The 'we love Brian Lake' thread

[The Bulldogs Bite]

One of the best footballers I've seen in the red, white and blue.

40 odd possessions, 22 marks - unheard of from a full back. He knows when to mark and when to defend, has become a great attacking option and can rest forward at times. Reads the play so well - quite a few times his superior judgement enabled him to propel another thrust forward today.

That and I absolutely loved the passion he showed coming from FB to help out Hall and charge into Pratt etc. His interview after the game on MMM was even better.

Love is in the air. ;)

[BulldogBelle]

What'd he say on MMM? Did we play okay but ''pretty crap'' at times again? :p

The General.

[GVGjr]

If it's based purely on today's game he's slipped a lot in my ratings. I hated that approach of chipping the ball around in defence and Lake got a tonne of soft possessions.

I rate Lake highly but I don't want to see more games from him like that today,

[bornadog]

Well I thought he played so well today and was very attacking when he had a chance to be. The chipping around was not just him. With the flood on, it was hard to break at times. Lake was sensational today and really controlled the the backline.

[GVGjr]

Well I thought he played so well today and was very attacking when he had a chance to be. The chipping around was not just him. With the flood on, it was hard to break at times. Lake was sensational today and really controlled the the backline.

Probably the wrong thread for me to reply but at a guess 50% of his possessions he had no one around him. A lot lesser players could have done almost the same.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Probably the wrong thread for me to reply but at a guess 50% of his possessions he had no one around him. A lot lesser players could have done almost the same.

Whilst that was the case and he had a lot of cheap possessions, he still played a very good game. You couldn't ask for anything more, he wins the contests in the air, on the ground and provides another attacking option running out of the back half.

IMO he's taken his game to another level this season. He was tremendous against Brown up in Brisbane when we conceded 70 odd inside 50's and he probably won us the game v Melbourne.

Lake used to struggle for consistency 2-4 years ago. Not anymore. He's our most important player and besides Cooney, is our best.

[comrade]

Probably the wrong thread for me to reply but at a guess 50% of his possessions he had no one around him. A lot lesser players could have done almost the same.

When you're 50+ points up with no options up the ground, what would you prefer him to do?

To say his game today made you rate him less seems a bit strange, GVG.

[GVGjr]

Whilst that was the case and he had a lot of cheap possessions, he still played a very good game. You couldn't ask for anything more, he wins the contests in the air, on the ground and provides another attacking option running out of the back half.

IMO he's taken his game to another level this season. He was tremendous against Brown up in Brisbane when we conceded 70 odd inside 50's and he probably won us the game v Melbourne.

Lake used to struggle for consistency 2-4 years ago. Not anymore. He's our most important player and besides Cooney, is our best.

He has hit a purple patch but I'm not sure he has gone to another level this year.
I think he has benefited a little bit by the likes of Brown and Franklin not being in the sort of form they are capable of but it is hard to take too many credits off him because he is doing his job.

[hujsh]

He has hit a purple patch but I'm not sure he has gone to another level this year.
I think he has benefited a little bit by the likes of Brown and Franklin not being in the sort of form they are capable of but it is hard to take too many credits off him because he is doing his job.

I think Lake came up against Brown when he was in that purple patch before he got that niggle that's been hampering him.

[ledge]

Probably the wrong thread for me to reply but at a guess 50% of his possessions he had no one around him. A lot lesser players could have done almost the same.

Hey if North players arent going to pick him up wouldnt he be the one you would kick it to being free?

[mjp]

I love Brian, but Jonathon Brown destroyed him in the last quarter when the game was there to be won.

[Scorlibo]

I love Brian, but Jonathon Brown destroyed him in the last quarter when the game was there to be won.

The backline survived a siege of inside fifties that night, when Tom Williams went down it just became too much. Brown should have kicked 6 with that supply.

[comrade]

I love Brian, but Jonathon Brown destroyed him in the last quarter when the game was there to be won.

To be fair, the entire team was collectively out on it's feet and the midfield gave no defensive resistance. The ball was pinging into the Brisbane forward 50 at will and it was inevitable that the floodgates opened.

[mjp]

Brown outworked him and outran him. He couldn't cause a contest and Brown repeatedly took uncontested marks. If he had kicked straight...

I still think he is in our best three players - I just strongly disagree with the comment by TBB that he was magnificent against Brown up in Brisbane.

[Doc26]

I love Brian, but Jonathon Brown destroyed him in the last quarter when the game was there to be won.


Brown outworked him and outran him. He couldn't cause a contest and Brown repeatedly took uncontested marks. If he had kicked straight...

I still think he is in our best three players - I just strongly disagree with the comment by TBB that he was magnificent against Brown up in Brisbane.

No Lake wasn't magnificent that night. For three quarters he was very good against Brown. I agree with Comrade, Scorlibo & no doubt yourself. In the final quarter Lake had nothing left and Brown capitalised on it. Wasn't helped by William's injury and Ryan who should not have played. Ryan could barely turn his neck in the days leading up to that match. That game was lost more by Brisbane's midfield runners exposing us than by Lake running out of gas.

[LostDoggy]

I would like to heartily endorse the OP and just say that Brian great.

Heaps better than that Brian Harris guy.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Brown outworked him and outran him. He couldn't cause a contest and Brown repeatedly took uncontested marks. If he had kicked straight...

I still think he is in our best three players - I just strongly disagree with the comment by TBB that he was magnificent against Brown up in Brisbane.

Scarlett would of struggled in that last quarter too. We barely got the ball forward of centre at all. The midfield was pretty poor all night aside from a spell in the second quarter.

Lake still played a great game and was not 'destroyed'.

[Happy Days]

If it's based purely on today's game he's slipped a lot in my ratings. I hated that approach of chipping the ball around in defence and Lake got a tonne of soft possessions.

I rate Lake highly but I don't want to see more games from him like that today,

Sorry GVG, but this isn't fair.

North actually beat us in inside 50s today, but the reason that they couldn't score with any ease is that Brian was always there to take it the other way.

Sure you can say that his stats were inflated by a nukber of sideways kicks, but take them out and he still has 20-25 solid disposals, combined with the obvious drive and rebound he gave us, with 11 rebound 50s.

[MrMahatma]

Absolute gun. A gun defender. Scarlett may still be No. 1 FB in the league, but Lake is a close 2nd. And you don't win flags without very good defenders - he's class.

[GVGjr]

Sorry GVG, but this isn't fair.

North actually beat us in inside 50s today, but the reason that they couldn't score with any ease is that Brian was always there to take it the other way.

Sure you can say that his stats were inflated by a nukber of sideways kicks, but take them out and he still has 20-25 solid disposals, combined with the obvious drive and rebound he gave us, with 11 rebound 50s.

I've broken down his performance from my perspective in this thread.
http://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=7498

By the way I doubt he had 20 solid disposals yesterday.

[GVGjr]

When you're 50+ points up with no options up the ground, what would you prefer him to do?

To say his game today made you rate him less seems a bit strange, GVG.

It wasn't the right statement by me but I was frustrated with our performance yesterday and Lake was probably the main reason why. I hate quarters being finished off with defenders "statting up" and then getting the accolades.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Brown outworked him and outran him. He couldn't cause a contest and Brown repeatedly took uncontested marks. If he had kicked straight...

I still think he is in our best three players - I just strongly disagree with the comment by TBB that he was magnificent against Brown up in Brisbane.

What a load of crap.

We got smashed something like 72-43 in the I50's and their superstar forward managed 2 late ones.

[lemmon]

I've never really seen him as an on-field leader before but the last month has really turned me around. He won us the game against the Dees in the last 5 minutes and was one of the few players yesterday who got to Bazza and got him out of there, I was expecting more from a few of the boys in that regard. He has always been a real general of the defense but in the future could he play more of a leadership role? Perhaps even the top job?

[ledge]

I cant believe the negativity Brian is getting on here, he gathered 40 odd possesions, we won by 70 points, Nth struggled to kick a goal (Lakes job down back is to stop goals)Can I ask who he played on and how many goals and possesions he got?

I dont care how possessions are tallied up if his opponent isnt getting a kick and the opposition can only kick 2 goals in a half he has done his job well.
If he is getting the ball on his own and we are 70 points up he can sit on it and hatch it for all I care.
Actually what do you want Brian to do?
Say dont kick it to me becauses im free and it will be a cheap stat?
His team mates kicked it to him because he was what they thought was a safe option and proved to be it.
Look at it another way if you were playing footy and not picked up you would certainly be calling for it.
North didnt pick him up end of story.
He played the game according to the score and I say great job.

[mjp]

What a load of crap.

We got smashed something like 72-43 in the I50's and their superstar forward managed 2 late ones.

Watch the last quarter again SS. That is what I am talking about - Brown kept leading and Lake couldn't keep up.