Scott Lucas says the Bombers strong finish to the match against Brisbane suggests the side’s fitness and leadership are in a healthy state.

Just how the team would run out games this season was one of many ‘unknowns’ discussed in the lead up to the Bombers 2017 campaign getting underway. 

But the Dons have outscored their opponents by a combined 37 points in fourth quarters during the opening two rounds. 

The Lions held a three-point lead over the Dons during the last quarter on Saturday night, before the Bombers kicked five unanswered goals.

“It’s a sign they’ve got the run in their legs – it was a question heading into the season how some of the returning players would go getting through game week in, week out,” Lucas said.

“It says they’re in good shape, it also says leadership across the ground is very good. 

“They were able to identify the areas they needed to work on and fix on the back of the third quarter.

“All in all it’s very positive in that regard.

“They need to work on why it’s happening though and be able to counter it earlier because we’ve seen them concede chunks of goals consecutively in games this year and you want to get that out.”

Brisbane overturned a 42 point with Stefan Martin one of the key players.

In a 15 minute patch in the third term he had nine possessions, five clearances, five contested possessions and four inside 50’s. 

Lucas said the Bombers would address their tactics around the centre bounce this week.

“They’ll be looking at their centre clearance work and their setups around the stoppage also,” he said.

“Shaun McKernan has been undersized, Stefan Martin is a very good ruckman, so he’ll [McKernan] certainly enjoy some more support from [Matthew] Leuenberger when he’s available.

“Also when they [Essendon] move the ball through the corridor – it’s great they’re taking the game on, but at times they’ve gone through the corridor when they shouldn’t have … they’ll work on their ball movement as well.”