Chris Fagan has taken some accountability for the Brisbane Lions’ expensive fade-out towards Melbourne however insists there will likely be long-term advantages from the loss as they put together for a high-stakes go to from Geelong.
The Lions conceded 4 objectives within the last seven minutes to lose by one level on the MCG final Friday, the consequence leaving them two wins behind second-placed Port Adelaide with six rounds remaining earlier than finals.
Brisbane possible should beat the Cats on Saturday on the Gabba to maintain their top-two hopes afloat.
On Friday Fagan conceded there had been a lot dialogue about these last minutes in Melbourne every week earlier.
“Not many (areas to improve) because for about 100 minutes of that game … we had really good control and probably the best footy we’ve ever played,” he mentioned.
“The coaches are a little bit guilty there; we hadn’t had a close finish for a long time, hasn’t been on our agenda.
“We ought to have been practising {that a} bit extra, that state of affairs at coaching.
“That’s prompted us to do that, we had a good chat about those situations and what we’d do differently.
“We acquired a lot out of that sport final week, aside from the 4 factors.”
Brisbane’s Gabba dominance will be tested by the defending premiers, who have beaten Melbourne, drawn with Sydney and smashed North Melbourne and Essendon in the last month.
The sides last met in a 2022 preliminary final comfortably won by Geelong.
“We’ve had some shut video games, we have had some not-so-close video games they usually’ve acquired the sting on us, it will be honest to say,” Fagan mentioned.
“There’s quite a bit using on it … it will be an enormous event, a finals-like sport.
“It’s not so much that they won, but the way they played.
“They’re clearly hitting some good kind, so we all know we’re assembly a crew in all probability on the proper time for us.
“I’d rather be playing these sorts of games at this time of year than not.
Lions defender Jack Payne is set to mark Tom Hawkins in a crucial match-up while Callum Ah Chee, fresh off signing a two-year contract extension, returns from concussion for Brisbane.
Zac Bailey (calf) might miss not less than two weeks after a mid-week setback whereas the fifth-placed Cats are unchanged.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
