Chris Fagan has coined it “let’s pick on Joey Daniher week” however the Brisbane Lions coach is not a believer.
The Lions mentor has put the important thing ahead’s work fee below the microscope forward of Thursday’s sold-out Gabba date with the red-hot Collingwood.
But he would not assume criticism of the lanky goal-kicker led by former membership nice Jonathan Brown is warranted.
“It’s an interesting one; the week before (against Melbourne) he kicks four goals and nobody is talking about it,” Fagan stated.
“Last week he kicks 0.4 and it’s ‘Let’s pick on Joey Daniher week’.
“He’s not the one one up there; we’d like all our different tall forwards to be enjoying higher. The ahead line on the whole wasn’t at its finest.
“Reserve judgement. We tend to jump on his back pretty quickly. We’re much slower to pat him on the back when he plays well.”
The pair took turns enjoying key roles in finals victories final season however Daniher and Eric Hipwood have mixed for seven objectives and simply three contested marks within the Lions’ 1-2 begin to 2023.
Recruit Jack Gunston, introduced in from Hawthorn as a alternative for Collingwood pick-up Dan McStay, kicked three of his 5 objectives this season in a single quarter of final week’s dour loss to the Bulldogs.
McStay is more likely to spend time within the ruck towards his outdated membership on Thursday for the injury-hit, however unbeaten, Magpies.
Fagan stated McStay’s value was by no means questioned throughout his 9 seasons on the Gabba, however Hipwood and Daniher’s inconsistency could not be put all the way down to the hard-working ahead’s absence.
Instead, the coach pinned it solely on them, demanding extra exercise earlier than and after the ball is delivered into the ahead 50m.
“Not last week,” he stated when requested if he’d been glad with Hipwood and Daniher’s work fee.
“A bit of that’s them, a bit of that is ball movement as well.
“And the stats will let you know this season we’ve not been excellent at successful the ball when it hits the bottom in our ahead line.”
Unbeaten Collingwood have continued the eye-catching football they discovered under former Lions champion Craig McRae last season.
Second-year star Nick Daicos is the early Brownlow Medal favourite, averaging more than 33 disposals per game.
“He bobs up in numerous spots on the bottom; halfback, wing, inside … he is somewhat bit arduous to tag as a result of they transfer him round,” Fagan stated of the 20-year-old.
“Their (power is their) skill to show up in numbers in contests; they hold it in movement and provide their forwards fairly effectively and appear to be on the one web page with that.”
Collingwood recalled forward Reef McInnes in place of the injured Darcy Cameron (knee).
Cameron’s absence will leave former Lion Dan McStay and fellow talls Ash Johnson and Billy Frampton to share the ruck duties.
The Lions will again be without Daniel Rich and they have dropped Darcy Fort to make room for Jaxon Prior’s return.
McRae, whose face will be among those on the special Lions’ guernsey celebrating 20 years since their 2003 flag, is wary.
“Their backs are towards the wall somewhat bit,” the second-year coach stated.
“It looks like they are a completely different crew at dwelling and we go up there understanding that they do not lose too many dwelling video games.
“They’re not going to give us anything. It should be a great game.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
