ROSS Lyon says St Kilda's 85-point hammering from Brisbane on Sunday night was a harsh reality check from the best team in the competition.
After winning five of their previous eight games, the Saints were spanked by the Lions, taught a lesson at the contest and beaten in most facets of the game.
Brisbane won clearances 48-27 and the contested possession count 139-96 in a powerful performance.
SAINTS v DOCKERS Full match coverage and stats
St Kilda's coach did not mince words in his post-match assessment.
"They just sat us on our arse," Lyon said.
"They were too good for us.
"We see them as the best team in the comp at the minute.
"We got feedback to what that level actually feels like against you. The cleanness, the problem solving, the toughness.
"It gives us a harsh reality check."
Lyon tried a number of different midfield options, starting with Mitch Owens and Jack Sinclair in the middle of the ground, but whoever he tried, fell short.
Lachie Neale had 13 clearances, Hugh McCluggage nine and Josh Dunkley seven, with that trio also among the four highest contested possession winners on the ground as well.
Lyon said Brisbane played with St Kilda in the midfield, they were that dominant.
He said Brisbane's "singular focus" was outstanding, pointing to Brandon Starcevich's shutdown job of Jack Higgins (four disposals) as a primary example of a Lion who knew his job and executed it to perfection.
"We expected better, we wanted better, but we didn't deliver better," Lyon said.
"I get frustrated.
"Our biggest opponent is ourselves because we've undone all our good work, to be fair, I'd think.
"Minus 42 contested ball is hard to comprehend, hard to comprehend."
On the flipside, Brisbane coach Chris Fagan was all smiles after his team's ninth successive win kept it in second spot on the ladder.
Fagan said honouring the 200-game milestone of Ryan Lester was important to him and the Lions, saying it was the first thing he mentioned after defeating Gold Coast eight days earlier.
Despite its good run of form, Brisbane's coach said he was "too scared" to think about the momentum they were creating with such a tight competition.
"I've never watched results so closely," he said.
"Things can change really quickly. We keep our heads down and keep working hard.
"If you had have said to me at 2-5 that with three weeks to go we'd be in the hunt for top two, I probably would have laughed at that suggestion.
"We haven't talked about finals … still haven't."
Fagan said tall forward Eric Hipwood "should be right" to face Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba next Saturday after he was a late withdrawal with groin soreness.
