Lions seek Linc between composure and AFL pressure

1 week ago 11

By Murray Wenzel

April 24, 2024 — 8.39pm

Lincoln McCarthy has lamented his team’s inability to capitalise connected their pressure, the Brisbane Lions tiny guardant admitting their composure had been lacking up of an Anzac Day clash with the Giants.

Beaten successful past year’s expansive last by 4 points, the Lions find themselves 12th with a 2-4 record, including 3 losses from 3 games astatine their accustomed Gabba stronghold.

Charlie Cameron, Lincoln McCarthy and Zac Bailey of the Lions.

The latest was a wet-weather acquisition from Geelong contempt the Lions winning contested possessions but hitting the station 3 times and kicking 13 behinds to conscionable 4 majors.

Coach Chris Fagan was captious of their over-use, unnecessary handballs inviting unit aft they had worked hard to triumph the ball.

It was the latest contented successful a play that has near the manager scratching his caput aft losses, but McCarthy has identified a communal theme.

“It’s hard to enactment a digit connected 1 thing; each week we spot small variables,” helium said up of his 150th crippled connected Thursday.

“You’ve seen a assistance successful our effort and pressure; we conscionable privation to capitalise connected those efforts now, bring a spot much composure into our crippled and truly punish sides with the mode we determination the ball.

“When you’re busting retired of postulation oregon (have) breached the tackle, person we fixed excessively galore handballs earlier we little the eyes?

“Can we springiness an other handball to a feline with nary pressure?

“We inactive deliberation erstwhile we’re astatine our champion we tin bushed anyone. We conscionable person to support putting that unneurotic for longer periods.

“We’re giving ourselves that opportunity, present we person to enactment connected executing and converting.”

Ultra-talented McCarthy joined the Lions from Geelong successful 2019 aft 5 injury-plagued seasons successful which helium played much than 4 games conscionable once.

Since past he’s hardly missed one.

“I didn’t deliberation I’d get to 50 ... the archetypal extremity was to spot if I could get backmost and play footy again,” the begetter to 3 boys said.

“I recovered myself successful a spot of a rut, was truly questioning whether I was made for the game, to beryllium honest.

“I’m conscionable truly grateful for each that support.”

Reigning All-Australian skipper and Giants prima Toby Greene volition miss the Canberra clash aft failing successful his bid to overturn a one-game suspension, with livewire Darcy Jones to debut up forward.

The Lions volition beryllium without concussed first-choice ruckman Oscar McInerney, but person regained Irish speedster Conor McKenna.

Ruckman Darcy Fort replaces McInerney, portion Jarryd Lyons has been dropped.

AAP