RESURGENT midfielder Justin Sherman says the Brisbane Lions will take plenty from Saturday night’s 12-point loss to Hawthorn – but not a sense of disheartenment.
Like coach Leigh Matthews, Sherman believes the result shows the Lions aren’t far off challenging the league’s elite sides.
”We’ll still take a lot of confidence away from tonight,” Sherman said.
”We weren’t far away from a very good side and you can only test yourself against the best. And when you consider some of the mistakes we made tonight, a couple of goals difference isn’t all that much.
”We didn’t make full use of our opportunities, myself included, and we have to learn to take the crucial opportunities against the better sides.”
Sherman has faced a challenge in recent times to restore his own personal confidence after a disappointing 2007 campaign and a stop-start beginning to 2008.
The 21-year-old finished runner-up in the 2006 club champion award, but played only 14 games last year and was left out of the side that played West Coast in round one of this season.
Since then, he’s worked his way into something approaching his best form and a second-half stopping job on David Rodan was integral to last week’s stirring comeback win over Port Adelaide.
Against the Hawks Sherman finished with 17 disposals and four marks.
”The main thing for me is just to be bold and brave with the footy like I used to be,” Sherman said.
”I need to take the opposition on when I have the footy and when you back those instincts, that’s when things come off for you out there.
”I really pride myself on my run and having a role where I pay close attention to certain players means I can try and work off them and get the ball myself as well.”
While Sherman found cause for encouragement in the Lions’ performance against the Hawks, he was awe-struck by the display of Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin.
The most common description of Franklin in recent times has been “a freak” and Sherman concurred.
”He’s a freak - definitely one of a kind,” he said.
”He kicked a couple of amazing goals from the boundary line tonight – and that’s not something he just does once in a blue moon.
”He’s going to be a premier forward for a very long time.”
