McKenna, Morris Magic Sinks Sorry Pies in Brisbane Mauling
Well, that was ugly. Brisbane put us to the sword up at the Gabba and there’s no sugarcoating it – Conor McKenna and Logan Morris took us to school while we stood around admiring the view.
Carn the Pies, I hear you say. Fair enough, someone had to say it, because there wasn’t much to cheer about out on the ground.
McKenna Ran Riot and We Had No Answer
Can someone please explain to me how a bloke gets that much space on a football field? McKenna was ghosting through the corridor all night like he owned the joint. Every time we looked like getting a bit of dare going forward, he was popping up at the other end doing the damage.
It’s not the first time an opposition rebounder has carved us up this year and if I’m being honest it probably won’t be the last if things don’t change. Our defensive setup looked like it was designed by someone who’s never actually watched McKenna play. He should of been tagged, blocked, anything – instead he waltzed around like it was a Sunday kick-to-kick.
You could argue our midfield brigade just didn’t get enough hands on it to stop the exit run happening in the first place. That’s probably closer to the truth than blaming the backline in isolation. Either way, it wasn’t good enough.
Morris Adds the Finishing Touch
Then there’s Logan Morris. If McKenna was setting the table, Morris was eating the meal. The kid took a couple of grabs that had the Gabba faithful up off their seats, and every one of them felt like a dagger.
Is he the most improved forward in the comp this year? You’d have a decent case. He’s strong overhead, he reads the ball beautifully and last night he made our defenders look like they were standing in wet cement. Definately one of the best young talls going around, and it’s a worry for the rest of the competition, not just us.
Third Spot Locked Away and We Just Handed It to Them
The Lions weren’t just chasing a win here, they were chasing top four real estate, and we basically rolled out the red carpet. A big win like that puts a real grip on third spot for them heading toward September, and you’d have to say they deserved every bit of it on the night.
That’s the bit that stings the most as a Pies supporter. It wasn’t just a loss, it was a statement loss. The kind of result that has finals implications written all over it – for them, not us.
Where Were the Contested Ball Numbers?
Every week this year it feels like we’re having the same conversation. Who’s winning the contest? Who’s getting first hands on it at the stoppages? Last night it definately wasn’t us for long stretches, and when Brisbane’s midfield got first use, their forwards made us pay in a big way.
I don’t want to sound like a broken record but the inside 50 differential told the story. We were kicking it forward under pressure, hurried, no options, and their defenders were just mopping it up and running it back the other way through McKenna and company. That’s not bad luck, that’s a system problem.
Umpires Didn’t Help, But Let’s Be Honest
Look, I reckon there were a couple of free kicks paid against us at crucial moments that had me shaking my head at the telly. There always seems to be one or two that go against the Pies at the worst time – anyone else notice that pattern this year? I’m not saying it’s deliberate, I’ll leave that argument for the pub, but it felt harsh out there a few times.
That said – and it pains me to admit it – we can’t hang this one on the umpires. Brisbane were just the better side. Cleaner with ball in hand, harder at the contest, and they had two blokes in McKenna and Morris playing at a different level to anyone we had on the park.
What Needs to Change Before It’s Too Late
So where to from here? First up, we need a genuine plan for run-off half backs like McKenna. Whether that’s a designated tagger or just tighter defensive structures, something has to give because this keeps happening against the good sides.
Second, our forward line needs more contested marking presence of its own. We can’t keep relying on ground-level scrambles to generate scores against teams with genuine intercept markers up back. Brisbane showed last night exactly what a well-drilled key forward setup looks like, and it wasn’t pretty watching it from our side of the fence.
Third – and this is the one that really grinds my gears – we need more fight in that last quarter. Once the margin blew out we just seemed to accept it. I want to see blokes still crashing packs and laying tackles with the game gone, because that’s the stuff that builds toughness for finals footy down the track.
Onwards, As Always
Look, it’s a horror result and I won’t pretend otherwise. Losing to a top three side by a big margin hurts, especially when two of their best young players carved us up in front of a big crowd.
But the season’s not over. There’s footy still to be played and plenty to work on at training this week. We’ve shown flashes of real quality this year, we just need more consistency for four quarters, not two.
Carn the Pies. We’ll be back next week, same as always, hoping for a response. Because that’s what supporting this club is all about – copping the tough nights and fronting up again regardless.
