An interesting contest looms on Saturday afternoon as the Carlton Blues look to continue their recent resurgence, while the Brisbane Lions will be hoping the bye can quell some of their recent health and injury issues and allow them to put in a strong performance.
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Carlton have had the wood over Brisbane in recent years, winning the last five contests against them. However an injection of over 480 games of experience into the Lions side (with not a heap going out) coupled with the rest from the bye should allow us to see a more competitive Brisbane outfit this afternoon.
Typically this season the ‘big’ midfielders have run rampant against the Lions, mostly running against young players like Nick Robertson and Mitch Golby or being without a tag at all. The exception was in Round 1 when Tom Rockliff effectively stifled Sam Mitchell while gaining a fair bit of the pill himself. Marc Murphy typically loves playing the Lions, so expect to see some sort of extra pressure put on him by Leppitsch.
We can also expect a scrappy contest with both sides sitting very low in the average disposals per game metric (18th for Brisbane, 16th for Carlton). Whichever side can make the best use of their possession will go a long way towards winning.
As usual, the problems for both sides come at either end of the ground, with a lack of quality talls an issue for both. Expect the Lions to play Brown and Merrett up forward, leading Joel Patfull and Matt Maguire down back to marshall a young defensive group.
The Blues are likely to require Henderson in defence, so expect Waite (who has a good record against Brisbane) and Casboult to be their big men up forward.
The ruck battle looms as intriguing, with Warnock looking the superior tap ruckman but West proving to be more than capable of making a contest and taking the mantle of first ruck for Brisbane.
The Blues should look to take full advantage of the periods Merrett is put into the ruck and get first use of the ball; West’s contested marking ability is something few Lions have so he’ll definitely get his chance down the ground.
Brisbane also typically struggle against zippy forwards and the Blues have named Yarran, Menzel and Garlett on the ground in their forward line. It looks imposing for a defence that often allows multiple goals to be scored quickly against them due to a lack of speed and relative inexperience.
If Carlton are to take home the chocolates they’ll have to do a lot of the damage in ‘red time’, where Brisbane have tired and faltered all season. The Lions are the worst in the competition for goals per game and therefore a couple of quick goals at any point can leave them on the back foot and playing catch up.
Despite all these factors against Brisbane, one would have to give them a sneaky chance. They’re at the Gabba, they got close to Carlton last year and this is Carlton’s third game in thirteen days while Brisbane are coming off the bye. For a team like Brisbane coming off an awful fitness base, this is exactly the kind of situation they’d hope for.
But expect Carlton to be too strong and want this win too much for Brisbane to take home the points. The dream is somehow still alive for Malthouse and co. but today they need a win to make sure of it.
Brisbane have made a raft of changes with six players feeling the axe at the selection table (Lester, Cutler, Raines, Close, Lisle and Robertson), bringing in Maguire, Patfull and Rockliff (both missing the North game with gastro), Harwood, Mayes and upgraded mature-aged rookie Zac O’Brien, former member of the Essendon VFL team.
Carlton on the other hand have stuck to forced changes, with Andrew ‘Carrots’ Carrazzo and Mitch Robinson coming in for Andrew Walker (knee) and Dennis Armfield (calf).
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Aaron
Guest
Go lions bring on the bulldogs
Duncan Horne
Guest
Unbelievable another loss . Bring on GWS as maybe just maybe we can loose to another celler dweller team
Aaron
Guest
That's true but cartlon had there chances to kick goals and guess what they missed " as they say bad kicking is bad footy " so I say suck it up you guys lost so don't blame the umps
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Attendance: 24,625
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
For the Supercoaches: 182 points to Rockliff, 131 to Zorko and 125 to Redden for Brisbane 156 to Murphy, 121 to Warnock and 112 to Simpson for Carlton Final Score: Brisbane 14.14.98 def Carlton 13.13.91
Axle an the guru
Guest
By the way Jack there known as umps in the AFL. Not Refs
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
Thanks Axle, definitely agree on the marking issue. I think Carlton did blow it a bit and they were always slightly on the backfoot after the first even when dominating the stats across the board.
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
FULL TIME and somehow the Lions have won! After leading by 28 at quarter-time (the Lions) it was looking like the Blues all the way as they dominated all the key stats, but just couldn't put it on the scoreboard. Mick won't be happy as the umpires gave Brisbane a bit of a square-up in the final term, a lot of decisions went their way. But they took their chances and managed to scrap out a win in a surprisingly intense game. This is huge in the context of the seasons of both teams. The Lions are in a good position to get off the bottom soon, while the Blues have more soulsearching to do after a resurgent few weeks in which they looked like they could be finals contenders again. Rockliff and Murphy absolute giants for their respective sides. The Blues will be rueing some dumb decisions made by the likes of Waite and Yarran near the end of the game out of frustration which could have costed a lot. BEST: Carlton - Murphy, Docherty, Simpson, Everitt, Henderson Brisbane - Rockliff, Zorko, Redden, Hanley, Brown GOALS: Carlton: Garlett 3, Henderson 3, Murphy, Everitt, Menzel, Ellard, Tuohy, Waite Brisbane: Brown 3, Merrett 2, Green 2, Zorko 2, Paine, Redden, Paparone, O'Brien, Beams Thanks very much for tuning in today! Plenty to discuss in the fallout from that game. Doubt there's much in the reports, but the questionable umpiring both ways and the odd lack of marks being paid will be in the heads of many. There's also what this victory means to both teams, can Carlton get back from here? Cheers Roarers.
Aaron
Guest
Yes I know a lot of cartlon supporters and theirs nothing better than sticking it up them go lions had a lot of injuries good on you fellas
Axle an the guru
Guest
I think the umpiers need to refocus on what constitutes a mark. But well done to Brisbane they matched it with Carlton. Carlton had some chances in the last couple of minutes but weren't good enough. Thanks for your time Dylan
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
Carlton dominated the free kick count up until 3Q time but the umpires are doing their best to even it up this quarter. A fair few questionable ones to the Lions (the Blues lead the FK count 23-17 for the game). But the Lions have won by 7 points! Somehow they've done it.
Jack
Guest
The umpires decided this game it's just hat this home ground stuff still happens
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
BEHIND BRISBANE 50 seconds left final term Zorko fakes out a Carlton defender but misses! 8 point game!
Jack
Guest
Refs paying marks to players who don't mark.
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
BEHIND CARLTON 1:56 remaining final quarter Everitt misses from a shot from the outside of the boot! Carlton still need two goals as the score is 97-90.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Yarran wants his arse kicked, not for that love tap but for missing the goal
Jack
Guest
Horrible horrible horrible refs
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
BEHIND CARLTON 3:02 remaining final quarter It's all happening at the GABBA. Yarran receives the handpass from Murphy but misses the goal. He lashes out at Hanley and is reported but there's nothing in it. Carlton need to move on here.
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
GOAL BRISBANE 3:57 remaining final quarter Yarran very unlucky not to be paid a mark or free kick but Josh Green is happy to oblige the football gods and boot the goal! Brisbane are up by 9.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Brisbane has got this one with some help might i ad