With the team’s leading clearance-winner Jack Redden sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Brisbane Lions struggled to win the ball out of congestion against Richmond on Saturday.
The Lions were soundly beaten in the clearances 46-31, with the stoppage count 35-20 in the Tigers’ favour.
Tom Rockliff was the Lions’ leading clearance winner with seven for the afternoon, while Pearce Hanley had five – which was the second most of his career.
MOZZIE SQUAD
They might all stand at under 180cm, but the Mozzie Squad – Josh Green, Dayne Zorko and Lewy Taylor – have been huge for the Brisbane Lions in front of goals over the past month.
Their immense value was once again on show at the MCG, with the trio combining for four of the team’s seven goals. It could have been more had it not been for some narrow misses from Green and Taylor.
The Mozzie Squad have now contributed 16 of the Lions’ 32 goals in the Club’s past four matches – exactly half the side’s score.
ANOTHER RISING STAR?
James Aish and Lewy Taylor might be among the best performing first-year players in the competition this year, but they’re not the only exciting young talent to come out of Brisbane in 2014.
Darcy Gardiner has quietly gone about his business this season, and his 10th senior AFL game arguably his best.
Gardiner was his combative self against the Tigers, collecting a career-high 22 possessions (10 contested), and finishing with seven one percenters, and an equal game-high six rebounds.
He was ably supported down back by fellow draftee Daniel McStay who, in only his second game, had 15 disposals and took six marks – including an equal game-high two contested.
Meanwhile, second year prospect Marco Paparone collected 20 disposals in his first visit to the ‘home of football’. It was the fourth time this season that the 19-year-old had found 20 or more possessions in a senior match.
With Aish and Taylor already receiving AFL Rising Star nominations in 2014, you would expect another Lion or two will join them before the season is finished.
HANLEY BACK TO HIS BEST
For the second consecutive week, Pearce Hanley equalled his personal-best disposal tally after gathering 34 possessions against Richmond.
It was also the eighth time in Hanley’s career that he has collected 30 or more disposals in game – four of which have come in 2014.
ROCK ON A ROLL
Tom Rockliff further stamped himself as one of the competition’s premier ‘ball-magnets’ by collecting 36 disposals at the MCG on Saturday.
It proved the eighth time in his 13 games this season that Rockliff has had 30 or more possessions in a game.
But the Vice-Captain was just as impressive without the ball, laying 1 game-high 10 tackles against the Tigers.
Rockliff had now reached double-figure tackles in eight of his 13 games this season and averages 9.2 tackles per game – the most of any player in the competition.
POOR EFFICIENCY
Senior Coach Justin Leppitsch lamented his team’s “lack of polish” which might have proven the difference between winning and losing on the weekend.
Although the Lions moved the ball well, they were often let down by fundamental skill errors – a common trait among young sides.
The Lions’ lack of finishing is probably best summed up by the fact that a handful of the team’s prime movers ran at a disposal efficiency of less than 70%.
They included Dayne Zorko (66.7%), Lewy Taylor (61.1%), Tom Rockliff (61.1%), Sam Mayes (60%), and James Aish (50%).
AFL FANTASY TOP FIVE
1. Tom Rockliff – 137 points
2. Stefan Martin – 97 points
3. Pearce Hanley – 95 points
4. Joel Patfull – 87 points
5. Darcy Gardiner – 81 points
WHO WAS BEST?
Afl.com.au listed Hanley, Rockliff, Maguire (20 disposals), Gardiner, Zorko, Martin (20 disposals and 32 hitouts) and Taylor as the Lions’ best, but who do YOU think were the team’s three best players?
Vote now online for the Club Player of the Year
