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Voss deserves another Lions term: Brown

Roar Guru
24th July, 2013
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Lions kingpin Jonathan Brown has backed off-contract coach Michael Voss to be re-signed after showing his true colours in Brisbane’s recent AFL revival.

And co-captain Brown has also indicated he’s on track to play on for a 15th season at the Gabba in 2014.

The star forward on Wednesday threw his support behind triple-premiership teammate Voss following four wins from the past five matches to surge back into finals contention.

The Lions face a must-win away match against Port Adelaide on Sunday when victory would lift them to within one game and percentage from the eighth-placed Power.

Brisbane were seemingly down and out with a 3-8 record midway through the season, but Brown stressed the poor start could not be attributed to Voss’s coaching.

He said the playing group was solely to blame for botching the first month of the premiership, starting with a dire upset loss to the Western Bulldogs, before injuries struck.

“We had seven or eight experienced players sitting in the grandstand and we can’t afford that,” Brown said. “It doesn’t matter who’s in the coaches’ box – you’re not going to win games of footy.

“I think we’re starting to see the last couple of weeks how well the side’s coming together and how well it’s coached.

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“I’ve said that from the start of pre-season. Hopefully now we’re starting to give everyone some encouragement and people are starting to realise Vossy’s doing a pretty good job.”

Among the Lions’ resurgence has been stirring come-from-behind wins at home over Geelong and North Melbourne.

Brisbane’s young brigade have continued to step up and rise to the challenge with Brown, Simon Black and Brent Moloney all missing last weekend’s gritty victory over Melbourne in Darwin.

Sidelined by a lingering hip muscle injury, Brown trained lightly on Wednesday morning and felt he’d be close to returning against Port at AAMI Stadium.

The 31-year-old otherwise said his body was in good shape and would decide at the end of the season whether to play on next year.

“There’s all sorts of factors, but team is a big factor,” Brown said. “You want your team to be going in the right direction, which I think we are.

“I’m physically in pretty good nick but, at this stage, I’m just worried about finishing the year off strong and helping us win some important games at the end of the year.”

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