Brisbane coach Chris Fagan unhappy with the Lions’ defensive displays

Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan wants an improved defensive performance from his team against St Kilda on Saturday.

Lions coach Chris Fagan is “monitoring” his side’s attitude amid concerning defensive flaws that have crept into Brisbane’s game.

The Lions only lost once this season in a solid start to the defence of their AFL premiership.

However, ahead of Brisbane’s battle with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, Fagan isn’t happy with his team’s defensive efforts.

In their past three games, the Lions have conceded an average of 97.3 points per match, which has alarm bells ringing after having conceded an average of just 72.6 points in their opening three matches of the season.

“Team defence has been a huge focus this week,” Fagan said on Thursday.

“I just feel like it’s dropped away, and it’s the first thing that drops away when your attitude or energy is not right.

“I’ve seen a trend, so we’ve talked about that this week. I don’t think it’s attitude, but it just something that were monitoring.

“It’s one of those things you just got to give your group a reminder about. Every team goes through it, and we’ve gone through it the last three weeks.

“The last few weeks it has been 97 (points conceded per game). That’s back to where we were five or six years ago, so you’ve just got to look at those things and get to work on it.”

Lions star Jarrod Berry reflects on Brisbane’s 52-point last-start loss to Collingwood. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Potentially helping Brisbane’s bid to improve its defensive output – but not this weekend – is former Adelaide Crows intercept defender Tom Doedee, who will continue his return from a knee reconstruction in the Lions’ VFL clash against Sandringham on Saturday.

Doedee joined Brisbane last year but is yet to play an AFL game for the club after suffering back-to-back ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

“He’s going OK. I had a conversation with him the other day about when does he want to put his hand up to be available for selection of AFL,” Fagan said of Doedee, who will play a third successive VFL game on Saturday..

“He’s not at that point yet. We have to understand he’s been two years out of the game. He’s trying to build his confidence back in his body.

“He feels like he’s getting better each time that he goes out there. Once he gets some continuity, he’ll come and tell me one day when he thinks he’s ready to be put his hand up for senior selection.”

While 28-year-old Doedee is not ready for an AFL call-up, premiership-winning forward Kai Lohmann is expected to return from an ankle injury this weekend.

“Kai’s got to get through training (on Thursday), but from what I saw on Tuesday, he’s a chance to be available for selection,” Fagan said.

Originally published as Brisbane coach Chris Fagan unhappy with the Lions’ defensive displays