COMING into the three-quarter huddle seven points down and having kicked just three goals for the game, the Brisbane Lions players had every reason to doubt themselves.<\/p>\n
But heading into the pinnacle quarter of the 2023 AFLW season, one glimpse of a sign of a modest jerry can was enough to inspire the Lions to a surging victory.<\/p>\n
In the end, the 7.2 (44) to 4.3 (27) grand final triumph over North Melbourne was the Lions\u2019 second AFLW premiership and a defining one given they were outplayed for three quarters.<\/p>\n
Forward Isabel Dawes, who had 20 touches and a whopping 13 tackles as the Lions broke the AFLW tackles record, said the comeback defined her teammates\u2019 attitude.<\/p>\n
It was an attitude that this year started back in the pre-season.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did a camp at the start of the season, it was a bit army style and we had to carry these heavy, heavy jerry cans, carry them up hills, just running with them, keep them in line, super structured and it was just a brutal few days for us,\u201d Dawes said on SEN Breakfast.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did not like the sight of a jerry can but at the end of it was almost like, \u2018look at what we\u2019ve done\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that\u2019s kind of our [thing]. We put the sign up, jerry can, and we\u2019re like, \u2018okay, we\u2019ve got to put some more effort in now. We\u2019ve done that, let\u2019s put a bit more work in on the field\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Lions\u2019 109 tackles was also emblematic of the hard working attitude that saw them finish in the top four yet again despite losing four stars over the off-season.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Courtney Holder\u2019s 18 tackles was the most in AFLW grand final history, while three other Lions laid 10 or more tackles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are just so competitive with each other at training. We don\u2019t like to lose to each other, let alone another team,\u201d Dawes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also just have a really good bit of banter among the group\u2026 we just love each other so much. It\u2019s just special that we all buy in.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first season with Craig [Starcevich] he was like, \u2018when you\u2019re in this team, we don\u2019t want stars. We be reliable, not remarkable, we don\u2019t rely on one person\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just grabbed that since I was 19 and everyone has.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for now, Dawes said the Lions celebrations are set to kick on for some time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be riding this wave for the while,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n