Nathan Buckley has some reservations about the Brisbane Lions ahead of their Elimination Final against Richmond on Thursday.
The Lions enter the do-or-die final at the Gabba with their defensive game a little out of sorts, having conceded 90 points or more in four of their last seven matches.
While Chris Fagan’s side can score heavily, they have struggled to keep teams quiet down the other end which presents as somewhat of an issue against a Tigers outfit that has been in free-scoring form with 100-plus points in their last four.
Buckley ran the rule over the match and wondered how the Lions will be able to stop Damien Hardwick’s visiting Tigers in attack.
“The two heaviest scoring teams in the competition,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“My question is - Can Brisbane actually defend Richmond’s offence?
“I’m not as concerned about Richmond defending Brisbane as I am about Brisbane being able to defend.
“They were at the top of the ladder after Round 13 and they were top with 134 per cent. Since then they’ve gone five wins and four losses and they finished sixth.
“In that time they’ve played four top eight teams. They played Melbourne who they gave up 117 points to, Richmond 104 (points conceded), and Melbourne (again) a couple of weeks ago (conceding) 115. They had a really good performance against the Bulldogs when they kept them to 67 (in Round 16).
“Three out of those four top eight teams, they were unable to keep under 100 points. Essendon beat them by scoring 100 (in Round 17) and when they beat Gold Coast (in Round 19) it was 93 (scored by the Suns).
“They’re leaking. They’ve got Noah Answerth out, Darcy Gardiner has been shaky, they haven’t been able to put enough forward pressure on. Richmond are the best transition scoring team in the competition.
“Are they (the Lions) able to defend well enough?”
Garry Lyon has similar concerns for the Lions.
While the players in their forward line are dangerous on their day, Lyon feels they fail to defend as a collective which puts added pressure on their midfield and defence.
“I’ve had a little bit of the slows on Brisbane,” said Lyon.
“Their strength is also their weakness. Joe Daniher, Eric Hipwood, Dan McStay, Charlie Cameron, Lincoln McCarthy loom as really dangerous, but they don’t defend.
“Ball goes in, mark, crumb or gone the other way. It was really obvious against Melbourne, they couldn’t keep the footy in their forward 50 and struggled against the Melbourne defence.
“My concern for them is exactly that. If they’re not grabbing it, this is why the pressure will go on Daniher and Hipwood particularly in this big final. They’ve got to be able to mark the ball.”
The last time the two sides met in Round 20, Richmond came from 42 points behind to beat Brisbane by seven points at the MCG.
They clash in the first match of the 2022 AFL finals series is at the Gabba on Thursday night.