We didn’t handle the heat: Lions’ big admission ahead of grand final clash with Cats

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Key Brisbane Lions stars have acknowledged that they did not play with enough physical intent or handle Geelong’s pressure during their resounding defeat to the Cats in the qualifying final.

Gun midfielder Josh Dunkley - who is usually assigned a role on a key opposition player - said the Lions were not good in the contest against the Cats, while co-captain Harris Andrews said ahead of Saturday’s grand final they had not handled Geelong’s pressure in the opening week of finals.

Dunkley and Zach Guthrie in the qualifying final.

Dunkley and Andrews also gave explanations for why the Lions’ renowned kicking game - so effective against most teams, including Collingwood in Saturday’s preliminary final - had been unravelled by the Cats three weekends ago, as they prepare for another encounter with the in-form Geelong in the decider.

“They brought the heat, yeah,” said Dunkley’s of Geelong’s approach to the qualifying final, which the Cats won by 38 points.

Asked if the Lions had been physical enough in that final, Dunkley said: “Probably not, no.

“Looking back we weren’t as good in the contest as them, so there’s plenty of those little things, the high percentage footy we always talk about it - we were a bit down in that area, but yeah we’ll go to work and turn it around next week.”

Harris Andrews, Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann with coach Chris Fagan after beating Collingwood in the prelim.

Andrews, outstanding again against the Magpies on Saturday evening, said the Lions had not handled Geelong’s pressure and hoped that they would learn from that experience.

“I learned that pressure’s important in finals, they out-pressured us and we didn’t handle that very well. We’ll need to make sure that we bring that next week.

“I’m hoping for the experience we’ll be better for it. It’s going to be a great challenge.″⁣

Andrews said the Cats had shut down their kicking game, and the Lions had to be stronger in the contest. The Cats won the contested ball and tackle count by 16 in the qualifying final.

“Yeah they did. There’s opportunities for us to change angles a little bit more and probably need to be a bit stronger in the contest as well to get played in our front half.

“They were fantastic, they’re an awesome team and we’re going to have, you know, our work cut out for us but really excited and if we bring our best it’ll be a good match.”

Dunkley said that Brisbane had learned much from that heavy loss to the Cats. “They taught us plenty from that game and we obviously reviewed it before the Gold Coast game and will again this week...they taught us a few lessons on how they want to play against us.”

Dunkley, who will play in his third grand final since joining the Lions, highlighted work rate and connection as the issues in the last encounter.

“It probably comes down to work rate to be honest, like they defend so you’ve to work harder and work together. We probably learned we weren’t as connected as we are normally...we’ll look at the tapes and get ready for it next week.″⁣

Andrews revealed that gaining some measure of revenge against Collingwood after the narrow 2023 grand final loss had been a focus for the players and coach Chris Fagan in the lead-in to the preliminary final, which the Lions won impressively by 29 points.

“It was great,” the defender said shortly after the victory over the Magpies. “Can’t undo what happened in ’23, but we definitely did, a few of us guys that have been playing throughout that time, we really did want to get a little of revenge, bit of reckoning - I think that was the word thrown up. Yeah it was awesome.

“I’m just so proud.”

Andrew confirmed that atoning for the 2023 grand final defeat had been a topic.

“Yeah, we definitely talked about it, as a group. I think Fages [coach Chris Fagan] brought it up a couple of times during the week, just to get the boys on edge and understand that you know, we feel like we owe Collingwood one.

“There was a lot of guys who probably didn’t play that day and who were thinking ‘what the hell are you talking about’.”