It wasn't that long ago that the Brisbane Lions would have copped a fearsome hiding faced with the scenario that presented against North Melbourne on Sunday.
But in a sign of the progress made under Chris Fagan, the Lions actually walked away from a 21.15 (141) to 12.15 (87) defeat at Etihad Stadium with some positives to draw on.
A disastrous injury toll meant Brisbane played the entire second half with just one fit player on the bench.
Charlie Cameron (ankle), Allen Christensen (concussion) and Hugh McCluggage (hamstring) all left the game in the first half after Jarrod Berry was a late withdrawal with hamstring soreness.
Eleven rounds into the season, the Lions still haven't won a first quarter after the Roos bounded out to a 33-point lead at the opening break.
A smashing of 100-plus points was in the offing when the margin increased to 55 points at halftime.
But Fagan took heart in the way his undermanned team played out the contest and even won the final term.
"We won the second half by a point, which was a mighty courageous effort by our players to keep playing hard and committed footy," Fagan said.
"Funnily enough I think we'll get a lot out of today.
"I reckon this group last year, at the same stage, with three men down and getting beaten by that much ... may well have been beaten by over a hundred points.
"So I think the character that the group showed, the commitment, the courage to keep fighting on when you've only got one rotation was outstanding."
Cameron is the major concern of the casualties.
He was on crutches after the match and will require scans to determine the severity of his injury.
Dayne Beams put in another superb effort in his second match since stepping down as captain as he continues to deal with the death of his father.
He had to contend with master tagger Ben Jacobs and he won the day with a brilliant 32-disposal, five-goal display.
"It seems like not having to worry about the captaincy has really been a good thing for him and his form," Fagan said.
"I'm glad he and we made that call."
Mitch Robinson was reported for a bump on Shaun Higgins in the third quarter, but the star Roo was able to continue.
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