Brisbane’s MCG hoodoo lives on after Demons’ heist

Brisbane coach Chris Fagan insists one other painful MCG defeat will not hinder the Lions’ premiership prospects in September.

After main by 27 factors early within the closing quarter, the Lions have been mown down by Melbourne on Friday evening as Jake Melksham slotted the successful objective for the Demons with 30 seconds remaining within the thrilling 16.9 (105) to 16.8 (104) victory.

Brisbane dominated the second and third phrases, booting 12.4 to six.2, however have been made to pay for poor opening and fourth quarters.

It leaves the Lions with only one win from their previous 15 journeys to the MCG, with the solitary victory there coming in final yr’s semi-final towards Melbourne.

However the Lions have been then thrashed by Geelong within the preliminary closing on the similar venue seven days later.

Brisbane’s final home-and-away triumph on the MCG got here again in spherical 21, 2014, with Dayne Zorko the one present participant to function in that match.

The Lions have been upset by rebuilding Hawthorn in spherical 13 of their solely different match on the residence of the grand closing in the course of the home-and-away season.

Fagan was left disenchanted by the missed alternative however believed they may nonetheless salute on the MCG in finals.

“In all probability the hoodoo leaves on,” Fagan mentioned.

“Sadly, it wasn’t that distant from not residing on, but it surely does.

“So we simply must take that suggestions and we’ll try to do a greater job the following time that we play right here.

“I am not an incredible believer that what occurs (towards Melbourne), if we’re ok to get the finals and we’ve to play right here once more, that it’ll be on our thoughts. I believe we will cope with that.

“We have been shut tonight. It is about as shut as you will get however we did not fairly get there.”

Brisbane misplaced each home-and-away matches on the MCG final season, earlier than beautiful the Demons on the similar floor within the second week of the finals.

Their loss towards Richmond in spherical 20 had eerie similarities to this defeat to Melbourne.

In opposition to the Tigers final yr, they led by as a lot as 42 factors, however have been run over and misplaced a thriller.

Fagan mentioned he would wish to observe the replay to see what extra the Lions may have completed to cease Melbourne’s late momentum.

“It is laborious to cop as a result of we did so much proper, however on the finish of the day I might say we did not need to win, essentially,” Fagan mentioned.

“We’ll take learnings from it and we’ll go and take a look on the final 5 minutes and the way we dealt with that.

“Melbourne are a superb footy facet and once you play them right here, you have to do a variety of issues proper to win.”

The Lions will possible regain star midfielder Josh Dunkley (calf) for subsequent Saturday’s crunch conflict with Geelong on the Gabba.

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