Are Brisbane at risk of doing a Melbourne next year?

The Lions are a low risk of “doing a Melbourne” in 2020. Three reasons : a) attitude. When Melbourne went on their half season of run of beating three top eight sides (including 2 finals wins), despite getting slaughtered in final loss, embarrassingly , everyone, including themselves , talked them up as ‘arriving’ after years in the wilderness. They then traded out their best and most consistent forward over 3 years, their lynchpin player in team for an extra / potential key back to make their solid backline rock solid. Concurrently believing their back turned forward, MacDonald would easily upgrade to number 1 target and their 10 game 2nd year player would magically become a consistent good forward. Hindsight is a bitch but really, those 2 moves in themselves crippled Demons. Lions key trade moves - make NO first 22 changes except add for next to nothing 3 players who add depth and could replace players in top 22. They let go several “fringe” quality players and look to reserves/ natural improvement of age for team improvement. b) behaviour. When Melbourne won finals and end of season games they were robust , resplendent and rowdy. Power to them because in its place, good wins are worth celebrating. But you have to balance them with the losses and their last loss was horrible and apparently off season operations were two. Melbourne’s coaching staff seemed like ‘nothing to see here in first third of season ‘ and now major reshuffles and moves after they admit they got it wrong and did not know what was right ? Can anyone ??? See the Lions players and coaching staff turning in a similar performance next year ? Playing as individuals ? Coaches not on same page, having no idea what is going on? Brisbane through consistent losses or consistent wins or in between have had same behaviours on and off field. Any hint of variation like Nick Robertson’s Qclash “soft” comments have been dealt with quickly and forcefully. Even Dayne Zorko, pound for pound, the club house leader for biggest ego, and lacking class, has almost completely reinvented his game and attitude - amazing. c) just the stats, man! After this year, everyone reviewed numbers and asked was 2019 an anomaly for Melbourne, because there was no hard correlation between it and previous years. If anything, 2019 was closer than 2018, there lies the theory of the quirky year rather than the normal building powerhouse team. Melbourne can only answer that question this year - through hard work and consistent gutsy wins. Brisbane have been the poster boy team for stats accurately describing a season. Even 2018 wins being 5 only was recognised by everyone as the anomaly (.....it should have been 8 or 9). To then follow up with 16 was exceptional, probably above real potential. But to “blame” it on a soft draw, and poor opponents was an insult and disparaging to all the hard work and ugly, hard fought wins. The Lions only got “handled” by 3 teams last year, Colliwobbles, who clearly played their best footy before the break. Blues, who met Brisbane a half of footy too early for Brisbane’s mid season break and Richmond, who was a class above EVERYONE else after the break. So to lose to the Tigers twice in a row and then GWS by a kick........ tough but reasonably placed ending to season. Teams learn HOW to win and HOW NOT to lose in finals. Brisbane are on a steady, growing path towards sustained success. Beating Geelong at home by 1 pt and losing to GWS by 3, both in last 2 minutes of matches is a good reflection on their season. They now, like every other team in league need to overcome their ONLY remaining bogey team, Richmond. Bring on 2020 - will we see a Dismal Demons mark 2 or a Laudable Lions team, consistently making their mark and fully earning the PRIDE back in the jersey, not just expecting it to be there.

You didn't call them finishing second at all...ever.

It was onky "Simon Goodwin's side" when they made the finals. In the previous 11 years, it was not his side.

Yeah I don’t want to be to confident

We have always had good performance staff Peter. I still remember Mal Michael escaping Collingwood after your lot flogged him into the ground and couldn't manage him properly, Brisbane had him playing almost every week for the next 6 seasons. Look at Lincoln McCarthy this season, Stef Martin's great durability the past 3 seasons as a 30+ ruckman - at some point you have to admit it's not just coincidence.

Actually GWS have been sniffing around. I think they see he can probably play the De Boer roll and then free De Boer up a bit.

Melbourne supporters last year: We won a record number of quarters in a row!!! Premiership here we come!!!

You have had a dream run on the injury front though Paul so depth hasn’t been tested. A meteoric rise though and maybe just good performance staff.

You didn't call that months ago...at least, not on The Roar. You did call that in the comment above but true critique does it before it actually happens.

A tougher draw better prepares you for finals if you are still good about to make it.

Spot on Tom.

I doubt The Lions will be sipping their own bathwater like I reckon Melbourne did. Hodge set the tone after their loss by not celebrating anything including the end of his stellar career. It'll burn for a fair while. I reckon they need to add another key forward and a smidge more midfield depth over the off-season to off-set the inevitable tougher fixture and extra injuries. Do that and they can again finish top 4 - easily.

Your right, we have plenty of unskilled blokes,Robertson is not alone. I have not watched him closely but here is a comment at the start of the season--- The unheralded defensive stopper continues to impress. Not blessed with great skill- although his decision making and execution making has rapidly developed .He is the clubs best runner and his greatest asset is his tenacity and willingness to compete, as shown by keeping All-Aust. Luke Breust goalless in two matches in 2018. A lot of skilled players have not got some of his strengths. Only played a handfull of games this year but like Deboer (ordinary skills) can have a big impact as a team player.

Robertson was tagging Lachie Whitfield, who had by far his quietest game of the season, bar the matches where he got injured. It was a great achievement for someone stepping up from 3 months in the NEAFL. I agree with Paul below that he's a very limited player, but team selection is all about trade offs. You can't play 22 Dayne Zorkos, so sometimes you have to pick a defensively oriented player and try to make up his deficiencies elsewhere.

I am really looking forward to next season! Was such an enjoyable season this year. Barnstorming home and away season followed by a swift exit from finals - finally I know what it's like to be a Geelong fan since 2011 Still beats being a Lions fan since 2011. I'd take 13 wins at this juncture, as we will certainly be playing more of the top 6 sides and will undoubtedly have a tougher draw.

Robertson would go great at Freo. Or Port Adelaide. Both love to recruit honest tryers with dud kicking skills

Yep. If you can't trade him, and I seriously doubt anyone else would want him regardless of price, delist him and wish him all the best in finding a new home. Tries hard but to put it simply . . . he just can't play footy.

No offence, Jonboy but this bloke would fit in well at Freo. Zero skills.

I agree Hodge will be a massive loss, injuries tougher draw i think they will struggle. Robertson has a lot of knockers but he not only shut down Whitfield but was one of there better players .Like Deboer can run all day and do a job. Has been talk of a return to Perth, would be a good pickup if he came cheap.

Was he excellent? Really? By what standards? It's the general lack of skills that put me off him - particularly by foot! You can't win games at that level when you have a guy like Robertson delivering the ball to at best within about a 20m x 20m patch on the field, somewhere within that zone. So, so many of his kicks when he's kicking to a 1-1 contest do not go to the advantage of our player, they're put on the wrong side, or into space where they can be cut off and shut down - there were two in the last quarter alone where GWS pulled them out of the air leaving our forwards frustrated at really key times where a better kick could have led to a score. His kicking skills are not up to snuff for this level in my view, and he's the sort of player like the Lesters & Bewicks where we will have become a truly strong 22 when he's been squeezed out of it. I'd love to see him traded if someone would take him off our hands, he played 5 games this year and we lost 4 of them. Absolute Jonah and we should throw him over the side