Brisbane coach Chris Fagan concedes he’s uncertain if the MCG remains to be a problem for the Lions after their premiership credentials took a significant hit in an upset 25-point defeat to Hawthorn.
In their first outing on the house of the grand last this season, the Lions by no means regarded snug in opposition to the Hawks, who’ve gained three of their previous 4 video games.
Trailing by 17 factors at halftime, Hawthorn opened the sport up with six targets to 2 within the third quarter as midfielder Jai Newcombe swung momentum within the Hawks’ favour.
Hawthorn had a solution for each Lions problem to safe a 15.8 (98) to 11.7 (73) upset to make it 4 straight victories over Brisbane courting again to 2020.
The outcome raises severe questions on if the fourth-placed Lions can finish their 20-year premiership drought.
Brisbane have gained simply as soon as of their previous 14 outings on the MCG, with their solely victory on the well-known Melbourne venue coming in extraordinary vogue after they upset the Demons in final 12 months’s semi-final.
The Lions are unbeaten at their Gabba fortress this 12 months, together with wins in opposition to Collingwood and Melbourne, however have misplaced their previous two matches to drop to 8-4 and additional adrift of the Magpies and Port Adelaide within the prime two.
Fagan mentioned their MCG file wasn’t a problem “unless you want to make it one”.
“We didn’t talk about it (the MCG) today,” he mentioned.
“I felt last year we had some good performances here and some not so good performances.
“We’ll attempt to do a greater job the subsequent time we come right here … however the reply is I do not know.
“We’ve been OK here as we’ll see what happens next time we come here.”
In an added blow for the Lions, star Hugh McLuggage suffered a concussion halfway by means of the fourth quarter when he was knocked out chilly following a sort out from Hawthorn captain James Sicily.
McLuggage failed to maneuver for nearly a minute earlier than staggering off the sector slowly with the assistance of trainers.
Sicily, who was solely coming back from a suspension, is for certain to be in bother with the match overview officer with the AFL clamping down on harmful tackles this 12 months.
The Lions had been a person down on the bench for the remainder of the match after already substituting out veteran Daniel Rich for Keidean Coleman.
Hawks coach Sam Mitchell mentioned he hadn’t watched a replay of the sort out however felt for McLuggage being concussed.
“At the time I thought it was such a desperate act, he’s diving and just managed to get fingertips onto him so I thought it was a great tackle,” Mitchell mentioned.
“The players are really well aware of the tackling and I think we’re seeing changes of technique, guys not trying to bring other people to ground deliberately.”
Hawthorn’s key forwards had been excellent, with Mitch Lewis (4 targets) and Jacob Koschitzke (three) inflicting havoc for Brisbane’s defence.
Eric Hipwood was the Lions’ most threatening ahead, kicking 4 targets throughout a brilliant interval late within the second quarter and early within the third.
Brisbane will again up on Friday evening after they host Sydney on the Gabba, whereas Hawthorn have the bye earlier than travelling to play Gold Coast in spherical 15.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
