The Brisbane Lions Reserves find themselves three games outside the NEAFL Northern Conference’s top five after suffering a comprehensive eight-goal loss against Aspley last weekend.Reserves Coach Nathan Clarke was bitterly disappointed with the result and said his team’s poor starts to games are becoming a concern.The Lions were within four points of the Hornets at quarter time before conceding 10 goals in the second term.“I vented a bit at half-time,” Clarkes said.“But I took the unusual step of pulling back a bit and basically told the boys that it’s about time they started taking some responsibility.”“Sometimes I feel our younger blokes get into the habit of relying on the older guys to lift the team.”“I am just sick of letting other sides get in front of us early in games and trying to peg them back. It’s been the story of our season.”“When the sting is in the game, we’re just no quite there.”“Us coaches are there to provide the best environment for them to succeed, but in the end they need to step up and do it for themselves. It can be frustrating at times.”Clarke said that despite having 15 Lions players available on the day, too much of the workload was left to too few.“We were led by guys like James Hawksley and Amon Buchanan who have been among our better players for the past month or so,” Clarke said.“Amon really lifts his intensity physically and you can’t help but admire the way he approaches each contest.”“Hawks was clearly our best player and has developed into an all-round leader on the field.”“Aaron Cornelius was pretty good and is starting to develop a more rounded side of his game between defence and attack while Josh Dyson battled away pretty well.”Brent Staker got through his first official hitout with the Reserves since undergoing a knee reconstruction earlier in the season and will be better for the run.“Stakes felt his way through the game,” Clarke said.“He battled a bit at times, but he’s entitled to considering he’s been out of action for 15 weeks. He’ll bounce back and the 80 minutes of game-time he played will be great for his confidence.”Clarke also revealed that 20 year-old midfielder Callum Bartlett would make his return after a second consecutive knee reconstruction this week against GWS in Blacktown.“Cal will play - he was pretty close last week,” Clarke said.“The plan is to give him around 80 minutes or so of game time. There’s no point giving him just 40 minutes coming back, it disrupts the fabric of the team.”The Reserves will make their second trip interstate for the season to play GWS of the NEAFL Eastern Conference and Clarke believes the trip can only benefit his young team.“I think it will be good for us to be on the bus together for an hour to and from the airport.”“There should also be some atmosphere at the game considering there’s a curtain-raiser as well. We’ll be a bit of a centrepiece of the day.”“I think that could work in our favour. Plus, we’re always a better side when we come off a poor performance like last week.”