BRISBANE coach Chris Fagan saw multiple signs his young Lions are starting to believe in their ability to mix it with the best sides in the AFL during their upset 33-point victory over Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday.
The win – Brisbane’s third in a row and second over the Hawks in 2018 – came on the back of a dogged first half and dominant final term, and there were signs even before the players took the field that they are emerging as a close-knit group.
“The boys have started to believe in themselves and are starting to think some of these sorts of wins are possible,” Fagan said.
LIONS UPSET HAWKS Full match coverage and stats
“We’ve sort of been on this improvement curve for a while but have struggled to get our young players to play hard enough for long enough, but just lately they’ve been able to go the distance and that’s made a difference.
“It is a special win to come down here to Launceston and beat the Hawks because they’ve been almost unbeatable here for the best part of the last six or seven years.”
As the Lions slugged it out with the Hawks during a tight first half, footage emerged of the playing group engaging in a dressing room ritual that saw them pull on their jumpers in unison before taking the field.
Fagan told reporters at University of Tasmania Stadium he had not witnessed the ritual previously, but believed the group had been doing it since returning from the bye and that it represented another step in their growth as a team.
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“Today was the first time I saw it to tell you the truth and I don’t know what it’s about, either. I figure it’s something they’ve decided to do themselves and as long as it means something to them, they can continue to do it.
“They don’t have to tell me everything. They’re trying to become a good, tight group and for some reason they’ve worked that out, so good on them.
“Player ownership of performance and culture is a big thing all of us at the club have pushed for the last 18 months and I think the players are just starting to cotton on to the fact we’re never going to shy away from that and that’s what we think in the long run makes a successful club.”
Fagan was also thrilled his players had been able to come from behind against the Hawks in another sign of their growing belief.
WATCH Chris Fagan's full post-match media conference
“All the games we’ve won we’ve got in control pretty early and we’ve been able to win relatively easily, whereas today was a grind and struggle,” he said.
“We hadn’t won this year being behind at half-time and that’s a step forward for this group.
“Today we had to scrap and win contested ball and find a way.”
