Michael Whiting takes a look at what’s contributing to Brisbane’s 2-5 start to the season and how they can fix their problems
AFTER falling one goal short of the ultimate prize in 2023, the widely held view was Brisbane would waltz back to the finals this year and again contend for a premiership.
However, seven rounds in, that prospect seems as far away as the Gabba from the MCG.
The Lions have won just twice from seven matches, and with a coveted top four spot looking a long way off, need to find some form fast.
Coach Chris Fagan has – at least publicly – been at a loss to explain why his team has been short of its usually lofty standards so far this year.
Although Fagan was previously scrutinised for Brisbane’s finals record (winning one out of six between 2019 and 2021), this is arguably the biggest challenge he has faced in a home-and-away season since lifting the club from the doldrums to a contender early in his tenure.
It’s possibly too long a bow to draw, but the Opening Round loss to Carlton might have had a bigger impact than simply missing out on four premiership points.
The Gabba had been a virtual fortress in the previous five seasons, with the Lions winning more than 80 per cent of their matches there.
Suddenly, despite leading the Blues by 46 points midway through the second quarter, the home team coughed up victory.
It was not only a virtual punch to the stomach, in a football sense, but opened the door for opponents to suddenly think they could walk away from the Gabba with premiership points.
Collingwood did the same two matches later, as Brisbane’s spluttering forward line continually got two hands on marking opportunities only to watch the ball repeatedly hit the turf.
Next up it was Geelong’s turn on a wet night and the Cats simply adapted to the conditions better. The Lions, who don’t play regularly in the rain but are used to playing with a slippery football in their humid and dewy conditions, inexplicably over-used it to invite pressure and ultimately cough up the game.
On Anzac Day, the loss to Greater Western Sydney was perhaps the most alarming, with their defensive intensity non-existent in the second half. The five-day break after playing in heavy conditions could have been a factor, but that doesn’t explain such a stark drop-off so soon after half-time.
Each loss has been characterised by a different problem – poor goalkicking, poor entries inside 50, overusing the ball or a lack of intensity.
“We’d love to be playing more consistently,” co-captain Harris Andrews said this week.
“You play in these big games against teams like the Giants and if you’re just off, they really make you pay.”
Every team has them so it’s not an excuse, but injuries have to be noted as a small part of why they are struggling.
Losing Keidean Coleman for the season after just one half of football felt like a big loss at the time, and it’s playing out that way
Behind Andrews and possibly Joe Daniher, you could argue the exquisite ball use of Coleman from defence makes him the third most difficult player in the team to replace. He’s certainly in the top five.
Add in back-to-back hamstring injuries suffered by Conor McKenna, who is now back playing, and the creativity Brisbane relied on from defence has suffered badly.
Will Ashcroft is due back from his knee reconstruction sometime after the bye and he will make a difference to Brisbane’s ball movement, so good is his decision-making and execution.
However, the Lions were without him for their run to the Grand Final last year, so his return should be seen as more a bonus than a reason for their struggles.
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