Former Lions great Mitch Robinson has lashed out publicly at his former club after being refused entry into the team dressing rooms after the match on Saturday night.
Robinson, who played 147 games for Brisbane, was at the Gabba to watch his two ex clubs clash.
The Lions booked their spot in the preliminary final against Geelong, ending the Blues’ fluctuating season with a 14.15 (99) to 11.5 (71) win.
At 11pm, Robinson, 35, took to social media to post: ‘Imagine playing and bleeding for a club for eight years, copping copious amounts of head knocks and staples in my face (long term effects) just to have my family turned away to come down to the rooms after the game to celebrate with my old teammates,’ he wrote.
‘Football is a fake family, just remember that. I’ll never go to a Lions game again.’
Robinson had been posting to social media in the lead-up to the match, clearly excited for the big occasion.
‘Tonight’s the night, these two clubs are building a little finals rivalry!!’ he posted.
‘I think Brissy gets the win at home, settled team, climatised to warm conditions and if they kick straight it could be a blow out. Praying for a close, tough game though.
Former Lions star Mitch Robinson was heartbroken he wasn’t allowed into the dressing rooms after the match on Saturday night
Robinson, 35, played 147 games with the Lions and became a cult hero for the club
‘Who you think gets up?’
The hosts kicked the first nine goals and notched the first 60 points of the contest, leaving the Blues as the first team not to score in the opening quarter of a finals game since 1974.
The inside-50 count was evenly split (56-56), but Brisbane’s centre-square dominance and delivery was far superior as Carlton stumbled towards half-time still searching for a point.
Patrick Cripps’ snapped major with five minutes remaining in the term meant they avoided becoming the first scoreless team after two terms in AFL history.
The margin was 47 at the main break, only one more than the deficit the Blues pulled back in an unbelievable opening-round win at the same venue.
And a miraculous repeat briefly looked possible as the Blues kicked five goals in 15 minutes.
The lead was 31 when the Lions butchered two brilliant chances to stop the rot, first Logan Morris hitting the post from directly in front, then Zac Bailey being run down when he received the ball in an open goal.
Callum Ah Chee’s goal soon afterwards settled any nerves, the Lions up by 40 points at the final break, only for the Blues to kick the game’s last three goals to complete the see-sawing contest.
‘That’s probably the best footy we’ve played this year for 50, 55 minutes,’ Lions coach Chris Fagan said, dismissing the significance of the Blues’ fightback.
‘We wanted to try and get them on the back foot early … didn’t think we’d do it as well as that.
‘It was a pretty emphatic performance.’
Robinson says he will never attend another Lions footy game after his treatment
Jack Payne, returning from a foot injury, was substituted out with a knee injury that will require scans, but Fagan said there was optimism the key forward could still face the Giants on Saturday.
Dayne Zorko (29 disposals), Will Ashcroft (20) and Lachie Neale (27) were all superb for the hosts, while Cameron Rayner flew spectacularly for a mark that led to the second of his three goals.
Tom De Koning was influential as a tactical substitute in the second quarter for a desperate Carlton, while Cripps (31 touches, one goal) and Sam Walsh (28 touches) battled hard.
Sam Docherty, making a remarkable return less than six months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament at the same ground, had 16 touches and a late goal.
‘Tonight was a small sample size of what our season’s been … it hasn’t been consistent enough,’ said Voss.
‘When you’re not consistent enough it compounds over time, you come to finals, against the best sides, the most extreme pressure … and you find out a bit about yourselves.
‘We didn’t have our pressure at levels anywhere near where they needed to be.’
