BRISBANE Lions coach Justin Leppitsch will demand more of his midfield group after a dismal showing against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
The Lions dominated the ruck duel with Stefan Martin amassing 51 hit-outs but the midfielders failed to make any use of the advantage and lost the clearance count 34-52.
Compounding the clearance numbers were those of contested possession, which favoured the Power 174-162; the side's inaccuracy in front of goal (17 behinds); and, by the coach's reckoning, 52 missed tackles.
The loss of full-back Daniel Merrett to gastro in the lead-up to the game severely reduced the average experience of the Lions' backline, but Leppitsch insisted the heat they were placed under was a result of the midfield's poor performance.
Inexperience couldn't be used as an excuse for the club's on-ball brigade. Featuring Dayne Zorko, Dayne Beams and Tom Rockliff (in the opening term, at least), Leppitsch said it was his side's most experienced area.
The midfield was well aware of its failings on Sunday but Leppitsch added the players' awareness meant little in hindsight.
"We meet in lines and then they come back in and give a synopsis of what they think happened and they owned that," he said.
"But it's all talk – you've got to do something about it."
Although the overall performance of the core was disappointing, the coach was at least buoyed by the return of midfield star Beams.
The 26-year-old's 2015 campaign was ended by shoulder surgery after round 18 and knee tendinitis has sidelined him all season.
In his first game of the year he collected 30 possessions and kicked a goal.
"He was good. He had patches where we put him forward for a bit to try and nurse him through but he had a pretty good output, didn't he, for a guy who hasn't played [recently]," Leppitsch said.
"Great leadership and great class and poise, which he's got."
Dayne Beams opens our campaign with a beautiful gather and right foot snap! #AFLPowerLions pic.twitter.com/nQ0NEXKpG8
— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) May 8, 2016
While Beams' return was a success, the Lions will lose skipper Rockliff to a reoccurrence of the nerve-related hamstring injury that hampered his pre-season.
The club isn't yet sure exactly how many game he'll miss, although Leppitsch believed the injury to be on the "minor" side.
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