LEIGH Matthews quipped that it reminded him of a movie but Brisbane Lions fans are unlikely to want to watch re-runs of yet another heart-breaking loss – this time to North Melbourne by eight points on the Gold Coast.
Just like the previous week’s loss to Richmond, the Lions led late in Saturday night’s game, only to be overhauled in a deflating finale.
A clearly frustrated Matthews lamented a lack of accuracy in front of goal – the Lions kicked 11.18 – and also a lack of composure in the dying minutes.
”I thought de javu was a movie but unfortunately it’s becoming real life for us,” Matthews said.
”We played well enough, got the lead, missed a lot of shots and instead of having a big lead, we had a little one.
”You lose in the end because you didn’t play the last five minutes well enough. You miss shots when you are going okay, then allow the opposition to kick the last few goals of the game.”
Matthews said the Lions had worked specifically in the lead-up to the match on their ability to withstand late pressure.
However, he remains optimistic that his players won’t be overly affected by a fourth loss in the last five games.
The currently eighth-placed Lions face a testing run home against Hawthorn, the Western Bulldogs, Carlton and the Sydney Swans.
”It’s funny, given what happened last week, we actually had a bit of a class this week on what to do in certain circumstances,” he said.
”We’re going to be gutted this weekend because that’s how it works. But next week you start again - different opposition, different venue and the scoreboard starts again at nil-nil.
”Certainly the emotional response from today is very disappointing for all of us.
”When you are playing well and not winning it’s particularly galling and when you are beaten in close games after being in front late in the last quarter, well that’s maximum galling.”
The four-time flag-winning mentor identified the midfield contributions of Albert Proud, Michael Rischitelli and Jared Brennan as positives from the match.
He also said he had been unaffected by comments on his future by former Carlton premiership Robert Walls.
”It doesn’t affect my job. All of us like nice things being said about us and don’t like critical things being said about us,” Matthews said.
”But we do what we do every week – there is no stimulus to do anything different because a commentator says something.
”That’s what commentators are paid to do, give opinions. And that’s all they are, opinions.”
