Dean Moriarty
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THE Brisbane Lions have been knocked off their AFL perch by coach Leigh Matthews, who accused some players of arrogance.
Matthews said he was unhappy with some comments after the Lions surged to their third premiership, thumping Collingwood by 50 points.
"We haven't handled it well. We've been a bit arrogant and I haven't been pleased with that," Matthews told Channel 10. "In the post-game euphoria, a few players said things they shouldn't have. We're believers in being humble in victory and I thought there were signs of arrogance. It will affect the next campaign very badly if it's not knocked out, real quick."
Matthews would not comment further, insisting that was the "end of the story".
Lions chairman Graeme Downie was also disappointed. He would not say which players had gone over the top with comments but said it would not be tolerated. "I totally agree with Leigh's comments. It's not the style of our club."
Players Jason Akermanis and Jonathan Brown were among those who questioned the Magpies' courage.
"We played so brutally that a lot of their guys were jumping out of the way," Akermanis said.
Brown baited the Pies by saying the Lions had "put our head over the footy every time and I don't know whether the Collingwood blokes did."
The Lions will have a victory parade on the Gold Coast today.
The Courier-Mail
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,7435380-23211,00.html
Matthews said he was unhappy with some comments after the Lions surged to their third premiership, thumping Collingwood by 50 points.
"We haven't handled it well. We've been a bit arrogant and I haven't been pleased with that," Matthews told Channel 10. "In the post-game euphoria, a few players said things they shouldn't have. We're believers in being humble in victory and I thought there were signs of arrogance. It will affect the next campaign very badly if it's not knocked out, real quick."
Matthews would not comment further, insisting that was the "end of the story".
Lions chairman Graeme Downie was also disappointed. He would not say which players had gone over the top with comments but said it would not be tolerated. "I totally agree with Leigh's comments. It's not the style of our club."
Players Jason Akermanis and Jonathan Brown were among those who questioned the Magpies' courage.
"We played so brutally that a lot of their guys were jumping out of the way," Akermanis said.
Brown baited the Pies by saying the Lions had "put our head over the footy every time and I don't know whether the Collingwood blokes did."
The Lions will have a victory parade on the Gold Coast today.
The Courier-Mail
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,7435380-23211,00.html