How a mindset change sparked the Lions back to life in 2024

Never again will the Brisbane players get ahead of themselves in Chris Fagan’s tenure.

That’s the word from the coach himself, who told SENQ Breakfast that looking too far ahead was one of his side’s key issues earlier this year.

The Lions lost their first three games of 2024 and hit rock bottom when going down to the Giants by 54 points on Anzac Day.

Since then, Fagan’s men have lost just one game to give themselves a serious chance of playing finals for a 6th consecutive season.

Winning six of their last nine games would see them playing in September, but when asked about that prospect, Fagan knocked it back.

“We don’t go that far ahead,” he replied.

“I think one of the things that was happening earlier in the year outside of our work inside 50 was I felt like the boys were putting a lot of pressure of themselves after last year, they were really disappointed after losing the Grand Final and probably thinking big picture too much.

“I was looking at blokes playing the game and they just looked a little bit tight.

“So we are really back into that one week at a time mode, playing bold, fearless footy and backing ourselves in and not looking at the ladder at all.

“I probably can’t stop them, they probably know where they are on the ladder, but that’s been the mindset around here.”

Brisbane plays four teams currently in the top eight on the way home, three of which are in the top four.

The Lions are one of eight teams between 28 and 32 premiership points ahead of Round 16, although 13 wins is expected to be enough to play finals in 2024.

Every year Fagan’s men have played finals, they’ve been in the top eight from Round 6 at the latest.

Still 10th, the Lions have a new task this year.

“Game by game, we’ll try and claw our way back into the season and see where it ends up,” Fagan continued.

“We’re seeing it as a really good challenge for them.”

Brisbane’s next fixture comes against Melbourne on Friday night, with the Lions going in favourites off a three-game win streak.