Lions out to ensure feet stay on ground

BRISBANE had an all-of-club meeting this week to brief every level of the organisation about the upcoming finals.

The Lions wanted to assure everyone that, other than dealing with a major increase in friends and family wanting tickets, it would be business as usual and no one was expected to do any more than the role.

It is what Chris Fagan had been telling his players all year.

While the Lions are planning for a return to September, out in public, Fagan continues to offer a straight bat to questions about breaking the 10year finals drought.

Brisbane are on a fourgame winning streak, their best since 2010 – and will go to 11 wins, which could be enough to lock away a finals berth – with a win over the Kangaroos at the Gabba tomorrow.

That game looked a certain four points before the bye, after the Lions had comfortably taken care of them in Round 2, but the Roos have become one of the form sides since caretaker Rhys Shaw took over from Brad Scott.

Fagan said all year he believed the competition had never be more even and he would never allow himself to look beyond his next rival.

“One game at a time,” he said with a laugh yesterday.

“There’s no point getting ahead of yourself. We’ve got a big challenge this weekend and we need to play well.

“If you do a ladder over the last seven weeks, North Melbourne are in the top three or four sides.

“They’re playing a tough brand of football North have become famous for, great at contested ball, great at stoppages, and they’re not mucking around with the footy.”

Fagan had no hesitation recalling Hugh McCluggage, Eric Hipwood and Luke Hodge to the side after they missed last Sunday’s win against Port Adelaide.

Josh Walker, Ryan Lester and Ben Keays were omitted.