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Brisbane Lions season review

Brisbane Lions fans cheers on the team during their round 13 game against the Adelaide Crows at the Gabba in Brisbane, Saturday, June 27, 2015. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)
Roar Pro
24th August, 2017
42

There is electricity in the Brisbane air.

The back half of the season saw the Lions finally start to generate some buzz around their future, with a plethora of young stars and the emergence of an exciting gameplan.

With one game to go, the Lions are going to fight for their lives to get off the bottom of the ladder – and I’ll be watching.

So let’s start from the top.

The coach
I like Chris Fagan. He’s a well spoken, intelligent and happy individual. I bet he doesn’t mind handing out hugs here and there.

In a recent SEN morning panel, he was asked what the key to his coaching was. He said he sat down with each player and asked them the three same questions, the third being: what would you do if you were the senior coach?

With this question, he was able to instill buy-in from the playing group and build a collective gameplan in which everyone had input. It’s worked like a treat.

The players want to learn and grow together and build a brand that they help craft.

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His teaching background and ability to be open to his entire playing list may well see him become a dynasty coach.

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The captain
I was a bit surprised that Dayne Beams got the job, as I saw him more as a quiet achiever.

The decision, however, was dead on the money. Beams provides a calmness and camaraderie around the group without ruffling any feathers and is now in All Australian form. He leads by example on the field and seems to enjoy the pressure, kicking clutch goals from outside 50 and willing himself into the contest for important clearances.

A-grade player and captain.

The senior players
As a collective, they have taken the burden of the inside game and the hard knocks that come with it off the rest of the young list.

Individually it’s been a bit of a mixed bag. Mitch Robinson, Jack Frost and Allen Christensen have barely been sighted, while Tom Bell and Rohan Bewick have fallen away. Ryan Bastinac and Josh Walker have spent time in the reserves but seem to have reemerged.

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But the Leaders have all been top shelf. Dayne Zorko’s a gun, Beams deserves the captaincy, Stefan Martin is a beast and Tom Rockliff has been a true team player even with clouds over his head. Ryan Lester keeps popping up with clutch marks and playing crucial roles and Daniel Rich has finally got better.

All in all a good core group to take the Lions forward.

The Young Guns
Get excited Brisbane fans!

This is where all the potential lies. Eric Hipwood’s left foot from outside 50, Alex Witherden’s pin point accuracy from defence, Hugh McCluggage creating opportunities and Jarrod Berry getting in and under.

Daniel McStay has started to emerge and with Harris Andrews will develop into a formidable defensive combo. Sam Mayes has finally learned how to play football, Lewis Taylor has regained his mojo and Nick Robertson has provided plenty of mongrel.

Brisbane Lions celebrate a goal

Rhys Mathieson and Eric Hipwood are two of Brisbane’s shining lights. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

I’m going to put Josh Schache in the lesser lights along with Rhys Mathieson, Ben Keays, Jacob Allison, Jake Barrett and Cedric Cox. These guys still need time to develop but will hopefully begin to rise in the coming years.

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I’m indifferent to Michael Close, Darcy Gardiner, Tom Cutler, Jonathan Freeman and co. Hopefully, they can be rotated out for draft picks.

The Game Plan
Move into the corridor at the first chance and go forward with pace.

This team is quick and daring from the back half and still has enough strength around the contest to halve the clearances.

There are some excellent kicks from half back in Rich, Mayes and Witherden, pace to burn from Zorko, Taylor, Cox, Allison and quality delivery inside 50 from Beams, McCluggage and Rocky.

They don’t yet have the legs to run back defensively, seeing them get cut apart on the counter-attack and, while decision making does cause a lot of turnovers, that should align itself in a few years.

The offseason
Two first round picks, Rocky with a decision to make, a list that still wants to play on, a coach with a well-defined strategy and a wealth of experience, Charlie Cameron expressing interest.

There are plenty of decisions to be made and plenty of kilometres needed in young legs. More midfield depth is required and forward 50 defensive pressure is a glaring weakness.

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The main questions lie around the second tier of players like Close and Gardiner, do they have trade currency? Are they still required for depth?

Fagan, David Noble and co. will go over this list with a fine tooth comb, a gun midfielder and a couple of tackling forwards should be high on their agenda.

Other than that it’s train, train, train and build belief.

Rating
With a competitive back half of the season, the emergence of its young talent and the high standards of its leaders, the Lions are on an upward curve and have delivered more than the expectations they started the season with.

Most importantly they have given fans excitement and hope.

B from me.

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