Essendon coach John Worsfold says his side’s lack of pressure was the contributing factor in Brisbane’s thumping 63-point win on Friday night.
The Bombers were outworked for the majority of the clash and were always on the back foot after conceding the first three goals of the contest.
Worsfold said Essendon’s pressure was “well down” in the opening term, which allowed the Lions to get away to a fast start.
“In a nutshell they looked far too good for us,” Worsfold told reporters post-match.
“They were too classy, they used the ball too well and there were big patches in the game where we didn’t put them under nowhere near enough pressure you’ve got to put really good teams under and they made us pay for that.
“Our pressure was down in that first quarter and it was something we addressed with them and the boys responded in the second quarter but we didn’t sustain it. It dropped away in the last quarter again and that’s mainly by allowing them to move the ball across the ground with uncontested marks.
“In the first quarter the pressure was well down and that’s what I was touching on, against a really good if you don’t put them under any sort of heat then they’ll carve you up.”
One of the rare positives on a dirty night for the Bombers was the debut of ruckman Sam Draper, who has been on the club’s list since being taken with pick one in the rookie draft in 2016.
The 21-year-old was close to playing senior footy for the club last year before tearing his ACL in a VFL game.
Worsfold said there were encouraging signs for the 205cm big man, praising him for the way he conducted himself in his first AFL match.
“I was really pleased with the young kid coming off a knee reconstruction,” he said.
“He hasn’t been able to build his form playing normal games of footy, it was credit to him (in the manner) he came out and competed for us tonight.
“He’s been jumping well, he’s building his strength in the ruck contest and Tom Bellchambers has done well with him in that regard.
“Some of his high marking in match simulation in the last couple of weeks has been great and we saw that again tonight, he’s going to be a threat in the air.”
Essendon will be intent on bouncing back against the GWS Giants next Friday night at Metricon Stadium after Friday night’s disappointing display.