'What'd you think?': Ross Lyon prickly in presser, explains 'roll-the-eyes' sub decision
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was a bit prickly in the aftermath of his side's 45-point loss to Brisbane on Saturday evening, quipping back and forth with journalists.
The Lions dominated early, leading 30-12 at quarter time and completely controlling territory, with 23 entries inside 50 to just four for the Saints.
The first question at Lyon's press conference was a simple one, with the journalist asking the veteran coach 'how he saw (the result)'.
READ MORE: Last-second winner caps off fierce NBA playoff clash
READ MORE: 'Impossible dream' continues for Hollywood star's team
READ MORE: English crowd goes wild for shock father-son reunion
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon afl
Lyon couldn't help but throw the question back the other way.
"I think you all saw it; what'd you think? Specifically, what did you see (in the first quarter)?" Lyon quipped back.
The journalist suggested that contest and clearance was the issue for the Saints early on, which Lyon agreed with.
"You summed it up," he said.
"This has been our Achilles heel a bit. When we play well, our clearance work is good, centre bounce too, but ultimately around the contest, which is really stoppage, they're a territory team ... they got it in there and they dominated clearance wins and territory and we were pinned and couldn't get it out.
"Our forwards were too far away, not good enough with the ball in hand, got stripped, so yeah, think it was 23 entries to four (in the first quarter)."
Lachie Neale's early dominance had the Saints rattled AFL Photos via Getty Images
Lyon and the Saints made the call to sub out mid-forward Hugo Garcia before half time, a very early call for a tactical substitution.
The coach explained that he wasn't happy with the 16-gamer's positioning and opted to pull the trigger.
"I don't know, how much do you guys know about stay-ahead mids and swivelling and turning? Sometimes I just get to roll-the-eyes stage," Lyon said.
"Sometimes you've got to stop talking about it and sometimes you just go 'bang'."
Lyon added that he did not regret the early substitution, even after wingman Mason Wood suffered a concussion later in the contest.
"Not at all," he said.
Hugo Garcia was tactically subbed out before Mason Wood's injury AFL Photos via Getty Images
"How long after was it? Two quarters? That's a half. I live in the world of action. You'd sit there and go 'why'd they pull the sub?' I pulled the sub to try and get something done."
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd provided insight into the decision to sub out Garcia.
"So, word around is, like Dustin Martin used to play, he didn't have to defend the ground. Even if the ball came spitting out of the Tigers forward line, he didn't have to move," Lloyd told Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"(Brisbane star) Lachie Neale plays a role that is similar and he was hovering in the forward line and not chasing out and (Lyon) expected Garcia to stay with him at times and he didn't have the game sense to do it ... one too many times it happened and Ross said 'that's enough'."
Neale dominated, kicking three goals and setting the tone for the Lions in the dominant victory.
