martinson]

Fletcher back to wing, Levi to sub, Kiddy into the team when fit. I though Jaspa was at risk of being put back to sub with Levi coming in to the team but his first 3 weeks have been flawless. I have total confidence in him to do whatever job is required.

Need to give Kiddy time to get right given delays in his rehab, but I'm certain we need him back in the team to reach our best.

If we are to go back to back, we need to double down on our strengths - midfield dominance and back half ball movement. We can't rely on bashing it forward to contest or Joe to bail us out, we need to get favourable matchups for our mediums and smalls and that happens through ball movement. Kiddy and Zork together is the way.

Starce/Answerth are one spot, and it is bloody tough on Noah if he misses out. If Starce leaves at the end of the year then Noah's guaranteed a spot.

If Kiddy gets back to form he's an automatic in and he and Zorko together would be a weapon no team could match

Of course form and fitness are always the issues so we'll have to wait it out to see what our choices are and if any of that eventuates.

 

[Squizz89]

Kiddy and Zorko will be a nightmare for opposition teams to deal with, if and when Kiddy gets back out there this year. As others have mentioned, without Joe we are going to have to rely more on ball movement going forward as opposed to the hack bomb into the 50.

I’m not Day’s biggest fan, but I am hoping that with some continuity with his body mainly, that he may be more than serviceable for us especially in the second half of the year. He’s never really had an extended run, so hopefully for his sake (& ours) he gets that here and he may show a bit more.

Jasper has been a revelation down back, I’d be reluctant to move him, but understand we need to find a way for Kiddy (& Doedee?) to get in. Maybe Doedee could be trialled as a forward in case things don’t work out with Day/Henry?

 

[martinson]

Don’t think anyone is saying we are unbeatable.
But I agree that when/if we click we will really click.
We have an uncanny ability to be able to work teams out now and be able to put the pieces in place in game and adjust which is a very hard thing to do.
The big test might be when we come up against The Hawks who we do tend to struggle against.
I would love for things to click on Easter Thursday personally and put the little hoodoo against Collingwood to bed.

Well I know no one's suggesting we're unbeatable but the talk gets a bit over inflated when you're winning.

I don't think we're that far ahead of some teams but we do have improvement in us and as we know on our day very hard to stop.

 

[Nathan Barley]

Kiddy and Zorko will be a nightmare for opposition teams to deal with, if and when Kiddy gets back out there this year. As others have mentioned, without Joe we are going to have to rely more on ball movement going forward as opposed to the hack bomb into the 50.

I’m not Day’s biggest fan, but I am hoping that with some continuity with his body mainly, that he may be more than serviceable for us especially in the second half of the year. He’s never really had an extended run, so hopefully for his sake (& ours) he gets that here and he may show a bit more.

Jasper has been a revelation down back, I’d be reluctant to move him, but understand we need to find a way for Kiddy (& Doedee?) to get in. Maybe Doedee could be trialled as a forward in case things don’t work out with Day/Henry?

I don’t think Doedee will factor in to the selection of a second ruck option

And I think Kiddy forward could be the option to help overcome the loss of Joe. Not to kick goals but be that final kick inside 50

 

[Nunez]

I don’t think Doedee will factor in to the selection of a second ruck option

And I think Kiddy forward could be the option to help overcome the loss of Joe. Not to kick goals but be that final kick inside 50

Doedee KPF and Hippy can take the ruck. I am ready

 

[3KZ is Football]

I don’t think Doedee will factor in to the selection of a second ruck option

And I think Kiddy forward could be the option to help overcome the loss of Joe. Not to kick goals but be that final kick inside 50

He does that when breaking the lines from Half Back. Magnificent delivery.

 

[blueiris]

We can't keep playing Day if Big O is back this week play Fort forward instead as the 2nd ruck/fwd

 

[3KZ is Football]

Doedee KPF and Hippy can take the ruck. I am ready

Gunston is back in form at Hawthorn. Time to pounce!

 

[blueiris]

Kiddy and Zorko will be a nightmare for opposition teams to deal with, if and when Kiddy gets back out there this year. As others have mentioned, without Joe we are going to have to rely more on ball movement going forward as opposed to the hack bomb into the 50.

I’m not Day’s biggest fan, but I am hoping that with some continuity with his body mainly, that he may be more than serviceable for us especially in the second half of the year. He’s never really had an extended run, so hopefully for his sake (& ours) he gets that here and he may show a bit more.

Jasper has been a revelation down back, I’d be reluctant to move him, but understand we need to find a way for Kiddy (& Doedee?) to get in. Maybe Doedee could be trialled as a forward in case things don’t work out with Day/Henry?

About Doodee forward Sloane was asked about that I think it was on Sen according to him Doedee can't play forward

edit: sorry I remember now I heard it on 3AW

 

[Nathan Barley]

We can't keep playing Day if Big O is back this week play Fort forward instead as the 2nd ruck/fwd

What makes you think Fort is a better option?

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Oh yeah! Question for those who were at the game... There were a couple of women interviewing the players out on the ground after the game.

One of them was a regular - I've seen her before at the Gabba and Springfield etc.

Was the other one Belle Dawes?

Yes, Belle has been doing crowd work at the Gabba since last year I think. She does a great job actually

 

[morsie]

As someone else wrote , apologies but I cant remember, we are now the opposite of a couple of years ago when we would lead by heaps and then either get run down or just hold on.It even happened last year against Collingwood and Carlton.We also had a series of matches against Melbourne where we would blow commanding leads..We seem now to be imbued with the belief that we can win from any position against anyone.We are the opposite of Carlton who seem to believe that they can lose from any position.Hopefully the streak will continue although I would prefer us to be leading at some stage in teh first half of matches.I dont think Hawthorn or Collingwood are likely to let us back in if we get substantially behind and GWS have probably learned a lesson as well.

 

[blueiris]

What makes you think Fort is a better option?

FORT can actually ruck and he kicks goals

 

[ZoBlitz]

Could be this: https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1997/141919970706.html

There were some atrociously skilled games in 1997. I probably "enjoyed" this one live.

 

[martinson]

FORT can actually ruck and he kicks goals

Day's shortcomings are fairly obvious. The positives are he can actually ruck to an acceptable standard and if his job is to get in the way in marking packs and stoppages and make it easier for the smaller players then it's possible he can do that as well.

I'm currently of the view that Fort could do that equally or better but we have Day and he's going to be given the chance to have that position by the looks. So let's see. Saturday night was an improvement on his first outing.

 

[rye]

day is there to play a role and hes performing it as far as im concerned. we knew we weren't getting a superstar. so long as he can prevent the oppositions key defenders from intercept marking everything and help oscar in the ruck im fairly content.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Was watching Day closely last night to see if the Eagles game was his physical ceiling, or if it was merely a case of needing to build up his output over a few games.

Last night made me feel it was a little more of the latter. Looked a little bit more mobile. I still fear though his ceiling is going to be very limited.

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

There were some atrociously skilled games in 1997. I probably "enjoyed" this one live.

One of the few Gabba games I missed during my membership, due to living in central Qld that year. Would've watched on tv though, but I appear to have scrubbed it from my memory thank god

 

[blueiris]

Day's shortcomings are fairly obvious. The positives are he can actually ruck to an acceptable standard and if his job is to get in the way in marking packs and stoppages and make it easier for the smaller players then it's possible he can do that as well.

I'm currently of the view that Fort could do that equally or better but we have Day and he's going to be given the chance to have that position by the looks. So let's see. Saturday night was an improvement on his first outing.

Day got smashed in ruck contests in the last 2 weeks not sure he's great for us in the long run Fort is competitive against the best ruckman