Lions plan to take down bogey team
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan will demand an attitude adjustment from a Lions side desperate to end an infuriating run of losses to Hawthorn.
Despite the Lions’ strong form in recent seasons, they haven’t beaten the Hawks since 2019, with Hawthorn winning the past four meetings between the teams.
“Pretty clearly it just comes down to workrate and mindset,” Fagan said ahead of Brisbane’s battle with the Hawks on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.
“That’s no disrespect to Hawthorn. They played very well against us in those games, but we were nowhere near our best.
“We’ve just got to make sure that we’re somewhere near our best or at our best on the weekend.
“If we are, then we give ourselves a good chance. If we’re not, then the same thing will happen.”
The desire to end their run of outs against Hawthorn was among the reasons why the Lions didn’t bask for long in the glory of their 119-point demolition of a depleted Richmond last Saturday at the Gabba
“(Beating Hawthorn) was the first thing the players talked about after the game on Saturday night,” said Fagan, who also kept the enormity of the win over the Tigers in “perspective”.
“We played a seriously weakened Richmond team. They’ve got good players out, so you have to put it in perspective.
“The pleasing thing was that sometimes in those games when you probably know at half-time, that you’re every chance to win, effort and workrate can drop away but I didn’t think that happened at all.
“We were as good in the second half as we were in the first half, and that’s what we were looking for.”
While the Lions will lose suspended forward Eric Hipwood this weekend, the versatile Zac Bailey is set to return from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for five matches.
“Someone like Zac Bailey, if we select him, if he’s available, he makes our team better,” Fagan said.
“His goal-scoring and his goal-creating ability, his speed and agility, he’s a 100-plus game player, he helps us in the midfield, and he helps us up forward.
“They are difficult (selection) decisions because the players that have come in have done a good job, but also you’ve got to recognise the effort and the history of blokes that are well established AFL players.”
Despite Bailey’s return, the Lions’ injury list remains extensive, with Fagan saying the club would “certainly” recruit some fresh faces in next week’s mid-season draft.
“We’ve got four long-term (injuries). I’m not sure whether we’ll go for four spots or we’ll fill two spots. I don’t know what the philosophy will be there but we’ll certainly get some new players in,” he said.
