Unfortunately nothing can be said or done to erase the memory of the Lions’ disastrous opening to their 2013 AFL Premiership campaign.

Not even the arrival of the Easter Bunny on Sunday morning could sugar-coat the disappointment felt by the Lions players, coaches and fans following the team’s 68-point hiding from the Western Bulldogs.

Thankfully the Lions won’t have long to wait for a chance at redemption.

Following an extensive post-mortem of the Bulldogs game, the team’s focus has quickly shifted to this Saturday’s first home match of the season against Adelaide at the Gabba.

Only then will the Lions get an opportunity to atone for a first-up performance that full-back Daniel Merrett labelled as “embarrassing and disappointing”.

“The best thing about football is that we as a Club get to redeem ourselves seven days later after a poor performance,” Merrett tweeted on Sunday

“The Crows game looms as a huge game of redemption back on our home ground.”

The stark realities that confronted the group after last Saturday’s game brought back memories of the Lions’ capitulation at the hands of Carlton at Optus Oval back in Round 8 of 2001, which then Captain Michael Voss later described as a ‘disgrace to the jumper’.

It proved to be the turning point of a season that culminated in Club’s breakthrough Grand Final triumph.

Former Lions great Alastair Lynch still vividly remembers that particular loss and how it ultimately helped galvanise the group.

“That was a pivotal game,” Lynch recalled during an interview with LIONS TV as part of the recent 3-Peat celebrations.

“If anyone asks me why we won in 2001, I say it was because of the Carlton game.”

“They destroyed us – absolutely embarrassed us. Walking off the ground, it was embarrassing. But things turned around almost instantly.”

Hopefully the current Lions team can turn last Saturday’s loss against the Bulldogs into another ‘pivotal’ moment in Club history.