The Brisbane Lions noticed off a plucky Sydney to stay within the high 4 with a 97-81 win on the Gabba on Friday night time.
The 13.19 (97) to 12.9 (81) victory was soured by a 3rd quarter report of Lion Jarrod Berry, who couldn’t imagine he was cited for tough conduct in a sort out on Will Hayward.
The second left commentators surprised and confused, whereas the Match Review should decide whether or not “excessive force” was used.
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For Sydney, their 2023 season is basically all however over after an eighth loss in 13 video games.
“I don’t think Sydney can get in. They’re not going to participate in September,” Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon warned.
It’s a tragic story for final season’s grand finalists who’ve battled a brutal damage toll – notably in defence.
3. SWAN’S STRIKE LABELLED ‘STUPIDITY’ AS HE FACES BAN
Sydney had all of the momentum within the second quarter till a second of “stupidity” from Sam Wicks turned the match utterly.
Wicks opted to come back in for a late bump on Lion Ryan Lester – and picked up him with a excessive elbow strike.
The controlling umpire might be heard telling remonstrating gamers that Wicks had been reported for the brainsnap.
“You shake your head, I’m still trying to work out why he jumped and why he raised his elbow,” Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis lamented.
“No matter how hard you hit, it’s a position on your body that’s not well protected.”
Garry Lyon and Jonathan Brown agreed Wicks would face no less than every week’s ban, if not two for his bump.
“One, maybe two for stupidity,” Lyon mentioned.
“It’s pretty cut and dry from where we sit.”
“You should get one for that,” Brown added.
“Potential to cause injury – it’s lucky he didn’t end up with a broken jaw.”
Luckily for the Lions, Lester was in a position to get to his ft and play on.
“This sort of incident with a raised forearm is usually graded as a strike,” Fox Footy’s David Zita defined.
“Even if it’s careless, (it’s) usually graded higher than low impact.
“That potential to cause injury is crucial when it comes to the impact grading.”
The second floored Lester and coughed up one of many first penalties that led to a Lions’ rating within the second time period.
Brisbane kicked 4 of 5 objectives within the house of 11 minutes to take the lead as ill-discipline harm the Swans.
Wicks wasn’t the one participant reported on Friday night time, with Lion Jarrod Berry surprised to be advised he was being reported for tough conduct.
Berry had Will Hayward caught in a sort out and after doing a 360, took him to floor.
What adopted left the Lion in disbelief as he coughed up a free kick and was advised he was being reported.
“The Match Review Officer will ask himself two questions: Was Will Hayward vulnerable and was there excessive force used by Jarrod Berry?” Fox Footy’s David Zita mentioned.
“If the answer is no to both of those questions, Berry will be free to play against St Kilda next week.”
Commentators couldn’t imagine Berry had discovered himself in scorching water for that sort out.
“If we keep going at this rate, there’ll be no tackling by the end of 2024-25,” Brian Taylor lamented.
“When you play this game, surely you sign up for a dangerous game. You are not a tiler. Laying tiles in a safe environment.
“It is a dangerous, physically brutal, one-on-one sport and that is the most appealing thing about it.”
Matthew Richardson mentioned “I give up on that one” when requested for his opinion.
“We know the ones we don’t want – the Nathan Broad one earlier in the year and he got four weeks for that. That was a clear tackle and sling and dump to the ground and we don’t want that,” he mentioned.
“He’s a fierce competitor (Berry). In the moment, you’ve got to go from fierce competitor to being gentle in a split second – you can’t! You can’t switch your mindset like that so quickly.
“I don’t see that as a dump at all. They are both spinning around.”
AFL nice Luke Hodge summed it up: “I‘ve got no idea”.
2. LIONS CASH IN ON SILLY SWANS’ ILL-DISCIPLINE
It’s no secret final yr’s grand finalists have been hit arduous by damage in 2023 – notably in defence.
But they headed north to tackle the Lions, figuring out they wanted a win to remain alive in 2023.
“They are running out of time last year’s grand finalists,” Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon mentioned pre-game.
“Their expectations are nowhere near being met at the moment.”
The Swans began by getting the sport on their phrases – as a contest quite than a shootout, and it paid off handsomely as they claimed the early lead.
Their 4.2 (26) was their highest opening quarter rating since Gather Round in opposition to Richmond again in Round 5 in promising indicators.
They went at 40% from defensive 50 to inside 50 – when the AFL common is 21% – and from half again to inside 50 at 67% in comparison with the AFL’s 42% common.
“They owned everything,” Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis praised of Sydney’s opening time period.
Jonathan Brown accused Brisbane of being “a little bit off” and permitting their issues from the loss to Hawthorn to start out “rearing its head” within the opener.
But Sydney turned their very own worst enemy within the second time period as ill-discipline price them dearly.
First Sam Wicks with the crude bump on Ryan Lester, after which Luke Parker who made late contact with Lester in a marking contest.
“It’s got them out of the lock that had them in their forward half of the ground,” commentator Brian Taylor mentioned of the 50m penalty.
“The only time they’ve gone forward is from ill-disciplined acts,” Luke Hodge added.
Insufficient intent to maintain the ball in play price the Swans moments later as Jarrod Berry goaled.
“Two ill-disciplined 50s coughing up the territory they worked so hard to establish,” commentator James Brayshaw mentioned.
And as soon as Brisbane hit the lead, they by no means seemed again – regardless of being outplayed for lots of Friday night time’s contest.
Statistics confirmed the match belonged the Brisbane after the 16-minute mark of the second time period, with +27 contested ball, +11 clearances and +21 inside 50s.
The Lions additionally outscored the Swans from that time 10.15 (75) to 7.5 (47).
It means the Swans sunk to an eighth loss from their 13 video games this season – successfully ending their finals hopes.
1. JASPA HITS THE JETS TO OUTDO DAD
Brisbane had been thrilled to snap up father-son Jaspa Fletcher within the 2022 Draft. And on Friday night time, the 19-year-old made his AFL debut in entrance of proud dad Adrian and his household and buddies.
Fletcher obtained an enormous cheer from the gang when he made his method into the motion after ranging from the bench.
And he had that crowd on their ft within the second time period when he confidently strode into purpose, took a bounce and backed himself to nail the six factors.
“Oh boy, this is going to ignite them!” commentator Brian Taylor mentioned.
“Great moment Jaspa Fletcher and they get right around him,” James Brayshaw added.
AFL nice Matthew Richardson mentioned he favored what he noticed from the debutant.
“Straight away I look at that and the poise, the pace there, the bounce and finish, and I go, ‘yeah that’s a player’,” he praised.
“It shows his confidence, he took on the man, took a bounce and kicked a nice goal,” Luke Hodge added.
Brisbane favorite son Alastair Lynch mentioned it was nice to see somebody like Fletcher excel.
“His first game of AFL footy, great to see him, the wingman,” he mentioned on Fox Footy.
“He runs beautifully, got his old man covered in this aspect of the game no doubt.
“It took dad a couple of games to get on the scoreboard for the first time.
“Exciting for the whole family, and obviously the teammates at the Brisbane Lions.
“He looks like he’s got a bit of class.
“He’s got 96 (goals) to catch up to his old man and 230 games, but it’s great scenes.
“And very encouraging signs for the Brisbane Lions.”
It was Fletcher’s purpose that put Brisbane in entrance for the primary time within the match.
Fletcher was concerned in an enormous second within the ultimate time period because the Swans had been pushing to shut inside two objectives.
The debutant had a one-on-one contest on the wing and beat Swan Chad Warner, earlier than conserving the ball in whereas hemmed in on the boundary and dispensing the arms to Rayner – who discovered Hipwood on his chest.
A late bout of cramp had Fletcher’s mum nervously watching on within the stands, however the teen was in a position to see out the competition and sing the music together with his completely satisfied teammates.
Originally revealed as Jarrod Berry reported for harmful sort out flooring AFL legends
Source: www.news.com.au
