The Brisbane Lions season ended Saturday with a loss in the AFL Grand Final. It was their first Grand Final appearance in 20 years – since the dominant days of the early 2000s. To lose a Grand Final by only 4 points, made it harder to bear.

And it was such a fantastic game of football! Many have compared it with the best Grand Finals of the last 50 years. A high-scoring battle in the first half, and a tense but engrossing struggle in the second.

Despite my disappointment at the result, after just a little thought came the realisation and acceptance that the Lions small mistakes added up, that Collingwood were just that little bit better in critical moments, and but for their inaccuracy in front of goals could have, and probably should have, been further ahead.

So my sadness quickly gave way to pride. Pride in the team’s performance throughout the year, and as our wonderful coach Chris Fagan (Fages) points out, every loss is an opportunity to learn and get better, however much it hurts in a Grand Final – the finale of every AFL season.

Analysts have concentrated on the Lion’s mistakes, and made some player’s uncomfortable by directly calling out specific blunders, and talking about the “sleepless nights” they’ll suffer as a result – despite the close result.

I prefer to push that perspective and my sadness aside, and rejoice in the highlights of the team’s otherwise fantastic season, and the journey of the Lions relatively young team, growing, maturing, and one step closer to their final goal – even if it eluded them this year.

I subscribe to Fages view of the world. The journey has many steps, with some stumbles along the way. And those stumbles are necessary, so you learn not to stumble next time. But I have faith the destination is in sight. Pick yourself up Lions, come back bigger, fitter, stronger, hardened, more experienced next year, and we’ll be right behind you again.

Go Lions!