Brisbane Lions V Western Bulldogs R19, Friday 18/7/25 at the Gabba at 7:40pm

[whythelongface]

Developing players who will be the reason why we'll jump up the ladder? Well, yeah, that IS the answer. It's the only answer.

Jones proved our shape looks better with him in it but we absolutely should be playing Busslinger moving forward.

I couldn't care less about finals from here. How much mor evidence do you need vs the top 8?

Sure developing players is important but it needs to be with experience. Why should we not continue to push for an opportunity to make the 8? It is not the the time to play Buss. We need to win our remaining games. I care about finals and that is what we should be focusing on. You are kidding yourself if that doesn’t matter. Imagine the outcry

[Aidan7557]

We give everything. We have from round #1 this season. This team has played with pride and spirit every single week. We have not had off weeks like last season.

But we are just not good enough against the best teams. With a bit of luck we could have snatched a few of those games, but on measure we are in the right place on the ladder.

Can we win the last five games of the season?

Best assessment I have heard/read. Sometimes you just aren't good enough and we are about 4 goals off the best on average.

[kickit2Koly]

Frustrating, another 10-15 minute lapse killed us.

also how many throws and goals from throws did they get away with?!

[angelopetraglia]

Similar to last week.

We lost the game in the second quarter conceding five goals. Then we were playing catch up and they played the game on their terms.

2, 2 and 3 goals in the other quarters.

[merantau]

What can I say? Forget about the come back. If we had won the game I would not be excited. Happy but not upbeat because we were very poor tonight. We had so many passengers. We turned it over many times coming out of defence- Even when we weren't under pressure! Every hack kick seemed to end up with a Lions player And everytime the Lions kicked the ball off the ground in ended up in the hands of a Lions player. That is luck not skill.

Be that as it may they kept us in it with poor kicking for goal. Their pressure around the ball was too much for us. If we make the eight the best we can do is win an Elimination Final. At least that would be am improvement.

[kickit2Koly]

I love Williams but when was the last time he played well in a big game?

[jeemak]

Not sure I understand the play the kids argument when finals are live.

Finals in an eighteen side competition when only eight sides make it with just a couple of games separating different sections of the first to tenth teams in the competition are a great reward for everyone involved at the club.

Don't buy into the media narrative about every team needing to make top four, or needing to get a home final, blah blah blah. It's bullshit noise. We must do everything we can to make them and the only way we will is if we pick our best and most likely side to do so.

I remember my dad telling me in 1992 how amazing it is to make finals, and hard it is to do so. It's always stuck with me.

[FrediKanoute]

Of our losses to top sides how many have been significant losses?

Collingwood - 6pts
Freo - 16 pts
Brisbane - 21 pts
Suns - 10 pts
Cats - 14 pts
Hawks - 22 pts
Crows - 11 pts
Lions - 10 pts

The biggest loss this year was to the Hawks by 22 pts. In a game that is two or three things going against you. Yes it's disappointing, but We are within range and I bet none of those teams will want to play us in the finals, beause the know that if we click and get it together and those 2 or 3 things go our way we will wipe the floor with them.

[merantau]

I love Williams but when was the last time he played well in a big game?

I am afraid you are right. Tonight he was ok when not under pressure but when the heat was on he was found wanting, found ball watching, was fumbly and indecisive.

[comrade]

Making and losing finals isn’t hard for this team under Bevo, we have done it more often than not. I would rather try to fix what’s fundamentally wrong with us and that begins by seeing what we have on the list. We won’t, and we’ll probably scrape into the 8 and get bundled out week 1 off the back of playing guys like JJ and Jones over the next 5 weeks.

[FrediKanoute]

Could be us and Fremantle playing off for 8th spot

[comrade]

Of our losses to top sides how many have been significant losses?

Collingwood - 6pts
Freo - 16 pts
Brisbane - 21 pts
Suns - 10 pts
Cats - 14 pts
Hawks - 22 pts
Crows - 11 pts
Lions - 10 pts

The biggest loss this year was to the Hawks by 22 pts. In a game that is two or three things going against you. Yes it's disappointing, but We are within range and I bet none of those teams will want to play us in the finals, beause the know that if we click and get it together and those 2 or 3 things go our way we will wipe the floor with them.

All those teams would absolutely love to play us in the finals.

[kruder]

I love Williams but when was the last time he played well in a big game?

Yep bang on, was exactly the same against the Cats.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

All those teams would absolutely love to play us in the finals.

We'd be the number one side they'd all love to play.

[whythelongface]

We'd be the number one side they'd all love to play.

Actually quite the opposite. They know that we are unknown quantity with a huge X factor. Unpredictably is often your biggest asset. That is what we are.