Lions played off the wrong boot
BRISBANE will head into the bye lamenting another missed opportunity, this time caused by shocking goal kicking, after falling to Essendon by 22 points at the Gabba yesterday.
In a Round 12 match that included a Harris Andrews masterclass in intercept marking and a brutal front-on collision between Luke Hodge and Dyson Heppell, which left the Bombers skipper concussed, the lingering thoughts for Lions coach Chris Fagan will be about the poor goal kicking.
The weight of inside 50 entries for the Bombers suggest the 12.12 (84) to 8.14 (62) victory was well deserved, but the Lions had a chance to snatch the game in the final quarter.
Brisbane booted three straight goals either side of three-quarter time to draw within 14 points but a shocking miss by Dan McStay, from about 20m out and almost dead in front became the classic 12-point play as the Bombers swept the ball the length of the field for Mitch Brown to boot a goal and end the streak.
Fagan admits he is a big believer in momentum in sports and rued the fact Brisbane let it go, saying the Bombers with a man down were susceptible to being run over.
“At key moments in the game when we could have got the crowd more involved and people up and about, we missed critical set shots,’’ he said.
“I think we kicked 5.10 from set shots, and I reckon a few of those were regulation.
“I definitely believe in momentum in sport, it is a really important thing, and when you’ve got it you want to keep it and ride that wave as long as you can.’’
Fagan likes to find positives and he needed to look no further than vice-captain Andrews, who had 24 possessions and took 12 marks to stake another claim on his first All Australian jumper.
“His last six weeks have been extraordinary,’’ Fagan said. “His spoiling, his intercept marking, he played a sensational game.’’
Heppell was clearly the best on ground at the moment he was crunched in a brutal front-on collision with Hodge in the second quarter.
It led to the unusual situation of a Lions player being booed at the Gabba as the Bombers faithful appeared to outnumber the Lions in the 20,476-strong crowd.
It is hard to see what alternative Hodge had and no free kick was paid but the fact Heppell was concussed and took no further part in the game ensures the incident will be looked at.
Essendon coach John Worsfold reported that Heppell was in good spirits in the rooms after the game.
“He looked all right initially but then he did show some signs of concussion symptoms, but he looks really good now,’’ he said.
He added that he did not believe Hodge would have a case to answer.
“It was front-on contact, I don’t know what actually hit Hep’s jaw but I don’t think Hodge did anything wrong.’’