Lions don’t want to be dinner for Dogs
BRISBANE captain Tom Rockliff claims the Lions must learn to handle the intense heat of battle to avoid being cannon fodder for finalsbound sides.
The Lions will face the redhot Western Bulldogs at the Gabba on Saturday afternoon in the club’s final game of a horror 2015 campaign.
The Bulldogs were brilliant in the final term of their win over fellow top-eight side North Melbourne on Saturday night.
The Dogs can sneak into the top-four if they score a per- centage-boosting win over Brisbane and other results fall their way.
It is the last thing Brisbane need to hear after a 72-point loss to premiers Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday, which followed the 87-point defeat at the hands of confirmed September protagonists Adelaide the round before.
Rockliff (pictured) said the brutal finish to the season against three top-eight teams was a timely reminder of how far Brisbane had to go.
“Our execution under pressure really lets us down,’’ said Rockliff.
“When you can’t control the footy and you keep turning it over against these elite sides, the scoreboard gets away from you.”
After Brisbane took a 17point lead into quarter-time of the Round 22 clash, Hawthorn kicked 14 of the next 15 goals.
Rockliff finished with 45 disposals, 14 tackles, 11 clearances, one goal and 19 contested possessions.
He had 17 touches to his name by quarter-time to set a new personal best for a quarter.
The 45 disposals equalled the record for the most disposals for a single game in Launceston, which was set by Suns skipper Gary Ablett.
Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch said Rockliff led by example but the Lions left too much, to too few.
“He got us away in the first quarter but we probably didn’t have enough contributors to follow him,’’ Leppitsch said.