2018 premiership coach Adam Simpson has sided with the Brisbane Lions, after it appeared they were victims of an umpiring crackdown that directly affected their desired style of play.
Brisbane have been an exceptional kick-mark side in the last few seasons, lifting the premiership cup twice because of this. Their proficiency, patience and ability to change tempo and angles by foot has been a hallmark of their offence, and a tactical lever that allows them to be one of the more sound, organised team defences in the competition.
However, early in Saturday's home loss to the ladder-leading Dockers, the Lions continuously found themselves on the wrong side of umpiring decisions regarding the length of their kicks, and conceded goals because of it.
"Not 15 (metres), play on," rung out around the Gabba numerous times, after kicks that appeared to go the legal distance, or if not, were very close, and could have been paid.
Simpson, on commentary, was alert to the exacting nature of the umpiring against the back to back premiers.
"It's a big issue today. This has become significant now," Simpson said, less than two minutes into the second term, on the Fox Footy broadcast.
"It's probably happened seven times, and the assumption that the [legal] mark has been taken has hurt [the Lions]."
The strict umpiring was hardly the reason for the Lions' latest loss - another that came in damning fashion - but conventional wisdom and the principles of fairness suggest that one side's game plan should not be umpired differently to another's. If Brisbane want to play a short, sharp kicking game, they should not have said short, sharp kicks adjudged with more scrupulousness than other teams around the competition.
Dual premiership coach Chris Fagan was red hot on his charges at the final change, hoping to navigate his side out of a third successive loss. While the Lions heavily reduced the margin of loss in the final term, a familiar inability to stymie the transition offence of their opponents reared its head.
Fagan insists wholesale changes are not on the horizon, choosing to back his dynastic squad.
"We've been in worse positions," Fagan said.
"We've got to keep working away and stay positive and find our way out. That's my job as a coach, get their confidence back and built them back up.
"Too many of our really good players are down. You only have to look at their numbers to identify who they are.
"You've got to hang with them sometimes. There's a lot lacking a bit of confidence and form at the moment.
"I've got a lot of faith in this group. I should have, shouldn't I? They've played in finals the last seven years and got to the 'Big Dance' three years in a row.
"There's something there to work with, we've just got to find it."
Fagan admitted to being the "most angry" he'd been with his side for quite some time when giving his three-quarter-time address, after the side conceded six goals in the 'premiership quarter'.
"We hardly tackled, we couldn't win contested ball, our pressure was poor and then the last quarter it was a lot better," he said.
"I don't know whether they're a bit tired from all of those efforts over the last few years. It's really hard to work it out.
"There's just so many things at the moment that aren't quite right.
"I'm going to stay positive with them. Would you if you were me? Of course you would because of what they've been able to do the last three years.
"I know that doesn't help right now, but I'm going to back them in."
