DESPITE having its two-game winning streak emphatically snapped by Essendon on Sunday, the Brisbane Lions don't see the result as a backward step, midfielder Ryan Lester says. 

After defeating Carlton and Port Adelaide in the previous fortnight, the Lions pushed the Bombers for the first half before being completely overrun, conceding 12 goals to four after the main break. 

Lester says Essendon taught the Lions a lesson on how to control the tempo of the game.

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He said despite trailing by just five points at half-time, the Lions were not satisfied with the up-tempo nature of the contest.

"We knew we probably weren't going to win a shoot-out against Essendon," Lester said. 

"We're not best suited to a quick game of football, that's not how we want to play.

"We wanted to own the ball a bit more, which we weren't able to do."

Lester said curbing opposition momentum was something the Lions were still trying to get a grasp on.

Essendon blew the game apart early in the third quarter when they rattled on six goals to one in the opening 15 minutes. 

"Just those short kicks, mark, retain possession, take some time off the clock, take the momentum out of the game, take the sting out of the game.

"But yesterday we weren't able to do it. It's round eight and we're a young team. There's plenty of time to implement those things. 

"I definitely don't feel like it's two steps forward, one step back; I feel like we can still definitely get a lot out of that game yesterday."

The Lions return to the Gabba on Sunday where they host St Kilda – a team with a similar age profile and level of experience as the Lions.

"I haven't seen a lot of St Kilda, but I have seen a few of their midfielders have been racking up some big numbers over the season, so there's definitely a few players we need to watch out for," Lester said.