Lyon lashes critics of Australia’s physical approach
Speaking after training yesterday at Rye on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Lyon said the focus instead should be on the success of his team’s performance in front of a sell-out crowd at Subiaco.
“I think a lot of them are coming from a very ignorant point of view. They continue to talk down this series and want to highlight a couple of incidents rather than focus on 42,000 people who enjoyed one of the great spectacles,” Lyon said.
“I just wonder whether the game on Friday may have embarrassed some of the people who have been talking this series down for a long time.”
Following a video review of the game, veteran Mark Bickley has been reported and will face a tribunal on Wednesday morning.
An incident involving Australian vice-captain Chris Johnson was looked at, but no report was laid after it was decided his sending-off was sufficient punishment.
“There’s a couple of things that are being looked at, and we accept that and we’ll deal with that in our own way. In the main, let’s focus on what was a great game,” Lyon said.
Asked if the Australian team would continue with the same physical approach to this Friday night’s second Test at the MCG, Lyon said it was the difference between winning and losing.
“I thought our tacking and chasing from behind as the game wore on was some of the best I have seen. Their commitment to chasing hard when they were tired was really exceptional.”
“We won’t win if we don’t tackle. We’ve got one of two choices; we can go in and tackle hard, or we lose the game.”
Lyon said he isn’t concerned that criticism of Australia’s style of play will influence the success of this Friday night’s encounter. “I’d like to think not at all, because the people who have got an open mind to all of this would understand where we’re coming from. It just annoys me that it gets continually talked down.”
“There was so much to like out of Friday night, so much to get excited about and so many positives.”
The Australian squad will remain on the Mornington Peninsula until this afternoon and will reconvene for a 7.30pm training session at the MCG tonight.
More than 21,000 tickets have been sold for the game, with a crowd of 60,000 expected for the match.
