Brisbane Lions coach Justin Leppitsch has taken full responsibility for his side’s horrendous 78-point AFL defeat to Collingwood.

Capping off a forgettable week for the AFL in Queensland, in which both the state’s teams were smashed after a days-long debate over the merits of northern expansion, the Lions sunk to a brand new low in Saturday night’s clash at the Gabba.

Beaten in just about every department imaginable – from disposals (388-311) and clearances (48-24) to inside 50s (70-38) – Brisbane didn’t register their first score until midway through the second term, and had just three scoring shots to Collingwood’s 28 to half-time.

As a contest, it was over before it really ever began.

Lions players had promised a better performance after they were trounced a week earlier by Port Adelaide, but instead they went backwards.

And Leppitsch, who has coached 12 wins from just 52 games at the helm of the club, admitted some of it was his fault.

“I question everything we do, I question myself daily,” Leppitsch said.

“Is this the right session? Are we doing the right things?

“That’s my job, so obviously I got it wrong.

“I’ve got to take responsibility for that and get better as a coach and make sure I’m directing people the right way and we’re focusing on the right things.”

“The buck stops with me.”

The question for Leppitsch, who penned a contract extension earlier this year that takes him to the end of the 2017 season, is why.

“The ‘why’ is always the challenge in this game, that’s my job as a coach, to find out why it’s not happening,” he said.

“We always ask why and sometimes it’s a load of different reasons.

“Sometimes it’s fatigue, sometimes it’s non-compliance. Sometimes it’s just because you’re not good enough as a player, plain and simple.

“That’s when selections are made and careers are decided.

“We’ve got to decide every player in which category they fit in, in all those three.

“Obviously you can’t sack everybody after a loss, but it was stark that we had a lot of players down.”

Meanwhile, Leppitsch revealed star Lions midfielder Dayne Beams is carrying a knee injury and may require surgery at some point this year after failing to take part in the final term due to soreness.

“It’s one of those things, we’ve got to wait and see if we can manage it through games,” he said.

“It just was a bit much for him today to keep going.”