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8 months ago
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Some Brisbane Lions stars have split up with their partners due to the messy fallout from their end-of-season trip to Las Vegas and teammates are having 'tough conversations' with each other as a result, a report has claimed.
Footy reporter Sam McLure raised the claims on radio station 3AW on Friday, saying sources in the team have told him the ramifications of the trip have had nothing to do with the side suffering three straight losses in a disastrous start to the season.
'From what people inside the club have told me, it's certainly been a few headaches since the trip to America late last year between 10 players, a fair chunk of which were Brisbane players,' McClure said.
'It ended in Las Vegas and certain information got home to loved ones that didn't go down too well.
Shattered Lions stars are pictured leaving the field after their loss to Collingwood on Thursday night. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that any of these players are involved in the shocking report about an end-of-season trip to Las Vegas
'It's caused rifts in some relationships. It's caused other relationships to end between players and partners.
'There's even suggestions put to me today that it has caused some tough conversations to be had between teammates as to what went on on that US trip.'
McClure's fellow commentator, former Lions coach Leigh Matthews - who sits on the club's board - said he was unaware of the situation until he found out just before going to air, and said it had not been discussed by the top brass at the team.
After coming within a whisker of winning last year's grand final against Collingwood, the Lions have suffered losses to Carlton, Fremantle and the Pies - with two of those defeats coming at home, where the team were undefeated in 2023.
Lachie Neale (pictured on Thursday night) criticised his teammates for 'sh***ing' on each other in an uncharacteristic outburst after their season-opening loss to Carlton. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that he is in any way involved in the reported fallout from the Vegas trip
After the season-opening loss to Carlton, Lions superstar Lachie Neale erupted with an uncharacteristic outburst as he accused some players of 'sh***ing' on their teammates.
'[There was] a little bit of selfishness ... we probably chose some easy options,' he said after the Blues came roaring back from a big deficit to win.
'We didn't dig in and basically, you're sh***ing on your teammates.'
After the loss to Collingwood on Thursday night, coach Chris Fagan admitted they were in a 'little slump' and it was his job to help his players rediscover their magic - but said the answer to their shocking form is 'not obvious'.
Lions coach Chris Fagan (pictured on Thursday night) says there is no simple way out of the team's form slump, which has seen them lose two from two at home this year after going undefeated at the Gabba for the entire 2023 season
'Some of our players are not at their best at the moment; I can't explain to you why,' he said.
'That's sport for you.
'It's a good challenge. You talk to them about what they're good at, reinforce that.
'Form comes and goes. So it's just positivity, but honesty as well. They've been good players, we won't be pushing the panic button.
'I've trusted them a long time and they've delivered, so I'm not going to jump off them just because we've lost three in a row.'
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