Lions turn the corner
FREMANTLE threw a punch at Brisbane on Saturday and the Lions absorbed it before responding with a blistering combo that knocked the Dockers out.
In the context of the season, the 57- point win didn’t mean much. The Lions are still likely to be in the race for the wooden spoon.
But as a moment in their development, it was significant.
The ladder shows the Lions have won two games, an improvement of just one win at the halfway point of last year. New skipper Dayne Beams sees things a little differently.
“The wins are like the icing on the cake,’’ he said. “We have turned things around, I’ve been at the club three years now, and in terms of wins and losses things may not look that different but the morale is so much better, the attitude is so much better and that is what is going to make us a better footy club.
“The coaches come to work motivated and passionate and that is rubbing off on the team.
“I’ve been at another club, I know what it looks like when things are done well and everything I see here, we are going OK.’’
New coach Chris Fagan and Beams share something in common. Having come to the Lions from big clubs accustomed to success both had to work their way through the shock of repeated losses.
“I will be honest it is something I struggle with, I can get emotional after games and Chris has picked up on that part of my personality and he has been great for me because I feel responsible as the captain of the club,’’ he said.
Fagan’s method is to talk about little wins. After 12 rounds last year the Lions had lost six games by 10 goals or more, this year there has been two.
“It is a small thing and I wouldn’t have known that until he said it, but as a developing group you need to look for evidence you are improving and Chris is really good at that, he will present a bit of vision or some sort of evidence that we are heading in the right direction,’’ he said.
“We’ve still had heavy defeats and we’re not at all satisfied with that, but in all of those games we have been in positions we haven’t been in the past, our first five games we were in winning positions.”
The former Collingwood premiership player accepts he may never win the ultimate prize again but says he will be satisfied if he can play a part in preparing the Lions’ next premiership side.
“I hope I do and I’m doing everything I can to try to achieve that, but I am also focusing on getting our side in the position to be able to challenge for a premiership. That drives me, I enjoy working with the younger guys and helping them develop as footballers and as men.’’