‘Cannot let that happen’: Lion’s ‘oh, no’ moments laid bare amid great’s scathing review

Brisbane Lions forward Joe Daniher was on the receiving end of a “harsh” assessment of his game following the Lions’ defeat to GWS.

The Lions languished in the second half on ANZAC Day night, going down to the Giants by 54 points in Canberra after trailing at half-time by just eight in what initially shaped as a competitive affair.

However, it proved another shallow evening of production for Brisbane’s key forward tandem of Daniher and Eric Hipwood, who combined for just two behinds on Friday as the Lions fell to 2-5.

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Brisbane’s only multiple goalkickers at Manuka Oval were smaller options Charlie Cameron and Cam Rayner, as the Lions managed a measly two second-half majors to GWS’ nine.

Friday evening’s disappearing act prompted Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton to launch a scathing assessment of the Lions’ big left-footer.

“I do look at it pretty hard,” started Brereton post-game on Fox Footy, critiquing Daniher’s efforts in marking and ruck contests, as well as chase-down tackle attempts.

“This is Joe when he’s shoved under the ball (by Jack Buckley). This is the ‘good Joe’, ‘bad Joe’.

“He’s out-marked there by Buckley, just went under him. That’s when the ball gets turned (over). Joe, easily pushed under it. Tom Green slips in; (the Lions) don’t touch it again and that’s a goal resulted.

“That’s Joe pushed off the ball (in the ruck against Kieren Briggs), it gets to the outside because Briggs has the opportunity to just shove him sideways and completely control the stoppage.”

Daniher, who recorded 14 disposals and three hit-outs, was handed extra rucking responsibilities alongside Darcy Fort with Oscar McInerney (concussion protocols) out of the side.

Brereton highlighted a positive Daniher moment in which he caused the ball to come to ground from a marking contest, resulting in a goal to Cameron.

“Now, this is better; at least he worked a little harder to hold the front spot, and then, because it turns into a ground ball, Charlie gets the goal,” Brereton said.

“So, that’s the difference between totally outplayed and actually getting to the footy and making an effort there.”

However, a poor effort by the ex-Bomber chasing direct opponent Buckley caused Brereton to not only question the key forward’s motivation in the waning stages of the game, but question his and Hipwood’s status as key-position players in Chris Fagan’s side.

“Now, watch the chase here,” he said. “Now, that’s a bloke who’s thought ‘I’ve given up chasing here, I’m done for the night’.

“And people will be there saying ‘the game was done’ (but) if you’re the key forward and you set the standards in your forward line for every other forward to follow in, you want your biggest key forward to be a beast.

“That’s why I say, sometimes, Cam Rayner is more the key forward in that forward line than Joe, or Eric (Hipwood), who only had six (disposals).

“You put up a stat before the game about when these two blokes don’t kick two goals, how often they lose.

“They had two soda shots (from) 25-30 metres out in front. One each, in the channel, and they duffed them badly. They kicked two behinds (between them) for the night and they went down by nine goals.”

Triple Richmond premiership forward Jack Riewoldt focussed on the impact poor body language might have had on the rest of the team.

“It’s a bit about mentality for me,” he said. “As a key forward, you do rely so much on ball movement up the ground. (Sometimes when) things aren’t going your way (it’s about) what you go to.

“For me, try and get to as many contests as you possibly can. Try and get a tackle. Try and get something to just get you back in the game … But you actually have to understand that your body language affects the next person down the line’s body language.

“I have no doubt Eric Hipwood would look at Joe and go ‘oh, no, he’s got his head down’. And that would actually start to filter through your whole group.

“If he had just tried to get a tackle on Buckley, it might just pick up the next thing. Now, look, it could have no influence whatsoever on the (result), but it gives Chris Fagan something to go ‘hey, you can do this. We need you’.

“He is a leader of that football club and you know what? Things aren’t always going to go your way with ball movement … But there’s still an effort part of it you need to do as a leader.”

Brereton concluded by explaining his scathing assessment.

“I’m treating him harshly at the moment because I expect so much more out of him,” said Brereton.

“But, if you’re the number-one key forward, you are the captain of the forward line.

“If I was his older teammate, this is how I’d treat him inside the closed doors. I’ve got to convey this to the viewers.

“He’s got to make sure his teammates see him not just drifting off the back off that chase. Not just being shoved under the ball and going ‘well, that was against me, I’ll accept that’. You cannot let that happen.”