Lions are a work in progress, says Fagan

Chris Fagan is pleased with Brisbane’s progress but the coach isn’t getting ahead of himself as the Lions prepare for next week’s QClash.

The Lions are now within spitting distance of the top four. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

Brisbane owns the second-best active winning streak in the AFL after its 24-point disposal of Fremantle at the Gabba on Sunday night.

But Lions senior coach Chris Fagan insists Brisbane are still a long way from perfect.

Brisbane claimed their fourth-straight victory and their fifth win from their last six starts with the “workmanlike” result against the Dockers when they got out to a 47-point lead before taking the foot off the pedal.

After a 1-3 start to their 2021 campaign, the Lions have quietly moved to fifth on the ladder with the depleted Suns waiting for them in Saturday’s QClash.

“I never feel like we are humming along. I always feel like every game is incredibly hard to win every week. I always coach better when I think like that and I think our players play better when they think like that too,’’ Fagan said.

“It’s been a good recovery from one win and three losses, I guess. It’s a little bit different to what we’ve done the past couple of years when we started well and kept going. “Psychologically it’s tough when you are 1-3 and people are sort of predicting doom and gloom for your season.

“The fact we’ve been able to gather ourselves and win our last four is a credit to the group and their professionalism.”

Brisbane led by 21 points at quarter-time, 34 points at the main break and 32 at the last change with vastly superior efficiency going forward while their defensive pressure was also a notch or two above Freo.

The Lions had valuable contributors all over the ground with the likes of Jarryd Lyons, Daniel Rich, Charlie Cameron, Hugh McCluggage, Dayne Zorko, Harris Andrews and Mitch Robinson leading the charge in an even team performance.

“Both teams were 4-3 coming into this game so it was an important game for both sides and they turned up to play and I thought we were able to control the game from the start,’’ Fagan said.

“But we probably leave a tad disappointed that when you get seven goals up early in the last quarter, that we couldn’t actually finish it off but credit to them too because they kept trying. They are always going to keep having a crack.’’

“Tonight’s performance by no means was perfect but it was workmanlike, and we got there.’’

Cameron kicked three goals and five behinds from 11 marks and 14 disposals as he continued his return to form.

“It’s good for him he’s been able to hit the scoreboard the past few weeks but it’s not the only part of his game we judge him on,’’ Fagan said.

“He’s a mozzie type of guy, he buzzes around. Loves his music and he enjoys life, there’s nothing wrong with that and I encourage it wholeheartedly.

“He attracts people to the football. The main thing is it doesn’t become about Charlie, we never want that to happen. He plays his role very well and generates excitement, but he’s one of 22, and hopefully they like a lot of other guys for the things they do.”

Brisbane handed Fremantle its second-straight loss. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

The Dockers lost Michael Frederick with an ankle injury in the first term and will go for scans but Fremantle senior coach Justin Longmuir said the early diagnosis was not promising.

The Dockers boss said Freo’s ball use did not measure up to Brisbane’s and the midweek switch of the venue from Perth’s Optus Stadium to the Gabba was “not a distraction”.

“The basics let us down again, which stopped us from scoring and really hurt our efficiency. They’re efficiency going forward off some of our turnovers was way better than ours, felt like we didn’t have an avenue to goal,’’ Longmuir said.

“But I felt like we flipped it on its head a little bit in the third quarter and it came through in the last, just changed angles a little and gave our forwards a bit more room to move.

“We didn’t handle their pressure well … but I was happy with how they kept coming. Once it got to 40-plus points it’s easy to put the white flag up.

“Last two weeks we’ve just gifted the opposition too many easy goals and I just thought we were a bit safe. The message at half time was keep going for your kicks, don’t be safe and back yourself in.’’

Longmuir said the Dockers – who are in the mid-table dogfight at 4-4 – need to lift against the better sides.

“We haven’t measured up against the best teams and play consistently enough against the better teams and that’s our challenge.

“We saw that in the first half, we weren’t able to do it and in the second half last week against West Coast in the second half.”