It seems there was a silver lining to the dark clouds over the NAB Cup round robin clashes at Metricon Stadium for Melbourne, Gold Coast and the Brisbane Lions.
While even the heartiest footy fan found it hard to watch the scrappy affair at the rain-soaked Gold Coast venue, all three coaches liked what they saw up front on Saturday night.
Brisbane captain Jonathan Brown made a successful comeback, ex-Lion Mitch Clark hit the ground running with Melbourne and the Suns unearthed an unlikely star forward – defender Nathan Bock.
Brown did not kick a goal – or even a behind – in Brisbane’s two-point win over the Suns and three-point loss to Melbourne.
However, Lions coach Michael Voss was just happy to have his champion forward back.
Brown twice suffered facial fractures in a nightmare 2011 but he didn’t hold back in the wet on Saturday night, throwing his body around in heartening signs for Voss.
Still Voss will rest Brown for their next pre-season clash against Adelaide at Alice Springs on Saturday night.
“When you get conditions like that, game style goes out the window – it becomes about the contest,” Voss said.
“I thought our attack on the footy was first class.”
The likes of youngsters Claye Beams, No.8 draft pick Billy Longer, Elliot Yeo and Jared Polec also impressed Voss.
New Melbourne coach Mark Neeld also had no complaints with his new forward option Clark.
A lucrative Demons’ offer lured Clark away despite initially requesting a trade to Fremantle due to homesickness.
But Clark looked at home in Melbourne colours from the outset, kicking his new club’s first goal on Saturday night after a strong mark out-muscling ex-Demon Matthew Warnock.
His heroics could not stop Melbourne going down by three points to the Suns in the round-robin opener but Neeld appeared excited by his new acquisition.
James Magner may be elevated off Melbourne’s rookie list soon after dominating in the midfield with impressive team-mate Matthew Bate on Saturday night.
Suns coach Guy McKenna was also all smiles after watching a forward impress – much to his pleasant surprise.
McKenna sprung a shock when he switched ex-All Australian defender Bock to centre half-forward with immediate results.
“We would need two or three to cover Bock (in defence) but if we can settle Bocky forward that would be handy,” McKenna said.
McKenna also credited Tasmanian recruit Aaron Hall, Karmichael Hunt’s switch to midfield and 18-year-old Jaeger O’Meara’s debut.
Meanwhile, Voss’ only complaint was the use of the video review system – but it had nothing to do with the fact a match-changing result went against him.
Midway in the second half against Melbourne, Brisbane young gun Pat Karnezis appeared to kick a goal, only for it to be overturned by the video review as the Lions went down by three.
“You could debate whether it was a behind or not but the game stopping – I just don’t like that,” Voss said.
“It didn’t feel right. There is something clunky about it.”
