Brisbane Blueprint: Lions have dangerous smalls but must fix tall problem, writes David King
BRISBANE’S “mosquito fleet” is a weapon of mass destruction. But the big question mark remains over the Lions’ tall stocks, writes David King.
JUSTIN Leppitsch has initiated the rebirth of the Brisbane Lions with snippets of excitement and enthusiasm only fleetingly witnessed during the past two to three seasons.
After much doom and gloom predicted by most on his appointment, post the exodus of some of their elite juniors, the Lions found a method and some small stars of the future.
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PROS
THE “Mosquito Fleet” is a weapon of mass destruction.
Dayne Zorko, Tom Rockliff, Josh Green and now Rising Star Lewis Taylor provide much flexibility and forward-half damage, but they will need to improve their goalscoring power to legitimately impose themselves on the competition. Only Green kicked more than 20 goals last season.
If Rockliff is to become a bona fide elite player, he must replace SuperCoach points with goals, as 10 in 2014 is well short of that category.
Daniel Rich was sadly missed across the half-back line and the arrival of Allen Christensen and Dayne Beams has this midfield core now spilling to the flanks, both forward and back.
The Lions’ list will evolve before our eyes, noting that games into youngsters were one of Leppitsch’s priorities. They committed 108 games into the 2014 debutants — 47 more than any other AFL club this season — and, given the early signs on James Aish, Lewis Taylor, Michael Close and Darcy Gardiner, they’re games not wasted.
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The Lions won games with their planning this year as Leppitsch and Co. unveiled a system that was evident through the mid-portion of the season.
There is tremendous scope for improvement, but another pre-season is needed to teach these methods and allow for physical gains on their young bodies. The Lions are set to enter next season as the third-youngest list in the AFL.
CONS
THE fundamental principle of winning contested football has been absent at Brisbane in recent seasons.
Remarkably the Lions have been ranked 18th in the competition for contested possessions versus their direct opponents in three of their past five seasons.
The Lions allow their opponents 14 more contested disposals a game, which needs to be rectified before any ladder climbing will occur.
It is hard to fathom that Brisbane has come through the Michael Voss era without the ability to win contested possessions, his trademark.
The major headache for the Lions are the tall stocks, both forward and back. Daniel Merrett is still their only key post player of note.
Are Jackson Paine, Brent Staker or Luke McGuane going to have any influence on AFL football going forward? I’d be surprised.
Expectations for 2015 must be harnessed but, considering their talent acquisitions in the off season, it’s exciting times at ground level for the Lions.
But the big question mark remains on their tall stocks. A strong contested possession improvement and an 8-10 win season would be the pass mark.
