Brisbane more focused on themselves rather than Carlton

[Pelican Press 0]

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Brisbane more focused on themselves rather than Carlton

Upbeat Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has pointed to his side’s improved AFL finals record and belief in their best football as they plot a path from fifth to the flag.

Fagan’s side, beaten by four points in last year’s grand final, host Carlton in a Gabba elimination final on Saturday.

To claim the club’s first title since 2003, Brisbane need to beat the Blues then win three consecutive away games.

The Western Bulldogs, in 2016, are the only side to win the premiership from outside the top four under this finals system.

It’s Brisbane’s sixth-straight finals appearance, Fagan’s side putting a poor finals record behind them when they came within a kick of last year’s title.

“We’ve played 12 finals in the last five years … won five, lost seven but our last six we’ve won four and lost the granny by four points,” Fagan rattled off before training on Thursday.

“So we’re getting better at playing in finals … that’s good evidence that we know what to do when the time comes.

“I’ve got a genuine belief that when we play our best footy we’re mighty hard to beat.

“Outside of the fact we didn’t finish top four, we’re in top shape.”

Fagan said the league-wide bye had been welcomed by his side, given their wild ride to September began with just four wins from their first 11 games.

“I’m not a big believer in the pre-finals bye but I reckon it has helped us, this year,” he said.

“We had to go pretty hard for three months there; every game was like a final.”

Injuries contributed to that rocky start but also allowed Logan Morris, Bruce Reville, Kai Lohmann and Shadeau Brain a chance to flourish.

Along with second-year star Will Ashcroft, who missed last year’s finals run through injury, they’ve been given clear instructions should they play on Saturday.

“You don’t have to go out and do anything special … (in finals) it’s all about being reliable, not remarkable,” Fagan said.

“For those boys to think they have to do anything more … would be a big mistake.”

Reville and key defender Jack Payne are both in the mix to return from injury after playing VFL last weekend.

Carlton’s Sam Docherty will return from an anterior cruciate ligament tear suffered in their comeback round-one defeat of Brisbane and the Blues could make as many as seven other changes.

Lions defender Keidean Coleman suffered the same injury on the same night as Docherty but was never in the frame to return this season.

“It’s a huge game to be coming back in after you haven’t done it for six months,” Fagan said.

“They obviously have the confidence he can do it and what Carlton do is their business,” Fagan said.

“We don’t want to make Carlton’s problem our problem … it won’t change the way we pick our team or the way we play the game.”

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