Round 10: Brisbane Lions Reserves v Sydney Swans Reserves

[ScottH]

I wonder if he was dropped specifically to put in a full game against strong opposition....ie if the ressies were playing Quenabeyan would he have held his place?

I think TDL showed tonight why he replaced LJ

[ugg]

Reserves scrape over the line - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans Football Club

[Bloody Hell]

I think TDL showed tonight why he replaced LJ

I thought he was replaced by Everitt?

[Primmy]

I thought he was replaced by Everitt?

Will take this as read, not as written. TDL replaced LJ in the team. TDL was subbed off in 3rd quarter and Everitt subbed on.

[ScottH]

I thought he was replaced by Everitt?

Considering AE spent the best part of the game on the bench, I'd see it the otherway.
TDL's forward pressure and smarts was quite obvious in that 1st term.

[ugg]

Report from neafl.com.au but with an obvious Brisbane bias.

North East Australian Football League: LIONS FIGHTBACK FALLS JUST SHORT

Not sure why the sly digs are aimed at Currie winning free kicks.

[liz]

As promised, here are a few more thoughts from the game.

Unlike most of the ACT grounds that I've watched games from, Coorparoo has no stands of any description, meaning that it is impossible to get any elevation from ground level, unless you are one of the coaches squeezed onto a tiny platform perched atop the interchange bench. I took up position just off-centre wing, about 10m from the Swans' bench / coaching perch. The vantage point meant it was hard to gauge who was responsible for much of the grunt work around stoppages, especially on the opposite side of the ground, and also distances that set shots were taken from. However, it did give an excellent vantage point of the Swans coming on and off the ground, and some audible entertainment from the coaching team.

It was a game made frustrating to watch by some quite odd umpiring at times. I don't think it was deliberately biased in favour of the Lions but in the end probably did benefit them slightly more. There were some rules that the umpires seemed happy to ignore (like interference in marking contests). But if the umpires later that day at the Gabba were on bonuses for paying deliberate OOB frees, the Coorparoo mob were getting them for 50m penalties. I can recall seven - six to the Lions and one to the Swans but there could have been more. There were several to the Lions towards the start of the final term which really kick started their comeback. Most were probably there, if a little on the technical side, though one to the Swans and a couple to the Lions were not obvious - presumably they were for dissent. A couple of the Lions ones were arose from that frustrating occurence where the player with the ball had clearly played on but because the umpire hadn't chosen to call it yet, the tackling Swan got penalised.

The four Swans who started on the bench all looked quite young and slight, and were used sparingly. The discrepancy in the interchange numbers in the NEAFL report certainly shed some light on why the Swans faded so badly in the second half of the second quarter and again for most of the final quarter. It is a huge credit to all the players out there that they held on for the win. During their periods of dominance, the Swans' workrate was vastly superior to the Lions'. Their tackling pressure was superb and they dominated midfield possession. Even though the Lions efficiency in front of goal was a little off, if anything the Swans should have been further ahead at 1/4 and 3/4 time, such was the control they had of the ball.

Just as impressive was the way they really dug in when the result was on the line. There was probably more than 5 minutes left to play when the Lions drew within one point, and the ball spent a lot of that final part of the game at the Lions' end of the ground. At one stage I thought the Lions had got the ball through for a behind to level scores, but the angles were deceiving, and the Swans managed to clear the ball away from defence. They somehow managed to conjure a couple of forward thrusts, and from one of these, Kane Murphy snared a superb winner a short range snap from congestion.

This was a game won by Currie and the small men, rather than the Swans' KP contingent. Currie rucked for most of the game, with short relief spells from White, and the small midfield brigade took full advantage of his competitive work. Currie's non-ruck work was pretty good too. He won himself his goal after a strong tackle (and a 50m penalty without any obvious cause). It is a shame that his senior AFL chance seems to have passed him by. I do think he has the ability but was probably just never in the right spot at the right time.

Moore was a stand-out in the first half, bustling and bullocking his way through the midfield, but Sumner, McNeil, Meredith, Nipper, Muprhy et al all got plenty of the ball too. I thought Bevan was excellent, doing what Bevan does best - ie attacking contests in the air and on the ground.

I see that Sumner was given BOG honours by the Swans website. I found it hard to pick an absolute stand-out but I can understand why they liked Byron's game. I didn't think he won a whole heap of the ball in the first quarter but he really set the tone with his tackling and harassing. There still isn't a huge amount of him but it looks like he has been working hard on his tackling technique. He had at least four shots on goal, two of which were from longish range and off target but which the Swans scored from after Jesse and then Currie marked his wayward shots. One he nailed himself from close range after an Andrew Krakouer style baulk, dodge and weave. He spent some time on-ball and attacked the ball well. His hands weren't always clean off the ground, though. If he can fix that area of his game up, he shapes as a decent senior player sooner rather than later.

Johnston had what was probably a frustrating game for him, as he would, no doubt, have been hoping to go back and prove he was unlucky to be dropped. He started forward and was matched up against the big body and considerable AFL experience of Maguire. So it was no disgrace that he was beaten in most one on one contests, but beaten he certainly was. I did think he was unlucky on a few occasions not to get free kicks. There were a couple of marking contests he attacked very hard and certainly seemed to get interfered with by a defender not really going for the ball. And on another occasion, the ball was kicked to him in the pocket in a one-on-two contest. He didn't judge the flight too well, and although in front position, never got into position to mark it. But when the ball hit the deck he was tackled away from the ball before even a chance to try and gather possession. He was moved into defence in the 3rd quarter and then back forward in the final term. Maybe it was bad luck that he was at the end of the ground where most of the action wasn't. He did kick one trademark goal from a fair way out - though it was at the end of the ground I couldn't see so well, so I am not sure exactly how far out.

White was good, without being great. Three of his goals came from marks, albeit with one he ran into the open goal after taking a goal square mark from a Bevan kick. The other two came from a Sumner sprayed shot at goal, and was converted from a tight angle. The other was an intercept mark as the Lions tried to clear the ball from defence. His other goal came from an off-the-ball free kick. He did move up and around the ground a fair bit, and was in the ruck for part of the game too. I thought he contributed more around the ground than he often does.

Most of the Lions' goals were at the end I could see less well and it was therefore hard to guage the extent to which the Swans defenders were at fault. Certainly the Lions seemed to score very easily when they did get their run-ons (though the numerous 50m penalties) certainly helped. Heath was moved forward in the 3rd quarter and kicked one goal from a free kick.

[dimelb]

Thanks for this outstanding report Liz - gives a good feel for the type of game you saw. It sounds like a great effort from the youngsters (and olders) given the idiosyncratic umpiring and the difference between the two benches.
Byron's game sounds encouraging, as does Lewis II's who, despite the frustration, could learn a lot from being up against someone of Maguire's calibre. I was pleased to see White performing against a tougher opposition.
You have covered a large amount of detail from your handicapped viewing position.

[ugg]

Cheers liz for that excellent write-up.

Despite the win and the great performances in the preceding week, it is hard to imagine any of the reserves getting a promotion especially if we get Mummy and/or Jack back. Sadly, Currie may find himself going from (almost) sole ruckman to spare parts forward if/when Mumford and Pyke return from their injuries this week (This is assuming Mummy's return pushes Seaby back to the reserves).

Do you have any thoughts on Amon's game? Given the way their senior midfield were smashed on Saturday night, it is somewhat unfathomable to me why he can't get a look in for their team.

On Sunday we play Queanbeyan who were upset by the previously winless Belconnen yesterday. Strangely, by a quirk of the NEAFL draw, we play Queanbeyan again in 2 weeks time also at home but this time at ANZ.

[ScottH]

Great Stuff Liz!!!

[liz]

Do you have any thoughts on Amon's game? Given the way their senior midfield were smashed on Saturday night, it is somewhat unfathomable to me why he can't get a look in for their team.

Even when watching senior games I often find it hard to remember much about specific opposition players on first viewing, unless they are having an absolute ripper, and especially when they play in the congestion. At reserves level, where I don't know who any of the opposition are, I find it even harder. Of course, I have no excuse for not recognising Monty but I confess I didn't really notice him much. Given how comprehensively beaten the Lions midfield were in the first and third quarters, I can't imagine the Lions would have been overly impressed by a mid with the experience and body to match it with the likes of Moore.

My guess is that Buchanan will struggle to hold his spot at the end of this season. I think he's looked pretty ordinary when he has had senior games, and with his age and where the Lions are at right now, you'd think they'd prefer to lose playing Redden, Green, Rockliff and the like rather than lose playing Buchanan. Hawksley was probably the most impressive of the Lions reserve midfielders - he stood out because he has been taking personal grooming advice from Travis Johnstone circa 2010 but also because he found plenty of the ball and was prepared to run with it.

[stellation]

I wouldn't be suprised if Monty is on the radar for GWS (I realize almost every AFL listed player is on it to some degree), I believe he's out of contract at the end of this season and most probably would be easily had.

[Primmy]

Thank's liz. Glad you agree with my last observations on Curry, but to be honest he has only just in the last month made us sit up and take notice. Happy to hear that he backed up with another impressive game. Would you expect to see Byron in the mix any time soon?

[magic.merkin]

Thanks Liz!

[ShockOfHair]

Thanks Liz, another report full of insight.