BRISBANE Lions defender Joel Macdonald believes the weekend's devastating loss to Carlton might be the making of future success for his team.

The defeat by the Blues – which came after the Lions led by 32 points at three-quarter time –spelled the end of the 2008 finals aspirations of Macdonald and his teammates.

But the hard-working 23-year-old hopes the heart-breaking result may represent a watershed moment for the Lions.

"I think having to watch the finals this year on television is going to cut quite a bit more," Macdonald told lions.com.au.

"Last year there was probably a bit of a sense that we were still a fairly young team, that we were improving and that we'd done pretty well to get close to making the finals.

"But this year I think we know that we really could have been there, if it hadn't been for a few stupid things like not being able to play a full four quarters when we really needed to.

"Not playing finals is really going to affect us and should spur us on."

Although this week's clash with the Sydney Swans is effectively a dead rubber, Macdonald says there is no lack of motivation within the Lions camp.

The Lions have beaten five of the top-eight sides this year, but have not beaten the Swans since round one of 2004.

"We've beaten five of the teams above us and now we've got a chance to make it six and tick another box."

Click here to read the full interview with Joel Macdonald.