Lions moving on from GF heartbreak despite summer flashbacks

Lions leader Harris Andrews said although he had some painful flashbacks to last year’s grand final loss, his side have learnt from the agony in order to challenge for the premiership yet again.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Harris Andrews of the Lions is seen after the 2023 AFL Grand Final match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Brisbane Lions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 30, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Brisbane Lions co-captain Harris Andrews concedes he has had flashbacks over the summer to moments in last year’s heartbreaking grand final thriller, but is optimistic the Lions have learned from the agony of their four-point defeat to Collingwood.

Rather than let “what ifs” of the summer simmer in the back of minds, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan sought to rip the Band-Aid off by conducting a standard post-match review before the players departed for their off-season break.

Though at times confronting, Andrews said the process allowed the Lions to move on from the despair of the narrow defeat, even if it occasionally bobbed up.

“We reviewed the game immediately after. So in the days after the grand final we reviewed it. So it was good to do it then,” Andrews told this masthead at the AFL captains day on Monday.

Harris Andrews’s Lions were beaten to the ultimate prize by the Pies in 2023. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“We were able to sort of not put it to bed, but we’re able to identify things we want to work on and improve on. And then also acknowledged the year that was. So I feel really confident that we’ve come in and guys are just ready to get on with this year. Obviously, we took away some good learnings.

“We sort of sat down and talked about everyone’s sort of open and honest about moments they wish they could head back in that game. And you know, for us, we wanted to we don’t want to shy away from that we’ve been a team that’s really wanted to learn from our mistakes, and we’ve had a heap of mistakes along the way. We’ve always shown that we can grow from those. You’d be naive to say that (there aren’t) moments when you’re training or even just day-to-day life where you think about what could have been but you’re gonna use that as fuel to motivate you.”

Key defender Andrews was among his side’s best in the decider despite the best efforts of Collingwood journeyman Billy Frampton, who was charged with playing a defensive forward on the dual All-Australian.

Brisbane immediately reviewed their heartbreaking loss. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

But even Andrews acknowledges there are things he could have done better on the day, moments that have intermittently haunted him during the pre-season.

“Obviously there’s contests in the game where I wish I’d done better and potentially communicated to guys around me that I could mark it,” Andrews said.

“There’s all sorts of different moments I guess like that, but yeah, it’s at the end of the day, it’s just footy and you learn from it and are better for it.”

Having put Gold Coast to the sword in match simulation last week, the Lions are in action against Sydney in Blacktown on Thursday night in what is their final hitout before an opening round clash with Carlton at the Gabba.

The Lions overcame a lightning start from the Blues in last year’s preliminary final to secure their spot in the grand final against the Pies.

Brisbane travels to face Fremantle in round one before a round two bye ahead of the grand final rematch against the Pies at the Gabba on Easter Thursday.

Originally published as Lions moving on from GF heartbreak despite summer flashbacks