Chris Fagan has taken some responsibility for the Brisbane Lions' costly fade-out against Melbourne but insists there will be long-term benefits from the loss as they prepare for a high-stakes visit from Geelong.
The Lions conceded four goals in the final seven minutes to lose by one point at the MCG last Friday, the result leaving them two wins behind second-placed Port Adelaide with six rounds remaining before finals.
Brisbane likely must beat the Cats on Saturday at the Gabba to keep their top-two hopes afloat.
On Friday Fagan conceded there had been much discussion about those final minutes in Melbourne a week earlier.
"Not many (areas to improve) because for about 100 minutes of that game ... we had really good control and probably the best footy we've ever played," he said.
"The coaches are a little bit guilty there; we hadn't had a close finish for a long time, hasn't been on our agenda.
"We should have been practising that a bit more, that situation at training.
"That's prompted us to do that, we had a good chat about those situations and what we'd do differently.
"We got so much out of that game last week, except for the four points."
Brisbane's Gabba dominance will be tested by the defending premiers, who have beaten Melbourne, drawn with Sydney and smashed North Melbourne and Essendon in the last month.
The sides last met in a 2022 preliminary final comfortably won by Geelong.
"We've had some close games, we've had some not-so-close games and they've got the edge on us, it would be fair to say," Fagan said.
"There's a lot riding on it ... it'll be a big occasion, a finals-like game.
"It's not so much that they won, but the way they played.
"They're clearly hitting some good form, so we know we're meeting a team probably at the right time for us.
"I'd rather be playing these sorts of games at this time of year than not.
Lions defender Jack Payne is set to mark Tom Hawkins in a crucial match-up while Callum Ah Chee, fresh off signing a two-year contract extension, returns from concussion for Brisbane.
Zac Bailey (calf) could miss at least two weeks after a mid-week setback while the fifth-placed Cats are unchanged.
