SIX OF the Brisbane Lions' eight final-quarter goals in their stunning win over Geelong came from outside 50.

That is a new record.

At least, it's the first time a team has kicked that many goals in a quarter from that far out since the statistic was first noted in 1999.

It's an outlandish number considering the average number of goals kicked from outside 50 per game in 2013 is 2.85. That figure includes both teams in one game.

Not, as the Lions' six on Sunday represented, one team's tally in one quarter.

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What is less of a surprise is that it happened against Geelong.

The Cats concede more goals from that range than any other team in the competition.

Thirty-one (or 19 per cent) of the 206 goals the Cats have conceded have been from outside 50. The next closest teams are Melbourne 28 (or 12 per cent) and GWS 24 (or nine per cent).

Although Fremantle (13 goals, or 11 per cent) and Sydney Swans (12 or nine per cent) don't let their opponents score much at all, very rarely do they allow them space around the 50m line.

That was one of Geelong's issues again on Sunday night.

The Cats were unlucky in one instance when the ball rebounded off umpire Stuart Wenn's foot, catching the Cats out of position as Dayne Zorko goaled.

No one can complain, but the incident was a game-changer.

However, the space given to Jed Adcock (the result of a poor spoil from Steven Motlop), Brent Moloney (Joel Selwood did not act as a sweeper and allowed Moloney momentum from the middle) and Daniel Rich (who turned on to his left foot without any pressure) was not a matter of misfortune.

The Cats' poor pressure gave the Lions opportunities. That the Lions took every single chance offered was unlucky but if you give an inch at AFL level, a mile is taken.

Full match coverage: Brisbane Lions v Geelong

No wonder Geelong's defenders were beginning to rip into their midfielders asking for support by midway through the final quarter.

It was music to the Lions' ears. They began to sniff victory when they heard the Cats' debating.

Geelong had been unaccountable all game but the damage on the scoreboard began once the Cats began losing the clearances and were smashed in contested ball.

The Cats lost the clearances 7-16 in the final quarter and contested ball 29-46. Their defenders had the ball coming inside 50 at pace 20 times.  That's why the Lions slammed on eight goals.

Post-game, Jimmy Bartel identified the issues that cost the team, saying the Cats had been outworked. Players hung slightly off their opponent, tackles did not stick and the decision-making was poor.

While forcing opponents to have shots from outside 50 is not necessarily a bad thing, letting it happen without closing down space is slack.

And that is what the midfielders appeared to become - slack - as they watched a 52-point lead whittled away without changing the game's tempo.

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However, it must be said, more than one thing went wrong for the Cats in those last minutes.  

One of their midfield runners, Jordan Murdoch, had been subbed out and the Cats had five talls on the ground at the finish.

Dawson Simpson must have been hampered because two goals came directly from boundary throw-ins not being contested. There are few more easily fixed sins in football.

Cameron Guthrie – a running defender – remained stuck on the bench in the dying minutes.

Poor Tom Hawkins faced a quandary with his last-minute shot at goal. His kick for goal risked handing the ball back to the Lions if he kicked a behind.

Perhaps he could have chipped back, basketball style, in an attempt to find a teammate and leave the final shot until the last seconds. But that would have been a hard call to justify with scores level. He did ask the question however, indicating he was uncertain.

Ruckman Simpson should not have handballed from his mark in the ensuing passage of play after Hawkins' behind. Joel Corey's subsequent kick looked hurried, as though he was not expecting to be given the ball.

Of course, such an attacking approach has brought Geelong back into games all season. But on Sunday night it failed them, as it has during periods of games in 2013.

And questions are now going to be raised as to whether it will fail in finals.

Not that Geelong's fallibility will be news to coach Chris Scott.

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When addressing reporters after the match, he made the reasonable observation that it's easy to point out deficiencies in hindsight.

But Scott has been ahead of most when it comes to assessing his team's season so far. He has appeared less impressed with his team's overall performance than the rest of the football world. They have been playing, he said post-game on Sunday, in fits and spurts all season.

Geelong has conceded more points this season than nine other teams but they rank second on points scored.  

On nine occasions this season, the Cats have kicked five or more unanswered goals. On eight of those, they have been behind or level with their opposition.

They have been lauded for their efforts but as Harry Taylor told geelongfc.com.au: "Football has to be played over four quarters."

If any of the Cats' stars were thumbing their nose at that truism, Sunday night might just be the cure.

It's time for the attacking Cats to be accountable too. Being a flag contender depends on it.