The Brisbane Lions’ top-flight hopes took a significant hit on Sunday afternoon, with Richmond putting the team’s top-four hopes in jeopardy after a stunning come-from-behind win at the MCG.
At one point in the first half, Brisbane raced into a 42-point lead but reigned supreme during a thrilling second half that ultimately ended in the Lions’ 11th straight loss at the MCG, with the team still without a win at the venue Since then. 2014
Despite the loss, Fagan said the MCG hoodoo remained an outside talking point rather than a genuine phenomenon.
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Brisbane Lions Press Conference | 06:30
“It’s our best performance at the MCG for a long time I would have thought,” he said after the game.
“I don’t care, but I thought anyone watching the game would have thought it was a fantastic football game. We were there until the end.
“Richmond had a really strong team tonight outside of Dustin. They had a lot to play for, like us, we were trying to cement ourselves in the top four, now we’re in a battle, they’re trying to get back into the eight… there’s no lack of effort, on our part or on their part, it was a good competition in this sense”.
The Lions’ cause was not helped by an injury to Zac Bailey in the first half, forcing ruckman Darcy Fort into the contest as a substitute.
It was a move that raised eyebrows, but a Fagan was coy when asked after the game.
“In hindsight, it was a bad decision to have Darcy as a subordinate. It’s probably something I’d rather keep at home to be honest,” he said.
“I appreciate you asking the question, but we have our reasons and they are good reasons, but on reflection tonight it would have been better to have a player in progress.”
Speaking on Fox Footy, Dermott Brereton said Fagan had every right to be more frustrated with his side.
“I’d hate to be sitting in one of the wooden seats in the stands as coach Fagan decides to give them a recital of what he’s just seen in the last 60 minutes,” he said.
Richmond Tigers Press Conference | 08:42
“Even though they got to two goals at three-quarter-time, I felt they could still settle down, Brisbane. It wasn’t until Rioli bombed one from 55m that I said, ‘This is really dangerous for them now “.
Co-host Nick Dal Santo said the MCG factor was less of a concern than the team’s second-half collapse.
“Yes, the ground talk will come up and I think rightly so, but more serious and more disappointing from a manager’s perspective and the leaders of this football club is that they couldn’t close out the game in the third quarter , let alone. the last quarter,” he said.
“Lachie Neale had enough of football so my question is what went wrong and who didn’t stand up?
“Because you can’t ask for much more from their key forwards, especially in that first half, but it went down so quickly and their inability to play down the momentum when the Tigers had it.”
When asked if there were elements of a “suffocation” in the Lions’ loss, Dal Santo said: “You’d have to say yes. But how much of a choke, I’m not quite sure.
“But when you’re 42 points up, you’re really in control.”
Brereton added: “I thought they got on well enough to say it wasn’t a choke. Richmond just went back to their tried and true formula.”