Arrogant Vics Don't Rate Lions

[TalkingFootball]

Read this grab today and nearly fell off my chair!

Originally Posted by Brisbane Courier mail

BRENDAN Fevola believes arrogant Victorians under-rate the Brisbane Lions, and claims his new side can win this year's premiership.
Supercoach Kevin Sheedy has already suggested the Lions hit paydirt when Fevola was booted out of Carlton, and says his arrival at the Gabba made Michael Voss's men the team to beat.

But the former Blue insists he is just one component of a side that has been building steadily towards a premiership and had set a goal of finishing in the top four in 2010.

Wait one second there big boy! As I said in my Kevin Sheedy Tips ? ... this is one poor little Victorian that believes the Lions can go all the way in 2010!!! And Yes I've already got my money where my mouth is!

Suppose there is noting like creating a "little" interstate rivalry before the season starts ... always good for memberships.

[Scumbagger]

interstate footy started in 1985 with the " Swan district " EAGLES . Since then i/s sides have won about 9 flags out of 24 . Given Sydney's salary concessions & Fitzroy's demise to Brisbane I think the ratio wont improve in the next 24 years. Geelong.Carlton, Essendon & North will win most of them. Interstate clubs are only there for the TV.

[Purples a Fruit]

With the recruiting they've done, it's obvious that the lions (well Michael Voss anyway) believe they are just about entering their premiership window, which is probably right.

Last year the two guys whom this team revolved around were Simon Black and Jonathan Brown, now 31 and 28, so they really had to pounce and add another top quality player - obviously Fevola is that player. On top of that Mitch Clark has emerged as a genuine top 50 player in the competition now. So if Rich and someone else emerges as a top 50 player, they'll have well enough cream to take the flag this year or next.

They do have some really good talent on their list - Adcock, Sherman, Rich, Drummond probably being the cream of the rest, but those four aren't going to win a premiership just yet (and probably not at any point to be honest) and by the time they're in their prime, Black and Brown would be either gone or not the player they were.

So the Fevola trade was a pretty calculated decision but one that will most likely result in a bit more pain than Brisbane were hoping to have around the middle part of the next decade. But it could very well result in a flag in the next three seasons. If it does it would be well worth it because at the half way point of last year they were no doubt improving but it looked like, due to the impending retirements of Brown and Black, that they would only improve to the point where they'd have a 4 to 6 seasons of 4th to 6th finishes ala Adelaide this decade, but not quite having the top end quality to win a flag....