Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan says his side wasted its chances against Collingwood and has refused to blame the loss on a controversial final-minute advantage call.
Collingwood went on to defeat Brisbane by just four points in a grand final that will go down as a classic, with Magpie Bobby Hill winning the Norm Smith Medal.
The incident in question took place after Brisbane's Joe Daniher booted a crucial goal to reduce the margin to just four points with 90 seconds remaining.
As the Lions attempted to make one last foray forward, a controversial advantage call was paid to Brisbane after Lachie Neale was tripped just outside Brisbane's 50m arc.
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Lions players did not realise a free kick had been paid their way, with Zac Bailey smashing the ball forward without hearing the whistle as the umpire called advantage.
Bailey's haphazard kick inside 50 was eventually cleared by Collingwood's defenders, with the Magpies eventually able to run out the clock.
"When you lose by four points, all those little things matter," Fagan said in his post-match press conference.
"I didn't know that the whistle [for the Neale free kick] had been blown by the umpire to be honest … I'd have to watch the replay."
The call attracted controversy, with Richmond great Matthew Richardson labelling it "ridiculous" on Seven's coverage.
"Did Brisbane know there was a kick, BT?" Richardson asked co-commentator Brian Taylor.
"That wasn't a good advantage, that one. That is ridiculous. They didn't even know it was their free kick."
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Despite the heartbreaking loss, Fagan conceded that the better team won on the day, but will rue the opportunities that slipped for the Lions earlier in the day.
"I think the team that won today probably is the team that should've won … Having said that, we had our chances," Fagan said.
"People always talk about this in finals, moments … They kick a goal right at the end of the first quarter, they kick a goal right at the end of the second quarter, those sorts of moments … You look back at those things and you're going, 'If only we'd have defended a little better then'."
Concerns have been raised as to what is next for Brisbane, which has now failed to reach ultimate glory in the last five finals series.
However Fagan backed his hurting group to find the strength to push for a premiership next season.
"There's lots of teams in the history of the game that have lost close grand finals and have gone on to win premierships in the ensuing years," Fagan said.
"That will be my attitude; what can we learn today to make us a better team next year?"
Fagan lauded his young stars and looked to the future, throwing his full support and expectation behind the return of Will Ashcroft, who went down with an ACL injury in his first season.
"We're well and truly in the window, and I think we've only just moved into the window," Fagan said.
"We had a lot of quite young players out there today, 23 years or younger.
"We'll have Will Ashcroft come back from his knee injury, [and] we've got his brother coming a year after that.
The Lions may have fallen at the final hurdle, but a new season awaits.
Fagan thinks they'll be just fine.
"We've just got to make sure we handle this loss well, don't get too upset, don't get too downhearted, use it as a spur to get better."
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