Changes for Rnd 15 V Brisbane Lions

[rojo]

Actually its pretty clear from any reading of match reports that towers is one of the better players at neafl level and consistently so. and i think his performance in the neafl grand final last season was significant.

but it is a big step up from there.

ive thought for a while that he doesnt quite have the body of a modern afl player. he is built like a whippett - designed for speed rather than contact and while he has the height and leap.

i just think that his position in the swans game plan is a very difficult one - one which until recently rohan was really struggling with - they have to be a bit of a decoy inside fifty, run hard to the wings and pressure the ball carriers. cunningham also struggles to find the ball as does goodes and the ball does get butchered by some of our more high possession midfielders.

anyway we'll see what the next steps are.

You make a very good point there MH. It was so interesting to see that Heeney either played a different kind of role or was the only one who has been able to play 'the role' in a way that had him at Buddy's elbow when the ball was bombed in from the wings. I am sure the plan is to have someone run forward to do the crumbing, but half the time they only get there in time to lay a tackle on the opposition player who has already picked the ball up. Then the ball ping pongs around the forward half for a time but the number of goals kicked is relatively not great. It was refreshing to see the Buddy/Heeney combo in action for a couple of games.

[wolftone57]

Towers unfortunately isn't up to AFL standard. Not quite up to NEAFL either. Which is a shame. As he has all the attributes of a modern player.
In the games he has played (not sure how he has been picked by match committee) he has missed tackles,marks and handballs.
yet he still gets a game.
I don't think it was a bad recruitment. He was worth the risk
But please Horse no more games for Dean

How would you know if he were up to NEAFL level or not you never see NEAFL living in Melbourne? He is a star at NEAFL level, kicked 4 goals two weeks ago and had 22 playing forward, basically FF. He almost does great things as MH said. Pity he just can't go that step further. He has played some very useful games for us this season, especially early in the season. Some of those early games he was having to pick up Goodsie's man as well as his own because he was so badly out of sorts. He will either come good or be another Jesse.

[ugg]

Ted cruelly omitted on the verge of 100 consecutive games

Final interchange: Cunningham Lloyd Mitchell Robinson
Emg: Hiscox Nankervis T.Richards

In: Franklin Tippett Robinson
Out: Rohan Nankervis T.Richards

[wolftone57]

By the way Nankervis has been picked in the Reserves. in fact Nanka, Birdie, Perris and Foote are in. Out are Hiscox and Derrickx. Derrickx got injured during last weeks NEAFL match. Naismith and Benny still not ready. Heeney plays his second game.

The fact Hiscox is not named in the Twos might or might not be an indication someone else is doubtful. Towers & Jones not being listed in the reserves means they will likely play Seniors.

So far it is;

In; Buddy & Tip

Out; Rohan & Nanka.

Doubt; Teddy after concussion. The other thing is Robbo didn't play last week as far as I knew he had a soft tissue injury so was a little surprised to see him listed as one of the extended bench.

In fact Teddy is out. New article

Richards ruled out - sydneyswans.com.au

Dan Robinson does indeed come in. No Hiscox. so it looks like Jack is first emergency.

[ugg]

Xavier the new emergency.

[wolftone57]

Xavier the new emergency.

With that inclusion I wonder if there is another doubt and Xav replaces his brother. Lions are not that tall forward. They are really tall back with Merritt (195), Andrews (200), Clarke (195) and Gardiner (191).

Their forward line though has Staker (196), Bourke (193) & Mcstay (194). The rest of the forwards are smalls about the mid 170 mark. I would have thought Andrews their second ruck? after all the tallest in the forward line is 196 and the tallest on the extended bench is 194. So a bit confused about Andrews at 200cm being a defender. haven't seen him play and sweet stuff all of Lions on telly this year. does anyone know anything about him? On the other hand anyone know who Lkions have been rucking?

[stevoswan]

With that inclusion I wonder if there is another doubt and Xav replaces his brother. Lions are not that tall forward. They are really tall back with Merritt (195), Andrews (200), Clarke (195) and Gardiner (191).

Their forward line though has Staker (196), Bourke (193) & Mcstay (194). The rest of the forwards are smalls about the mid 170 mark. I would have thought Andrews their second ruck? after all the tallest in the forward line is 196 and the tallest on the extended bench is 194. So a bit confused about Andrews at 200cm being a defender. haven't seen him play and sweet stuff all of Lions on telly this year. does anyone know anything about him? On the other hand anyone know who Lkions have been rucking?

Leuenberger, with Steffan Martin out injured, and he's been in excellent form apparently, especially last week against Sandilands, took the points in that duel. As for the second ruck not sure......that didn't help, did it?

[Auntie.Gerald]

Brisbane Lions Vs Sydney Swans - Match Centre - AFL.com.au

[Nico]

By the way Nankervis has been picked in the Reserves. in fact Nanka, Birdie, Perris and Foote are in. Out are Hiscox and Derrickx. Derrickx got injured during last weeks NEAFL match. Naismith and Benny still not ready. Heeney plays his second game.

The fact Hiscox is not named in the Twos might or might not be an indication someone else is doubtful. Towers & Jones not being listed in the reserves means they will likely play Seniors.

So far it is;

In; Buddy & Tip

Out; Rohan & Nanka.

Doubt; Teddy after concussion. The other thing is Robbo didn't play last week as far as I knew he had a soft tissue injury so was a little surprised to see him listed as one of the extended bench.

In fact Teddy is out. New article

Richards ruled out - sydneyswans.com.au

Dan Robinson does indeed come in. No Hiscox. so it looks like Jack is first emergency.

And Schulz got off.

[Ludwig]

And Schulz got off.

And kicked a goal to help beat Collingwood. YES!

It's funny how the system works. Once we've played a side, there usually is no benefit for an opposing player to get suspended if they're coming up against a top contender. It worked out better for us that he played.

[wolftone57]

[/B]

Leuenberger, with Steffan Martin out injured, and he's been in excellent form apparently, especially last week against Sandilands, took the points in that duel. As for the second ruck not sure......that didn't help, did it?

I mean the second ruck role not first. First ruck is obvious duh!

FOLLOWERS
23 Matthew Leuenberger
38 Tom Rockliff
11 Pearce Hanley

No it didn't Stevo sorry. I still don't know who is plating second ruck. surely it couldn't be Staker? Although the staker family have a fine tradition of rucking in Broken Hill. Father, Alan, and uncle, Peter, both played for Westies in Broken Hill. I played footy with them both as a kid. we lived in the same street. So with that history maybe he does do the second ruck duties?

[DamY]

I'm a fan of towers. But he just gives me a feeling of jesse white. I watched big jesse last night and so many things that boy does are almost. he almost kicks a goal. he almost hits the perfect pass. he kicks for a forward to run onto another one drags his man into the space and the ball gets cleared.

towers is a bit the same. he gets the ball and he passes to someone and it almost comes off. he almost marks the ball. he almost tackles someone but they just get their hands free. he made a very important contest in the 3rd quarter which led to a goal but even that involved him trying to outmark ryder from behind rather than spoiling (at least thats what i thought at the time)

He really needs one great game i think to make him feel that he can play at this level

Jesse got way more senior games though

[Plugger1300]

How would you know if he were up to NEAFL level or not you never see NEAFL living in Melbourne? He is a star at NEAFL level, kicked 4 goals two weeks ago and had 22 playing forward, basically FF. He almost does great things as MH said. Pity he just can't go that step further. He has played some very useful games for us this season, especially early in the season. Some of those early games he was having to pick up Goodsie's man as well as his own because he was so badly out of sorts. He will either come good or be another Jesse.

Re watch yesterday game and tell me he is up to the level.
Cheers

[liz]

Re watch yesterday game and tell me he is up to the level.
Cheers

He didn't play NEAFL yesterday.

I don't think anyone was disagreeing with your suggestion Towers has done nothing yet to suggest he's of AFL standard, but your comment he wasn't up to NEAFL standard was clearly off the mark. Lots of players are excellent at NEAFL (or WAFL or VFL) level but can't make the step up.

[mcs]

He didn't play NEAFL yesterday.

I don't think anyone was disagreeing with your suggestion Towers has done nothing yet to suggest he's of AFL standard, but your comment he wasn't up to NEAFL standard was clearly off the mark. Lots of players are excellent at NEAFL (or WAFL or VFL) level but can't make the step up.

Spot on Liz. Yesterday again there were glimpses of what Towers can do, but he just hasn't been able to step up as some of us have hoped he would to the top grade so far. I don't think he is top 22 with everyone fit and firing, but he is on the cusp. And he certainly has turned in some excellent NEAFL performances so far this season.