“It’s fair to say that, at 2-5, their season is hanging by a thread; for a team as bad as where they are at Round 7, you have to go back to 1997 with St Kilda to make a Grand Final,” Montagna said.
“I think Brisbane is moving backwards if people don’t change and stay the same.
“It’s honorable and reasonable for Chris Fagan to stick with the same players and the formula that has brought them to this position over the previous five years.”
To bolster Montagna’s argument, thirteen players participated in both their 2020 preliminary final match against Geelong, which took place over four years ago, and Friday night’s game against GWS.
When you factor in injured players Oscar McInerney and Zac Bailey, who would have played versus the Giants if they hadn’t been hurt, that number rises to fifteen.
Their development and reluctance to develop the young players in their club could be progressively biting them in the rear.
Of all the teams in the competition, the Lions have had the fewest debutants—just two—in the past two years.
Furthermore, out of all 18 participating teams, Chris Fagan has selected the fewest players—28—so far this season.
Montagna went on, “At some point, you also need to be realistic about where you are now. For that reason, I think they should start seriously questioning some of the players and some of the system that has helped them get there in the past.”
“I’m just concerned that if they continue to not evolve, that they are getting stuck in the past; from the evidence we have seen so far, it will not stack up.”
Brisbane supporters should not give up hope despite their dismal start to 2024; their advantage going into the mid-season bye and beyond is considered favorable.
“They have a lot of talent, so they can win their next six games and their next six weeks are all very winnable,” Montagna stated.
During the six-week timeframe, the Lions will play home games against Gold Coast, Richmond, and St Kilda. They may also enter games as favorites against Adelaide, Hawthorn, and the Western Bulldogs.
Don’t get me wrong, Montagna stated of Brisbane’s current season, “it’s not completely broken.”
“They require a makeover; they must inject new life into their work.”
“I believe they should change the way they work and take a closer look at the staff over the next six weeks.”
In response to a question about the Lions’ needs from fellow First Crack panelist and two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King, Montagna first brought up the issue of their lack of debutantes before going on to talk about their forward line and ball movement.
“They might win if they just keep doing the same things, but what will happen at the end of the year?”
“I don’t think the three talls are effective. I don’t think the forward line’s “Darcy Gardiner experiment” has resolved either Eric Hipwood’s or Joe Daniher’s problems.
“I believe they should move the ball more aggressively, which means they should pass through the hallway a little more. merely a few minor adjustments, but a facelift
The Lions are currently ranked 16th in the league for points off clearance differential, 13th for turnover differential, and ninth for scores per entry—three crucial measures that contribute determine a team’s standing in the standings.
The 26th “Q-Clash” between Chris Fagan and his team and Gold Coast will be their first opportunity to reply forcefully; in the 25 meetings between the two teams thus far, Brisbane has prevailed 18 times.
The Lions have defeated the Suns nine times in the last ten meetings; their lone defeat since 2018 was in Round 20 of that year, a 41-point setback at People First Stadium on the road.
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