IT'S A ploy Chris Fagan uses sparingly, but a "fierce" challenge to his small forwards to lift against Adelaide on Saturday night had the desired result for the two-time premiership coach.

A week after Charlie Cameron, Kai Lohmann, Zac Bailey and Cam Rayner went goalless against Sydney – the first time doing so in the same game in their careers – the quartet were instrumental in the 53-point semi-final hiding of the Crows.

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Cameron kicked five goals, Lohmann two, Bailey added three and Rayner was almost impossible to tackle as he kicked two from 22 disposals.

Fagan said they were "proud" players that needed to be challenged.

"It was pointed out to them during the week that they let us down against Sydney," Fagan said.

"They hardly contributed in that game. 

"I reminded them of how good they were when we played Adelaide up here in round seven. I just reminded them of that, and poked and prodded a bit on the performance last week."

Despite losing to Greater Western Sydney by 78 points and to Carlton by 76 earlier in the year, Fagan said last week's 53-point hiding from the Swans was the catalyst for his first such direct critique of his players in 2026.

It resulted in an "extraordinary" start by the Lions where they kicked five goals before Adelaide had gone inside its forward 50 to set the tone for victory.

Fagan said his players were quiet in the build-up to the game, almost steeling themselves for the early onslaught.

"It was a very prompt response to a disappointing game last week," he said.

"Sydney played exceptionally well, but we didn't give a yelp last week, and we needed to make a statement, and I thought we did tonight."

All-Australian forward Logan Morris finished the game sitting on the bench with ice around his "corked" calf, with Fagan saying it was only precautionary.

One man who will be racing the clock to play in next Saturday's preliminary final against Hawthorn is lockdown defender Noah Answerth, who missed the win over the Crows with an ankle injury.

"I reckon he'll be busting the walls down this week to try and be available for the team," he said.

"I don't know at this stage whether he will be or not. It just depends how he progresses because I don't think he ran at all during the week this week. 

"So we'll see how that goes."

Ty Gallop replaced Answerth and did a fine job in defence, with Ryan Lester moved on to curtail the dangerous Josh Rachele, restricting him to one goal from seven disposals and gathering 18 of his own.