Brisbane Lions intent on making the most of their comeback after poor start to the season

Having been given a “reality check” in their loss to the Giants, the Lions are intent on bouncing back against Collingwood.

Harris Andrews wants the Lions to deliver when it ‘really counts’. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

The Lions are desperate to ensure their remarkable recovery from the club’s poor start to the AFL season isn’t wasted when it “really counts”.

After losing five of their first seven matches this year, the Lions were all but written off as premiership contenders.

However, they hit back hard, losing just one of their next 13 games – including a run of nine successive wins – to climb to second spot on the ladder.

But an 18-point weekend loss to the GWS Giants has led to Brisbane dropping to fifth on the table ahead of Saturday’s MCG showdown against a desperate Collingwood.

Such is the tightness of the competition, the Lions could finish outside the top eight if they lose their final two games of the regular season against the Magpies and Essendon.

“It’s been a crazy old year,” Lions co-captain Harris Andrews said on Tuesday.

“You start two (wins) and five (losses) and you think the whole world’s crumbling in on you, and then I’ve been really proud of the way the group responded to that adversity early on in the season.

“We’ve had to do it a little bit differently, but what we’ve achieved thus far this year doesn’t count for anything at the moment. The next however many weeks we’re playing for is what really counts.

“It starts this weekend against the Pies. They’re going to be super motivated to keep their season alive, and I’m sure we’ll be really excited to go down there and play on their turf.”

Harris Andrews is confident the Lions can bounce back from their loss to the Giants. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Andrews was adamant the Lions would bounce back from their loss to the Giants, saying it was a “reality check”.

“It would have been nice to get the four points, but we’ve been playing at quite a good level for the last three months,” the key defender said.

“I’m still confident we can do whatever we want to achieve this year, regardless of where we finish (on the ladder).

“We’re really confident if we play our best footy on our day, we can win against any team.”

That includes Collingwood, who beat the Lions by just four points in last season’s epic grand final at the MCG.

“That whole experience, the grand final, was a long time ago now. Clearly, the result didn’t go our way but the overall experience to play on the ‘G’ in front of a big crowd, that’s just a great experience,” Andrews said.

“Collingwood are playing to keep their season alive, we’re looking to finish as high as we can on the ladder, so we know that they’re going to be super motivated and super energised, and I feel like we as a group are probably going to respond well.”

Lions livewire Charlie Cameron trained lightly on Tuesday as he managed an ankle problem, while fellow forward Eric Hipwood continued his bid to return from a groin complaint that has kept him out of Brisbane’s past two matches.