Cowardly Lions seen rejecting teammates
Fearing that the behavior of the senior players is influencing the younger players, glaring vision has exposed several Brisbane Lions players who failed to pass to teammates in better scoring opportunities.
Brisbane ended a run of two straight losses at the MCG on Saturday, giving up a 14-point lead against Collingwood at the half. With one regular-season game left, Brisbane is now in fifth place on the ladder.
Before Beau McCreery’s goal at the 28-minute mark put the Pies ahead, the Lions, who were still leading late in the game, came under fire for their dubious forward alignment as they attempted to hold onto their slim lead.Round 23
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On Fox Footy’s First Crack, 287-gamer Leigh Montagna noted, “They still have six forwards ahead of the ball.” Brisbane had a five-point lead with less than three minutes left, but they weren’t causing stoppages.
“That doesn’t work in today’s modern football, in my opinion.
“Look what Collingwood does 12 seconds after McCreery’s goal—they are the best team in the competition when it comes to finishing games.”
“They only have two forwards on the team. The other four are not there. They’re up around the footy, obstructing its path, turning it into a mess, preventing it from reaching the outside, and preventing Brisbane from moving freely.
Montagna expressed his “disagreement” with the Lions by drawing a comparison between the opposing strategies for securing leads.
“This is how we set up, all of our forwards get up,” the St Kilda legend said to Fox Footy on Sunday night. “So, there’s one team, 12 seconds earlier, having six forwards ahead of the ball and just saying ‘we’re going to go one-on-one with two minutes fifty,” and the team that has been the best over the past three years at being able to win these games.”
“I don’t think Brisbane has learned enough after all these years of playing in big games and big moments. That’s the difference, and that’s why I’m so frustrated.”
The focus shifted to Brisbane’s poor structure, which prevented them from holding onto the advantage and from winning it back when Collingwood scored late in the game. This raised doubts about the Lions’ team-oriented mindset.
Dual Premiership player David King started, “You get better shots if you use players that are in more space — take easier opportunities, take set shots, use guys that are forward of the ball.”
King cited the stark image of Joe Daniher missing a kick to Charlie Cameron in the goal square, which led to the loss of a scoring opportunity.
He bemoaned, “That is the easiest kick in football.” Charlie kicks the goal; it goes to the goal square. We’ll chuckle and say, “Oh, it’s just Joe; it won’t hurt them.” Yes, Joe, it stung. And I’ve demonstrated this several times.
“Charlie is a really good AFL commodity, so if you’re going to play him in that role (deep forward), he gets that ball, otherwise what’s the point?”
At various stages during the game, further instances were highlighted, revealing Kai Lohmann and Will Ashcroft to be the guilty parties.
In reference to Lohmann’s choice to instead try his hand at the sticks, King remarked, “That was easy (to give) as well.”
He questioned Ashcroft, who had chosen to attempt a banana shot at goal rather than send the ball to a teammate in the goal square, “Why not give that over the top?”
You can discuss conversion all you want and talk about it until the cows come home, but if your players aren’t ready to take the simple shot or go for the high-percentage shot, you’ll always be shooting yourself in the foot.
“Geelong started this years ago with their selfless nature, and we celebrate the guy who gives the last handball and it’s the team goal.”
“And the worry is it looks like the kids have learned it from the older players,” said Anthony Hudson, the first Crack host.
According to Montagna, it’s a learned behavior, and after a while, it’s typical for them to get upset with one another when they don’t get the ball, believing that they should.
Although Brisbane still has a chance to finish in the top four, it must defeat Essendon this Saturday and hope that fourth-place Geelong loses to West Coast at home.
The Lions will most likely finish fifth and host The Gabba for an elimination final against either Fremantle, Hawthorn, or the Western Bulldogs.
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