Brisbane coach Chris Fagan says his Lions have to stick together and learn from another confidence-sapping defeat if they are to turn around their poor start to the AFL campaign.
The Lions were handily beaten thanks to a second-half onslaught against GWS on Anzac Day, at one stage allowing nine unanswered goals on their way to a 17.11 (113) to 8.11 (59) loss at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
Check out the match reports from both games:
Fagan admitted his team’s effort-level was “below-par” during the second-half bashing that led to the 54-point defeat, but would not buy into the “doom and gloom” surrounding the 2-5 start to the season from last year’s grand finalists.
He likened the Lions’ predicament to his first two seasons in charge of the club, when they won just five games in both campaigns while building the foundation of a title-contending outfit.
“This group has been so good for the last five years, I admire and respect them for the efforts they’ve been able to put in over the last five seasons,” he said.
“I’m not gonna sit here and bag the team for the way they performed, I’m in it with them.
“The way forward is together, that was how we became a good team in the first place … we learned from our mistakes, we stuck together and we became a good team.
“And the way out of the situation that we’re in at the moment, particularly in the way that we played is that exact same way.
“Confidence is a quirky thing in sport, it comes and goes and I’ve got to help those boys find their confidence and connection again.”
The Lions have the Gold Coast next weekend at the Gabba before a trip to Adelaide to face the Crows.
Round five’s upset win against Melbourne remained something of a beacon of hope for Fagan, with Lions mentor suggesting it showed the capability his side still possesses.
“Melbourne has been the only time we’ve been able to turn up and play a really high-level brand of football,” he said.
Earlier, Essendon and Collingwood played out a thrilling draw in the traditional MCG Anzac Day encounter.
Jamie Elliott stunned the 93,644 crowd with possibly the mark of the year, and after a see-saw game the two sides split the premiership points.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.
It’s been a big day of football – the MCG had the close one with a draw between the Pies and the Bombers. If you missed it, click back through the key events to see Jamie Elliott’s ridiculous hanger that is clubhouse favourite for mark of the year.
Tonight’s game was a tough watch for Lions fans, but the Giants are right on track.
We’ll be back again tomorrow night for Friday night footy, as Port Adelaide host St kilda at Adelaide Oval.
Thanks for joining us today, we’ll see you tomorrow.
Brisbane’s stuttering AFL campaign has continued at Manuka Oval, thrashed by a surging GWS outfit to slump to 2-5 for the season.
The 2023 grand finalists fell to their biggest loss of the year, conceding a run of nine unanswered goals after hitting the front in the second quarter to lose by 54 points on Thursday night.
It was the perfect response from the premiership-favourite Giants after last weekend’s loss to Carlton, with their running game slicing up the Lions when they took over the contest.
Canberra local Tom Green put on another clinic on his home turf, racking up 36 touches, seven clearances and a goal to help his side continue surging towards the top of the table.
It was a second consecutive lethargic performance from Brisbane, having failed to handle rainy conditions in a 26-point loss against Geelong last weekend.
Lions forward Kai Lohmann snapped truly at the 19-minute mark of the second term to put his side ahead 42-39, with Brisbane appearing to have weathered an early storm and got back on track.
But the Giants had other ideas, generating momentum out of their defensive 50 and making the Lions look slow on their way to nine straight goals and a match-winning lead.
Irishman Callum Brown was in fine touch with three sweetly hit set-shot goals, with fellow forward Jake Riccardi also cashing in with a trio of majors.
Livewire debutant Darcy Jones lit up the Canberra crowd with a first game to remember, slotting a brilliant running goal in the first term on the back of his electric pace, before finding another late in the piece.
The Giants missed captain Toby Greene (suspended), key back Sam Taylor (concussion) and star midfielder Stephen Coniglio (knee), but still cruised to their sixth win of the season.
The Lions missed ruckman Oscar McInerney (concussion), but did hold their own in the middle, but simply couldn’t contain the GWS run when it got firing.
The Lions return home for a Queensland derby against the Gold Coast next weekend, quickly losing touch with the pack as they look to push towards another finals run.
Callum Ah Chee was subbed out at halftime with a hamstring injury.
AAP
The numbers don’t lie – this was a big win for GWS all over the park.
Inside 50s ended up 53-48 to the Giants, after they trailed by more than 10 in the middle of the game.
We told you before the game that the Lions were the best in the AFL at stoppage clearances, but that they would miss Oscar McInerney.
On a quiet night for Lachie Neale, Brisbane lost stoppage clearances by 28-20.
And in a sign of how easy it was for the GWS forwards, they had 15 marks inside 50 to just seven for the Lions.
We are getting to the point where big questions are going to be asked of the Lions.
Aside from brief periods tonight, they weren’t in the contest against the Giants. GWS may well be one of the top sides in the league, and who knows, they might go on to win the whole thing.
But right now Brisbane look short of answers everywhere.
It will be interesting to see what Chris Fagan has to say about it all.
The Lions have been up – in premiership window terms – for a long time.
They look a long way off it right now.
The siren goes to end a one-sided affair in Canberra.
Darcy Fort kicked a late consolation goal before the end, but it’s celebration time for GWS.
The Giants have kicked nine goals to three after half-time, and it hasn’t been close.
That’s a brilliant team performance by the Giants, and coach Adam Kingsley will no doubt be delighted by the night’s events.
There it is!
The Giants break free down the right, the ball gets centred, Xavier O’Halloran gets possession and handballs free for Darcy Jones, and the debutant runs in to dribble the ball home for his second!
He runs off to a standing ovation from the fans! GWS by 58.
After that brief moment for Brisbane, a resumption of normal programming, as the Giants run through the Lions defence.
Harvey Thomas marks inside 50 – that’s 15 to 6 in that stat for the Giants. He drills it, and we’re back beyond 50 points.
That was a rare forward entry for Brisbane, and it was one of their young guns, Jaspa Fletcher, who dodged and weaved through the defence before a brilliant snap from the left forward pocket.
That’s good, but they need a lot more of that.
That was Brisbane’s first goal since the 18 minute mark of the second quarter.
The Giants are unstoppable right now at Manuka!
GWS are coming in waves inside 50, the Lions when they get it are going straight down the corridor, because it’s well into desperation stakes for the visitors.
That kick went too long and was chopped off, Harry Perryman kicked from well outside 50, and his shot went long and straight and true.
The Giants lead by 51 points!
They are eyeing a percentage boost, and the Lions are facing a disaster in Canberra.
Here we go again! The last quarter starts like the third quarter ended. The Giants attack, the Lions give away a free – and Callum Brown puts his foot through the ball and drills it from the left forward pocket.
The Giants have had their kicking boots on tonight, the Lions have not. That’s 10 of the last 11 goals for GWS.
This could could get really ugly here.
The Lions badly needed a late goal, but they didn’t get it.
Instead the Giants had the last attack, and it was a familiar tale as they swept downfield, with plenty of space for everyone.
They shared it around, Harvey Thomas found Jake Ricciardi and he kicked after the siren to make it five goals to none for the quarter.
A quarter to go, and the Giants lead by 38 points.
This is happening too easily for GWS.
The Giants are going coast-to-coast, running through the middle. There are people free everywhere, and the marks inside 50 are coming. Jake Ricciardi takes it in the left forward pocket, and kicks it.
The Lions have no answer right now.
The alarm bells are ringing for Brisbane!
GWS are getting strings of inside 50s, this time they go into the right forward pocket and centre the ball.
It falls to Harry Perryman who goes forward, steps inside, outside and clear – a couple more steps and he nails a kick on the run.
The lead is out to 26 points and it’s a long way back from Brisbane.
It’s second time lucky for Jesse Hogan!
The Giants are forcing errors from the Lions, and they went quickly downfield for Jake Ricciardi to kick long for Hogan to take a contested mark.
He drills the goal, and it’s a 20-point lead!
It hasn’t been a great night so far for Jesse Hogan, but the Giants got out and Josh Kelly kicked long inside 50 to the GWS spearhead.
He marked inside 50, but missed the set shot. A goal there could have broken the game open. Brisbane need to lift here.
The Giants make them pay!
They rebound off the half-back line, it comes to debutant Darcy Jones, and his pure pace takes him clear – he goes inside 50, a couple of handballs get it to Aaron Cadman ikn the square, and he boots it home!
GWS out to a 13-point lead … but how good is Darcy Jones! His pace and poise is excellent for game one.
Some solid play from the Lions there – the Giants went up the corridor but turned it over, Charlie Cameron spotted up Joe Daniher inside 50, and he marked nicely.
He wandered in trying to kick his first of the night, but pushed it well right. GWS by seven.
Sports content to make you think… or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday.
