Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says his team is just warming up after rampant QClash win

After romping to last year’s AFL premiership, the Brisbane Lions are back on top of the ladder and the coach is confident they are only going to get better.

His team might already be sitting pretty at the top of the AFL table, but Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has warned the rest of the competition that the Lions’ premiership defence is only just starting to kick into full gear.

The Lions jumped into first place with a 17-point win over the Gold Coast Suns in Sunday night’s QClash at the Gabba.

Brisbane’s seventh win of the season was a lot more convincing than the 66-49 scoreline suggested, with the Suns kicking the final three goals of a contest that had been put to bed when the Lions outscored the visitors 31 to eight in the third-quarter.

“Tonight was fantastic,” Fagan said.

“I felt like we should have won by a little bit more than we did. I was a bit disappointed we let a few in late, but we came into the game knowing we had to do well at contested possession and clearance, and we won clearance by 19, and contested possession by 18, against a team that’s been really good at that this year.

“I thought we defended them particularly well. They’ve been kicking high scores, getting lots of shots, so to keep them to 14 shots, and some of those were late, I was really proud of the effort.”

Brisbane Lions players in full voice. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Despite his side having lost only once this season, Fagan said the Lions had only started hitting their straps in the previous week’s 45-point win over St Kilda.

“I feel like the last two weeks we’re getting back to somewhere near what we look like when we play our best footy,” he said.

“The boys have really embraced the pressure stuff and the team defence side of things, and we got a good result on the back of that.”

Adding to the Lions’ belief that they are only going to get better is the availability of star defenders Keidean Coleman and Tom Doedee, who have made impressive returns from serious knee injuries in the club’s VFL team.

“Selection is going to be hard, but it’s a good problem to have,” Fagan said.

“The guys that are in (the AFL team) are performing, and I’m reluctant to change a group that are doing a good job.”

The only downer for the Lions in their latest QClash win was a hamstring injury that ended Sam Day’s night in the dying stages of the first quarter.

Levi Ashcroft with the spoils of victory.Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The experienced forward had been intent on producing a strong performance against his former club, who deemed him surplus to requirements at the end of last season after 14 years with the Suns.

“We’ll get a scan in the next day or two to see what the extent of (the injury) is.,” Fagan said.

“He started really well, too. I thought he had a good first quarter, so I’m disappointed for Sam that he had to come off.

“He’s been gradually getting better with each game. Hopefully it’s just a short-term hamstring (injury).

“You’d think he probably doesn’t play this week (against North Melbourne in Hobart). He’ll probably miss a little bit of time.”