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Nine Lions in danger: Voss

By Adam Cooper 19/07/2010 08:41:47 PM Comments (0)

Brisbane coach Michael Voss says he could make up to nine changes to his AFL team for Saturday's clash with Geelong given the Lions' desperate form slump.

It follows Saturday's 75-point belting at the hands of Hawthorn in Launceston.

Voss said almost half the team could not be guaranteed to play the reigning premiers at Skilled Stadium.

"I know it's the party line and a bit of cliche but you've got to have 22 players contribute on some level," Voss said.

"You can't have eight or nine who don't give that minimum standard.

"If you do have that number, then I don't know how you've got a hope in hell of winning.

"We preach it all the time as coaches - and I know it sounds really boring, I'd love to sex it up for you - but the fact of the matter is (a contribution) is what we've got to get every week from our 22 players and we're not getting that every week."

Voss, whose Lions have lost 11 of their past 12 games and sit in 13th spot on the ladder after reaching the finals last year, said he had not given any thought to the idea that his job could be on the line.

"It's about our club and about what we are trying to achieve, and this now, in this last six weeks, is bigger than any certain person," he said.

Voss said the Lions were compelled to find a spot for young forward Aaron Cornelius after he booted seven goals in the QAFL on the weekend.

He nominated small forward Cheynee Stiller as being close to earning a recall, while Ryan Harwood and Xavier Clarke, the former Saint, were close to earning their first games with the club.

Voss rated star midfielder Simon Black only a 50-50 chance to return from an ankle injury.

Despite the Lions being out of finals contention, Voss refused to give younger players games unless they earned them.

"I'm not into giving games away to people," he said.

"The people who are getting games will deserve it."

The Lions have a poor recent record playing at Geelong's home ground, as they have been comprehensively beaten there on all five of their past visits, by an average margin of 55 points.

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