Ex-Brisbane Lions star Mitch Robinson devastated after being ‘turned away’ by former club: ‘I’ll never go to a game again’

Former Lions star Mitch Robinson has publicly criticised his former club after he was denied access to the team’s dressing room after Saturday night’s match.

Robinson, who played 147 games for Brisbane, was at the Gabba to watch the match between his two former clubs.

The Lions booked their place in the preliminary final against Geelong, ending the Blues’ mixed season with a 14.15 (99) to 11.5 (71) victory.

At 11 p.m., Robinson, 35, posted a message on social media: “Imagine playing for a club for eight years and bleeding, taking countless blows to the head and having your face bandaged (long-term effects), and then your family being sent away after the game and coming to the hotel room to celebrate with your old teammates,” he wrote.

‘Football is a fake family, remember that. I’m never going to a Lions game again.’

Robinson had been posting messages on social media in the run-up to the match, clearly looking forward to the big event.

“Tonight is the night, these two clubs are creating a little final rivalry!!” he posted.

‘I think Brissy will win at home, a settled team, with warm conditions and if they shoot straight it could be a blowout. I pray for an exciting, tough game.

Robinson, 35, made 147 appearances for the Lions and became a cult hero for the club

“Who do you think will stand up?”

The home side scored the first nine goals and took the first 60 points of the game, making the Blues the first team since 1974 not to score in the first quarter of a final.

The inside 50 points were evenly split (56-56) but Brisbane’s midfield dominance and crosses were much better as Carlton limped towards the break still looking for a point.

Patrick Cripps’ vital win with five minutes left on the clock meant they failed to become the first team in AFL history to go two terms without scoring a point.

The margin at half-time was 47 points, just one more than the deficit the Blues overcame with an incredible opening-round win at the same stadium.

And a miraculous repeat looked possible for a moment when the Blues scored five goals in 15 minutes.

The lead was 31 when the Lions wasted two great chances to stop the slide, first with Logan Morris hitting the post from just in front of goal and then Zac Bailey being taken down as he received the ball into an open net.

Callum Ah Chee’s goal calmed the mood, with the Lions leading by 40 points at half-time, but the Blues scored the final three goals to seal the match.

“That was probably the best game we’ve played this year in 50, 55 minutes,” said Lions coach Chris Fagan, who played down the significance of the Blues’ comeback.

‘We wanted to throw them off the scent early on… we didn’t expect to do that well.

“It was a pretty convincing performance.”

Robinson says he will never attend a Lions football game again after his treatment

Jack Payne, who was returning from a foot injury, was substituted with a knee injury that requires scans, but Fagan said there was optimism the key forward would still be able to play against the Giants on Saturday.

Dayne Zorko (29 disposals), Will Ashcroft (20) and Lachie Neale (27) were all excellent for the hosts, while Cameron Rayner flew spectacularly for a marker that led to the second of his three goals.

Tom De Koning was influential as a tactical substitute in the second quarter for a desperate Carlton, while Cripps (31 possession, one goal) and Sam Walsh (28 possession) fought hard.

Sam Docherty made a remarkable comeback less than six months after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament on the same pitch, touching the ball 16 times and scoring in the closing stages.

“Tonight was a little bit of a reflection of what our season looks like… it wasn’t consistent enough,” Voss said.

‘If you’re not consistent enough, it gets worse as time goes by. You get to the final, you play against the best teams, the pressure is at its highest… and you get to know yourself a little bit.

“Our pressure was nowhere near the level it needed to be.”