Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan confident his revamped backline will ‘get job done’ in QClash

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has promised the Lions won’t take victory for “granted” in Saturday’s QClash.

Eric Hipwood could be shifted to Brisbane’s backline this weekend. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan says the Lions’ lack of options to cover their shortage of key defenders has him planning to keep things “simple” against the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday.

Key defensive trio Harris Andrews (concussion), Darragh Joyce (jaw) and Jack Payne (foot) are all unavailable for the QClash at People First Stadium.

It has led to speculation that tall forward Eric Hipwood will be shifted to the defence to help Brisbane nullify that threat of a Gold Coast forward line set to include lofty threesome Ben King, Jack Lukosius and Jed Walter.

Fagan admitted shifting Hipwood was an option, among others.

Lions coach Chris Fagan says Brisbane will keep it ‘simple’ against the Suns. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“We’re considering all tall players that could potentially play as a tall back down there,” the Lions mentor said on Thursday.

“Joey Daniher’s played as a tall back before, we could bring a forward in from the reserves, a tall forward, and move some of those guys back there or both guys back there.

“There’s a few things that we can do … (but) we don’t have unlimited options.

“We have until the weekend, and we need to have a look at what sort of team the Suns pick.

“They’ll probably pick the land of the giants this week up in their forward line.

“I want to keep it pretty simple. If you try to be too creative and too smart as a coach in this game, then players get distracted, so we’ll just make a couple of simple decisions about two blokes that are going to play down there this week because we’ve lost two.

“They’ll get the job done. There’s a fair chance that one of those players won’t have had much experience playing in the backline.”

Daniher was named in the Lions backline when the team was announced on Thursday night, however he is no guarantee to be used in a defensive role on Saturday.

Fagan made three changes to the 23-man squad that beat Sydney last Sunday, with forward Logan Morris, the versatile Jaxon Prior and defender Conor McKenna coming in for injured duo Andrews and Joyce, and the omitted Bruce Reville.

Fagan said the Lions’ loss of height might also play into their hands.

“It’s tricky, but the ball doesn’t spend all the time in the air, does it?” he said.

“If we can get the ball to ground and we can work it out from there, it might turn into some sort of advantage for us.

“The view is probably if the Gold Coast dominate territory then they’ll cause us all sorts of problems because of their height advantage, while our blokes are going to be determined to fight and get the ball to the ground and get the ball going back our way. It’ll be interesting.”

The in-form Lions are chasing an eighth successive win this weekend but won’t be complacent after losing last season’s corresponding fixture at the Carrara venue by 41 points.

“I felt like our guys in a way took it for granted that they were just going to go to the stadium there and beat the Suns,” Fagan said in reflecting on the defeat.

“We weren’t on our game, and that’s the lesson we have to learn from that because if we’re not on our game this week, they’ll beat us. There’s nothing surer than that.”

Originally published as Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan confident his revamped backline will ‘get job done’ in QClash