- Read about Tom Williamson debut for Carlton – here.
JARROD Berry’s Brisbane Lions team fought back into his debut game valiantly on Sunday but by the final siren it was not the start to the career he would have liked.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Berry had a relatively quiet first game as he collected eight disposals against St Kilda but spent 73 percent of the game on the field.
At the first bounce Berry was on the bench but he did not have to wait long before entering the field.
His big moment in the match came at the 12-minute-mark of the third quarter when he drifted into the forward to take an uncontested mark 40 metres out after teammate Rohan Bewick spot ted him up.
Throughout his football development Berry has shown time and time again that he has a cool head on his shoulders and he calmly went back to kick his first AFL goal with his second kick.
Berry celebrated excitedly as his teammates rushed from everywhere to congratulate him on kicking the important goal.
The goal put the Lions just six-points behind and less than two minutes later the side was in front.
Ultimately Brisbane could not maintain its level as St Kilda ran away with the game in the final quarter to win 14.23 (107) to 11.10 (76), but it will still be a game the Horsham Saints product will not forget.
Berry won praise from his teammates and coaches after the game.
In his post-match press conference Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said he is hopeful Berry and fellow debutante Hugh McCluggage would become strong contributors in his midfield group.
“It was just good for them to get out there and play their first game,” he said.
“It’s a massive occasion; they’ll learn from it and be better for it.
“We’ll just keep trying to get games into those guys.”
Mitch Robinson told LionsTV that it was always going to be difficult for Berry and McCluggae to debut away from home.
“I think they did well,” he said.
“They attacked the ball and they lived the trademark that we set for them.
“They did not have to set the world on fire, they just needed to get that game under their belt; I’m pretty pleased with them.”