FAGAN SAYS LIONS WILL DO IT TOUGH
Chris Fagan says there isn’t a club in the competition who could replace a player like Mitch Robinson but has warned semi-final foes GWS the Lions are as tough as any side in the AFL with or without the fiery winger.
Robinson suffered a hamstring injury in the Lions’ loss to Richmond at the weekend and will miss Saturday night’s sudden-death clash against the Giants at the Gabba.
Fagan has to find someone to fill the high-octane Robinson’s role but yesterday admitted there isn’t a like-for-like replacement across the entire competition.
“He is a unique beast in that way,” he said. “I don’t think any club in the AFL, if they had a Mitch Robinson-style player playing for them could replace him because he is so unique.
“So we know we can’t 100 per cent do that, but we will bring a guy into the team who will have his own strengths and be able to play to those.”
Robinson’s aggression would come in handy against GWS who displayed their physicality by outmuscling the Bulldogs in their elimination final victory – in particular paying extra attention to star Marcus Bontempelli.
But Fagan says while his side is young they fear no opponent and have repeatedly proven their toughness throughout the season.
The last time a side tried to intimidate the Lions with over-the-top physicality was Port Adelaide in Round 17. The Power went hard after Lachie Neale but Brisbane rallied around their star midfielder and blasted the home side off Adelaide Oval in what Fagan has labelled the best win of the season.
He does not feel like aggression and hardness at the footy is a trait unique to GWS.
“It is not just their style, every side that plays in the finals plays aggressively because everything is on the line,” he said.
“We don’t just rely on Mitch Robinson to be tough. We are a tough team and that is a reputation we have earned this year and I think it is pretty widely accepted that when we play, we play hard.
“I am not concerned about our toughness in a finals situation.’’