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Chris Fagan has narrowed his focus as the Brisbane Lions face a make-or-break stretch of their AFL premiership defence leading into the finals.
On a three-match winning streak, the second-placed Lions face five top-eight rivals over the last six home-and-away rounds as the fight for ladder positions nears its climax.
Lions coach Chris Fagan.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The difficult test starts in a huge clash with the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba on Friday night.
“Every game’s important. We have a particularly hard run, so I’m not looking too far ahead,” Lions coach Fagan said on Thursday.
“We’re just wholly and solely focused on tomorrow night because that’s about all you can think about at the moment, otherwise it seems too daunting.
“One week at a time, big game tomorrow night against a really good opponent who have got a lot to play for as well.”
The Bulldogs (10-7) sit ninth after a home loss to Adelaide last round and remain firmly in the finals hunt, but have won just one game so far this season against a side currently above them on the ladder.
Despite that record, Fagan is wary of an opposition midfield unit led by renowned ball-winners Tom Liberatore, Ed Richards and Marcus Bontempelli.
“That’s what you need to address,” he said.
Hugh McCluggage of the Lions warms up.Credit: Getty Images
“(Luke Beveridge’s) teams have always been able to score and generally speaking they’ve been good defensively, albeit that’s the criticism of them at the moment.
“But I reckon they would’ve done a bit of work on that this week, so I’m expecting a good all-round game from the Dogs.”
Fagan wants a better start from Brisbane than in their previous encounter with the Bulldogs, when they trailed by 39 points early in the third quarter of their Gather Round clash at Norwood Oval.
The Lions roared back with 13 of the last 16 goals to win by 21 points in one of the most entertaining games of the season.
“I haven’t really looked back but all I know is we were probably fortunate to win that game, coming from that far behind,” Fagan said.
“We wouldn’t want to find ourselves in that position tomorrow night.”
Bulldogs spearhead Sam Darcy kicked 2.3 from 16 disposals and had eight marks in that previous clash, opposed to Harris Andrews.
Fagan will again send his co-captain to mind the 205cm target, who has kicked 17 goals in five appearances since returning from a knee injury.
“You probably wouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that’s who Harris is going to play on,” Fagan said.
“The rest of our defenders aren’t quite tall enough to play on Sam Darcy.
“Harris will have that job and I know he’s looking forward to it. It will be a great clash.”
Fagan recalled Bruce Reville and second-gamer Sam Marshall, with defender Noah Answerth (achilles) and in-form forward Zac Bailey (suspended) unavailable.
Bailey received a one-match ban for his high bump on Carlton’s Nick Haynes.
“I’ve moved on because the bottom line is he’s got a week,” Fagan said.
“My personal view is a little bit harsh, but that’s probably all I want to say about it.”
The Bulldogs made three unforced changes with experienced defender Liam Jones recalled for his first game since round six.
Luke Cleary and Lachlan McNeil also return, while Josh Dolan (managed), Nick Coffield and Cooper Hynes (both omitted) were left out.
AAP
Chris Fagan has narrowed his focus as the Brisbane Lions face a make-or-break stretch of their AFL premiership defence leading into the finals.
On a three-match winning streak, the second-placed Lions face five top-eight rivals over the last six home-and-away rounds as the fight for ladder positions nears its climax.
Lions coach Chris Fagan.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The difficult test starts in a huge clash with the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba on Friday night.
“Every game’s important. We have a particularly hard run, so I’m not looking too far ahead,” Lions coach Fagan said on Thursday.
“We’re just wholly and solely focused on tomorrow night because that’s about all you can think about at the moment, otherwise it seems too daunting.
“One week at a time, big game tomorrow night against a really good opponent who have got a lot to play for as well.”
The Bulldogs (10-7) sit ninth after a home loss to Adelaide last round and remain firmly in the finals hunt, but have won just one game so far this season against a side currently above them on the ladder.
Despite that record, Fagan is wary of an opposition midfield unit led by renowned ball-winners Tom Liberatore, Ed Richards and Marcus Bontempelli.
“That’s what you need to address,” he said.
Hugh McCluggage of the Lions warms up.Credit: Getty Images
“(Luke Beveridge’s) teams have always been able to score and generally speaking they’ve been good defensively, albeit that’s the criticism of them at the moment.
“But I reckon they would’ve done a bit of work on that this week, so I’m expecting a good all-round game from the Dogs.”
Fagan wants a better start from Brisbane than in their previous encounter with the Bulldogs, when they trailed by 39 points early in the third quarter of their Gather Round clash at Norwood Oval.
The Lions roared back with 13 of the last 16 goals to win by 21 points in one of the most entertaining games of the season.
“I haven’t really looked back but all I know is we were probably fortunate to win that game, coming from that far behind,” Fagan said.
“We wouldn’t want to find ourselves in that position tomorrow night.”
Bulldogs spearhead Sam Darcy kicked 2.3 from 16 disposals and had eight marks in that previous clash, opposed to Harris Andrews.
Fagan will again send his co-captain to mind the 205cm target, who has kicked 17 goals in five appearances since returning from a knee injury.
“You probably wouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out that’s who Harris is going to play on,” Fagan said.
“The rest of our defenders aren’t quite tall enough to play on Sam Darcy.
“Harris will have that job and I know he’s looking forward to it. It will be a great clash.”
Fagan recalled Bruce Reville and second-gamer Sam Marshall, with defender Noah Answerth (achilles) and in-form forward Zac Bailey (suspended) unavailable.
Bailey received a one-match ban for his high bump on Carlton’s Nick Haynes.
“I’ve moved on because the bottom line is he’s got a week,” Fagan said.
“My personal view is a little bit harsh, but that’s probably all I want to say about it.”
The Bulldogs made three unforced changes with experienced defender Liam Jones recalled for his first game since round six.
Luke Cleary and Lachlan McNeil also return, while Josh Dolan (managed), Nick Coffield and Cooper Hynes (both omitted) were left out.
AAP
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