Collingwood huffed and puffed and blew Brisbane's house down on Sunday but big bad AFL teams won't find that so easy once Chris Fagan has finished rebuilding the Lions' list.
Brisbane showed glimpses of a bright future in the 45-point defeat to the Magpies at the MCG but head into their bye on a nine-game losing streak.
It might be quicker to makeover their playing stocks with experienced troops via trade and free agency but Fagan is determined to stay true to his youth policy.
"It's like the story of the Three Little Pigs - we're trying to build a house of bricks that's going to last a long time," Fagan said.
"To do that it's going to take us a period of time to develop our list and develop our players to the point where they can compete really strongly against all teams.
"We know what it is we're trying to do and we all wish it would hurry up but you only get to play one game a week so it takes time.
"As each game goes by we get a little bit better in some areas ... like all improvement sometimes it goes up and sometimes it goes down.
"But by and large we keep our focus on the big picture. That's what I've been charged to do since I've been at the club and that's what I'll continue to do."
The Lions' season-opening win over Gold Coast is a distant memory, with their average losing margin over the past nine games 49 points.
But Fagan denies his young group is staggering into the bye.
"I thought Thursday night was the best we'd trained for ages," he said.
"There's been lots of energy around the club.
"I know (the media) look from outside and think it must be all doom and gloom but that's not the environment that we've created ... the players have been very positive."
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