An honest Hugh McCluggage admits it took a look in the mirror and heeding his own advice to drag himself out of a form rut that led to “a few little doubts” creeping into his head.
The Brisbane Lions’ superstar returned to form in the 59-point win over Port Adelaide on Sunday, amassing 29 disposals, five clearances and a goal in what was his highest-rated game of the season.
McCluggage looked to have finally broken the shackles of the calf concern that has kept him to just 12 games this season amid two separate setbacks, with a timely reminder of his importance to the Lions as they mount a top four charge.
Two games into his latest return from the troublesome injury McCluggage had struggled to impact around the ball, notably being held to just 13 touches in the win over West Coast.
His coach and teammates all publicly backed the 28-year-old to recapture his form and he saluted in-kind on Sunday against the Power.
The co-captain said he had struggled in dealing with a mid-season injury for the first time in his career but the most important aspect of his return to form was owning up to a missing aspect of what had made him a great player in the first place.
“It’s obviously hard to come back from an injury and click back in with the group, but I was probably finding myself just not working hard enough,” McCluggage told this masthead.
“That is my number one strength as a player, is my work rate, so I think I just got back to that today.
“It wasn’t necessarily the touches I was disappointed about, it was more so my lack of running and bringing my strength to the team and that just meant I was flat footed and it felt like I was not contributing to the level that I can.”
Livewire forward Kai Lohmann revealed last week that he received some timely advice from McCluggage earlier in the season about watching his own tape to remind himself of what his best looked like.
McCluggage said listening to Lohmann share that story made him realise what had been missing from his game in recent weeks.
“With Kai I sort of just heard the commentators talking about how he was playing so well and it wasn’t necessarily the touches and the goals, but it was his energy and his work rate,” McCluggage said.
“So I actually probably heard him say that and thought I could apply that to my own game a little bit – just get back to working super hard.
“I was confident I could get back to it eventually, but you do start to have a few little doubts creep into your mind.”
McCluggage’s performance put a smile on coach Chris Fagan’s face who said the Lions were “a better team when he’s playing well”.
“If you had walked through the season with Hughy and the challenges he has had injury-wise and getting some confidence back in his body, it was always going to take a few weeks,” Fagan said.
“He didn’t look like a great player in the previous two weeks but he’s a person of great character and when you back him in he always produces for you, so it was good to see him get some rewards today.”
Sunday also marked a positive step forward for evergreen defender Dayne Zorko, who finished with a game-high 34 disposals and 804 metres gained after coming off early against West Coast a week earlier with a hamstring scare.
Like McCluggage, Zorko has missed a large chunk of the season with soft tissue concerns but the key duo appear to be back in form at the perfect time with finals now just over a month away.
“We’ve got so many weapons now with us two back in the team and five or six guys rolling through that midfield group as well,” McCluggage said.
“So it’s pretty hard to stop for teams if we get it right. But we just need to make sure we all work together and are selfless in the way we do it as well.”
Headhunted for finals, Lions’ star recruit might have to sit and watch
The Brisbane Lions headhunted Oscar Allen to be the focal point of their push for a premiership three peat.
But after the back-to-back premiers fired 14 goals past Port Adelaide in a half of football on Sunday afternoon the ex-Eagle has an uphill battle to break back into this potent outfit.
No team – not even Fremantle – will want to see this version of Chris Fagan’s side in September.
Brisbane, who was once crying out for continuity with a turnstile of stars moving in and out of the side to start the season, has finally settled on the home strait and the result has been devastating.
Every player named to start inside 50 on Sunday hit the scoreboard and the Lions’ scoring potency over their now seven-straight wins has put the competition on notice.
“The result of the way we play on offence is that we … get a lot of guys that get a look at goals, we share the scoring around which is great,” Fagan said.
“I’d like to think that we’re an equal opportunity offence and therefore hard to stop. We don’t rely on any one person and I thought that was a good example of that today.”
Logan Morris, Kai Lohmann, Charlie Cameron and Zac Bailey all finished with three goals and Cam Rayner two in a complete performance from Brisbane’s forwards.
Spare a thought for young forward Will McLachlan, who kicked eight-straight in the twos yet even that won’t be enough to get a gig against Carlton next Saturday.
Allen booted two goals in a handy VFL cameo on Saturday but it is hard to see how he breaks back into a forward line that filled its boots against the Power.
“He was really serviceable in the reserves,” Fagan said of Allen.
“Competed well, created opportunities for others and kicked (two goals) himself, so he’s done the right thing.”
“It’s hard to change a winning side.
“Will has kicked eight, but Kai kicked three today and Charlie probably kicked three; Cam Rayner probably kicked two or three, so it’s a little hard to get in.
“But it’s good to have players playing in the reserves that can step up if we need them.”
Fagan has long put faith in his starters even when their AFL form perhaps warranted a stint in the reserves.
But every player forward of centre has played consistent, impressive, inspirational football over the past month.
And it would be folly to think Allen’s way back into the team is by usurping Eric Hipwood.
The coach has been thrilled with Hipwood’s output since he returned from an ACL injury against Richmond six weeks ago.
Coincidentally, the Lions are unbeaten since the 204cm lead-up forward rejoined the team and they certainly look more potent going forward with him back crashing packs.
The Lions have traditionally played with three key forwards and Fagan would be more likely to play the pair together alongside Morris as a triumvirate.
But that would require leaving one of the litany of dangerous small outs of the line-up, which on current form would be unfathomable.
Couple that with a timely return to form of star midfielder Hugh McCluggage, who put an injury-plagued season behind him with 29 touches and a goal against Port, and the Lions are looking cherry ripe for the run to September.
Young key defender Ty Gallop will face MRO scrutiny for slamming Mitch Georgiades’ head into the turf in the second quarter in an act that could cost him a week on the sidelines.
But with Darcy Gardiner expected back from a hamstring injury this week, Fagan was not too concerned at the prospect of Gallop having a forced week off to rest his legs before the whips start cracking.
Callum DickSports Reporter