Why Chris Fagan’s electric Brisbane Lions are the team to break through the ‘chip-chip’ style in vogue this season
The stats gurus can argue Brisbane might not be playing a sustainable brand of football, but if the season needs saving, the Lions are the team to do it, writes Jon Ralph.
Lions
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lions. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Brisbane is the sexiest team in football.
The stats gurus can argue it might not be a sustainable brand and it might often be delivered off-Broadway.
But if you believe this low-scoring season of chip-chip football needs saving, then the Lions are the team to do it.
Tonight they will take on a Collingwood side who turned the first half of their win over the Western Bulldogs into the AFL’s version of a football coma.
INS AND OUTS: TOP SUPERCOACH TRADES FOR ROUND 5 RATED
AFL DAILY: MELBOURNE VETERANS SET TO RETURN
TEAMS: ISAAC HEENEY IN DOUBT FOR CRUNCH SWANS CLASH
Nathan Buckley likened his team to a Formula 1 car this week, overly responsive to finetuning from the coaches after they took ball movement instructions too literally.
Chris Fagan’s Brisbane are a gleaming red Ferrari: fast-paced, high-octane and playing a game plan that sees them burn away from the opposition or burn out.
Consider the evidence.
Brisbane is the AFL’s highest scoring team, scoring 95 points a game — 15 points ahead of the AFL average and a full 28 points ahead of 18th-placed Carlton.
They burst from stoppages with electric pace, the AFL’s best team in points from stoppages (42 points per game) and centre bounces (18.8).
They have the cult heroes in “Mad” Mitch Robinson and Oscar McInerney, a gangly 205cm contested marking machine who might be one of footy’s most intriguing prospects.
McInerney, Dan McStay and Eric Hipwood are their tall forwards but in Charlie Cameron, Lincoln McCarthy and Cam Rayner they might have the most dynamic half forwards in the competition.
Last year Cameron was nominated for Goal and Mark of the Year, Cam Rayner wasn’t far off with his July screamer and McCarthy put his flag in the ground with a Round 3 Mark of the Year nomination.
No wonder Lions CEO Greg Swann says broadcasters are happy to have the Lions in prime time despite their series of low finishes in recent years.
If you need a double-shot latte to watch some football this year, with the Lions all you need is popcorn.
All of it is predicated on winning the contest — they lost it by 27 against Essendon — but their contest numbers this year are their best since 2007.
Collingwood is attempting to defeat opponents through death by a thousand cuts.
A team that got all the way to the Grand Final with run-and-gun ball movement last year recalibrated after a pre-season and Round 1 performance full of back half turnovers.
As a result they are the chip-chip kings of the AFL.
They Rank No. 1 in the AFL for marks (121.5 per game, 10 more than second-placed West Coast and 55 more than 18th-ranked Melbourne (66.8).
They also lead the league in uncontested marks, and percentage of short kicks (64.9 per cent).
The only thing Nathan Buckley cares about is his win-loss ratio in a season where the Pies might have four or five evolutions of their game style.
Collingwood’s best football is breathtaking, with Buckley on the record after a spate of Round 1 turnovers against Geelong that for the moment, something had to change.
Eleven goals to nine against the Dogs did just nicely for a side desperate for a win.
But for pure spectacle, Brisbane might be the AFL’s most watchable team so far.
Originally published as Why Chris Fagan’s electric Brisbane Lions are the team to break through the ‘chip-chip’ style in vogue this season
‘Love you mate’: Emotional Fevola’s Troy Selwood tribute
Former teammates Brendan Fevola and Jonathan Brown have paid tribute to Troy Selwood after his death at the age of 40.
First of Lions’ ACL brigade to return revealed
A Brisbane Lions forward who suffered the heartbreak of missing the team’s grand final win last year is making good promise in his return from injury.