Next month to make or break Lions: Power - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Next month to make or break Lions: Power

By Laine Clark 23/06/2008 06:11:14 PM Comments (0)

A career-best haul has hardly satisfied Brisbane Lions co-captain Luke Power.

The classy midfielder's record 40 possessions may have powered the Lions to a 13-point AFL victory over Adelaide last weekend - their first triumph this season over a team above them on the ladder.

"We haven't beaten anyone on top of us on the ladder - Adelaide is probably our first major scalp of the year," Power said.

"It was a test for this group to see if we can match it with the top teams."

But it has only whet Power's appetite for the month ahead - a period that he believes will make or break their top four finals push.

After surging into sixth (8-5 record), the Lions have a golden chance to move up the AFL ladder with games against three of the bottom four teams next up - Melbourne, Essendon and West Coast.

The month-long campaign ends with 11th-placed Richmond at the Telstra Dome on July 26.

"You've got to go and win those games. They are the games that can decide whether you are a top six side or a top 10 team," Power said.

"It's an opportunity for a few clubs around the (finals) mark. You've got to turn up to win.

"(But) Melbourne will be really tough at the MCG next week and we've got to go down there and do the things we did well (against Adelaide)."

Power shook off eight different opponents to grab 40 disposals against Adelaide - including 13 in the final term.

The only player on the Lions roster who has grabbed more possessions in a game is midfielder Travis Johnstone (42) - for former club Melbourne.

Lions coach Leigh Matthews summed up the effort best.

"I thought Luke's effort was nothing short of superb," he said.

"He won the footy and used it well. You have to use it well against Adelaide because they get so many numbers back.

"Luke kept us in it partly early on and then when Jared Brennan joined him we had two midfielders really playing well."

But again Power wasn't impressed.

"I could probably have hit up (forward Jonathan Brown) a few more times - I reckon I missed him a couple of times," Power said.

"If I'd managed to do that, we could have had a few more goals.

"But the players around me looked after me pretty well and got the ball in my hands.

"I thought it was a pretty even team performance and the backs were terrific in the second half, especially Joel Patfull with some of his spoils on Brett Burton.

"They really contested every inch."

The gutsy win eased the pain of a 63-point hiding at the hands of the Western Bulldogs the previous round.

"It was shocking travelling back from Melbourne last week," Power said.

"It wasn't an honourable loss at all, something we pride ourselves on is fighting out games.

"It was a real kick in the guts. Last Monday it was like a morgue around here.

"But it's a credit to the players and a credit to the staff that we picked up and focused on Adelaide and what we had to do against them."

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