TonyK
CibbuanoMatthews concerned by MCG form
June 30th 2008 01:38
BRISBANE LIONS coach Leigh Matthews is becoming increasingly concerned at his side's poor form at the MCG.
The Lions' one-point loss to bottom-placed Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday means the club has now been beaten at the home of football in two of the past three weeks and in five of its past six matches since losing the 2004 grand final to Port Adelaide.
Matthews admitted his side has struggled to adapt to the vastly different playing conditions at the MCG.
"For instance the MCG (surface) is quite shifty so it is a bit different to the Gabba," Matthews said.
"Our guys always have trouble with their footing (at the MCG), they can't stand up so they miss tackles but that is the conditions you play in and you have got to be able to adapt."
"But the last two times we have come south we haven't been able to adapt."
"It's always easier in the comfort of your home environment."
Matthews said his side underestimated Melbourne and that the lack of hype leading into the match probably affected his team's preparation.
"I said to the team before the (Melbourne) game that you knew it was one of those games where the spotlight on the team (to perform) was pretty mild because we were playing a team that was struggling to win."
"The question then was would the culture of the group be strong enough when you haven't got that external competitive stimulus and basically we weren't."
The Lions are now a game-and-a-half adrift of the top four (and possibly more by the end of the split round) and just a game inside the top eight, but Matthews said he wouldn't be making any drastic changes.
"Nothing needs to happen, basically we are just coming off a poor performance," he said.
"We have 13 days until we play again and we are 8-6 and playing Essendon at Telstra Dome on Saturday week."
"We don't have those expectations (of a top-four finish), we will finish as high up as we can and try to win enough games to play finals but if we win them all we will probably finish top four."
The Lions' one-point loss to bottom-placed Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday means the club has now been beaten at the home of football in two of the past three weeks and in five of its past six matches since losing the 2004 grand final to Port Adelaide.
Matthews admitted his side has struggled to adapt to the vastly different playing conditions at the MCG.
"For instance the MCG (surface) is quite shifty so it is a bit different to the Gabba," Matthews said.
"Our guys always have trouble with their footing (at the MCG), they can't stand up so they miss tackles but that is the conditions you play in and you have got to be able to adapt."
"But the last two times we have come south we haven't been able to adapt."
"It's always easier in the comfort of your home environment."
Matthews said his side underestimated Melbourne and that the lack of hype leading into the match probably affected his team's preparation.
"I said to the team before the (Melbourne) game that you knew it was one of those games where the spotlight on the team (to perform) was pretty mild because we were playing a team that was struggling to win."
"The question then was would the culture of the group be strong enough when you haven't got that external competitive stimulus and basically we weren't."
The Lions are now a game-and-a-half adrift of the top four (and possibly more by the end of the split round) and just a game inside the top eight, but Matthews said he wouldn't be making any drastic changes.
"Nothing needs to happen, basically we are just coming off a poor performance," he said.
"We have 13 days until we play again and we are 8-6 and playing Essendon at Telstra Dome on Saturday week."
"We don't have those expectations (of a top-four finish), we will finish as high up as we can and try to win enough games to play finals but if we win them all we will probably finish top four."
| 34 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
