Lions coach slams his run- of- mill players after loss to Demons

F R U S T R A T E D B r i s b a n e Lions coach Justin Leppitsch has labelled his players “very reluctant runners’’ who inexplicably “lacked spark’’ in the 24- point loss to Melbourne at the MCG yesterday.

A largely putrid first half was followed by a promising burst in the third term, but it was too little too late as the Demons steadied and hung on for their fifth win of the year.

The bottom line was that error- riddled Brisbane simply did not have enough of an appetite for the contest and when they did win the ball they butchered it like schoolboys.

Injury was added to insult with Pearce Hanley subbed out of the game at half- time as a precaution with a tight right hamstring.

The defeat will cut deep at the Gabba because Brisbane had their best team of 2105 on the paddock and their best shot at premiership points in a month. They were also coming off three encouraging displays against top eight sides.

But the Lions were

flat, fumbly and occasionally downright diabolical from midway through the first quarter when the Demons piled on the pain with young spearhead Jesse Hogan booting three goals in the opening term.

Brisbane’s total of 1.5. ( 11) at the main break was the club’s second lowest half- time total against Melbourne.

Leppitsch said his side had a “reluctance to hurt them ( Melbourne) with the ball’’.

“We won the second half and got our game- styling up and going. I’m not sure why it took a half,’’ Leppitsch said

“We lost our way for that first quarter and a bit.

“We were very reluctant runners. It was definitely the flattest we’ve played for four or five weeks.

“There wasn’t a spark at all – I thought we lacked spark for most of the day.’’

Brisbane cut a 38- point half- time deficit to 20 points early in the fourth term but Leppitsch said any chance of victory was ruined by “dumb little things’’.